[IC] The Making of a New Queen

[tsubasa]

Anastasia sat in the fields picking flowers for the table. She watched as her small black dog bounded around in the flowers. She laughed at him appeared and disappeared in the tall greens. She filled her basket with the flowers, as her mother had asked, and tucked her blonde hair behind her ear. She stood as she noticed three horses and riders trotting along the road. Ana stared at them as they went, riding into town. She saw the green and gold and wondered what they were doing. Fyodor was a small town often looked over by maps and people alike. She was curious why three men of money would ride into town. Grabbing her basket, she gathered her skirts and ran towards the town. She took a short cut through the trees, ignoring the gathering filth and dirt on her shoes and skirts. The small black dog chased after her barking as the went. She looked at him as she ran, "Shush, Melor. I don't know why they are here either."

She reached the cobble stone paths shortly after the men did and looked them over. Melor ran towards them and she quickly whistled. She was interested in their being there but she didn't need her dog bother them. Her mother poked her head out of the house and noticed Anastasia. She walked over to her and grabbed her arm, "Darling, you are a mess!"

Ana looked down at her skirts and shrugged, "It'll come out with a wash," she looked toward the men and their horses, "Do you know why they are here, mama?"

The older woman shook her head, "I haven't a thought," she started to pull Ana toward the house. Her dog followed barking. Anastasia stopped and picked him up, "Hush, Melor," she looked to the men and curtsied, "Sorry!"

[pyroman]

The three men on horseback had given their horses as rest as soon as they reached the town, slowing down and allowing their horses to recover from the distance that they had traveled. The man in the front was unlike any other, his features were far from any of the primary races that inhabited the land, but some things about him and the rest of his race could very loosely be considered "Human." The other two following him were Human and Elven hybrids, luckily receiving many of the positive assets of both races rather then the opposite. The three horses carried their riders slowly through town as they were looking for someone, requested by name and appearance personally from the queen of GreenSpring herself. The land of Greenspring was large to a fair degree, and although it had space for people, it made travel somewhat of a pain even with horses.

Samsul was looked around the town for the woman that they were searching for. He knew why he had to find her and bring her back, and although he wasn't happy about the Queen's decision, it was her choice and he was to follow it. The royal guard was very close to the royal family, and they were in a way royal and special in their own right. The royal guard was consisted of a race that was beyond rare, and in some cases considered extinct or eradicated. They had powers and abilities like no other and unique in so many ways. The tales went that the race's true name had been lost to time, and before the kingdoms divided into what they were now that were actually a populous race spreading in to different kingdoms. For some reason or another the numbers diminished and the remains were taken by GreenSpring to serve as the royal guard.

The three men had just made their way to where the homes were located when Samsul had spotted a woman who resembled what the Queen had told him. He stopped and looked to the hybrid guards who accompanied him on the journey. the all nodded and dismounted from their horses, turning their heads as they heard the woman whistling. She had a brief discussion with what had seemed to be her adoptive mother and then curtsied to the three of them. The Hybrids bowed while Samsul stepped forward. "It isn't a problem, but we will need to speak to you and your.. Family. If we may, can we come inside to discuss it all? It isn't safe to talk about it in the open." He looked to her and took a small step forward.

[pyroman]

The three men on horseback had given their horses as rest as soon as they reached the town, slowing down and allowing their horses to recover from the distance that they had traveled. The man in the front was unlike any other, his features were far from any of the primary races that inhabited the land, but some things about him and the rest of his race could very loosely be considered "Human." The other two following him were Human and Elven hybrids, luckily receiving many of the positive assets of both races rather then the opposite. The three horses carried their riders slowly through town as they were looking for someone, requested by name and appearance personally from the queen of GreenSpring herself. The land of Greenspring was large to a fair degree, and although it had space for people, it made travel somewhat of a pain even with horses.

Samsul was looked around the town for the woman that they were searching for. He knew why he had to find her and bring her back, and although he wasn't happy about the Queen's decision, it was her choice and he was to follow it. The royal guard was very close to the royal family, and they were in a way royal and special in their own right. The royal guard was consisted of a race that was beyond rare, and in some cases considered extinct or eradicated. They had powers and abilities like no other and unique in so many ways. The tales went that the race's true name had been lost to time, and before the kingdoms divided into what they were now that were actually a populous race spreading in to different kingdoms. For some reason or another the numbers diminished and the remains were taken by GreenSpring to serve as the royal guard.

The three men had just made their way to where the homes were located when Samsul had spotted a woman who resembled what the Queen had told him. He stopped and looked to the hybrid guards who accompanied him on the journey. the all nodded and dismounted from their horses, turning their heads as they heard the woman whistling. She had a brief discussion with what had seemed to be her adoptive mother and then curtsied to the three of them. The Hybrids bowed while Samsul stepped forward. "It isn't a problem, but we will need to speak to you and your.. Family. If we may, can we come inside to discuss it all? It isn't safe to talk about it in the open." He looked to her and took a small step forward.

[tsubasa]

Anastasia looked at the man as he walked toward her. She didn't think much of it as he said that Melor's bad behavior wasn't a problem. She was about to leave when he asked to speak to her and her family. She was slightly taken back by the request, why on Earth would this man have any interest in speaking with her family. A better question was why did he need to speak with them in private. She glanced over his shoulder at the two bowing men then at the door to her home. Finally, she nodded, "I-I guess..."

She adjusted Melor in her arms and walked over to her home. Opening the door, with a small amount of difficulty, she made her way inside. She placed Melor on the ground allowing him to run off and find some place to sit. Ana placed her basket on the table then looked back at the man, "I'll grab them."

She turned and walked out of sight, "Mama? Papa?"

