The People Of The Woods

Part Four

Queens? Knights? Nymphs? Chase felt like he stepped right into a fairy tale. He risked a glance around the up. Everyone in the room was on one knee, not just the guards. Any maids or workstaff that happened to be in the vicinity bowed down to show their respect to the Queen.
"You may rise." the Queens voice echoed throughout the room. It was light and airy. The guards hoisted Chase off the ground. Wren stepped forward and cleared his throat. "I was patrolling the borders and found a couple of cleobi, and I tracked them close to Ran river when I found him." Wren jerked his head in Chase's direction. The Queens gaze slid from Wren to Chase. "Right." she cleared her throat. "I am Queen Rose Evergreen of Arbor. We are the voices of the trees and protectors of the forest. What were you doing in our part of the woods?" All eyes were on Chase now. His mind blanked and the room seemed to spin. The guard on his right shook him out of his daze." I-I was r-running away from home. " Chase seemed to trip over his own tongue. A sympathy took over the queens face. She walked up and examined Chase. "What's your name, darling?" Queen Rose's soothing voice briefly made him forget his fear. "Chase Ryan." The Queen smiled and patted his cheek and turned to look at her knight. "Mr. Ryan will be staying in your quarters so you may keep an eye on him. If he proves to be trouble he shall be moved to the dungeon." Wren opened his mouth in protest but closed it. He turned to face the two guards that held Chase. "I'll take him from here, you're dismissed." Before either of the nymphs left, they pulled Chase's hands in front of him and placed a stick on his wrists. The stick began to grow at a surprising rate until it encircled his wrists like handcuffs. Chase struggled and protested, but his hands stayed bound together. Wren grabbed his upper arm and half dragged him away. He led Chase out through the main doors and around to the left of the tree. He didn't say a word as he placed his hand on the Tree's trunk. The bark around his hand started to glow. A thick sturdy branch for above dipped down towards them. Chase glanced at Wren for an explanation but found nothing. Wren stepped up into one of the forks in the large branch and hauled Chase up after him. Chase had no balance with his hands tied. Noticing this, Wren hooked his free arm around the human boys waist. Turning away, Wren placed his other hand on the tree and the bark glowed again. This time the branch moved upward to its original position, bringing Wren and Chase to an extravagant tree house style suite.