The sweet melody of twittering birds and the subtle sound of snapping twigs echoed in the background as Beanni took in the earthy colours of the non-magical realm's forest. Ethan had decided to take her to the place where he first landed in that strange dimension. She saw his feet walk along the naturally laid out path between the variety of trees. There were ones with thick trunks that stretched high into the sky and others that arched over his head as if they were trying to keep him secret from the blue sky above. Soft looking ferns waved from the ground as he walked past them and he studied the different kinds of fungi that grew within the surroundings, as if for Beanni's benefit. There were spongy half circles that grew in miniature staircases upon the bark of trees, and there were red and purple toad stools that stood proudly between short blades of grass. Although the plants in this forest looked so different to what Beanni was used to, their colours were not as bright and nothing at all glowed or glittered, she could see and appreciate the humble beauty of the surroundings within her smoke vision.
Ethan made them stop in front of a tree that looked familiar. It towered high amongst the other tall trees standing around, and its roots stretched across the forest's moss covered floor. These roots covered more ground than any of the other trees, and its star shaped leaves were shaped like no others' present.
"I know this tree," Beanni declared as Ethan stopped and stared at it.
"This is where Ethan's grandfather took Jeeves the cat's body after I entered his mind. He was a kind man, lonely but kind. He took Jeeves in without question one day. He fed me, gave me a comfortable bed," Ethan said, then took a step towards the tree that his very own magic grew years before that day. "He gave me a home."
"Ethan's grandfather?" Beanni pondered.
"Yes, his name was Richard, and when he past away I entered his son David. Him having descendants made moving into new bodies much easier," the ancient magic explained.
"What happens to these people? What about Ethan? Is he still there now? Or..." A gasp left Beanni, interrupting her speech as she contemplated the alternative that came to her mind.
"Or?" Beanni detected a defensive tone within Ethan's voice, which made her clamp her mouth shut. She tried her hardest to ignore the clammy, cold prickling that began to play at the back of her neck. She heard Ethan take a deep breath in, before speaking in a much calmer sounding way. "I know what you're asking, of course I do, and you have every right to be curious about that. I am sorry. It's just complicated that's all. I mean, he's here and he's not here. He is always watching, commenting, complaining, but he has no control. I am in charge of everything."
Beanni said nothing. She had no idea what she could say. It didn't seem right, taking that poor man's life away from him, forcing him to watch somebody else take the reins of his own body. Such a concept would've sounded impossible once upon a time, just a creepy story that her father or brothers would've told her when she was young. Solely hearing this as a made up story, she knew she wouldn't think twice about the man whose body the ancient magic possessed. However, the reality of it had really disturbed her heart. That poor man unwittingly sacrificed himself for the sake of a realm he had never even heard of. It just wasn't right. How could it be?
"Say something, Beanni," the ancient magic made Ethan's voice demand.
"What can I say?" Beanni couldn't speak above a whisper. "What do you want me to say?"
"Look, it is necessary that I do this - that I keep moving from body to body. The sake of our world depends on it!"
"Why?" Beanni found courage within the sudden outrage she felt on behalf of the characters within Ethan Robson's stories, people she understood to be real individuals who hoped, who loved and who had their very own dreams. "You could've stayed in the forest, lived a long life as this tree. You said as much the other day. I remember you saying that. You chose to take over different bodies, different lives, to - and I quote - speed along the process!"
"I don't need to explain myself to a mere mortal!" Ethan's voice spat out in anger. "What makes you think you have the right to speak to me in this way? To judge me! I have seen more than you could ever dream of. I've seen generations come and go!"
"I... I..." Beanni's heart began to hammer inside her chest. She wanted so badly to take what she said back. She didn't know what came over her just then. Of course she had no right to speak to the ancient magic like that. What was she thinking? Her nerves cast out all words and she struggled to make any noise other than a timid squeaking as she held her breath.
"Forgive me, Beanni. I sometimes forget that you are only a child."
Beanni let out a sigh, but didn't dare say another word.
"I didn't explain myself clearly enough before," the ancient magic continued. "Yes I could've lived a long life inside this tree. It still looks just as it did the day I grew it. But, I knew that I would only find my way home with the use of a moving body that could communicate with others. I needed to be there for James, and in turn, his daughter - the future leader of Natanstrelle and the mother of the saviour of the light."
Beanni watched the forest move suddenly as Ethan made his way around the tree. He stopped in front of a carving of an eight pointed star within a perfect circle.
"The Royal Mark symbol?" Beanni sought to confirm what she was watching Ethan's index finger begin to trace.
"This is the symbol I needed to make in order to open a portal to Dachan Terran. So I can finally come home. I needed human hands to carve such a symbol, so without possessing a human's body I truly would've been lost."
