"Your highness!" The bellowing voice above snapped off my daydreaming moment.
"What's wrong?"
"The tree... The tree…" a maid came into the room in heavy breathing, and she was in dire need of oxygen to fill her lungs that, waiting for her to recover, started to snap my patience.
"Restrain your staff, Lasima!" Lady Lanso scowls at the pitiful head maid.
"It's alright, Lasima." I waved her away. "Let's wait for a few minutes."
It took her a full three minutes before she was able to deliver her message. But, before she even got her message crossed, this unease bad feeling since yesterday gets the gist of what she wants to say. I went pale. 'No!, Please no.'
Ara. I started to run towards the old garden. My heart was beating hard. I prayed hard not to let anyone hurt the ancient tree. A loud pitching noise derived from the ancient tree. Ara was cursing loudly, but only I could listen to his plea and complaint.
'Mundane! Oh, Mundane! Where are you?'
'I'm here. I'm here now.' I reached him, horrified by what I saw. The maids and Lady Lanso arrived later, but all were terrified of what happened to the tree. I remembered my first encounter with Willow. Luckily Ara was not hurt. He was fine, but his behaviour turned grumpy with his roots exposed out of the ground, and the twig-made-swing snapped into two. 'Who did this?'
Ara told me everything. The description of the culprit matched that person. Wait till I get my hand on her precious neck! Now I finally understand the reason behind his visit to the Yellow Palace.
I apologize to Ara. He doesn't want to listen to me any longer. His bark turned so rough and sharp that even I couldn't come closer to him like I always do.
"Lady Lanso, please invite a priestess named Kirai to the palace." I looked up to the tree solemnly. 'I will get to the bottom of this matter, settle, Ara.' "She'll know what to do with this one."
Three days later, Kirai arrived, flushed as if someone was chasing her down.
"Good to see you, Kirai. My dear friend."
"Long time no see you, your highness. You look more beautiful than ever."
"Cut it out, Kirai." I smiled at her sweet comment. "What's wrong?" I am aware that her behaviour is rather unnatural. "Did something happen at the Grand Temple?" I gave her a tight hug. I terribly missed this friend.
"Nothing at all, your highness. I got flustered knowing that you need me, and I immediately departed from the Grand Temple."
"Well, alright. You will tell me everything about it soon. Now I want you to fix Ara for me, please."
"Ara?" I confide in her the whole story and lead her to the garden where Ara is still unapproachable.
"This is Ara."
"Wow, this is the ancient tree. I never saw one before. Normally you can only find this kind of tree at the Origin."
"How did you know?"
"Well, all the trees came with a purpose. Willow came as the messengers between two worlds."
"Purpose?" I struggled to think of any possibility, but I was lost. Are you saying that this ancient tree is?"
Kirai shushed me as she turned to check her surroundings cautiously, "Not here." She whispered, and she immediately began with her ritual calling out to Ara.
It took Kirai a week to coax him to behave accordingly. At the same time, I get to work constructing a greenhouse to house him. Maybe not to put a roof on him but enough to protect him from any unwanted 'pests'.
It was a major project that I applied directly to Emperor Aleq, and he kindly approved it without asking for any reason behind the greenhouse. He doesn't ask for any description of the building nor the function of the building.
I was able to get a few skilled craftsmen, pick a fight along the way with the stubborn blacksmith who could not get the design right, sculptors, painters, carpenters and lastly, the difficult one, a glasswork artisan.
It took me almost six months to complete it.
I can't rest with overlapping works and training as the next Empress is still in progress. I haven't seen Ephraim after that wickedness plan on his part. They were obviously looking for something. What was the thing? Or a door? That was an outrageous theory. I laugh it off when Kirai confides in me the story she once heard from the priestess.
I frowned at Ara's tall and huge figure. A door, huh? I circled him many times already, but I saw nothing about a button or a doorknob at all. A door to where? To my world? Well, I seriously want to learn that from Kirai patiently.
Another mystery that I need to figure myself out or more like for me to believe. Able to talk to a tree was like a curse. I beg for her to get me a lighter punishment, but Willow wants me to carry it through my whole life as a reminder never to hurt a tree. I groan with frustration. Not in my world, man. Or people will think I am crazy talking to trees.
'Hey, mundane.'
'Don't talk to me, and I'm not a mundane.' I covered my face in frustration. I am still unable to figure out Kirai's theory.
'Yes, you are. Why are you circling me like an idiot?'
'Well, you tell me. Why are you in this world anyway? Aren't you supposed to be on the other side of the world?'
'Are you talking about yourself? fufufu...'
"Argh, this is wasting my time," I shout through the almost finished greenhouse.
"Who is wasting whose time?"
I turned to the voice. "Your majesty! You came. I didn't hear your footsteps at all." Emperor Aleq smiled at me and turned to check the structure of the newly constructed greenhouse.
"So, is it completed yet?" His hands were on his back as he wandered through the greenhouse.
"Almost. Allow me to give you a tour to this greenhouse, Your Majesty."
"That would be wonderful. Please."
It took us an hour to go around the greenhouse to fully explain everything that he never saw before. He was fascinated with my story, but not all surprised him as the whole empire was all about fulfilling your wishes. Anything can happen. But within one's ability. What kind of limitations? I am still figuring out what kind of limitations are for making a wish.
"I heard about the incident that happened to this ancient tree." He looked up to the top of the tree as he rubbed the tree's bark skin softly. "I'm sorry for their behaviour, dear tree." I watched him converse with the tree, and I thought he was sweet to the tree. Although both Ara and I knew he was not the one at fault. I can't fulfil my promise to Ara as we don't have enough proof to seek them out. I can't even say that I talk to the tree. And not many people do have this certain ability.
We ended the tour and got back to where we began, below the tree. They filled the newly made table with teas and sweets and simple cakes. I make sure to have proper seating and a table set up not far from the tree. Some cushions were created and placed on the rattan chair for a morning tea break and relaxation.
The morning sun shining through the glass over the ground of the greenhouse makes it more magical than I ever anticipated—the sound of the birds chirping away echoes inside the greenhouse.
"Have you done with your education, Lady Coraine?"
"Well, not quite finished."
"How disappointed to hear that," He looks at me with a warm expression. "I thought I could test your intelligence since you spend your time more on this massive greenhouse, which only means you are already finished."
"I'm sorry, but I lost my memories, remember? I need time to learn my way from the start."
"Alright, you must know your basics on the empire's foundation, right? Let's start from there." He looked deadly serious about testing me.
I tried my best to explain to him. He nodded all the time as I spoke.
This empire was founded from the combined Kingdoms of Seven Kingdoms of all continents. What makes it more powerful than the other Kingdoms is that this palace is the door or entrance to the other world. The Origin. It makes the emperor the guardian of the door, and there was this festival to celebrate the new year, hoping the other world will listen to their plea and the door shall open, allowing them to enter. The exact site of the door was still not been found until now. Only the current emperor or empress know the exact location, and they will pass it on down the secret to their next heir of the throne.
How good is this place called Origin? I wonder about it myself.