Elianora approached her parents, her mind racing with questions, her heart pounding with anticipation. She had been sensing that something was amiss, like a subtle tremor beneath the surface of their tranquil lives. "Mother, Father, I need to ask you something," she said, her voice firm but curious, her eyes searching for any hint of knowledge.
But when she mentioned the strange occurrences, they pretended to be ignorant, their expressions blank, like masks hiding their true emotions. "We don't know what you're talking about, Elianora," they said in unison, their voices laced with a faint hint of nervousness.
Everyone seemed busy with their work, but Elianora sensed that something was off. She felt an undercurrent of tension, like a hidden river flowing beneath the surface, its presence betrayed only by the faintest ripple. Her intuition told her that some incident had happened, and they were not telling her about it.
But this time, Elianora did not give up. She sought out her grandfather, Grandpa Derek, and called out to him, her voice carrying across the courtyard. "Grandpa! Grandpa!" Derek emerged from the house, a look of concern etched on his face, his eyes clouded with a mixture of worry and wariness. "What's wrong, Elianora?"
Elianora took a deep breath, her heart pounding in her chest, and revealed what she had learned. "I've found out that Uriel and Kaidën are in the capital. And we have to go there!" Her words hung in the air, like a challenge, as she stood tall, her shoulders squared, her eyes blazing with determination.
Her mother, Samantha, and aunt, Ishleen, exchanged worried glances, their faces pale, like moonlit landscapes. They tried to convince her otherwise, their voices soft, but laced with a hint of desperation. "But this news could be false, Elianora. We can't just rush into something without being sure."
Elianora stood firm, her confidence unwavering, like a rock in a stormy sea. "No, it's not like that. Uriel himself has sent word. And Mother, Aunt, we are going to the capital." Her voice brooked no argument, her eyes flashing with a fierce inner light.
She refused to listen to their objections, and eventually, they had to agree, their faces resigned, like defeated warriors. Jædana, on the other hand, faced little resistance. Her parents seemed to sense her determination and did not argue with her decision to travel to the capital.
The next day, the village was abuzz with activity as Elianora, her brother Dratra, and Jædana prepared to embark on their journey. The morning sun cast a warm glow over the thatched roofs of the village huts, and the air was filled with the sweet scent of blooming flowers. They boarded a sturdy carriage, its wooden panels polished to a warm sheen, adorned with intricate carvings of leaves and vines. The carriage wheels creaked as they settled in for the long ride ahead.
As they prepared to depart, the village priest, a wise and aged man with a long white beard that fell to his waist like a river of snow, approached their carriage. He held a coconut aloft, its brown shell glistening in the morning light, and broke it open on the ground before them. The sound of the coconut cracking open was like a ritualistic blessing, and Elianora felt a surge of excitement and hope. The priest's eyes, warm and kind, met hers, and he bestowed upon her a gentle smile.
After the priest's blessing, the carriage lurched forward, and Elianora, Dratra, and Jædana waved goodbye to the villagers as they disappeared into the distance. The villagers, gathered at the edge of the village, waved back, their faces etched with a mix of sadness and hope. Elianora's parents, Samantha and her father, and Jædana's parents followed in a separate carriage, their faces set with determination.
As the carriages vanished from sight, the priest's eyes narrowed in concern. He gazed down at the broken coconut, and his expression darkened. The coconut's interior was black as coal, a bad omen that filled the priest's heart with foreboding. A shiver ran down his spine as he wondered what dangers lay ahead for the young travelers.