Well it is big, round, and points at the sky.
And the colour is as it implies.
I should’ve figured it would be something like this.
The markings on the surface seem reminiscent of writing of some sort, but they are too weird to make any sense. They seem too sharp to be letters of a language, and you can’t really tell if they are pictures or not.
I slowly reach towards it and touch the surface, the cracks and lines on it imbedded into it. It appears made by tools, it would be an extreme coincidence of something so organized and detailed to be made by nature, and the mere presence of this sprouting from the ground, so detached from its surroundings, especially when most of the grass here is red, is enthralling.
“Who made this? What does it say?”
I look above, towards the top of the Green Horn, its tip pointing at the sky, and see the markings go all around it and reach just below the tip, occupying the vast majority of the surface.
Cerolus is standing behind me, the grounds around the landmark clear of any roads and buildings, the red grass contrasting against the rock’s green mossy surface. His enthusiasm appears to stem from showing new things to me rather than being genuinely interested in the Green Horn.
“Nobody actually knows what the writing says or who made the Horn in the first place. Even the colour is uncharacteristic of the area. We just call it Green Horn since it’s… well… green and looks somewhat like a horn.
Some of our scholars have expressed great interested in the rock over the years, but anything they did yielded no results apart from slightly damaging it. Since we don’t actually know of any other similar phenomenon, at least in Dralarag, we just decided to leave it alone.
It doesn’t seem to cause any harm to the people living here. In fact, people say that if you make a wish while holding onto the rock, it will come true.”
“So that’s it?” I am a bit disappointed. Although the premise of an unknown story on the surface is interesting, a wish-fulfilling rock is not really that interesting.
“Did you expect fire-breathing Dragons to pour out of it? Imagine what the rock means – someone out there long ago has been here, made this for whatever reason it was, and then suddenly left without any trace. Was it a spell gone wrong? Was it a terrible monster that wiped them out? Did they simply move away and forgot their lineage over time? It must spark some kind of interest in you at least.”
Cerolus seems mildly annoyed by my lack of surprise at seeing the Green Horn. He mention in the morning that he would take me to see how the town was named, and I guess he was right about that. At least it’s fitting, I can tell that much.
“Well then, can we go now? I don’t think there’s anything else to see here, and I’d like to get to Democrit by the end of day.”
Yes, please, just don’t make me go to the Guild again, I swear people are still talking about me running in tears. I try to shake off the embarrassing thoughts and smile to my husband.
“Yes, let’s go.”
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We are again slowly rocking in the surprisingly comfortable carriage, the Firemanes keeping a steady gait as the sounds of hooves and wheels echo across the road. Cerolus had the Triforces sent back to the castle. ‘Not needed anymore’ was all he said about it.
Should I be calling it castle? And why am I still calling the Frital Palace my home? This is where I live now, his castle is my home. How long until those lines of thought become natural to me? How long until I forget where I came from? Will the people here accept me as one of their own or will I be marked forever as a novelty, eyes turned towards me as I enter a room of people. I remember the gazes in Greenhorn, the discomfort of the eyes pointed straight at you, the people almost undressing you just by looking. I felt so vulnerable then, will I be able to shake that off? How will I look to his family if I can’t even manage a room of regular people who I had no need to know?
I must slowly ease my nervousness away, that’s what I was taught, and a Royal Family shouldn’t differ from one another, regardless of their race. I am a member of two royal families now, I should start acting like one. Chin up, Sophia, you’re meeting your husband’s family, it’s not the end of your life.
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“You alright over there? You’ve been quiet this whole time. Did I do something to make you mad at me? Please tell me if something’s wrong.”
He is worried about me being mad at him? Why? He did nothing wrong.
“I’m fine, just thinking about what it’s like at your home now. You’ve seen my home, and now I get to see yours.”
“I don’t really like my home that much. It reminds me of too many bad things that happened over the years. I like our new home, mostly because I get to live with you there.”
Why does his smile look so good against those black eyes and that red skin? It’s completely unreasonable. And why does my chest strain so much now?
Is this the love my Mother told me so many stories about, how I would find someone to cherish for the rest of my life? Is it possible that fate held such a weird turn for me, finding someone so great when I first wanted nothing to do with him?
I try to remain calm as I move my face to the window, watching the landscape unfold before my eyes. It’s beginning to look completely different from the one I saw at the first day of travelling. The flat plains have been changed to ragged hills and uneven terrain, as black mountains loom in the far distance. Dralarag looks ominous here, as if danger could come at any moment.
My mind loses the previous ramblings, now replaced by the feeling of wonder of what is ahead.
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The day slowly passes with the two of us in the carriage, the time spent in me trying to get better at playing the game Cerolus introduced me to. The rays of light slowly change the colour of the sky around us, the day coming to a close.
A voice comes from the outside, slightly breaking my concentration.
“We will arrive to Democrit soon, Master, it is visible now.”
Unfortunately, the windows don’t allow me to see it, at least not until we move closer.
“Excellent, I can’t wait to step out of this thing. No matter how comfortable the travel is, it is always better to be on your own two feet.” My husband’s voice chimes in to my thoughts, as I already imagine the firm ground beneath me.
The carriage loses some of the speed it had before, the Firemanes slowing down by the minute. The city is now visible from the little window on the side, as I press my face against the railings, trying to take in the view.
The walls of the city are enormous, with towers stretching far into the sky, the black rock casting a grim light on the outside of the Capital of Dralarag. The gates open even before we come near them, the sigil on our carriage apparently more than enough to grant us easy entrance into the city.
The streets unravel before my eyes, as bustling of people can be heard from every direction. The people almost don’t even notice us, the convoy almost running over some unfortunates who stood in the way.
As we go deeper into the city, the small houses make way for the elaborate manors, which in turn disappear before an enormous building comes into view. The outer walls depict many Demons in combat, and fire sprawling across the open ground, taking in all it can.
“This is the Fire Church, sacred grounds to Kreshor, the Bearer of the First Flame.
A statue of a large Demon clad in fire holding a torch over its head towers over the people on the streets, welcoming the denizens of the city into the church.
As the building passes by, the carriage slowly comes to a stop, the doors opening to reveal a mansion of red and black stone, the black gates unwelcoming to any potential visitors it may have. The mansion rises above the surrounding buildings, it being similar in size to the castle at home.
“Welcome to Democrit, my wife. This is my old home, and the place we will be staying in the city.
You will get to meet my family tomorrow, of that I assure you. For today, some sleep will do.”
I step outside the carriage, taking in the hot air around me, as I turn around and try to take in all of the surrounding, and everything that has happened so far.
Time to meet my husband’s family is approaching, and I think I’m actually ready for that.
End of Arc Three: Princess meets Dralarag