Excerpt: The Road Home

There was a small crowd gathered outside the town center when it came into view. My cousin sped up her pace to an almost jog, she was beyond speed walking now. My aunt Tabitha jogged to catch up with her, then put a hand on Vera's shoulder to slow her down. Vera was next in line to be queen, and was always under scruitiny of the Draiochian people. Her mother did her absolute best to teach Vera the ways of being a ruler, and Vera was picking everything up like a champion, but strangers coming to Draiochia unannounced must not have been covered in their lessons together, because I had never seen Vera this excited before.

Normally my cousin was the spitting image of her mother, when outside of the castle walls anyway. But tonight, you would have thought that I was the eldest daughter of the queen, for how visibly outmatched and unprepared Vera was. Whereas I had all confidence in my aunt. I wasn't nervous about the strangers coming to Draiochia at all. I trusted that my aunt Tabitha wouldn't lead us down the wrong path, and I trusted that she would do all in her power to keep me, and everyone else in Draiochia, safe. Therefore, I followed behind my aunt and cousin at a pace that could be best classified as a nice stroll.

When we reached the building, Vera stayed back at the front of the crowd, and I stood right behind her. Tabitha continued walking right up to the door, when she reached the door, she turned around and addressed the growing crowd around her.

"Everyone, please, calm down," my aunt said with a voice of authority. "The strangers that have come to visit us say they mean us no harm, and I am going to be sure that they keep their word. I'm also going to find out who they are, where they came from, and what they want." She paused and made eye contact with the fifty or so people in the crowd, "Go home for now. Hug your children, be with your loved ones. Do not worry about the visitors, they will be well looked after. Today is a day of rest for Draiochia, so finish it that way. Remember, we, as a community, can only stop for one day if we are to experience continued survival." I was impressed at my aunt's ability to use the royal we, even though I was sure that she had been trained in it's usage since birth, as had my cousin, Vera. "The strangers will still be here in the morning, and so will I. I garuntee you that. I also garuentee that, in the morning, there will be answers to any and all questions that you may have." She stopped again and stood, looking at the crowd, commanding them to leave with her eyes.

Slowly, the crowd began to disperse, I began to leave along with them, but my cousin caught me by the arm, "Mum wants you to stay, cousin." I stopped where I was, now standing shoulder to shoulder with my cousin. I watched as everyone went to their homes, chatting about the visitors. There would be no rest for the Draiochians tonight, at least not until the lights in the castle were extinguished, and they were sure that the strangers were friendly, and the queen was safe. Daniel caught my eye as he and Lydia made their way down the cobblestone path. I smiled and nodded at him, letting him know that I was okay.

After the crowd had completely dispersed, and I was left standing alone with my aunt, uncle, and cousin, Tabitha began to speak again, "Charlie, dear, would you find me three beds, a dining room table, with chairs, and a few pieces of comfortable seating, please?"

My uncle nodded, "Where would you like it, m'am?" He had a small smirk on his face when he called my aunt 'm'am'.

"Easy now," my aunt replied with a sly smile. I was amazed that they still were able to flirt, given the tension in Draiochia at that moment. "Put them in the feasting hall and mark them, I'll move them from there." My uncle nodded again, and headed off in search of furniture, presumably for the three people on the other side of the door Tabitha was still standing at. "Joanna, pumpkin," she addressed me, "Have you used the three rooms at the very back of the museum?"

I thought for a moment about which three rooms my aunt was referring to. "The ones behind the door in that one large main room?" She nodded. "No, I haven't. Mainly because I just found the key yesterday, so I'm not even sure what's back there. I looked in there real quick last night and saw a desk and a chair, but not much else."

"Do you have your keys with you?" I nodded and held them out for her. She took them from me, and looked at her eldest daughter, "Veer, would you go make sure that there is nothing of major importance in those rooms? And be sure to lock the door between the back and the rest of the museum. I do believe that there is an outside door in one of the rooms. They can use that one." Vera took the keys from her mother, and without a word, was off doing the duties she was assigned. My aunt Tabitha looked back at me, "Joanna, go pack some food in a picnic basket. And some plates and drink and whatnot. I have a feeling that these three," she jerked her head towards the door, "might be a little hungry after their long journey."

"Sure thing, Aunt Tabitha." I began to leave, but stopped, thinking of something. "Where should I bring the basket when I'm done packing it?"

"To the back rooms of the museum. Then help your cousin move out anything that might need it. After that, send her back to the castle, and wait there for me."