Iᴍᴘᴇʀɪᴜᴍ (Bᴏᴏᴋ 1) (editing)

Chapter 15- Won't Give Up (Part 1)

Rayna threw the covers off herself, feeling anxious. She walked over to her window and looked out into the trees in front of her. It was still dark out, couldn't be earlier than four in the morning.

Then a thought popped into her head. She didn't second-guess the thought; she just went with it rushing as quietly as she could to get ready for the day. She pulled on her dark green summer dress, pulled on her cloak and wrapped her sword belt around her waist. Just in case, she thought to herself. She didn't know if there was any danger waiting for her in the jungle, but she needed to be prepared for it. She grabbed her boots from beside her door, not putting them on so that she wouldn't make too much noise. Opening her door slowly, she peered out to make sure no one was in the halls. She stepped out of her room and moved quietly going to the left down the hall towards the staircase. After she was safely down the stairs, Rayna walked into the drawing-room and pulled out a piece of paper off the desk.

I wanted to go for a ride through the jungle to the Perpetua Sea. I will be back soon. Don't worry, I will have the dryads escort me. ~Rayna

She placed it on the counter in side the kitchen, while also grabbing an apple out of the basket that Jewel had just brought in the other day.

Rushing out the door, not looking back as she closed it, she ran towards the stables as the sun began to rise. She needed to get there before six.

Her horse was startled to hear the doors open so early, but once Rayna gave her the apple, she calmed down. Rayna grabbed the saddle and placed it on her horses back and was ready to go with seconds to spare as she brought her horse outside the stables. She closed the doors very quietly and made sure that they were secure. Rayna needed to hurry before Revon awoke. She mounted her horse and rode off towards the Obscurrum Jungle.

Surprisingly the dryads did not stir at her presence she waited for a second, but they remained in slumber and she did not want to wake them, so she continued on sure she would be stopped at some point down the road. Of course, she thought to herself, it would be better with no escort at all, the less to explain the better.

She road a little quick, but not in full run not wanting to alert any of the creatures of her presence. Her hood was up, of course as she road on. Her focus was solely on her goal as she moved along the dirt path. She was surprised at how long it finally took for her to be stopped along her travels.

"Queen Rayna? What in the world are you doing up so early in the Jungle? And with no escort!" Rayna slowed her horse to a stop, groaning as she turned around at the voice coming from behind her. Prince Coilleach.

Rayna cringed slightly to herself, but turned and smiled, turning her horse in his direction. They circled one another, "Prince Coilleach! How nice to see you. I know it is early, but I am on a quest, you see. And I did not want to wake the poor dryads at the edge of the jungle. They looked so tired."

Prince Coilleach rolled his eyes at her, "Really, Ray? You didn't want to wake them?" He crossed his arms over his chest and raised his eyebrow, "Or did you not want an escort on your 'quest'?"

Rayna bit her lip and narrowed her eyes, "Alright, maybe I wanted to make the journey alone, but I really did feel bad, they looked very tired and I did not want to wake them, Coil and that is the truth."

Coilleach chuckled at her admission and started to walk, motioning her to continue forward. "So what is this quest that you are going on? From what I can tell you are headed in the direction of the kingdom?"

Rayna sighed, "No, I am not that insane. I am actually traveling to the cemetery. I-" she paused thinking through her words. "I want to see my father and mother's graves and... and mine."