Max woke up early from a fitful, dream filled sleep. He felt like he had dreamed all night, but he could only remember one short dream. He was standing in a vast room. He felt someone take his hand. He looked and saw a woman with dark blonde hair. She smiled at him. She started walking, dragging Max along. Max looked down at his feet. When he looked back up, the woman with the dark blonde hair had turned into Griffa. Griffa gave him a friendly smile. She squeezed his hand, and Max felt a bolt of electricity shoot up his arm. He quickly woke up.

Max sat up in bed and ran his fingers through his hair. He pondered if he should go back to sleep, but he figured they would be leaving early to get on the road. Max stood up and stretched. He went to his basin and splashed some of the cold water on his face. He felt a little revived and hungry. He decided to make his way back into the main room.

In the room he found Griffa stirring her potion over a low fire. She had changed her dress since the evening before. She was in a simple dark blue dress. She had pulled her hair back in a braid in an attempt to tame it. A few curls had come loose around her temples. She turned when she heard Max enter the rooms.

“Ah, good morning. I didn’t expect you to rise so soon. I hope you weren’t too uncomfortable in there. I haven’t stuffed that mattress in a while. I don’t have many guests here in the forest.”

“The bed was good, much better than the ground. I just didn’t sleep well, felt like I had a lot on my mind.”

“You do have a lot on your mind, Max. I should have thought to give you some sleeping powders. Ansel isn’t up yet, but he should be soon. Would you like something to eat?” asked Griffa, putting her stick away by the fireplace.

“I am a little hungry.”

“There is some fresh fruit in the pantry and some left-over bread. Help yourself.”

Max went over the pantry and grabbed a couple of apples and the bread. “Would you like something?” he asked Griffa.

She smiled. “An apple would be nice, thank you. Grab the pitcher of water there as well. And two cups.”

Max juggled all the items over to where she sat by the fire. He placed the items on the floor in front of Griffa and sat down on a stool close by. He poured two glasses of water. They each picked up an apple and started eating.

“So, you grew up in Clarton I believe?” asked Griffa between bites.

“Yes. I lived with the stable master and his wife.”

“Clarton is a nice village. The first ring is a little uppity like most first rings, but the market is nice.”

“You’ve been to Clarton?” asked Max surprised.

He didn’t know why, many folk passed through Clarton, but Griffa in a town seemed strange. It looked like she belonged in the woods.

“I’ve been to most villages in The Great Surrounding. My father liked to travel in my youth. I don’t like to stay still,” replied Griffon taking another bite of her apple.

“I thought I wanted to see more of the kingdom at some point, but I thought it would be when I was older. I think maybe I could have been happy in Clarton my whole life.”

“You never know, Max. You might end up on Clarton after all, or you might end up in Aurumist ruling over us all.”

“It just doesn’t seem possible. I feel like I’m in some strange dream, like I’m going to wake up in my old bed above the stables, or in the middle of lessons. It doesn’t seem real.”

Griffa studied him as she ate. She took a drink of water and said,” I’ve decided to travel with you. I need to go to the East Village then back to Abscon. I hope you don’t mind.”

“No, of course not,” said Max. At least she seemed more talkative than Ansel thought Max. The trip could get more interesting. “But can’t you just travel by magic wherever you want to go?”

“Yes, but I would like to get to know you, Max. I haven’t seen Ansel in ages. It will be fun to aggravate him again.”

Max didn’t know what to say to this. He gave a half smile and ate some bread. Griffa drank a little water and put down her cup.

“Max, I want you to understand what you are walking into. The Ring of Nine is very impatient for some sort of solution to the problem with Aurumist. I don’t know what the Ring wants to happen, but I belive there will be a war. The Ancient Council and The Lord of the kingdom aren’t just going to get up and leave Aurumist because there is someone who claims themselves as king. Things are going to happen very quickly, and it will be dangerous. You have to decide if you want to be a part of this, they can’t make you.”

“What happens if I say no?” asked Max.

