A Princess's Duty

•Chapter Ten• Finding Fenhallow

Kathryn faced the boys, trying not to laugh at the confusion on their faces. They still stood in what appeared to be a patch of woods, but little did they know, the trees behind her were not trees at all.

She didn't know exactly how the illusion had come into existence, but it fascinated her. Behind wall of air, a murky screen of glimmering light projected the image that compelled human eyes to brush right over it.

Children were less susceptible to the illusion, because their minds were open to more fanciful things, and that had been how Kathryn had discovered the hidden town. Kathryn had always been a wanderer. Curiosity brought her into kitchens and closets, along with other, more secret nooks and crannies. Bethany had turned away for a moment, and Kathryn, the sagacious eight year old she was, had decided that it would be best to begin exploration while not under scrutiny.

Fenhallow had been deserted, but it was anything but empty. It was as if the souls of the past still haunted the town, though the spirits there were not malevolent. When she entered the hollow city, it was ironic that for once, she had been filled. Filled with a sense of adventure and longing for something unknown. She was filled to the brim with love and hope, and she knew that she was being watched over and protected. It was a safe haven, and now she was sharing it.

She had wanted to let another experience what she had here, but before today, she had never though she'd find someone to share it with. She knew that bringing a person here would show her what she needed to see. Hopefully, the person underneath the protocol and duty she'd find a person she could love.

Kathryn couldn't say what impulse had coerced her into inviting William of all people, other than the fact that his presence in that hallway had been a strange coincidence that she couldn't ignore. So far, he had done nothing but pluck at every nerve. He got under her skin, and while it may have been annoying, it was also strangely alluring.

Charles was nice, but that was all she could see in him so far. He wasn't a bad person, but he was still a mystery. Kathryn was not drawn to him in the way she was Will, and yet she knew he could be an easy person to have by her side. His fear now was only a testament to his lack of recklessness, which could be a good thing, but it could also be cowardice lurking beneath the surface.

Kathryn shook her head. It wasn't like her to jump to conclusions. Fear didn't make one a coward, running and avoiding responsibility did. He hadn't run, but he stood there, looking at her with those doe eyes that made her sick to the stomach.

Kathryn turned away from the boys. "I want you to look at this patch of trees. Really look. What do you see?"

Charles spoke first. "Trees?"

Kathryn couldn't decide if she wanted to sigh or laugh at his response, but she kept herself in check. While it may have been easy for her to see what was right in front of them, they were more susceptible to illusionary magic and so it wasn't surprising that Charles would say something that seemed foolish to her. Will however, didn't say a word.

He stared at the trees with an intensity she had never seen in his warm eyes. He was really trying to see something, which surprised Kathryn. Being open to seeing more was the first step.

"Just look, Charles," she said, unsure how to help him when all he did was scant the area with an analytical eye. "Relax a bit, William."

William realized that he had been as taught was a wire. Why in hell was he taking her so seriously? For all he knew, this whole thing was just some joke to make them look like fools.

He shoved the thought from his mind. From what he had seen of her so far, Kathryn was completely serious about the whole thing. And there was something else.

There was a presence here, a shadow lurking behind a thin veil. He couldn't place if its intention, but he knew it was there, and now he was straining in an attempt to see it. According to Kathryn's words, he shouldn't need to strain. He relaxed, still staring at the trees in front of him, trying to open his mind to whatever may be hidden there.

He had known that things beyond the human sphere of explanation existed, but until now, he had never experienced anything quite as fantastical or magical. A warm breeze rushed though him, opening not only his eyes, but his other senses as well. The fresh scent of rebirth filled him, and he could feel the movements of roots inching and animals burrowing beneath his feet. The forest was so much more alive now that he could hear the rustling of the leaves, and even the breathing of his two companions. Their heartbeats were steady, though Kathryn's was racing. He turned to focus on her face, and blanched. Her eyes were so much more vivid, the richness of her olive skin complementing the brightness of her smile.

This rush of sensory detail lasted for no more than five seconds, but at the end of it, Kathryn shone as brightly then as she had before.

But something was different. Those weren't trees behind her. Scratch that. They were trees, but they were different. Bridges connected the trees that seemed to be hollowed out. It wasn't just another patch of woods, it was a village of trees.

"Are you seeing this?" William said, wondering if he was going insane. Charles looked beyond confused.

"Seeing what?' he asked, making it clear that no, he did not see or feel anything out of the ordinary. 

Kathryn said nothing, but the joy on her face increased tenfold. Her heart was bursting, and pleasant surprise warmed her soul. One of them, at least, had already felt it. 

After a moment of silence, she spoke. "Charles, you have to look beyond the trees...like..."

She trailed off, unsure of how to explain. Finding Fenhallow was less of an action and more of a feeling, and she wasn't even sure that everyone could do it. 

"Like you know something is there, but your eyes need some time to process it," Will added. "Relax and open your mind."

Charles tried to shake out the tension in his shoulders, pacing a bit and trying to take what Kathryn and William had said to heart despite the twinge of annoyance that plucked the back of his mind. 

"Try closing your eyes. Try to sense, not see." Kathryn wasn't entirely sure it would work, but it was worth a try. 

Charles sighed, shutting his eyes as Kathryn had suggested. It was unclear to him why he always had to be the odd one out. He clenched his hand, then released it, trying to work out the tension. After what felt like eternity, he finally felt it. A looming presence in the back of his mind, hovering like a storm cloud. It sent shivers up and down his spine, though it was strangely inviting. Ignoring every instinct that urged him towards the contrary, he opened his eyes, telling himself that when he processed what was in front of him, he would see something unexpected and extraordinary. 

And so he did.