The Ugly Prince

Travelling through the Stars

Chapter seven

Travelling through the stars

 

The seats were now feather cushioned chairs, of reddish pink with gold round buttons enlaced within the colored fabric, the wooden walls were now covered by different colored silks of the sunset and the dawn. The floor was covered in soft dark purple carpet, and the rusty old lamp had now turned into gold with a new lit candle. She gasped at the sight as Rosa came in with a big grin on her face, as Juliana’s eyes still wondered about the carriage. She asked “How? How did you?”

“Well I shall tell you this it’s not what’s outside that matters, it the inside”, answered Rosa.

They both sat down on the two cushiony long chairs opposite each other, Rosa was so comfortable and relaxed, that she sunk into the chair even though hundreds of pillows were behind and around her. All that could be seen of her were her feet that were just off her seat, her wrinkled of old hands clasping together laying on her belly of her dark green, patched work dress, and her relaxed looking face as she gave a nice peaceful sigh.

She politely stared at Juliana with her weary eyes, as Juliana was very silent sitting up right, which made her very uncomfortable and stiff.

“Please relax, as you are our guest, for you will be traveling with us for a whole year. You should be as comfortable as you like, as I for one do not sit uncomfortable for anyone. Put your feet up onto the seat”.

Juliana wanted to protest as she knew her shoes were filthy, as she didn’t want to ruin the beauty of the carriage. Rosa pointed at her shoes making her look at the bottom of them, they were spotless. The incrusted dried mud that was once there had now disappeared and before she could ask.

Rosa explained that the magic that engulfed the carriage was so strong, that it speaks to the earth that is about to enter the carriage to drop back to where it came, back into the earth. 

There were many sounds of rustling from the outside of the carriage, and many unpleasant bumps from the unleveled ground that made the carriage furiously jump to side to another. Juliana wondered for a moment in her mind about the traveling that kings and queens would have to injure. She looked outside of the window watching the passing forest green as she put her feet on the seat.

As she started to get used to the silence and the furious bumps, and then they all suddenly stopped. What happened? She thought had the journey already ended before it even began? But why was the carriage still moving?

Many questions entered her mind as she began to frown as her head leaned on the clean glass of the window, she wished to ask many questions to Rosa but she looked as if she had fallen into a peaceful slumber.

As her eyes were about to gaze again looking through the window Rosa had spoken with her eyes still closed, “it’s the witching hour”.

Juliana looked at Rosa as she was really sure that she was asleep, Rosa continued to talk, “it’s a very special and marvelous hour, where the elements come to life, and move themselves for us to travel through them, as they know me very well”.

“You can talk to the forest?” asked the amazed Juliana taking an interest of this new magic, that made her think that this was the working of old ancient magic. 

She made a slight nod, making a very large smile on her face, as she slowly opened her eyes, “oh, yes.” Said Rosa as she paused for a while before continuing, “We are very best of friends, and it’s not because I am a witch, it’s because I respect nature and do not wish to harm it”.