Through the Portal
Chapter 24

The golden stars could clearly be seen through the transparent dome. However, as they got further into the city, the lights around them made it harder to see the night sky. The children weren’t bothered by that, though. There was too much to see in the town to even think about looking up.

Not far from the entrance were various merchants selling their wares. There was a dwarf selling polished gems, an elf selling clothes with different types of magic worked in, a human selling weapons and many others. It didn’t seem possible to see everything the city had to offer, but one sight held their gaze longer than anything else. In the middle of the city, a great, blue palace rose, lights shining through its windows. Even from the distance, it looked incredible.

“Stay with me.” Katherine smiled at them, feeling much better, now that they were within the walls of the Domed City. She knew this was just the beginning of their journey, in some ways, but she tried not to think about that. For now, the group was safe. “I wouldn’t want to lose you in the crowd.”

William took Josie’s hand, feeling like a mother guiding her child through an amusement park. Josie didn’t fuss. After her near-death experience, she was in no rush to leave his side.

“My lady.” A man walked up to Katherine and offered her a blue flower.

She accepted it with a kind smile. “Thank you.”

She looked back at the group to make sure they were still following. As they walked, many people stared, partially because Katherine was with them and partially because of what a strange assortment they were. The elves of the city seemed particularly curious about them, but nobody dared come too close, except to offer greetings. Everybody gave Katherine a warm welcome, as though her presence was the greatest thing in the city.

“They really like you here, don’t they?” Meredith commented as she watched people waving and offering fist-over-heart salutes to the group. She gave an awkward wave, not sure what else to do. She never liked being the center of attention, but it was impossible to avoid under such circumstances.

Katherine smiled, trying to act as noble as everyone thought she was. “I am the guardian of Mirra. They think of me as someone of great importance, here.”

“You are someone of great importance,” Tristan pointed out. He barely glanced at the people as they walked down the path, heading towards the palace. “It is your duty to protect Mirra and our duty to defend you.”

She gave him a small smile and nodded. “I suppose you’re right.” She waved to some children who were calling out to her. They wore bright smiles and jumped with excitement when she looked at them.

William couldn’t help smiling as he watched. Being in this warm, happy place made their whole journey seem worth the trouble.

Josie looked up at him and smiled, as well. “I like it here.”

He gave her hand a squeeze. “Me, too.”

Katherine led them past shops and homes. They seemed different for each section. There was a cluster of wooden huts that resembled those of the forest elves. Outside of some clay huts, they could see dark elves mulling around. There were some stone buildings that housed dwarves and some flower-covered places where fairies flitted about.

Finally, they reached the doors of the palace and a guard saluted her. “Welcome home, my lady.” He was wearing a simple sliver breast plate and a sword attached to his belt. He looked to be in his twenties and had no scars, since he hadn’t seen much fighting.

“Thank you, Benjamin.” She offered him a smile. “Is father home?”

“He hasn’t left in days.” The guard looked over his shoulder, as though he was afraid of being overheard. “I think he’s needed the rest and was worried about you, besides.”

“Well, there is no need to worry, as you can see.” She held out her hands, as if for inspection.

He nodded and smiled. “That is certainly good to see, my lady.” He opened the door, allowing them to pass into a great hall.

Meredith caught her breath as she looked around. The ceiling shimmered in colorful lights, very similar to the sky during the day. However, the lights wavered more, appearing to be less constant and not quite as bright.

A man in an elegant blue tunic approached them with a smile. It seemed that everyone in the city smiled a lot. “Lady Katherine, how nice to have you home.” He was shorter than average and thin. He looked to be middle aged and had a receding hairline. His eyes crinkled when he smiled, making him seem like a kind man.

“Hello, Gregory.” She returned the smile. “My companions and I have had a long journey and we all need rest, but, first, I would see father and let him know we have arrived safely.”

Gregory nodded, looking them over. He frowned, briefly, but recovered and smiled, again. “Of course, my lady. Go have a seat and I will fetch him for you.”

She nodded and the little man walked away, briskly. She turned back to the group. “We’ll wait in the next room. There are chairs, there, and we can rest, a bit.”

Nobody argued as she led the way into an elegantly decorated room. The windows were large enough to fit a standing person. They had silver drapes, which were pulled back to allow a view of the city. Lights glowed in globes around the room. The ceiling was silver, as well, and reflected the light, so the whole room could be seen. There were several chairs of blue and silver.

They all had cushions and, as the group sat down, Henry thought he might fall asleep right there. He hadn’t realized how tired he was until they stopped moving. As he looked at the others, he knew they felt the same way. Their journey had been a long one, but they were finally safe.

