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?"
"How'd you know this place was here?"
"Wandered here when I was...ten...eleven? No, it was ten."
She smiled, though he didn't see, given his position behind her.
"On my birthday, which my parents insisted on making this grand affair, I slipped away during the party. I--"
"No one noticed?"
"Don't cut me off, mud-brain."
William laughed, bringing a hand to his brown hair. "Never heard that one before." "Shut it. Like I was saying, I went into the woods. I'm not sure if anyone noticed, though if they had, I doubt I would have made it out of the castle. Beth was asleep, so I decided to explore past her house."
"How did you meet Beth?" Charles interjected. He had been standing on the edge of the conversation, unsure if he should dive in.
"What did I say about interrupting me?" Kathryn sighed.
Boys are all the same, whispered her mind. Though at the same time, a slight unease crept over her. How exactly had she met Beth? She knew she had been but a child, but the details were murky in a way that none of her other memories were. She shook off her unease. Now wasn't the time.
"Sorry," mumbled Charles.
"Its fine, its fine. There isn't much more to the story anyways."
"But how'd you see the place without help?" wondered William.
"Not exactly sure. My guess is, as children are more impressionable, it's likely its easier for them to see through the barrier. Being more open to the possibility of something fantastical makes this place visible."
William nodded. "Makes sense, I guess. I've always known there was more to the world, though I never thought I'd see something like this for myself."
Kathryn looked back at him again, surprise in her eyes. He didn't exactly seem like the type who'd believe the sort of things she had found to be true.
"This is all quite confusing to me. I've never really put much stock in what's not right in front of me," said Charles.
Kathryn said nothing, though what he said sort of rubbed her the wrong way. The world was an amazing place, and limiting ones possibilities to only what could be seen or felt seemed a bit counterproductive when came to personal growth. Charles was nice, but that kind of close-mindedness that could foster negativity.
William had been so absorbed in the conversation that he hadn't realized they had walked into the heart of the city.
Light peeked through the canopy of trees above, adding an almost ethereal quality to the air. They stood inside a circle of jagged stones stretched over a few meters in diameter. The center was clear of trees and plants, with a huge pillar of rock reaching towards the sun, which had almost reached the center of the sky.
Kathryn looked up. They had been out longer than she anticipated they would. Given the position of the sun, it was nearly midday.
Unable to pinpoint the strange feeling that was creeping up on her, she realized that something was different than usual. Was it the time of day? She usually reached the city in the evening, but did midday have some special significance to the spirits that continued to dwell in the city? Was it that there was more than one person entering? Had bringing Charles and William been some sort of mistake?
Whatever it was, her gut told her it was too late to do anything.
"Is everything alright?" asked Charles, who had seen her unsettled expression.
As she opened her mouth, still unsure of what exactly she wanted to say, the ground beneath her began to rumble beneath them. Kathryn paled. Nothing like this had ever happened before.
Calm the hell down, Kat. You aren't doing any good standing like that stupid rock in the center of this stupid rock circle. Do something.
She surveyed their surroundings. The shaking seemed to be centralized within the large circle, but a voice within her, one that she did not recognize as her own, whispered in her ear.
The voice was that of a small child.
Do not leave the circle, it whispered. The center stone.
Taking a breath, she grabbed the hands of both William and Charles.
Charles hand was warm, and to her slight disgust, slick with nervous sweat. It was no surprise, and not at all his fault, the moisture was still rather gross. He squeezed her hand so tight, it felt like it was being suffocated.
William's hand was cool, and with the warmth of her own, a strange sort of balance was achieved.
The center stone, said the voice again, with a more urgent tone.
For a fraction of a second, she hesitated. Should she listen to the voice she couldn't identify? Unable to see a more logical option, she strung the boys to the stone, despite their confusion.
To the top, to the top, sang the voice.
"We need to get on top of the pillar!" Her voice was hardly audible over the roar of the now gusting winds and the rumble of the earth.
William nodded and yelled above the winds, "Let me give you a hand up!"
At the same time William had spoken, Charles shouted, "What? Why?"
William interlocked his hands together and knelt, gesturing with his hands for her step up. She placed her right foot in his hands and he brought her up by standing. As she rose she balanced her left hand against the stone. She could barely reach the top with her hand reaching towards it, and it seemed she would have to hoist herself up.
The part of her that doubted herself spoke, asking, am I even strong enough? Sure, she was more rough-and-tumble than most royals she knew, but she was still a girl.
Though many a time she told herself that that fact was of no consequence, being told that she couldn't do certain things because of her gender chipped away at her confidence.
You can, whispered the voice. I know you can!
Her left foot searched blindly for a place to hold, and she guided her hands into a secure little crevice. When she finally reached a foothold, she took a breath, preparing to throw herself onto the rock with all the momentum and strength she possessed.
She found herself with her stomach flat against the stone, she smiled. The voice had been correct.
Not standing in fear of being whisked away by wind, she turned to look down on the boys. William had begun to help Charles up in the same way he had her. Charles was slightly taller than she, so his forearms were able to reach over the stone. Grabbing his arms, Kathryn helped him over the side of the rock.
"William!" yelled Charles, "How in blazes are you going to get up here?"
"I'm going to help him. Hold onto my waist," said Kathryn. She laid on her stomach, her torso hanging over the edge, arms not quite reaching to where William stood. Charles gripped her waist, keeping her anchored.
"Be careful!" William looked into her eyes, which reached out to him as much as her open palms.
"Aren't I always?" He shook his head, jumping to reach her hands, the hands that were rougher than any other princess he had ever known.
Kathryn met his gaze. William's honey brown eyes bored into her own, and she knew that they would be safe. With her own strength, Charles' help, and William's boost using the grip he had found with his feet, pulling him over the edge took but one sure stroke.
They all glanced at each other, smiles adorning each of their faces, and a laugh of relief bounced between them, then it flew away on the wind. As silence between them settled, for a moment, the only sound to be heard the deep vibrations of the earth and whistles of the air.
But then Kathryn heard something else. The voice of the child that had instructed her to climb the very pillar they sat on spoke, once again in her mind.
The voice came out in a slow drawl, with a gleeful giggle following. I've got something to show you!