At the door of unknown fates
Braena drew herself up straight and knocked upon the door she stood in front of. She held her breath as the door swung open. She paused ever so slightly, but apparently it was too long, as her heard “Are you coming in child?” echo from the far end of the chamber. Braena stepped across the threshold, walking towards the figure sitting upon a throne at the other end of the room.
“Halt!” barked the voice “You are armed in my chamber! You know better than that, child!” She spoke then to the guard, “Remove the sword from her please,” then turned back and spoke, “You will get it back before you leave, child.”
Braena nodded, “I’d appreciate it, as it was a gift from Lady Tanya at Enchantica.”
“A gift? Who would give such a wretched girl a gift of such a beautiful weapon?” A laugh echoed throughtout the chamber and tears started to fill Braena’s eyes. “Child, come closer now that you are disarmed, I assure you, the gift will be returned when you leave the chamber, unharmed.”
Braena continued along the aisle, walking up to the steps in front of the throne, she knelt down, bowing her head in respect, greeting her mother properly, “Good day, Lady Starla, Goddess of Eternal Light, Wife of K’lad, Mother of Braena and Kalina”
“Greetings, my child, you’re not looking well, has something happened since I sent you to Enchantica?”
“No mother, nothing that has caused me to be unwell,” she said, hoping her mother would accept the answer as given.
“Tell me then, child, why do you look as though you have not slept in a week or more?”
“The trip to and from Enchantica is not a fast one, Mother, it takes days to reach the gates.”
Just then, the doors burst open, someone came running along the aisle, tripping over Braena and up the step. Braena looked up at a boy of no more than 15 years as he bowed down beside Starla’s chair, “A million pardons M’lady, but we have just received word that there are troubles to the west, somewhere near where you sent your daughter!”
Braena couldn’t stiffle her giggle and it slipped from between her lips, she immediately gasped and silenced herself again as the boy noticed her. “Many pardons Lady Braena! I did not realize you had returned from your journey!’
Braena looked up to her Mother, silently asking permission to speak to the servant, Lady Starla nodded her consent. “Quite alright, but what do you mean by troubles? I just returned last eve from Enchantica, has something happened to the Castle?”
“I am not sure, M’lady, I just am reporting what has been passed on by the travelling merchantry.”
Braena’s heart stopped beating for a moment as she thought of her friends, concerned for their well being as she spoke to her Mother. “Mother, may I return to Enchantica? I need to see what the reported trouble is. My mission was not complete, yet I felt the need to return and report my small findings to you, yet this turn of events has made it clear that I should have stayed perhaps a week or so longer.”
Lady Starla paused momentarily then spoke, “Yes, my child, you may go, retreive your sword from the guard, take a horse and a pack, you will return to me healthy this time, or I will go to Enchantica myself and find out just why you return to me as though you you had your heart ripped from your chest.”
Braena seemed to stare slightly, wondering what had made her Mother chose that wording, but brushed it off as she bowed her head once more before standing. “Thank you, Mother, I will return in better condition, I swear it to you.”
Braena turned on her heel and half ran, half walked back up the aisle to the guard, pausing only long enough to get her sword from the guard, slipping it back beneath her flowing black cloak as she ran towards the stables for a horse and pack.
