Adrienne bit down on her lip, the seer already knew so much about the history of the Fae,

Whatever excuse she gave, Adrienne knew the seer would immediately be able to tell the lie.

But even so, Adrienne still could not bring herself to reveal the most closely protected secret of the Fae.

She could only reveal what was as close to the truth as possible and hope the seer would not be able to tell.

"The High Queen of the Fae owed a debt of life to High King Agardan, to repay this debt, she swore fealty to him and our kind have honored this vow ever since." Adrienne replied quietly.

The seer chuckled quietly, his quiet chuckle echoing through the cave.

"Finally, some true words." The seer said with a nod of approval.

"I have answered your question, now you should also answer mine." Adrienne said, relieved that the seer had not pushed any further.

But Adrienne had concluded too soon because the next words of the seer revealed he knew exactly what Adrienne had done.

"According to my knowledge, that was not all that happened." The seer pointed out.

"What do you mean? I have told you all I know." Adrienne said in frustration.

"Now, now, Princess Adrienne... your art of deception has reached mastery, yet it is of no use with one who sees through... and within you." The seer said with a shake of his head.

"There is nothing more to be said, the debt of gratitude is all I know." Adrienne insisted, keeping her gaze blank.

"If it is difficult for you to speak of, shall I tell it to you...or more than that, shall I show it to you? The truth of your ancestry?" The seer asked, turning so he was fully facing Adrienne.

His white orbs stared straight into Adrienne’s eyes, Adrienne’s eyes widened as she was sucked into those endless pools of mystery, her consciousness fading into darkness.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~The Tenth Year Of the Uprising~

A large, endless field of green covered the earth for as far as the eyes could see, with grasses green and grown tall, reaching around the waist of a full grown man.

The sheer vastness of the field was striking. It stretched on and on as though it covered the entire earth, having neither beginning nor end, and perhaps it did not.

The grasses were rich and the field was in the purest state, an untouched monument of nature.

The sky above casted an array of beautiful hues ranging from deep yellows to rays of pink even as the sun descended slowly beyond the horizon, displaying that it was closely approaching sun down.

The rays of sun cast over the field made the field even more enchanting.

There was a calm breeze blowing across the field, the grasses waving gently in the breeze, swaying this way and that.

Their bright green color was so vivid, it was as though the field was picked right out of the middle of a painting and laid over the earth...there was no other explanation for such perfection.

Beyond the field, there were rolling hills that surrounded it. The hills were also a beautiful shade of green, but with subtle variations that gave them depth and texture.

The hills rose and fell elegantly, like a gentle undulation across the landscape.

There was an occasional tree or shrub dotting the hills, but for the most part, they were unspoiled and untouched.

The air was thick with the rich, earthy smell of the grass, it was fresh and clean, with just a hint of moisture that gave it a slightly cold feel.

Across the field, a horse galloped through, a small silhouette in the distance that grew larger and larger the closer the horse approached.

When the horse was finally within sight, atop it was a young woman with honey brown hair that was trimmed short to her shoulders and braided to the side in a warrior’s braid.

The woman was dressed in pure white robes, overlaid with golden embroidery and there was a sword strapped to her belt, a dragon’s head engraved on it’s hilt.

Halfway across the field, she stirred the horse to a stop and dismounted, stepping down into the field.

As she stepped into the field, one could hear the crunch of the grass underfoot.

It was not too loud, but it was a satisfying sound that made one feel connected to the earth beneath one’s feet and it seemed this woman felt the same as a small smile settled on her lips. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

After glancing around for a moment, she began to walk through the field, watching with a smile as the grasses moved around her like gentle waves.

The grasses parted with each step forward she took and then closed in behind her once again.

It was as though the field was alive and breathing, responding to her very presence.

In the distance, she could see a small stream winding its way through the hills.

It was a glittering ribbon of blue that catched the sunlight and sparkled like diamonds. The woman knew that was her destination and it was still a long walk ahead yet she chose to take the walk.

Her horse was left behind, grazing in the field while she continued deeper through the field on her own.

From where she stood, she could hear the sound of the water from the steam, a gentle gurgling that was soothing and calming.

"The Royal Forest of the Fae...it truly is as enchanting as I have heard." The woman murmured to herself in awe.

It was hard to resist the urge to follow the sound of the stream and see where it lead, rather than the path across the field itself.

As she walked on, she took notice of the small details that make the field so enchanting.

There were tiny flowers growing here and there, little pops of color against the sea of green.

She could see butterflies flitting from flower to flower, their delicate wings catching the sunlight.

She could even hear the distant call of a bird, and the woman stopped for a moment to look up, her smile growing brighter when she spotted the bird.

But her attention was drawn when she picked up the sound of footsteps approaching her through the tall grasses.

Soon, a group of two men and a woman came into view.

"We are guardians of the Royal Forest, state your identity." One of the men demanded.

"Raena, rider of the great golden dragon and leader of the uprising, Agardan the vanquisher. I have come on the urgent message of the High Queen of the Fae." The woman introduced with a smile.

"Come with us, Her Grace is expecting you." The Fae guard said with a nod, gesturing for the woman, Raena to follow him.

Raena did as she was told and followed behind the Fae guard.

They soon reached the middle of the field, and Raena turned around and looked back at the hills with a warm smile.

The view was breathtaking, the rolling hills seem to go on forever, a never-ending sea of green that was both peaceful and invigorating.

Just being here, Raena could already feel the strain of the unending battles against the dark empire melting away as she took in the beauty of the scene.

As the sun continued to set, the colors of the landscape also shifted. The green of the hills deepened, becoming a rich emerald shade.

The sky above turned a brilliant orange and pink, the colors blending together in a spectacular show of nature’s beauty.

The air was now chilling and Raena could feel the wind picking up.

Raena took in a deep breath, filling her lungs with the crisp evening air, and she felt a sense of contentment and peace settle over her.

As Raena made her way to the edge of the field, she was tempted to turn around and take another look but she shook off the urge,

Raena reminded herself that she would have enough time to appreciate the beauty after she had visited the High Queen.

In a world that was filled with death, battles and dark magic, Raena knew this scene was one she would never forget.

It was a reminder of the true purpose of the uprising, a reminder that even in the midst all the darkness and evil of this chaotic world,

There were still places of beauty and serenity, there was still hope of a new world,

And this was the hope the dragons would give their all to bring to reality, lead by Agardan the vanquisher... the hope of an empire to be known as the Asvarian Stronghold.

And Raena was proud that she was right there, at Agardan’s side all the way and she would always be there to watch him create a new world where all was beautiful and good.

If only Raena knew then that these beautiful sights would be the last she saw... perhaps they would not have appeared so beautiful in her eyes.

~~~~~~~~~~~