A tall, slender man entered the room. He was pale and had piercing, blue eyes, identical to Katherine’s. His black hair was combed neatly away from his face. He was wearing dark blue clothes that were simple, but his aura could make anything seem regal. He was the kind of person who could command the attention of anyone in any room just by entering it.

“Katherine?” His voice was deep and carried through the room, even though he spoke softly.

She smiled as she stood. “Hello, father. I’ve returned.”

He walked over and hugged her, looking immensely relieved. “Thank goodness.”

She relaxed in his arms as any other child would, when being held by a parent. For a moment, the century-old guardian resembled a young girl, again.

When they parted, she looked up at him. “I’ve brought the Dunyans with me, as well as some elves who assisted us on our journey. We couldn’t have made it here without them.”

The three elves stood and saluted. The children stood, as well, feeling a bit awkward. It was almost as if this man was the king, instead of Nicholas. He seemed to have a more regal air about him.

He nodded to the elves. “Your assistance is much appreciated. We will see that you are well-rewarded before you leave the city.” Next, his piercing gaze fell on the humans and he paused. “You are children.”

“I’m seventeen.” William felt like an idiot as soon as the words were out. He was in a room full of immortals. Being seventeen was no great accomplishment.

Katherine’s father frowned, but nodded. “Forgive me. I am Jeremiah, the male guardian of Mirra. Welcome to the Blue Palace. We are grateful and honored to have you here.” He took in their exhausted faces. “I will have someone show you to your rooms while I have a word with Katherine. I’m sure you must all be in desperate need of rest.” Nobody argued and he looked to the female guardian. “Come, my dear, we have much to discuss.”

Katherine followed him without question. A moment after they were gone, Gregory entered the room with a woman in a blue gown that appeared to be made of silk. He smiled at the group. “This is my wife, Sylvia. We will show you to your chambers where you can wash up and rest. If you need anything, do not hesitate to ask us or one of the other maids, whom you will certainly see around the palace.”

Sylvia looked as kind as her husband and couldn’t have been much younger. Her blonde hair had streaks of grey. She smiled at them. “Please, follow us.” The pair turned, as one, and began walking. The rest of the group had no choice but to follow.

Jeremiah didn’t speak as he led Katherine to a secluded room and closed the door behind them. After a moment, he sighed. “I thought you were going to bring back warriors.”

“I thought so, as well,” Katherine told him. “I had no way of knowing they would be so young, but this doesn’t change the vision. Children or not, we need them.”

He shook his head. “You expect us to put children in harm’s way?” He turned to look at her. “How can we do that?”

Katherine looked down, not sure what to say. “I wish we had another option, but you know my premonitions don’t lie. If we are to save our world, they will be necessary.”

He watched her for a moment. In his eyes, she was still little more than a child, but he knew better. He couldn’t reject her vision just because it was inconvenient. He knew he had to trust her. “I’m sorry. I cannot doubt you, I know.” He walked over and laid a hand on her shoulder. “You have done well, my child. You have been as brave as anyone could hope and delivered the saviors of Mirra to the palace, just as you promised. Nobody could ask more of you.”

She breathed a sigh. “I only hope that I am not leading them to their deaths.”

He nodded his understanding. “You have a good heart. That is why you were chosen to be the guardian. I am sure the lights would not force you to do something cruel.”

“Trust the lights?” She looked at him and smiled, a little.

“Just as we always have,” he agreed, as he looked her over. “You must be tired from your travels. You should rest, now that you are safe.”

She gave him a considering look. “Have you been resting? Two portals within a few days must have been terribly exhausting.”

“I’m fine.” He kissed her forehead. “Rest now, my girl. We will do what we must in the morning.”

She nodded and headed to her room, suddenly feeling exhausted.

Jeremiah watched her go and his shoulders sagged. Normally, he barely looked over thirty, but, now, he felt like an old man. He walked to the nearest window and looked out over the bustling city, wondering what sacrifices would be needed to keep it going as it was. He sighed and closed his eyes, seeking comfort in the darkness, but finding very little. He had sent his adopted daughter into another world so she could find warriors to save theirs. The fact that she had returned with children shook him.

He took a breath and stood up straight before he walked out, refusing to let anyone see him looking distressed.

The maids drew baths for each member of the group. Meredith breathed a sigh as she slipped into hers. She’d taken baths in the fairy realm, but they were different. This bath was hot and filled her with a more familiar comfort. When she climbed out, a blue dress of silk was waiting. It felt nice on her clean skin, much better than the more durable clothes the elves had given her, although it would not be as good for travelling. It was a simple, elegant dress, designed for walking around a palace or city.

