Bartholomew Nelson and the World of Zathya: The Prince and The Heir

Chapter 10

The sun was starting to come up as they made their way deep into Dorman Wood. The sounds of the night creatures had silenced, replaced by the sounds of birds chirping. It was a glimpse of something beautiful in the midst of all this tragedy and danger.

"I can't believe its morning already," Charlotte said as they came to a resting spot. They had been running off adrenaline the entire time not once stopping to relax since entering the woods. "This would've been when we were leaving the house." As she finished the sentence her voice trailed off. Bart understood why. He was also thinking about Victoria, Jonah and Charlotte's dad. He was wondering if they made it out okay. It was hard for them to even comprehend the thought of those three being dead, but with the amount of enemies attacking, Bart couldn't see how they could've made it out alive. He didn't want to say that, of course. Charlotte was already worried enough about her mom and dad.

"Don't worry," Bart said after a few minutes of silence. "I'm sure they made it. Come on, Victoria knows what she is doing." Charlotte managed a smile but Bart could easily tell it was half hearted. He barely believed what he said himself so how could she?

"Bart," she said softly as they continued to walk. "Do you think that guy, the big one with the axe, do you think he meant what he said? You know about me looking like my mother?" Bart didn't know how to respond since he had never seen Charlotte's mom. The fact that Baron even mentioned her had escaped his thoughts. Still it wasn't a surprise that the comment dwelled on Charlotte's mind. Bart hadn't really stopped thinking about his father and how he would never get a chance to meet him since the beginning of all this. "I mean, I've never even seen her not even in a picture so I wouldn't know. But he knew me. He knew me, and it was only the second time he had seen me. That has to mean he's telling the truth right?" Bart was afraid to answer because he didn't know what she wanted to hear. The truth was the guy was probably lying just to get under her skin, but then again it's too weird for him to bring up her mother like that.

"I really don't know, Char," Bart said finally. "I mean it is weird. But why would he just say that?"

"I don't know," she responded sadly.

"I'm sure he was just trying to get into your head."

"Well apparently that isn't that hard with Victoria speaking in my head earlier. So bringing up my mother wouldn't be of much use would it? I'm sure if Victoria can do it then so can that guy." Bart had completely forgotten that Charlotte didn't know about mind wielding. That ability is something that Bart really liked ever since Victoria first used it on him. It was strange, though, that it was called mind wielding when it seems like your mind is what controls all wielding. Bart made a mental note to ask Victoria about that later. If she made it out alive, that is.

"Well we can ask Victoria about your mother and mind wielding when we see her again," Bart said not so confidently.

"Right," Charlotte said. "When we see them again." They kept walking in silence for the next hour and a half. Even though everything seemed so grim, Bart couldn't help but notice the beauty of the woods. He had never gone this far before and it seemed like the deeper he went the more amazing it got. The leaves were full of color. The red was the sharpest red he'd ever seen, the green was the richest green, and the yellow reminded him of the sun. He wondered how he never knew the woods were this big. Maybe his mom kept him away because the deeper he went the more he felt a connection to Zathya. Bart's senses seemed to heighten with every step closer to the hidden world. He didn't know what that meant, but it had to be the reason he was never brought this far.

"Bart," Charlotte whispered. Bart stopped and immediately noticed why she stopped. There was a clearing ahead and right in the middle was a giant tree with golden leaves.