Glancing over seeing her welcoming smile. My mother- the Queen and ruling power of BrightEarth. The just and fair Queen that the people loved long before my father married her. She was one of the people- one with the land- the life of the Kingdom and yet seeing her now made me uneasy… and confused.

Why didn’t she tell me? Did she know? Did anyone besides Hermes know that my powers were sealed?

I looked around the remaining people gathered but didn’t see Travis among the faces. Did he know? He had to, he was present for my birth- so I was told- and that was the moment you were tested. He as well as my parents had to know. So why didn’t I?

“Good morning.”

“This morning truly is beautiful.” She said looking out the gate after them. “The Spirits must be dancing.” Her gaze went back to the way Hermes' group left. “It’s said to be a good omen. They’ll have a safe journey.”

“They better….” I mumbled under my breath.

Her face fell ever so slightly and the look I knew only too well was being aimed at me. Her jade eyes held everything she wanted to say, things we've already tried and failed to discuss. It had gotten to the point where… we didn't talk unless we were out doing rounds around the Kingdom in fear of arguing.

She turned, her forest green dress swirling as she made her way back towards the castle.

“Come, Maki, let’s have breakfast then we'll go to the town and visit everyone.”

“I'll be there in a moment.”

She hesitated at the door, her hand lifted towards me, before dropping back to her side. She looked to the ground, nodded once then left her guards following.

I wasn’t alone with Simon and Cast just as I had promised Hermes even though I wanted to be. Sighing, I laid my head against the warming rock of the gate, eyes closed.

My feelings bubbling to the surface, thoughts swirled and twisted violently. Why? Why couldn't- why wasn’t I told- why- No….

I took a deep breath holding it till my chest burned then released it slowly.

In all honesty I wasn't mad at her. Even with all the yelling, all her new secrets I couldn’t find it in myself to be mad with her or father or anyone who knew. I’m sure Hermes was right that there was a reason.

Maybe it was something to do with the Kingdom? Yeah that sounds about right... I was needed. I had a Kingdom to help my mother take care of, to help it flourish and in two or three years time it would be my Kingdom, that would home my people. What that had to do with hiding my powers from me I’d probably never know.

“My Prince?” Simon asked from his spot a few feet away. “Maki, are you alright?” He asked a few seconds when I gave no reply.

Taking a breath I turned to my concerned guards. “I’m fine, thank you. Let’s go.”

I joined mother in the dining hall only to see that she had once again bribed the chief to allow her into the kitchen, so she could make her famous strawberry sweet bread crumble oatmeal. One of my favorite breakfasts. She was trying to make nice for something that wasn't her fault. My heart crumbled like the oatmeals toppings.

I looked over at her with a smile which had her laughing softly with joy. I could ask her about everything later.

We sat enjoying our meal, me working on my fourth helping of this Spirit sent food, a calm silence filling the room. On a good day, my mother and I did get along. Our relationship was only stressful when the Kingdom or I was involved.

I gave a mental sigh lifting my glass to my lips just as the doors behind me burst open with a bang that had me sputtering out my drink as I tried not to choke. A hard faced female knight burst through the doors and quickly jogged in and straight to mother's side.

Wiping the juice from my chin as the woman’s face brought a name to thought. Madame Maralah Nootau, she was one of mother’s personal guards. I was wondering why only sir Kotof was standing guard.

Maralah bent and whispered something urgently into mother’s ear. I watched mother’s easygoing smile falter, her eyes widened in disbelief as she faced her guard in shock.

“Are you certain?” Maralah dipped her head. “N-no send them off! Have our best Knights make sure that they leave. They must not be allowed into the Kingdom!” Mother ordered. “Kotof, go with her.”

Maralah and Kotof nodded and with a bow to both of us they jogged back out, Simon and Cast shut the massive doors after them.

Mother placed her fingers to the bridge of her nose, her face creased with worry.

I stood and approached her. “Mom? Is everything alright-” I stopped as her blazing green eyes flashed up to my face. In her gaze, it swirled with the power that could befall a person that had nothing to do with her fake power. But I held her gaze and took her hand. “Mother?”

She blinked and sighed before looking away with a faint smile and a distant look in her eyes. “Sometimes you remind me of your father, when you do that. I see it, you know. His kindness, the compassion, the worry he often showed as he ruled.” She chuckled softly, lost in her thoughts. “Though with him gone his... burdens now fall to me and soon you.” She stood making the chair groan with her sudden movement. I quickly stepped back. “But not today, today we visit the town like always. And nothing is changing that.”

She turned and quickly made her way out of the dining hall, Simon and Cast quickly threw the doors back open for her.

I quickly followed after her. Slightly annoyed that she hadn't answered about what was going on but instead brought up, father.

***

Like many days that I joined her on her trips out among the town, mother visited every house and every shop and talked with everyone.

She said that a good ruler knows how to listen to their people's needs and worries and to show them kindness. I didn’t really mind. I chatted with them, played with the young children that followed us and our guards like it was a game, and helped those I passed. They weren’t just the people of BrightEarth, they were my family. Those that called this Kingdom their home were Earth wielders or more commonly called Lurrains, able to bend nature at will.

While we walked I admired the town surrounding the castle. Trees grew in every corner that homes did not, bushes, flowers, any and every plant that grew in Elementaya could be found here in BrightEarth in some way shape or form.

Homes and shops had trees growing either in, around or out of them. Even the castle had The Primordial Tree- the oldest tree in Elementaya- growing through its center.

The Primordial Tree towers over the entire city, its branches overhanging all the way to the gates that bordered the Kingdom. Travis and my father told me that no matter where you were in Elementaya you could always see the Primordial Tree.

I glanced up towards the sky but in this part of town the trees created a thick canopy, filtered light painted my skin in their odd shapes as sunlight fought to reach the well trampled soiled ground. It was perfect, it was home, it was-

“Maki?”

