"I know Candy thinks this is some fairytale dream but I don't want any part of it. I miss my home and my parents and even my stupid schoolmates! Everything here is just...odd and scary. Those things out there, they scare me!" She broke down in tears upon her confession and Alia was left to play Queen mother.
"Oh Rwen". She found herself patting her back comfortingly.
"I just want to go home!"
Home! That is it! Alia broke away from the embrace, racing for the summoning chamber. She found it after a few turn around's and she hurried to the tree's smooth white trunk, pressing her forehead against it.
"I want to go home. I just want to go home!" She whispered it over and over again until tears fell from her eyes.
"Alia?" Rwen had finally caught up, and she turned to her earnestly.
"Arguing, we were arguing! We have to argue to get the tree to work!" So they shouted insults at each other and then wished with all their might yet the tree remained the same.
"It's no use, we are stuck here in this horrid, horrid place!" She moaned. Dissolving into helpless tears.
"How does this work?" Alia questioned Silverus. After crying herself to sleep, she had awoken with refreshed energy and a new determination.
"The summoning tree, my Queen? You know that one has been broken for over a century now. It's a miracle you were able to get back here through it, your highness. No wonder your slight amnesia!
"So this is a portal between worlds? Are there anymore like them?"
"Ahh yes your highness there is supposed to be another one, in the forest of the waking willows. But it would be impossible to find it my Queen. The forest is foul, inhabited by terrible creatures that also seek our demise!"
"What have I done that everything is against me?!" It was enough to discourage any living creature and believe me Alia was at her patience's end with hearing of danger. Of all the candy coated fairy worlds, why had she been transported here? Where she was a hated Queen.
"Your highness from the beginning of time, the forest has longed to claim Gauberhodgy for itself. But as long as you sit on the throne, the forest can come no further. In other words, it is no threat to us now. Who we should worry about is the Lord of Hebran, Roland. He has weaved discord among our people and draw them away daily. He, we must ignore no longer for fear he will becomes too strong. My Queen... " Silverus was in earnest to cripple the plans of the enemy, it was not his fault though, this zeal was a characteristic of his Queen. But it had not rendered him sightless and he knew that his Queen was not herself and needed more time to recover. If only he could quicken the process! "Let me show you something". He led her away from the bone white tree, down the corridor and into the throne room. She had been there before, but now, she beheld it in the light of day. The throne room was grande with a high ceiling decorated with antique chandeliers. Upon the floor lay a narrow carpet which led up to the platform on which the thrones stood. The first, in the center had a frame of pure gold and pillows of a deep purple.Then the other two, silver framed, with cushions of deep red (the royal colours of Gauberhodgy). And all around, the walls were decorated with paintings. Paintings of dancing and celebrations and paintings of charging horses and brutal brawls. She paused at an illustration of the queen dressed in a purple gown and accompanied by a group of people and creatures, at her side was what appeared to be some representation of Silverus and she was pointing at a man who stood apart from the crowd.
"The battle at Halder," the cankey responded. "Lord Roland, he was a lord at court and the people favoured him greatly because of his honey tongue but," He paused for dramatic effect, puffing up like a cat that felt threatened. "He was a snake, you saw through his pretence and turned down his proposal. Angering him, so he led an ambush against you on your journey to Halder, only my Queen, he underestimated you. After this Oldin wanted you to sentence him to death, Instead you banished him to the gully. And ever since, his hatred for you has only doubled.
"Why, he should have been killed!"
"And there is the first celebration of Jheves, you declared the first leaf fall of the third month a holiday. It strengthened your arm as the people was made merry... Oh and the establishment of the dinning council, your idea of bringing the leaders closer together". He turned to stare with admiration. "Ohh ohh meow look, the day you knighted me, Sir Saddlepaw Diddymons Silverus!" His excitement had soon diverted him from his english but he instantly reined himself. "Though these are not what I meant to show you".
"Here it is your highness". He was at the very end of the throne room in a corner between the podium and the wall on the right hand. There he groped about for a piece of rope. And on his third tug, the thick burgundy drapes swung back to reveal another compilation of paintings. "Here is the battle for Gauberhodgy, We were a group struggling to make a living on the moor beneath this very cliff. When the waking willows suddenly awoken. It started by taking our land and anyone who opposed. The forest would have consumed us all. When you stepped up, crowned Queen of Gauberhodgy. And with your scepter, singlehandedly drove them back! You are our Queen, you've done it before and we believe, I believe that you can do the same to Roland!"
His words sent her heart pounding and from fear, she felt like she was being placed on stage all over again. Only they were not asking her to sing, she could do that! They were asking her to lead an army, to war! She, who had never even been in a real fight before. No she was a coward in truth and whenever confronted by a problem, Alia had only one defense. She ran.
"My Queen?" Silverus was fighting to keep up.
Only she was determined to keep out of reach.
No no no NO! Her mind had reduced to putty and finding an open door, she slipped inside and shut the door behind her. But she was not alone.