✧The Earthe of the Elves✧

28

I forgot my stone, so I end up walking up to my room by myself, since El had to go to her family.

When I get to my room I flop on my bed, deciding a nap would be very good for my sore muscles and tired head.

The last thing I see before I close my eyes is a single green leaf falling outside my window.

-

The snow on either side of me look like white sand dunes, the top layer blown around by the strong winds yesterday, leaving ripples on the surface like the beach after high tide, and a few dunes where the wind cut a path through it.

It's been three weeks of training, three weeks since my last vision, three weeks of gathering nerves. I feel everyone on edge, about to snap. We're all standing at the edge of a cliff, waiting to jump. War looms over the entirety of Bhailewood, in only a month plus a few weeks. It seems odd that I know when the war will be. War seems like the kind of thing where people do everything they can do dodge it, like it should be unexpected and surprising. But here it seems like a mark on a calendar; everyone is just batting down the hatches and preparing. I suppose that was always something I didn't understand. Why are there dates for war, and people just accept that? Why are there rules for war? War, from what I've learned in history class, seems to have no boundaries as to how bloody it can get. Yet there are rules? Rules to a thing that entitles everyone to be able to kill each other. It doesn't seem right.

I see all the people training, getting ready. Even Rose is spending time practicing fighting. I don't see a lot of Andor, and when I asked Rose where he has been, she said to watch the Cin, see what they're up to. Hopefully we can get their secret and defeat them before a war even starts.

Today there is no wind, and it's warm for winter here, probably about 30 degrees. Sun warms my face as I walk at a leisurely pace away from a small cafe I went to for lunch. I ate by myself, which was actually nice.

The sun is melting some of the snow, but the storm dropped a lot, so there is still a good foot or so on either side of the path. I think my two months here is more snow than I've seen back home. Woah. When I say it blatantly like that, I can't believe it's been almost two months that I've been here. A pang of homesickness. I try to dismiss it as fast as I can. If I don't focus on winning this war, apparently there won't be an Earth to go to.

Scanning the landscape, I see Hal and Flint far away, just sitting on a thick tree branch and talking. I don't notice Knox, and I try to tell myself I did not just notice that specific fact. It's been three weeks, like I said, and in the first I saw Knox a lot, like I usually do, but for the past two I've mostly been hanging out and training with Elanil. I haven't seen much of Knox recently, but maybe that's because I'm not seeking him out.

I'm not trying to push him away. It's not that I'm distancing us because I don't like him, but because I do. I don't know why- well, yes I do. I'm staying a step away from him because I like him. Which, yes, I've come to accept, hopefully meaning I can discard the feeling soon.

To be honest, though it's hard to admit, I think I'm just scared. First, scared of what to do if I somehow find out that Knox does like me. I mean, we aren't on Earth. Are 'relationships' here like they are on Earth? I swear I've heard the term 'boyfriend' and 'girlfriend' here before, but still. How would I go about that? Plus the fact that I've never been with a boy before. But more than that I'm afraid of if he doesn't like me. I don't want to ruin our friendship, which is a great one. I also don't want, or know how, to tell him. I mean, what would I even say? 'I have a crush on you'? That sounds like something a little girl says about a boy who gave her a lollipop on valentines day in school. I don't just say that I 'like' him because he's attractive. It's much more abstract than that. I just don't see how he could like me, especially since I've only known him for... What is it, almost two months now? Plus there are plenty of more eligible, prettier girls here. I'm just some halfblood from the lesser of the two Earths. I don't even know anymore. Anyway, I'm trying to get over it.

Trying.

I hope that when I do see him for more than a few minutes it isn't weird. I hope it doesn't have the tension I have been feeling recently. It's probably because everyone is tense over the war, but I haven't had a real, purposeful conversation with Knox in upwards of two weeks, and I feel the effect, like a taught wire, when we happen to glance at eachother.

I'm snapped out of my thoughts as I spot El walking towards me and I smile, waving to her. My smile drops a second later as I see her face, struck with worry and what looks like confusion.

"What is it?" I ask as soon as El steps up to me. She bites the inside of her cheek.

"Um, well, you should probably come back to the castle, it's just- I'm sorry, Mia, I didn't want you to see this but Rose said to get you back, and-"

"Elanil, slow down," I say, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. She gives me a grateful glance.

"Lets go, I'm sure I can handle it," I reply, despite the growing, unsettling feeling in my stomach.

Elanil nods and pulls out her transport stone. We end up in the foyer of the castle. I immediately hear voices vaguely echoing from the throne room. I press my lips together in worry and follow El's quick strides, my hair bouncing at my back.

"I really don't think you need to see this, but..." El enters the throne room and stops. I walk up next to her, looking at the scene.

My heart jumps to my throat, and I feel my eyes widen in horror.

Lying on the wooden floors of the throne room, pale and cold, are the bodies of Fin and his friends.

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The amount of typos I just fixed in this chapter- I must've been tired writing this😭😭