When Secrets Persevere

Part 6

The journey through the land of mystical beauty opened Roya's eyes the way nothing had before. It appeared as if her human brain could never before comprehend the existence of such allure, let alone to experience it firsthand. She swayed in her standing position, dancing in slow motion with the gentle breeze. And if she strained her ears hard enough, she could hear the playing of a rhythmic melody composed by the earth's natural sounds.

She felt a connection to the earth that grounded her so strongly, her mind refused to drift off to other thoughts. She had almost entirely forgotten about the world she came from, and she wasn't going to return to those thoughts anytime soon.

Angel rested in the small curvature of an apple tree branch, her eyes studying the new visitor approvingly. She loved watching Roya's faltering reactions as she discovered one thing after another.

"How many times did my dad come here?" Roya asked the first of many questions, off the top of her head.

"Plenty of times," Angel replied, her smile widening at the mention of Roya's dad.

Roya noticed the action, and she couldn't help but proclaim, "you liked him, didn't you?"

Angel nodded instantly. "He was a smart and kind man."

"Because he opened the portal to your world?"

"And he gave others access to it, too." Angel slipped off the little branch, her translucent wings fluttering as they carried her closer to Roya. "Some were very sad, and this place brought them light."

Roya was beginning to believe her dad might have been the hero she always hoped he'd be.

"Come," Angel's voice pulled Roya out of her thoughts, calling out to her as she flew further away. "There is still much more to see."

I have no doubt, Roya thought to herself, excitement bubbling in her chest.

She pulled herself away from the thick bark of the tree she leaned against, her feet feathery light on the soft soil. She followed behind Angel's retreating halo, as she flew gently along the wind. Roya inhaled a deep breath of the fresh air, tinted with the sweet and floral scent of exotic flowers. Her heart began to hammer against her chest, every reminder of the ethereal beauty she was surrounded by constricting her heart in joy. She felt like she was in heaven, the feeling too intense, it almost made her cry.

Roya followed the fairy further into the land, past a field of wildflowers that seemed to dance alongside the wind, towards a breathtaking waterfall. The water cascaded down the rocky walls into a turquoise lake, the body of water so deeply saturated that the color looked almost foreign to Roya's eyes.

Angel slowed down in her pace, allowing Roya a chance to take in the beauty around her. It truly was otherworldly, and Roya found her emotions heightening to a great level, the joy blossoming in her chest urging tears to her eyes, and she stood blinking at the lake with a blurred vision. 

"What's the matter?" Angel's curious voice carried over to Roya, her eyes carefully studying the wet trails left behind on Roya's reddened cheeks.

"I-" A large lump had formed in her throat, and Roya tried to swallow down her incontrollable emotions. Her words couldn't express the awe she felt. 

"You're not the only one," Angel reassured her, a gentle smile on her unmoving lips. "Others felt the same, too."

Roya blinked the last of the tears away, her eyes moving to the clear skies above them. The sun was smiling down on her, its warmth drying the tear streaks left on her cheeks. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion as to why the weather didn't change with her emotions. She tilted her head, glancing over at Angel.