“I don’t know. I’m sure the diviner will come up with some other “prophecy” to give the Ring what they want. Whether that’s to regain the kingdom or hide away like cowards, who knows. I don’t want you to believe that you are responsible for everything that is going to happen whether you say yes or no.”

Max thought on this. So much had happened in such a short time. He hadn’t thought about what he would decide or what it would mean. If there were bad things happening because of the Ancients and he said no to being king, would many folk suffer because of him? If he said yes and failed, would the followers of the Ancients be in control forever? Would their influence spread until everyone was under their ways?

“What do you want to happen?” asked Max. He rubbed his hands together trying to dry them as they had started sweating.

“I don’t want the followers of the Ancients to be in power. I want there to be a better way. If you or someone else as king or queen who chooses it is the better way, I will fight for it. I’m not going to follow someone or something just because the Ring tells me to do it. I have heard the stories. I know things were better when the line of Adalwen reigned. If that line restored is what it takes for there to be peace and equality and if the line restored can have magical folk to come out of hiding and live peacefully with non-magical folk, I will fight until my last breath for the line to reign again.”

Once again Max was speechless. He fidgeted in his chair, not sure what to say or do next. Ansel came into the room and stopped when he saw them together by the fire.

“Good morning, Ansel. I trust you slept well. Grab something from the pantry and another cup and join us here. We are having a nice conversation,” said Griffa in an overly sweet way.

Ansel narrowed his eyes for a moment but did as she directed. He pulled up a chair close to them and started to eat quickly.

“What have you been speaking about? You aren’t trying to scare the boy, are you?” Ansel asked, pouring a glass of water.

“Not intentionally. I just want him to be prepared for what is going to happen,” said Griffa shrugging.

“You think you’re the best person to do that? Let the boy hear the Ring out. I trust he will know what to do,” said Ansel smiling slightly at Max.

“I know how the Ring is, they will sweep this boy up in their plans without one thought to his safety or what he wants. He doesn’t deserve that, no one does,” said Griffa fiercely.

“You know I will do everything in my power to keep him safe. He is my duty. I won’t let them rush him into anything dangerous,” replied Ansel in an even tone as he picked up a piece of fruit.

“That’s the problem, Ansel. You don’t even see Max as a person. He has his own hopes, his own plans. You see him as a duty. You can’t discount what he wants.”

Max could see that Ansel was breathing heavily now. His face had gotten darker and his eyes were narrowed. Griffa had started talking animatedly, her hands flying around. Her eyes were wide and dark. Max swore he could see sparks coming from them. Max didn’t like arguing and he certainly didn’t like folk talking about him like he wasn’t there.

“It’s true, I don’t really know what is going on, but I would like to find out. I will travel to hear this Ring of Nine out. I don’t know what will happen after, but I’ve come this far. You both seem to forget that I can speak for myself,” said Max loudly.

Ansel and Griffa both looked at Max like they had forgotten he was there. Griffa relaxed in her chair and a sad smile formed on her face. Ansel seemed to deflate, and he went on eating his fruit.

“You’re right, Max. We will take you to Abscon and we will get you there safely,” said Griffa getting up from her chair. “I need to bottle up this potion and pack a few things.”

Ansel nodded and finished his small meal. “Max, pack up your things. I’ll meet you both outside when you are ready. Meet me by the horses. Griffa, I trust the charm on the door hasn’t changed?”

Griffa who was gathering a few bottles replied, “Same as always.”

Ansel got up and left up the stairs. Max gathered their cups and left-over cores and took them to a small table by the pantry.

“I'll take care of those cups in a moment, Max. Go do what you need to do, I will see you outside in a moment.” Griffa was filling up the bottles with her potion while she waved her hand at the wall. A few vials of different herbs and liquids flew off the shelves into a small bag she had opened on her table. Max stopped to watch in amazement for a moment, but then went to his room to grab his things.

Soon they were all three up the stairs outside. Griffa had come out dressed in her heavy cloak with her staff. Max could now see that it was a large wooden staff that had been stained dark brown. It was two large branches twisted together. At the end was a red ball that shined in the sunlight. She was carrying two other heavy cloaks on her arm.

