✧The Earthe of the Elves✧

24

Mia's POV

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Sunlight shines through a meadow, the ground completely submerged in tiny pink and white flowers. The leaves on the thin birch trees brush together with a sigh as a wind blows past. My feet walk slowly through the clearing, boots dappled in sunlight filtering through the trees. My vision moves up, and I realize that I'm now in a small forest. A bright, almost hazy forest. It feels like safety, like tranquility. I take two steps, stopping even though I want to keep going. I'm vaguely aware of the fact that this place feels familiar, but I can't put a thought together as to how.

Then, through the peaceful atmosphere, I hear a voice. So quiet it's almost a whisper.

"Mia," It says. I feel like I recognize the voice; it's a male voice, a deep one. But again I can't connect my thoughts.

"you're here."

"Where is here?" I ask, my voice echoing oddly around me, despite the fact that I'm in a forest.

"You'll know when the time is right."

"Mia. Mia. Mia." It keeps repeating my name, over and over, and I feel myself slipping from this place, from the misty forest and the voice. My name keeps repeating, like the whispers of the tree leaves-

"Mia. Mia!" My eyes snap open to see Elanil, crouching beside me, calling my name. That must be why the voice kept saying my name.

Rubbing sleepy fog out of my eyes I sit up, trying to shake the feeling of the dream. It felt so vivid, and at the time it felt peaceful, if I'm remembering right. Now, as I remember through a dreamy haze what happened, I feel a little less peaceful and a little more... I don't know. You know that vibe when you just wake up from a really vivid dream, and you can't shake that odd feeling like you're not quite in this world, you're still half in the dream? Yeah, that's how I'm feeling.

Birds trill overhead and sunlight shines through the bare tree branches, warming my face. I take El's offered hand and and stand, stretching out my stiff muscles and smoothing out my dress, which somehow doesn't have wrinkles. The dream feeling is fading now, and I feel pretty well rested. Like the feeling of sleeping at a hotel and waking up feeling energized because you slept somewhere other than the bed you sleep in every night. Plus the ember stone kept me warm all night, so I feel warm and rested.

"What? Did I sleep too late?" I ask through a yawn. Elanil laughs, shaking her head.

"No, I just woke up an hour ago. We stayed up till past midnight, so you're good."

"What time is it?"

"Uhh... I think almost 11?"

"Wow."

"There's also a reason I woke you up..." El bites her lip, a nervous habit I know too well.

"What..."

"Just- go to the castle. Throne room. Rose will explain."

I give Elanil a concerned look, but nod, following the wooden stairs carved into the tree to the ground. I'm not far from the castle here, and like Andor told me when I first got here- using magic takes energy, and although I've been forgetting that, I think I should start walking when I can. Plus it's just nice to be outside.

-

When I enter the foyer of the castle I hear Rose's voice echoing from inside the throne room.

"We need to see what they want, Knox."

"What could they possibly want? It sounds dangerous. And she can't go alone."

I walk slowly towards the throne room, knowing sneaking won't do any good. They would hear me anyway.