Descending rapidly, the gruffle landed midway between the forest and the lone tree. Aside from the fog around the meadow, everything was the same as in Clair’s drawing. Although there was now a sense of danger as I thought of what creatures might be lurking in the woods. 

There was movement in the trees, then several creatures appeared, poking their faces between the trunks. Two wolves ran out from the forest, advancing with a refined prance. The way they moved, it definitely wasn’t their usual gate. Others followed, including rabbits, birds, squirrels, deer, foxes, and even a bear; all walked fancifully as if they’d been trained to do so.

They eyed me curiously, tracking my every move as Clair and I slid down from the gruffle. Some trotted up closer than others, uncomfortably close. Soon a large group of beasts has gathered around us.

I tried not to show the fear I felt and hoped they couldn’t smell it. There were dozens of them with sharp teeth and fangs, and more still coming from the forest.

Oddly despite a mix of predators and prey, not one of the creatures growled, snarled and even nipped at another. They seemed docile and perfectly content to be in each other’s presence, showing no indication of fear or tension.

Then one of them, a gruffle, stepped forward. The creature met my eyes then I heard a foreign voice in my head.

"Silvon Avant Merle, Prince of Faerelle. Welcome back to Aeros, your highness."

I searched for the source of the voice, but no obvious candidates presented themselves. It wasn’t Clair, I knew that much. ’The beast then?’ I wondered…

Then all at once, the animals departed, disappearing back into the wood.

Between the scattering creatures, I caught a glimpse of someone, a shadowy figure, racing toward the trees. My chest ached as I thought of the man in the alley…my uncle.

Thankfully, when the beast cleared there was no indication of another person; I couldn’t think of how he’d have gotten here either—not that I was an authority on the matter of world traveling.

Clair stepped in front of me. “Come on,” she said, “follow me.”

I couldn’t help but notice the differences in her appearance. First of all she had the pointy ears of an elf. She wore form fitting, white clothes, with an ornate gold chest plate and a rapier at her side. Half her hair was tied back, but the lower portion flowed freely around her exposed shoulders. She was dressed for combat, something I found both comforting and concerning.

Taking hold of my hand, she led me down the hillside and into the forest.

***

After following her through miles of wilderness, I found myself walking alongside her, holding her hand as she guided me through a series of twisting paths. We traveled deep within the woods, until we came to a city that could've only come about through magic. 

No one wore shoes, but they weren’t needed because every path was covered in soft moss. Trees, vines, bushes and shrubs all grew together, their branches and twigs intertwining to make houses and other structures. A winding river flowed around the city, cutting through it in places, but its path felt intentional and had no adverse effects on the city or its residents. Moss covered bridges made crossing the water easy, a necessary convenience since most areas had multiple waterways running throughout. Water flowed as it wanted, although it seemed to purposely avoid flooding structures.

Most buildings had some level of stonework around the base, but some were constructed entirely of wood or wickerwork. No matter the material, every structure was built with great care and maintenance was never neglected.

There wasn't a single nail or screw anywhere to be seen. No tools were needed here. In fact, I was convinced, tools could never build something so perfect.

In addition to homes and shops, there was also a castle. It was set back from the city, but was so large that it could be seen from almost anywhere. 

Everything was beautiful, and peaceful. Wildlife roamed freely here, and the residents—all elves—didn't seem bothered. It was like they had a special relationship with the animals, one where neither had to fear the other.

As we walked, I saw kids petting a stag. A beast like the one that brought me here, was sleeping in a field and small animals chittered and squeaked as they scurried from this place to that. My wildest dreams paled in comparison to what I was seeing now.

The city was wonderful, truly magical in every sense. 

Eventually, we came to a wide stone bridge spanning the largest of the rivers. Despite its size, it didn’t seem like the bridge saw much traffic and there was only one thing on the other side—the massive palace.

Just before we crossed, a young woman, waiting on the bridge, approached.

Clair slowed to a halt and let go of my hand and the two exchanged a sort of gesture, or salute. The woman on the bridge glanced at me briefly, then returned her attention to Clair. With a nod, she pointed to the far end of the bridge, leaving me to wonder if they’d exchanged some sort of telepathic communication.

The woman stepped aside and waited patiently while Clair and I proceeded across the bridge. When we reached the middle, I paused and looked at her. She nodded politely, but otherwise ignored me.

Continuing on, I whispered to Claire, "Who is she?"

"That's Taryn. You can think of her like a guard, although she’s actually a bit more than that."

Taryn watched me closely as I passed. She was like a statue, stiff with dark eyes and sharp features. It was a bit unsettling the way she stared, but once we were off of the bridge, she returned to her original position and resumed waiting.

We weren't far from the castle now, and I wasn't sure I'd have another chance to ask, so I swallowed my resignation and asked the question that had been on my mind since I heard the voice in the meadow. "Am I really a… a prince?”