Grandmother Lyndzei was snapped out of her troubled reverie as she heard Amerie cheerfully skip back to her.
“Did you find the lake?” she enquired kindly.
“Yep!” smiled Amerie. She was about to mention what had happened at the lake, but for some reason, Amerie found that she didn’t have the words to explain it. Weirdly, Amerie felt like she didn’t really want to. It almost seemed like it was a secret. Besides, she didn’t feel comfortable talking about crying in front of Grandmother Lyndzei. Amerie pretended it wasn’t the case, but she secretly wanted Grandmother Lyndzei to think well of her. That she was calm and confident. Not the anomaly she felt like at school, but a leader.
Most of Amerie’s classmates lived in the village or the nearby town. Amerie was the only one who lived in a cabin next to the woods. Her parents had wanted to be connected with nature, so when they found out the cabin house was for sale, they leapt on the opportunity. With their ten-year-old son and baby daughter, they made the middle of nowhere their home. To be honest Amerie had loved her childhood, even if it had meant everything was an hour away. But the older she got, the stranger she felt.
Amerie gasped. Grandmother Lyndzei looked at her surprised.
“Grandmother Lyndzei, what’s the time?!”
Of course, Grandmother Lyndzei had no idea, so just shrugged her branches.
Then Amerie remembered she had a watch and felt like kicking herself. 5:38, it said.
“I’d better go home, it’s almost time for supper. And my parents probably want to know all about the first day of school!” Amerie laughed awkwardly and dug her shoe into the mud, “So...is it alright if I come back tomorrow?”
“You must! After all, I was going to teach you how to send leaves. Unless you don’t want to?” teased Grandmother Lyndzei.
“No, I want to!” Amerie replied quickly.
“Then, Amerie. Goodbye for now.”
“Goodbye for now.”
For some reason purposely falling forward was more awkward to Amerie than falling backward. She hesitated for a second, then decided the best way to go about it was just to close her eyes and pretend she was leaping onto her bed. She held her breath as well, which was unnecessary because she wasn’t jumping into a swimming pool, but Amerie did it anyway.
Like the first time, she felt the chill of a thousand ghosts swim through her. When Amerie opened her eyes, she noticed the sun had moved closer to the horizon, casting faint shadows around her. I met your brothers and sisters today, Amerie thought cheerfully. Still careful not to step on anything that might still be alive in the star realm, Amerie made her way home.
Amarine Errai watched her daughter bound up the path. She was glad that her Amerie’s face looked fresh and happy, though she suspected this was more to do with spending time in the woods than a successful first day of school.
Amarine set down her mug and sighed. She knew that Amerie wasn’t shy or afraid to express herself. Her report card always mentioned how active Amerie was in lessons, remarking on what a bright student she was. But getting good grades didn’t automatically make you friends. Amarine knew that she and Andin’s decision to live far away from most people didn’t help either.
Still, she smiled as she watched Amerie, as long as she’s happy, I’m happy. It made the battle she had fought over a year ago to officially make the woods a protected forest even more worth it. She and Andin had put aside the money to buy the land if worse came to worst, but luckily they didn’t need to go that far. And this way, the forest was open for all to enjoy. Though, mostly Amerie.
She opened the door and embraced Amerie.
“Welcome back!” Amarine spoke into her daughter’s wind-scented hair.
….
Meanwhile, in the star realm, Grandmother Lyndzei sat perturbed.
She had just received a pile of leaves exactly the size a small child would jump into mid-autumn.
All of them were from fellow trees.
All of them were about Amerie.
As each leaf dutifully spoke its message, Grandmother Lyndzei grew more and more confused.
“Ordained by King Cedrych? A year ago? Forbidden?” Lyndzei repeated the fragments of the message. The leaves had begun to scatter at this point, as Old Grandmother Lyndzei’s temper was notorious and they didn’t want to be in the firing line.
“Well, I was certainly never told about this!” She thundered. The leaves scattered faster.
And if I was, no such rule would have ever been passed in the first place. I can’t believe the King would have made a law like this without consulting the Gateway Guardian! But more than that, I can’t believe that Cedrych would have ever wanted to make a rule like this!
Grandmother Lyndzei tried to calm herself down. I’ll lose all of my leaves before October at this rate. King Cedrych the Kind and Wise my roots! More like Cedrych the Cruel and Stupid! Is he a tree or a tyrant!?
But really, this anger was to cover the intense feeling of worry that plagued her, worry about the forest, but also about Cedrych, her beloved friend. Her suspicions about Desaraelfrun were one thing, but this was a completely different matter.
I will defy him. As Gateway Guardian but moreover, I owe it to him as his oldest friend.
The wind solemnly echoed the remnants of the leaves' splintered message, praying to the stars that the unlost child would save this star spot soon.
“By Royal Decree, King Cedrych (the Kind and Wise) ordains that all human beings, especially child-humans, are forbidden from the star realm of this forest. Any who encourages the transgression of this law will incur the wrath of the King.”
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