Thank you so much @ Sarebie for the Gift.
Thank you so much @ Daoistca2QMi for the Golden Ticket.
***********
The days following the discovery of the mysterious golden-eyed child passed quietly or at least, they appeared quiet on the surface.
Beneath that calm, however, an unease had settled over the hidden kingdom.
Not because of the child herself.
Most of the elves quickly lost interest in her after realizing she posed no imdiate danger after all children were children, regardless of where they ca from.
No!
What truly occupied everyone’s thoughts was a far more troubling question.
How had outsiders managed to enter the kingdom?
Twice.
The ancient seal protecting the hidden realm had stood for centuries.
Entire generations had been born and died believing it was unbreakable.
The barrier concealed the kingdom from the outside world and prevented unwanted visitors from discovering its existence.
Yet within the span of only a few days, three outsiders had sohow crossed into their protected sanctuary.
Florence.
Saline.
And now the mysterious golden-eyed child.
The coincidence was impossible to ignore and it troubled the Queen more than anyone else.
Three mornings after the child’s arrival, the Queen summoned Kaelion before sunrise.
The young captain arrived promptly.
His blue eyes imdiately noticed the scrolls scattered across her desk.
Reports.
Maps.
Records dating back hundreds of years.
The Queen stood beside a large window overlooking the awakening city.
Sunlight painted her dark hair with shades of gold.
Without turning, she spoke.
"We’re going to the check out the seal."
Kaelion nodded.
Neither wasted ti asking unnecessary questions.
An hour later they stood before the ancient cave.
The sa cave through which Florence and Saline had entered.
The sa cave that should have been impossible to access.
Massive roots wrapped around the stone walls like sleeping serpents.
Ancient runes glowed faintly across the cavern entrance.
Power flowed through them steadily.
Uninterrupted.
The Queen walked forward.
Her fingers brushed against the nearest rune.
Magic stirred.
Silver light spread outward like ripples across water.
For several monts she remained silent.
Studying.
Listening.
Feeling.
Eventually she stepped back.
Her expression darkened.
"The seal remains intact."
Kaelion frowned.
"Then how did they enter?"
"That is the question." She said...she herself not understanding the situation.
The Queen stared at the glowing symbols.
For the first ti in many years, uncertainty entered her eyes.
Because if the seal had not broken...
Then sothing far stranger was happening.
Sothing she did not yet understand.
Back within the heart of the Kingdom, Florence remained blissfully unaware of the Queen’s investigation.
She had spent most of the morning completing her duties.
The palace had beco increasingly busy.
Servants moved constantly through the corridors.
Nobles arrived and departed.
Preparations for upcoming gatherings occupied everyone.
Only when she finally finished her work did she realize sothing important.
It was quiet.
Far too quiet.
Florence paused.
A strange feeling settled inside her chest.
Normally, she would have heard Saline by now.
The little girl was rarely silent.
Whether laughing.
Talking.
Or asking questions that threatened to unravel entire conversations.
Saline always made her presence known.
Yet today...
Nothing.
Florence frowned.
She checked the gardens first.
No Saline.
She checked the dining hall.
Nothing.
The library.
The training grounds.
The flower terraces.
Still nothing.
With every passing minute, her worry increased.
The hidden kingdom was safe.
Safer than most places.
But Florence had learned long ago that safety could disappear without warning.
By the ti she reached the western gardens, genuine panic had begun creeping into her thoughts.
"Florence?"
She turned.
Kaelion had just returned from the seal inspection.
His sharp eyes imdiately noticed her expression.
Sothing in his posture changed.
"What happened?"
"I can’t find Saline."
The words erged faster than intended.
Imdiately, Kaelion beca serious.
"When did you last see her?"
"This morning."
"We’ll find her." Ca his simple words that was yet sohow reassuring.
Without another question, he joined the search.
Together they combed through gardens, courtyards and pathways.
Nearly an hour passed.
Then suddenly....
"There."
Kaelion stopped walking.
Florence followed his gaze.
Beneath a large willow tree near the edge of the palace grounds sat two small girls.
One was Saline.
The other was the golden-eyed child.
Relief hit Florence so hard her knees nearly weakened.
"Saline!"
The little girl looked up imdiately.
A bright smile appeared.
"Miss Florence!"
She jumped to her feet.
The second girl remained seated quietly while watching what was unfolding.
Florence approached quickly.
"Do you have any idea how worried I was?"
Saline looked genuinely confused.
"We were talking."
"You disappeared."
"I forgot to tell you... I’m sorry."
The answer was so honest that Florence couldn’t even scold her properly.
Kaelion’s attention shifted toward the other child.
