The Key: Book 2 The Rose Tree Chronicles

Chapter Two: The Wrong Place at the Wrong Time

Unfortunately, Rein had not yet recovered from her regrettable episode three hundred years ago when the infamous Emperor Mentir tore her wings off her back. Ever since, she had been eating the petals of the burdania flower to keep alive as pixies cannot live without wings for the most part. To further Rein's misfortune, this flower was native to the Maja Forest and when she had left this forest the first time, she had not done so on good terms. Returning without wings was humiliating, and making amends was painful. Interestingly enough, even after spending another three hundred years in the forest, not all hard feelings had been amended and Rein was anxious for this opportunity to leave again.

Throughout these years, Rein spent much of her time perfecting her hunting, running, climbing, and jumping skills. She now looked about the age of a twenty-year-old with a black design developing around her left eye. At this time on Xyntriav, pixies were acquiring designs on their necks and faces and they concluded it was simply a sign of age.

Meanwhile, Rein had also tried anything and everything to keep herself distracted from her wingless predicament. Some days were easier than others, of course, though her search for a more permanent solution did wonders to keep her spirits up. It took her almost two hundred years to finally learn that she could regain wings, and it took her another hundred years to discover that the Mystery Miracle Worker was the one who could do this for her. She could hardly contain her excitement that she was finally making noticeable progress in her journey to solve this merciless problem.

Rein rode a seagull to Mayline Port in the Kingdom of Belle (an island that used to be part of the Bonn Empire) where she landed outside the window of a printing press and set the bird free. She glanced around at this very modest kingdom which practiced etiquette as if it were a religion. The cobblestone streets were as clean as the people themselves and rarely did even a small argument take place. Rein didn't feel the need to worry too much about the residents here. Instead, she put all her attention in to making it to Arcor.

Rein jumped off the windowsill and ran down the alleyway between the printing press and its neighboring port operator. Rats; just like she wanted, though there were only a few considering the cleanliness of the country. Rein needed to figure out which ones had the ability to talk. Since rats usually stuck to the walls, Rein snuck down the center of the alley so to lessen the chances of being attacked by the non-talking rodents. When she found the opportunity, she quickly climbed on top of a broken crate and looked over the small colony.

"Do any of you talk?" Rein called out.

"I do," answered two rats to her left.

"Do you know if any of these ships are leaving for Arcor?"

"Lucky you," one rat replied. "There happens to be one at the west end of the port."

"More like unlucky," the second rat objected. "What business do you have in going there?"

"My business," Rein replied. Then she turned to the first one and nodded her head. "Thank you."

"No problem," he answered. "The ship is called The Pelican. There's a large bird on both sides of the bow so you can't miss her."

"Thanks again."

Rein jumped off the crate and ran toward the edge of the alleyway where she wondered how she could cross the street without being seen or stomped. After much deliberation, she figured that all she could do was wait for a wide opening in the traffic, pray that she wouldn't be spotted, and sprint as fast as her tiny legs could take her. She dashed bravely across the road, barely missing the hooves of a horse and the wheels of a coach. Once she made it to the other side of the road, she dove behind a stack of crates and boxes, and thanked God for a safe passage.