"Okay, I understand," Beanni said sheepishly.
"I found out about how to open the portal from this side through Luchinda," Ethan continued, seemingly ignoring Beanni. "She was the first and only Natanstrellean to ever communicate with me across dimensions, before you of course. She used me to speak to Astrid when I was still possessing the cat, and under James' care."
"Yes I know the story of Astrid the First's return to Natanstrelle. Everybody knows it!"
"Really?" Beanni could hear the smile that fuelled Ethan's response.
"Yes!" she said with a chuckle, she couldn't help but find the sudden change in Ethan's tone endearing.
Suddenly, without any kind of warning, chaotic yelling, crashing and glass smashing took over all other sounds within the forest. The interruption made them both jump and Ethan glanced behind him in a panicked rush, but there was nothing but peace amongst the surrounding trees.
"What is that?" he attempted to shout over the noise.
"I don't know!" Beanni could barely hear her own voice.
"Bay, is that you?" A familiar voice managed to pierce through the chaos, just before the sound of a door screeching open. "Beanni!"
A bright light then took over Beanni's vision and she felt herself being dragged backwards. Being ripped away from the smoke the way she was caused a searing pain to flare behind her eyes. She couldn't see. She couldn't feel anything but the ache inside her head, and she began to panic.
"Bay, it's me!" Oslac tried his hardest to speak over Beanni's screams of pain. "Beanni what's wrong?" He gripped his hands around her shoulders as she desperately clawed at her temples.
"You took her out of the smoke too soon!" Genelle Fiosolim shouted from the open doorway, as she struggled against the guard that tried to restrain her.
Beanni's panicked shrieking crushed through Oslac's brain and overwhelmed his thoughts until he could take it no longer. With a fumbling hand he fished out his light orb, made it grow in his palm and held it to her head. Beanni let out a quietened whimper as the calming light magic seeped into the skin of her forehead. The muscles around her eyes relaxed and her arms dropped to her sides as she collapsed into Oslac's arms. Not ready to hold her dead weight, the prince's knees buckled beneath him and he fell to the ground, cushioning Beanni the whole way down.
"The pain you have put her in is unbearable, I tried to warn you! You wouldn't listen!" Genelle spat at the Prince.
"Take her away!" Oslac snapped. "Her and the other gazers! Take them all to Astrid Palace, their cells are waiting!"
The guard pulled Genelle away from the doorway and a flash of violet light took over the hut. The sounds of Genelle's loud protests faded upon the vanishing violet wisps that dissolved into the peaceful air they left behind.
Oslac then turned to Beanni, who lay, propped up, at his side. He gently moved the thick curls that lay messily on her face to the side, and a heat stung his tear ducts as he took in her sad looking face. His lip trembled as guilt and worry twisted uncomfortably within his chest.
"I'm sorry, Bay," he whispered, whilst stroking his thumb across her peaceful cheek. "I'm so sorry..."
"Your Highness?" Oslac felt a guard standing at his hunched back.
"What?" Oslac muttered, not looking away from his dear friend.
"We must go, we need more of your father's magic to destroy the smoke. We used a lot to override the protection spell and to transport those that have already left. There is only enough left to transport the three of us now." The guard knelt down onto one knee beside the prince and put a steady hand of reassurance upon his shoulder. "I'll help you carry the girl. Claudia Slànacus will know what to do for her."
Oslac turned his head and met the guard's gaze.
"I hope so," he whispered, took another glance at his best friend's sleeping face and heaved a melancholic sigh. He then drew his arm out from beneath her, managed to store his light orb away, and gently moved into a better position, making sure that she did not flop to the ground. His movements prompted the guard to get up from his position and make his way around to Beanni. He hooked his hands behind her shoulders and her legs and hoisted her up with Oslac's help. The prince then straightened up and dusted himself down.
"Okay, give her to me now," he demanded, holding out his arms. "I wish to hold my best friend."
The guard nodded and transferred Beanni's sleeping body to Oslac, who was ready to take her weight this time. He held her as steady as he could, cursing his young, lacking arms for shaking under the weight. Oslac saw that the guard noticed him struggling, yet he clearly had the good sense to not comment on the matter, instead he drew out his light orb. Oslac watched it grow in the guard's palm, with the tiniest flicker of violet light shining beneath its transparent surface. That violet spark then grew and quickly took over the entire room. Within a blink, the hut's quaint wooden walls and the illegal pillar of smoke were replaced by the well looked after palace grounds.
They watched the last wisps of violet light disappear on the breeze that danced around them. Oslac then insisted on carrying Beanni up the garden path and up the stone steps, towards the great àrdurum wood doors that opened up to his royal home. He made his way to the healing chamber where he could tuck Beanni in safely, ready to be seen by an expert of healing magic.