She appeared stronger than before.
Still pale and thin though.
But noticeably healthier.
The golden-eyed girl looked up at him calmly.
Before he could speak, Saline proudly announced,
"This is Lilian."
Kaelion blinked.
"Lilian?"
The little girl nodded enthusiastically.
"Yes."
The captain frowned.
"How do you know her na....did she tell you?" He asked her because to his knowledge the little girl doesn’t rember anything and only kept saying she was looking for soone the past two days, but now she suddenly got a na?
Saline looked confused.
"I don’t." Ca Saline’s proud words.
Her word made everyone silent as both Kaelion and Florence watch her.
Even the golden-eyed girl blinked.
"You don’t know her na?" Kaelion repeated.
"No."
"Then why are you calling her Lilian?"
"Because I nad her."
The answer ca as though it were obvious.
Florence pressed her fingers against her forehead.
"Saline..."
"What?"
"How did you decide on Lilian?"
The little girl bead.
"Because I like lilies."
Then she turned toward the golden-eyed child.
And winked.
The mysterious girl stared.
Then, unexpectedly...
She smiled.
A small smile.
Brief.
But real.
Neither Florence nor Kaelion noticed the strange look that crossed the girl’s eyes.
Because the na Lilian ant far more than flowers.
Far more than either adult could possibly understand but it was only between them.
Eventually Florence sighed.
"Co." She gestured towards Saline.
Saline imdiately obeyed.
Before leaving, however, the golden-eyed girl looked toward Kaelion.
For several seconds she remained silent.
Then she spoke.
"Thank you."
Her voice was still weak.
But sincere.
Kaelion seed surprised.
After all, he had done very little.
Nevertheless, he inclined his head.
The gesture was enough.
Then Florence led Saline away.
Leaving the recovering girl beneath the willow tree.
Then the little girl got up to go take her dicine for the afternoon.
Ti passed.
Days beca months and months beca years and years beca mories.
The hidden kingdom continued thriving beneath its ancient protection.
The mystery of the seal never truly disappeared.
Yet life moved forward regardless.
Children grew.
Friendships deepened.
Seasons changed.
Spring flowers blood and faded countless tis.
Sumr sunlight painted the kingdom gold.
Autumn leaves transford forests into oceans of crimson.
Winter covered everything in silver.
Through it all, Saline and Lilian remained inseparable.
Where one appeared, the other followed.
They explored forests together.
Studied together.
Argued occasionally.
Laughed constantly.
The years shaped them both.
The little girls gradually beca young won.
And before anyone truly realized it—
Ten years had passed.
The throne room stood silent.
The Queen sat upon her throne while Saline and Lilian stood before her.
Between them rested an ancient artifact.
The Knowledge Stone.
Embedded within the hilt of the royal throne itself.
Its surface glowed softly.
The Queen gestured toward it.
"Place your hands upon it."
The two young won exchanged glances.
Then obeyed.
The mont their fingers touched the stone, light exploded outward.
Ancient runes awakened.
Magic flowed through the chamber.
The stone shimred.
Then revealed its answer.
Seventeen.
Both of them.
The Queen nodded slowly.
As expected.
Though the years had passed differently for them than ordinary humans, the stone never lied.
Seventeen years.
Ten years since their arrival.
Ten years since fate had delivered them to the hidden kingdom.
That evening, Saline sat beside Florence’s bed.
The room glowed warmly beneath lantern light.
Outside, night had settled peacefully over the kingdom.
Florence coughed softly.
Nothing serious.
rely irritating.
Unfortunately, Saline treated it like a national ergency.
"You need another dose."
Florence sighed dramatically.
"No."
"Yes."
"I already took one."
"Hours ago."
Florence looked disturbed by Saline’s persistence but the young girl didn’t mind it at all.
Several monts later, Florence found herself drinking dicine anyway.
The older woman glared over the rim of the cup.
"You’ve beco bossy."
"You raised ."
"Clearly I made mistakes."
Saline laughed.
The familiar sound filled the room.
For a while, comfortable silence followed.
Then Florence noticed sothing.
Saline kept glancing toward the window.
Then the door.
Then the window again.
A suspicious smile appeared.
"Where is Kaelion?"
The reaction was imdiate.
Saline nearly dropped the dicine bottle.
"I don’t know."
Florence raised an eyebrow.
"You answered quickly."
"I simply know and I answered you."
"Of course."
The older woman hid another smile.
Outside, evening lanterns illuminated the kingdom below.
And sowhere beyond the palace walls, completely unaware that he was being discussed...
Kaelion continued his duties beneath the stars.
While fate quietly prepared the next Chapter of their story....which would happen no matter what.
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