She went into her bedroom and stared at the bed, which had caught her eye the first time she passed it. It was a queen-sized bed with blue covers and a lace canopy. She hadn’t wanted to lay on it until she was clean. Now, she couldn’t resist. She flopped down and smiled, thinking it was the most comfortable bed she had ever lain on. Within a few minutes, she was sound asleep, feeling safer and happier than she could ever remember being.

Katherine had washed and changed into a nightgown. She was brushing her hair when she heard a knock at the door. “Come in.”

The door opened to reveal William, wearing fresh clothes. He hesitated in the entrance to her room, uncertain. “Hi.”

“Hello.” She smiled at him, doing her best to push away unpleasant thoughts of the future. “I would have expected you to get some sleep. It’s been a long journey here, after all.”

He nodded, his mind clearly heavy. “You promised you would explain everything when we got here, but we still don’t have any idea what’s going on.”

Katherine frowned and laid the brush on a nightstand. “I don’t think this is really the time. We all need to rest.”

“It never seems to be the right time.” He sighed, thinking of his friends in the other rooms. “You insisted we would be safe here, but your behavior suggests otherwise. What are you hiding from us?”

“You are safe here,” she promised, “This is the most secure place in Mirra. You will come to no harm while you are in the Domed City, I assure you.”

“Then why do you act like you are still worried?” he demanded. “If we are safe, you should be able to relax more than you have.”

Katherine looked down, unable to argue. “You are safe for now. Be satisfied with that until the morning.”

“How can you say that?” He took a step into the room. “You can’t pretend this isn’t something we need to know.”

She turned to face him. “It’s not something you need to know tonight.”

William was about to respond when he felt a hand on his shoulder and heard Tristan’s voice behind him. “Don’t you know it’s inappropriate for a gentleman to visit the room of a lady at night? Even if you are a stupid boy, you should be aware of that.”

William blushed at the implication and stepped back. “I just came to talk to her. I have some questions.”

“It’s late,” Tristan reminded him. “Even if you are not tired, you should consider her feelings. Has she not put forth every bit of energy into protecting you these past few weeks? Will you deny her this brief respite, now?”

William frowned and looked at Katherine, realizing the elf was right. He sighed, not wanting to wait until morning to learn the truth, but knowing he would have to do so. “Fine. Good night, Katherine.”

“Good night, William,” she called as he walked away. She sighed, as well, feeling a little guilty.

“He’s not entirely wrong, you know,” Tristan commented, once William was out of ear shot. “I don’t like the boy, but he deserves to know whatever you’ve seen.” He looked at the guardian. “Based on your hesitancy, I assume it is not good.”

Katherine looked away. “I don’t really know. It was too vague. You know how these things can be.” She stood and walked to her window, looking out over the familiar streets, which were always busy. “They will be in danger. I’m sure of that.”

“You wish to protect them,” he noted, knowing her well enough to almost read her mind.

“Is that wrong?” She’d asked herself that, many times. If they were needed to save Mirra, she might not be able to protect them. Pragmatically, she had to put the realm above the lives of the children, but she wasn’t sure if she could be that strong.

“My lady, I have known you for a century and I have always had faith that you would make the right decision when necessary,” he told her. “I will not doubt you, now.”

Katherine managed a smile as she looked at the elf, who remained in the doorway, for fear of seeming improper. “You have always been a good friend to me, dear Tristan. I hope, one day, I can return the favor.”

He stared at her, confused for a moment. “My lady, you have been a better friend than I could ever be. Not only that, you give up everything to protect our realm. It is Mirra that is in your debt. You owe nothing to anyone.”

“You’re wrong.” She looked back to the window. “I owe a great deal to the children, whom I ripped from their home and dragged into a dangerous war. I have done them an injustice and they don’t even realize it, yet.”

“If you feel so guilty, you should explain things, properly,” he advised. “That way, they can make their own decisions and relieve you of the responsibility.”

“Maybe…” She sighed. “I suppose I’m just afraid of what their decision might be.”

“You think they’ll refuse to help, knowing the danger?”

“I think they won’t refuse,” she answered. “I think they will do anything I ask and that scares me.”

For a moment, Tristan wanted to throw formality out the window. He watched the distressed guardian, who looked as innocent as the day he met her, and he wanted to step into her bedroom and wrap his arms around her. He wanted to be her protector. He wanted to be her guardian. However, he fought the urge and the moment passed. “I cannot offer you much comfort, but I know you will do what is best. For now, I should let you get your rest.”

She turned and smiled at him. “Good night, dear Tristan.”

“Good night, my lady,” he replied, walking away before he could change his mind.

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