“Put these on as we travel. They were my father’s so they should fit. It will keep getting colder this time of year. I suppose you don’t travel much on foot or by horseback anymore Ansel or you would remember to wear a cloak.”

Ansel smiled and took his cloak from Griffa fastening the clasp around his neck. Max did the same. Max’s cloak was black with a dark green lining. The clasp was golden and shaped like a sun. The cloak gave him a sense of security and warmth.

“Thank you, Griffa. This is very nice,” said Max.

“You are quite welcome. I hope you keep it. That sun is actually the old sigil for the line of Adalwen so it should belong to you,” said Griffa with a smile.

Ansel untied the horses and brought them over. He placed his pack and Griffa’s small bag on his horse’s back. He wedged Griffa’s staff on his horse as well. Max mounted his large mare. Ansel moved his horse next to Griffa.

“Perhaps we can get you a horse in the East Village, Griffa. You can ride with me until then,” said Ansel.

“Thank you, Ansel, but I’d rather ride with Max here if he will have me. It’s been a while since I’ve been on a horse, and I trust the one with training in the stable will be able to handle his steed better.”

Max nodded his agreement. Ansel shrugged and helped Griffa mount behind Max. She placed her arms around Max’s lower chest. Her scent enveloped him. She smelled of spices and old books. It was a comforting smell.

“I hope you don’t really mind, Max. I will try to get my own horse in the East Village. I’ll try not to talk your head off,” said Griffa. Her breath tickled his ear.

“No, it's fine. I don’t mind. I’ve ridden with others before.” Max’s mind went to times he had ridden with Issa through the outer part of the forest. Her laughter in his ear and her nice smell of lavender wafting in the air.

“Oh, I’m not the first. You must have a young lady at home. I’d love to hear about her sometime.”

Max colored a little.

“We better get going if we want to reach the East Village by dark,” said Ansel. He urged his mount forward and Max did the same.

As they rode on Griffa talked to Max. She asked him questions about Nora and Danin. He told her stories about growing up in Clarton. She shared stories of her own youth. She even told some funny stories about Ansel. Max found that he liked Griffa. She was a little blunt at times, and sometimes harsh about reality, but Max liked her honesty.

Ansel’s mood seemed to have lightened since Griffa joined them. Occasionally Ansel would join in with a few stories of his own. Ansel was still a bit of a mystery to Max, but he enjoyed watching him banter with Griffa. She was good at aggravating him and embarrassing him.

“Max, I wish you could have seen Ansel teaching me how to ride. I was seven years old and gods know I was a precocious little thing. I was determined to jump my horse over this fence by the lake on the edge of town. Ansel was a little too kind to me back then, or he just got tired of my whining. “

“It was definitely the whining, “said Ansel in a loud whisper to Max.

Griffa rolled her eyes and continued. “Anyway, he was trying to show me how to do it first. I don’t know if a while had been since he had jumped or his horse was in a bad mood that day, but the horse wouldn’t do it no matter what Ansel did. The horse went right over to the lake and dumped Ansel off his back and right into the water. He looked so shocked sitting there, soaking wet.”

“If this is how it's going to be, perhaps I ought to tell Max about the time you decided to try and fetch honey from the hives on your own. The poor thing was covered in bee stings. Her hair was so matted with honey it had to be cut off to her chin. She looked like a little boy in a dress for so long.”

Max chuckled, having Griffa along did lighten the mood of the trip. Ansel certainly seemed pleased. They continued on their journey in much amusement until late afternoon. The sun was getting low in the sky, when Griffa squeezed Max a little. “Ansel,” she called with a whisper. “Do you sense it?”

“I do. I’m just trying to figure out...” said Ansel trailing off as he stopped his horse.

“What wrong?” asked Max.

“There someone close by, a magic user.” She whispered in Max’s ear. “Our charms should give us some safety, but this one feels powerful. Whoever it is, might be able to see us no matter what we do.”