Elyon had said they would only need to walk about half an hour into the forest, but both Corvina and Eva insisted on packing for a longer trip. It was the first time Anne had ever seen the two of them agree so adamantly on something. But Anne could understand why they were nervous.

Anne hadn’t been in this world long, but she’d already heard stories of people walking into the forest and being lost for weeks before suddenly finding themselves back where they had originally started, on the other side of the tree line. Sometimes they would discover that years had passed for those waiting outside, even though they’d only been lost for a few weeks. Time and space could be tricky in the Sacred Forest.

The rebel soldiers even whispered of other stories, of people entering the forest and never coming back at all.

Or at least, the human rebel soldiers whispered. The elven soldiers usually just sat nearby and rolled their eyes. But they never chimed in to correct anyone, so…

They had decided to enter the forest on foot. Apparently horses didn’t do well in the forest if they weren’t used to it—they often stumbled and injured themselves, or spooked at nothing, or made themselves sick from stress.

Agis could have ridden Iramis, since Iramis was raised in the forest, but he didn’t want to be the only one on horseback, so he was walking, too.

Eva helped Anne put on her heavy pack full of emergency field. Everyone was carrying their share.

We could’ve brought Iramis to carry the bags, at least, thought Anne, struggling with the weight of the pack. But, no, Agis would never allow his ‘noble steed’ to be used as a pack animal.

Agis was chatting with Helen a few feet away, showing her different parts of a wooden bow, expressively explaining something. When he was done explaining, he handed the bow to her.

“We should get going,” said Eva with a gentle smile, patting Anne on the head twice. “We don’t want to be caught in the forest after dark, so it’s better to leave as soon as possible, just in case.”

“Yeah, sure,” said Anne. Then she called over to Agis. “Agis, we’re heading off!”

Agis glanced at Anne and then back at Helen, telling her one last thing before running over.

“What was that all about?” asked Anne.

“She asked me to teach her archery…” said Agis, blushing. “I was just giving her some basic drills to do while we’re gone.”

“Agis,” Corvina approached them. “I have a question.”

Corvina had come fully prepared for a long trek. She was clad in all black—knee-high boots, high-waisted trousers with a sword-belt, and a simple blouse (lined with black lace; she was still a Lady, after all). Her hair was tied up in a high ponytail, and she was even wearing her glasses.

Some of the soldiers had stared at her when she’d walked past them, but she glared at all of them until they stopped.

Anne had not had enough willpower to stop staring, personally, but Corvina hadn’t been glaring at her. Instead, when she caught Anne looking at her, she blushed slightly, and turned away.

Anne thought Corvina must have been embarrassed to be the only one in the group wearing a special outfit for the occasion, so she felt kind of bad about staring, but also this was the first time Anne had seen her out of a skirt. And, honestly, the form-fitting trousers were undeniably sexy. Especially because Corvina had her usually-secret dagger openly strapped to her thigh, in full view.

Anne was certain she was going to be distracted by that all day.

“What do you want to know?” asked Agis.

“Can we really just enter the forest from anywhere?” Corvina asked. “Aren’t there any more precise directions you can give us?”

Agis shrugged. “I think Elyon wants to meet us in the Atrium, so whatever direction we go is fine, as long as we’re going deeper into the forest.”

“I don’t… understand any of this,” said Corvina, her voice sounding subtly strained. “What is the Atrium?”

“I don’t know!” said Agis. “It’s weird magic stuff! Elyon can probably explain it once we get there.”

Corvina shot Ylyndar a pleading look, but he also just shrugged.

“It’s difficult to explain the Atrium through words,” said Ylyndar. “It’s easier to experience it for yourself.”

That seemed to be the best information anyone was going to get for now.

Corvina sighed. “Alright,” she said. “I’ll take the lead, in case anything happens.”

“What? No, I should take the lead,” said Eva.

“With all due respect,” said Ylyndar. “As a trained bodyguard, perhaps I should—“

“No way!” shouted Anne and Eva simultaneously.

After a brief argument, Corvina, Eva, and Ylyndar all ended up taking the lead together, although Corvina and Eva both seemed bitter about the arrangement.

Agis volunteered to take up the rear in case anyone tried to ambush them from behind.

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And so, when they finally set off out of the rebel camp and into the beginnings of the Sacred Forest, Anne and Sebastian were left alone in the middle of marching order.

“Are you at all embarrassed that we’re the ones specifically being protected instead of contributing to the safety of the group?” asked Sebastian nervously.

Anne shrugged. “Not really. I don’t know how to fight and I wouldn’t really want to learn how anyway.”

Sebastian let out a sigh of relief. “Oh, thank the Goddess. I feel the same way. But I just feel like I shouldn’t feel that way, you know?”

Anne patted Sebastian on the back. “You have other skills, even if you can’t fight. I know your father values violence, but that doesn’t mean you have to.”

Sebastian nodded thoughtfully.

They walked for a few moments in silence. Something about the silence was eerie. They were surrounded by mostly oak trees and a fairly sparse underbrush, although as they walked further into the woods the plant life became denser and denser. But no matter how far they walked, there was never any birdsong, or any other indication of life in the woods apart from themselves. There was just… silence and the rustling of leaves in the low breeze.

“Hey, Anne…” said Sebastian, his voice hesitant.

“Hmm?” said Anne. She was staring up at the foliage. Did something about how that branch was swaying seem slightly more… sentient than it should?

“Do you think… Do you think Prince Elyon liked me?” asked Sebastian. “I mean, do you think he had a favorable impression of me?”

Anne forgot all about the trees.

“Oh my god!” she said. “Do you have a crush on Prince Elyon?”

