The moon casts a dim light at night, illuminating the atmosphere around Emily's boat as it docks on Lunaria land. With her bag clutched tightly in her hand, Emily steps onto the creaking wooden planks of the dock, her eyes scanning the village ahead. Despite her determination, Emily could not shake the feeling of uncertainty that spread through her body.
'And I thought Tauris was underpopulated,' Emily muses to herself as she turns corners of the village, noticing only a few villagers and guards around. Upon finally arriving at the village market square, she was greeted by a scene that was quite different from what she had initially anticipated.
The market square is bustling with life and activity. The soft glow of candles held by villagers illuminates the area. Some are raising their candles towards the sky, their faces uplifted in prayer, while others are joyfully dancing under the moonlight. Their laughter and smiles fill the air, creating a joyful atmosphere.
Emily can't help but smile at the sight. 'Tauris never hosted events like this,' she thought. As much as she would have loved to stay and watch, she knows she has something important to do. Emily walked towards one of the market stalls and engaged in a conversation with them.
✨🌙✨
Minutes have passed as Emily is walking towards Lunaria docks with a worried expression. Her shoulders slumped, and her arms wrapped around herself for comfort. 'What should I do now? Elijah's life is at a higher risk now.' she thought.
As she reaches the docks, she sees a young man holding onto her boat. She feels panic gripping her heart as she yells at him, "Hey! What are you doing?" Running towards the young man, she grabs a wooden stick from her bag and points it at him, her hand trembling with fear of his intentions.
The young man, startled by her sudden outburst, turns to face her. He calmly asks, "Oh, is this your boat? It was drifting off, and I wanted to help secure it."
Emily sets down the stick, her hand trembling as she sighs in relief. "Oh, thank you for your help," she says, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. The young man grins at her, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Glad to be of assistance," he replies, his tone friendly.
As Emily looks up at the man, she notices his guard armor, adorned with the Lunaria crest. She is captivated by the intricate design and craftsmanship, her gaze fixed on every detail before meeting his eyes.
"You seem to be quite taken with my armor," the young man teases, a playful smile spreading across his lips as he winks at her. "Can I assist you with something?" His tone is light and friendly, inviting further conversation.
Emily chuckled nervously, feeling a blush rise to her cheeks. "Sorry about that. My name is Emily, and I noticed you are a guard of Lunaria. I need help actually. " She explained.
He nodded and stretched out his hand for a shake, which she reciprocated. "I'm Henry. I'm the head guard of Lunaria. What brings you here this lovely evening, miss?" he asked, giving her a warm smile.
"I'm looking for Siloon plants, but no one has them in the market square," Emily replied.
"Ah, you mean this," he said, opening his small pouch to reveal heart-shaped leaves tinged with faint silvery hues. The four-petaled flowers in shades of purple and white stood strong.
Emily's smiles widen, her heart pounding with excitement at the prospect of finally obtaining the Siloon plants. "Yes, that's what I'm looking for" she responded eagerly.
"The flowers are beautiful and quite rare. You will have to do me a favor for me before I can hand them to you." He smiled mischievously, his eyes twinkling with amusement.
"What kind?" Emily asked, shrinking a little at the smile he gave her.
✨🌙✨
Emily stood on a farmland, the dark and rich earth beneath her feet. She held the hoe tightly, straining her muscles to prepare the soil for planting. Her cheeks are flushed in frustration as sweat glistens down her brown skin.
Henry sat a few steps away, a book in his hand, glancing up occasionally as he watched Emily. "Hoeing soil...didn't expect this," Emily commented loud enough for Henry to hear.
"Well, I can't just give you these flowers for free. It's a rare one," Henry said, smirking at her.
"I thought Siloon was indigenous to Lunaria." Emily, setting the hoe on the floor, as she wipes her hand on her dress,
"It was." Henry began, his voice filled with sorrow. "But our plants have been dying on us. All our farmers left the village due to them not being needed, I guess. The soil we are standing on is the only one striving." Henry explained, setting his book down.
Emily's eyes widen at the revolution. 'So, Casper was right, this is happening everywhere.' Emily wonders in her mind.
Emily slowly walks up to Henry. "The same is happening in my village" She began, Henry looked up at her, only a hint of seriousness on his face. "What is your village name?" Henry asked cautiously.
"Tauris," Emily answered
Henry patted the seat next to him, gesturing for Emily to sit, which she did.
"Is your lord missing too?" He asked
"Yes, for months. His house was burned down." She said, setting her head down.
"Hm, our lord just vanished, disappeared without a trace. I... I lied to the villagers," Henry admitted, looking up at the moon. "I didn't want them to panic."
Emily sighed, joining him to gaze at the night sky. "But she did say something... strange, before leaving," he muttered.
Emily looked at him in anticipation.
"They are rebelling, becoming divided. We need to connect back to the source," he said, setting his gaze on Emily.
"Maybe your village and mine need to work together," he suggested.
Emily nodded her head in agreement, becoming lost for words. Henry picked up the bag from the ground, bringing out the Siloon flower. "Sorry for the delay. Is this what you want?" he said, handing her the flower.
Emily smiled eagerly, taking the flowers from him, her eyes widening in happiness. "Thank you so much, Sir Henry," she said gratefully.
"Sir? Come on, I'm not an old man. Call me Henry, darling," Henry said, winking at her.
Without warning, the once vibrant plants began to wither before their eyes. Leaves turned brittle and brown, curling in on themselves as if scorched by unseen flames. The air filled with the sound of rustling as the dying leaves detached from their branches, falling to the ground in silence.
The transformation was not limited to the foliage. The soil itself seemed to darken, the rich, dark earth turning ashen and lifeless. It spread like an ominous stain, creeping across the land and enveloping everything in its path. Emily and Henry watched in stunned silence, the darkness seeming to drain the warmth from the air around them.
"That's not normal... right? It just turned..." Emily's voice trailed off, her words tinged with disbelief.
Henry stood up abruptly, his expression grave. "Not normal... not at all," he agreed, his tone mirroring Emily's unease. He gathered his bag and extended a hand to Emily, pulling her gently off the chair. "Sorry, I need to leave. It was nice chatting, darling," Henry said, his usual charm overshadowed by the unsettling event.
Emily watched him go, her mind racing with confusion and fear. She looked back at the blackened soil, a sense of dread settling in her stomach. "At least I got what I needed to find," she said, leaving the scene.
✨🌙✨
As Emily stood at the Lunaria docks, ready to board her boat back to Tauris, a sense of relief washed over her. However, as she turned to step onto the boat, she couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. Glancing around, she saw no one nearby, but the sensation lingered, sending a shiver down her spine.
Shaking away the uneasiness, she sails her boat, the village fades into darkness, and a figure emerges from the shadows near the docks. It was a young teen, her eyes fixed intently on Emily's departing boat.
A smile played on the young girl's lips as she watched Emily sail away.