I jumped as her hand landed a little more firmly then probably intended on my shoulder. I turned to face her and blinked. Her delicate features smiling but her eyes held worry as she looked about us.

“Mother-”

“Come on, they're waiting on us.” She responded before leading the way once more.

Quickening my steps I rushed to follow.

The Four Gates. One for each element of the other Kingdoms. Fire, Water, Air and for us Earth. They also stood as the only entries in or out. We had guards and Knights posted around the clock which is what led us to where we were heading now.

To give those hard working men and women a much deserved meal, though normally a designated townsperson delivered their food, my mother did it herself at least once a week.

As we approached the last gate being Earth, my mother abruptly stopped dead in her tracks causing me to crash into her.

“Mother?” I asked leaning around her to see what had caused her pause, to see she was staring at the gate.

Standing at the entrances of the Earth gateway was a tall figure dressed all in white, their hood hiding their face from view. Weird, was this the same Scholar that Hermes and I met? No they couldn’t be since they were already in and these strangers weren’t.

Right as I thought that the stranger turned and faced me. I was greeted with ice blue eyes and ghostly pale skin. They smiled.

My mother stepped in front of me blocking their view. “Maki, do not look upon the strangers face.”

Too late for that. I thought grimly.

“Cast, Simon keep him here.” She ordered.

They moved to my side, their spears drawn and at the ready.

She handed me the basket of food then walked forward to the group of Knights.

The guards saluted as she neared. “My Queen!” They greeted.

She nodded to the Knights and suddenly Maralah was at mother's side whispering to her. Mother frowned then faced the figure in white and started to talk to them in a strange tongue. I ran through every language I knew but none came to mind. Where did mother learn it?

At first they calmly spoke but as the stranger wasn't being given whatever they asked for they grew angry and started yelling.

Before I or the Knights could react mother raised her hands and pushed the stranger hard before vines grabbed them and tugged them backwards, the stranger stumbled back fighting to get free. As they did that mother made a weird array of hand gestures. I stared in disbelief. She activated an Old World spell!

As the stranger regained their balance and the vines vanished they charged forward.

“Mother-” I yelled running forward only to be held back by Simon and Cast.

My worry wasn’t needed as the stranger didn't come any closer.

Barely visible to the naked eye was a thin barrier that lit up as the stranger banged they're gloved fist against the unyielding wall.

I looked up. No not a wall- a dome! It covered the Kingdom completely. What kind of Old World magic was this?

Mother watched the stranger a moment longer before she turned to address the stunned Knights, giving them orders I’m sure. The stranger banged their fist harder yelling a string of Lurranian curses at her back.

Choosing to ignore their words she shared a few words with Maralah who jogged off again. Sighing she came and took the basket back from me, handing over the meal we originally came to deliver then called me over as she turned to leave. Simon, Cast and I sprinted to catch up with her as we returned to the town.

“Mother wait... who was that person? What did you talk about?” I asked as she led us to a beautiful garden that she often helped the townspeople with. Simon and Cast stood a few feet away.

She walked a bit further in and sat on a partly fallen vine covered wall, a sadness I've only seen once before shone brightly in her eyes but it vanished as she spoke to me.

“The man was from…” She looked away. “Another place. He wanted to look through the Kingdom for something.”

“What did he want?”

She shook her head. “I asked but he wouldn't say. But he kept demanding so I refused. If he wouldn't tell me why… then I wouldn’t allow him entry.”

Now it sort of made sense. “So you activated some Old World spell? Was it really that important?” I looked up as the dome over the Kingdom lit up again. “Could he be that dangerous?”

She sighed with a defeated shake of her head. Leaning over I gave her a hug that she eventually returned. She clung to me for a moment longer then normal and it sparked a memory.

It vaguely reminded me of the time she had left to visit the other Kingdoms. She had been scared to leave because she feared how the news of my father's passing would affect the other rulers, but I knew it was more then that and yet I didn't know what truly scared her.

Before she left, she had activated the spell then too, forbidding anyone from leaving or entering until she returned. It was a tense time but eventually everything went back to normal a few months later with her return.

She kissed my cheek pulling me back from my thoughts. Thankfully her normal smile was back in place. “Come let's finish our route, I promised to speak to the Carpenter's wife about a new item she wanted to sell. Oh and I wanted to check in on Lindsay and her newborns- oh not to mention the school, you promised to read to the children today.”

She stood towing me behind her as she continued to list names of promises we made. I let myself be towed as my thoughts wandered. Something big was coming. I could feel it and I questioned how much more was being kept in the dark.

***

 The rest of the day we spent fulfilling her promises till the town night lights came on and all the people came out onto the streets, I knew the time had come.

The first day of any new season all of BrightEarth celebrates with a small festival to bring in the new changes. Today was the start of The Bloom of Color- a special time for us as it marked the growth of our planet and our element.

Booths were set up, food was made and music played throughout the entire Kingdom as our two moons rose followed by our blue sun.

Many people knew we would be there as we normally attended but no one could get used to mother playing at the game booths like she was a kid again. Her main focus was a fish booth, she always won one if not more every festival, she had a steadily growing collection of brightly colored fish.

I was sitting with her a little while later eating a honeyed apple watching the townspeople as they started to dance throughout the streets. Their smiles were contagious, the music lively as it filled the air joined with the children's laughter. It was magical.

 I found myself smiling- relaxing. When I became King I needed to make sure I came to as many of these as I could.

Mother started clapping as the song changed to some beat she knew, men and women began to pair off to dance together, their laughter joining in on the upbeat rhythm. 

Girls came and asked me to dance but I kindly declined them all, saying I wished to spend the festival with my mother. They eventually stopped asking.