“What!? No,” said Sebastian, although Anne could see him blushing. “I merely meant, if I’m going to be in his custody for a while, it would be better if we… got along. Yes. And as princes from neighboring nations we should try to foster good will between us and—“

“You totally like him!” Anne gasped. “Can you imagine if you got together and it fixed things between your two kingdoms? What if your father has been fighting all this time and then you end the war by making out with a boy.” Anne elbowed Sebastian in the ribs and grinned at him. “That would show him what skills are really important, huh?”

Sebastian covered his face and groaned. “Please stop,” he said. “I just thought he was a little handsome, that’s all… And he looked at me so seriously when he promised to protect me… I know it can’t go anywhere, but…”

“Hey, don’t worry about it,” said Anne. “Feelings don’t have to go anywhere to be worthwhile. You’re allowed to just feel them. And enjoy feeling them! Having a crush is a fun feeling, you should enjoy it.”

“Maybe you’re right…” mumbled Sebastian, looking away.

Anne glanced ahead to make sure she could still see the others. They were up there, slightly fanned out, probably trying to cover all angles or something.

Anne glanced backwards to check for Agis, and was a little surprised to find him there. She had expected him to jump off into the trees and follow them sneakily or something. After all, he should be in his element in these woods, shouldn’t he? But instead he was trudging along behind them, bow in hands, glancing around the woods suspiciously. It’s not that he wasn’t alert, he just wasn’t as… rambunctious as his usual self.

“Hey, Seb, I’m gonna hang back and check on Agis,” Anne told Sebastian. “Just make sure you can still see the front group and I’ll make sure I can still see you from back there and then none of us will get lost.”

“Okay…” said Sebastian.

Anne stopped walking for a moment while the others continued to get further ahead. After a few short moments, Agis caught up with her, glancing at her inquisitively.

“How’s it going back here?” asked Anne.

“Fine,” said Agis, turning his eyes back to the woods.

Agis was usually far more talkative than this. At this point, Anne was genuinely pretty worried about how her brother had been acting.

“Listen, are you… doing okay?” asked Anne. “You’ve been acting super weird ever since we arrived in Longren.”

“What?” said Agis, “I haven’t been acting weird!”

“Yes, you have!” insisted Anne. “One minute it seems like you’re fine, and the next you’ve completely shut down. When Elyon was at the camp all you did was sulk in a corner. What is—” Anne suddenly thought of a possible explanation that made her heart sink into her stomach. “Look, Agis, did Elyon…” Anne lowered her voice. “Did anyone… hurt you? When you were a kid? I can still call this whole deal off if you want me to.”

“What!?” said Agis. “No! Why would you even think that?”

“I don’t know!” said Anne. “You just sounded really upset when you were talking about what it was like being raised in the elven palace, and I thought… maybe… I don’t know.”

Agis shook his head. “No, no one ever hurt me growing up, they just… ignored me.”

Damn… thought Anne. Agis looked so dejected talking about it.

“It’s probably because I’ve never been very princely…” said Agis, kicking at the ground while they walked. “Did you know that Elyon was the one who appointed me as the commander of the rebel army? It was the first official position I was ever given. And to be honest, I’m really bad at it.”

“I’m sure that’s not true!” said Anne. In the original book, Agis had never been described as incompetent. But, now that Anne was thinking about it, he was never shown actually… leading the army that much, either. He mostly spent his time running around with Anne on various adventures. Just like what he was doing now.

Agis shook his head again. “No, I’m terrible at it. I can’t keep track of things like supply lines and training schedules. I’ve never made it past the first paragraph of a book on military tactics. And no one really, you know, likes to listen to me. I don’t have a very commanding presence. But I’m a really good archer! And I’m great at stealth! That’s why I’ve mostly just been letting Ylyndar run things while I do what I’m good at, but… I was really scared Elyon was going to yell at me when he saw how much I had been neglecting my duties…”

“But he didn’t yell at you,” said Anne. “Shouldn’t you feel relieved?”

“I guess…” said Agis. “But somehow I just feel worse… Like… did he not care because he expected me to mess up? Did it ever matter if I was doing a good job or not? Was I given this posting just to get rid of me? I—“

“We’ve arrived!” called Ylyndar from up ahead.

The Atrium, as it was apparently called, was a large clearing lined with soft green grass and wildflowers. High up above, the tree branches reached out and met each other, forming a high roof over the clearing, with patterned patches of blue sky like paneless windows. The sunlight through the strange structure shone on the grass in strange patterns.

In the center of the clearing, Elyon stood tall with a small retinue of elves behind him, probably some of his Royal Guards. Although the elf standing next to him was definitely not a guard. He didn’t look like he’d ever been subordinate to anyone in his life.

He was tall, taller than Elyon even, and had long brown hair that reached down past his waist. He wore black leather armor and a red half-cloak. On his back he carried a large sword, the biggest Anne had seen in this world. And, as if this wasn’t enough, one of his eyes was covered by a black eyepatch, like a pirate.

This elf did not look like he belonged in a fantasy romance novel. He looked like he’d fit in better in a martial arts novel, maybe. Or an adventure fantasy novel. Was there a character like that in The Foundling’s Wings?

“Greetings,” said Elyon, with a nod, as they approached the elves. “I am glad to see you’ve arrived safely.”

“This is the Saintess?” The elf in the red cloak bent down to look at Anne more closely. “She looks like I could snap her spine in half without even trying!” he laughed loudly at this, like it was the best joke he’d ever told.

“Saintess, please forgive his rudeness,” said Elyon. “This is our brother, Zaos Clearshot, first son of Theodas, crown prince of the Sacred Forest, and High Commander of the elven armies.”

Zaos grinned. “Welcome to the Sacred Forest.” Somehow, the way he said it made it sound like a threat.