A Princess's Duty

•Chapter Eleven• Their Strength

A rush of color, light, sounds and smells flowed over Charles.  Everything in sight appeared more vivid than before, overwhelming his senses. He was processing the scene around him with twenty times more clarity than usual. He had been looking at the world through a clouded lens.

Now, he could not only see, but feel the life of the earth being swept up, traveling up the tree to create the almost glowing green of the leaves. He could sense the sunlight that shone and kissed each minuscule hair on the surface of his arms, as well as those of his companions.  The details were almost too much to process, despite the fact that it lasted but a few moments.  

When finally the the sensory overload had quieted, he realized that the trees were not, in fact, trees alone. They were hollowed out homes, interconnecting through a complicated network of branching bridges.

How he could have missed it, Charles had no clue.  The city of trees was empty, yet teeming with life. It was impossible to describe the feeling that filled him as his eyes glossed over the exquisite scene.

It was whimsical and free, unlike anything he had ever seen. He could only imagine what it would be like if its inhabitants still resided within. 

William felt the same. He was in awe, unable to place what it was about this place that both unsettled and excited him. William glanced over at Kathryn to see a face full of joy. Not just happiness, but joy. This place awakened the part of her that was forced to lie dormant as she played the part of a dutiful princess back at the castle. That eagerness in her eyes brought a smile to his face. He had no idea why, but seeing her happy made his stomach flip in a way he'd never felt before. 

Kathryn laughed aloud, glad that both of them were sharing in this secret place. Though she wouldn't have pegged William as a friend at first, a voice in the back of her mind whispered for her to give him a chance. 

Happening upon him in that hallway may have been mere coincidence, but having friends to share with was something she wished she had discovered earlier.  She had been well cared for in the castle, with nearly anything she could ever want or need at her fingertips.

Despite that, the adventures she had in both halls of the castle and the woods beyond were primary lonesome endeavors. Yes, she had Beth, but the old woman was more of a concerned parent. She also happened to be a hermit that didn't much fancy leaving the house.  Seeing wonder in the eyes of others and knowing that she had led them to such a feeling filled her with more happiness than she could give justice with words. And she hadn't even shown them the best part yet.

"Let's get moving, boys!"  William watched her cross the veil into another world, a world where anything could happen.

Driven by impulse but cautioned by his mind, he took a step forward, but paused before crossing the invisible threshold. Something inside him rose to the surface, whispering that if he went now, there would be no turning back. 

As he continued moving forward, he braced himself, making his way into the mystical world. 

And... 

Nothing.

He let out a breath of relief, unsure what he had expected, but glad of the anticlimax. Charles was now a step in front of him, given that he hadn't hesitated to follow Kathryn.

She want down a faded path that was hardly visible upon first look, but she knew exactly what she was doing, and it seemed, where she was going.  William looked around at the trees that now branched above him, marveling at the strange structure of the bridges and houses. 

"Kathryn?" She glanced over her shoulder at the sound of his voice, meeting his eye for the barest moment, then continuing along the path. 

"Yeah?"