The older couple presented themselves shortly after. They looked at her, clearly unaware of the man that stood in the previous room. She looked at them for a moment, "We have company... The men from outside... They want to speak with us in private...."

Her mother gave her father a strange look before the two of them walked out to the front room and looked at the man. Her father smiled at him, "Hello, I'm Fletcher, this is my wife, Anita. What can we do for you today, young man?"

He took a seat in the chair as Anita joined them. She held her hand out offering the seat across the table to him. Anastasia grabbed her basket and quickly filled the vase in the center with flowers before she discarded her basket in the corner. Brushing the dirt off her hands, onto her already soiled dress, she took a seat at the table as well. She had been running theories through her head on why the man can requested to see her family and none of them seemed make sense enough to be true.

[pyroman]

Samsul followed the young woman in to her house with patience, motioned for the two hybrid guards to follow him and make sure that nobody would be close enough to hear what he was about to say. He stepped inside and the two others stayed out in the open, closing the door and standing at attention to guard the door with their lives. The war may have been close to over, but there was still a chance that enemy spies could be around and hiding withing the kingdom, waiting to get some information that might change the war around.

The young man stood near the door and looked around the house, not wanting to ho any further unless the family had told him so. He may have been a royal guard, but he had manners and respect when going public. He wouldn't enter unless allowed, and would settle things in civilized ways other than shouting out that he was a royal in his own right. Samsul nodded in respect for the man of the house and his wife, taking a small step forward and moving his gaze back to the woman he was there for.

He reached in to the leather bag that was slung over his body and pulled out a very formal looking letter, with the Queen's signature and everything. He moved to the table and handed it to Fletcher. "I suggest that you look over this before any questions are asked." He said in a calm yet strong voice. "I have been sent here for the purpose of finding the young lady that you have taken as your daughters many years ago. I was also ordered to bring her back to the castle in the capital so the coronation can begin as soon as she is ready." The letter explained just about everything that he was saying, but the letter left out the part about Anastasia being the next queen, just in case the letter didn't make it to the family and was captured by the opposing kingdom. "Your... Daughter, is the rightful princess and soon to be queen of GreenSpring. Queen Elana, like all other mothers during their child's birth, was given a vision by the spirits. They told her that the princess by moved far from the castle and bring her back when it is safe. The Queen has decided to send myself to escort her back to the capital so she can become the Queen."

[tsubasa]

Anastasia looked at her father as he took the letter and opened it. He read as the young man spoke, his words and those of the letter humming the same tune. Anastasia's head began to swim when the man said that he was to bring her back to the castle for coronation. His words were followed quickly by the mention of her being a princess and was to become the Queen. She stared at him in disbelief, she wasn't a princess and she surely was not a queen. Anita and Fletcher looked at each other, they had speculated about their daughter's arrival on their doorsteps many times, thinking about who had left them their baby girl. It had not crossed either of their minds that she was possibly a princess. Fletcher looked at the young man, "You are saying... That you are going to take her away..."

Anastasia suddenly became very aware of the scuffs on her shoes, the knots in her hair, the dirt on her dress. Nothing about her said princess. She knew nothing about being a princess, she couldn't rule a country. Her fingers found her hair and she began to run them through it, trying to clean it up a bit. Her heart pounded in her chest and all she could think was that she had no choice. She couldn't disobey the Queen and she couldn't imagine what would happen if she didn't take the throne as the Queen wished. However, she could imagine what might happen if she did. The stress, the never ending threat of war, the pleas of the needy, and how her arms would never be able to cover everyone... How if anything went wrong she would be the one to blame. She looked at the man and shook her head, "I'm... not a princess... You've been mistaken."

[pyroman]

As much as he would have liked to agree with her, knowing the fact well that she was far from a princess, his duties towards the royal family were more important than his own opinions, and he was ordered to bring her back despite what she would say. He could see that she was unfit to rule such a kingdom, even with extensive training, and he saw that it would simply be easier for the Queen to have another child and mold her from the earliest stages of life.

"You are indeed the child of Queen Elana, and even without yours, or your current family's knowledge, the Queen had ordered some of the guards of this town to watch over you and make sure that you were here. The Queen insists of seeing the child that she had sent away so many years ago." It would surely take a lot of training and lessons to make her fit to rule, and although the kingdom was at peace for now, it was still in shambles in many of the larger towns and cities, and needed someone to rule them and reclaim actual peace. "Queen Elana sent you here for your own safety, and now she sees that the kingdom is peaceful enough to start your training without the risk of having any opposing kingdoms invade." All that he was saying was simply to put their minds at rest, and his orders were to bring her back to the capital no matter what her answer was, either willingly or by force.

[tsubasa]

Anita looked at her daughter and could see full and well that the girl was panicking. She placed her hand on her knee, "You'll be fine...."

She smiled at her and took her head, "Come, let's pack your things."

She helped Anastasia out of her seat and brought her to her room. Together the two of them packed a few extra dresses but her bag was mainly filled with items to remind her of home. Her mother held up one of her more comfortable dresses that she wore for travelling the few times they left the town. She wiped her eyes, "You may not be keeping much of your old clothes but... You might as well take a few... just in case. The palace is still a ride away."

Anastasia hugged her crying mother tightly, "I'll... try... I will."

Anita smiled, "I know you will. Just make sure you are clean for her highness.... Come, let's get you into this and then you can be on your merry way," Her mother helped her into the clean dress and Anastasia sighed, "I'll write to you when I can... And you'll always be my mother... No matter what my blood says."

Grabbing her bag, Anastasia grabbed her mother's hand. They walked back into the room and Fletcher stood. He hugged his departing daughter and kissed her cheek, "Visit... if you can..."

Anastasia nodded, "I'll try, Papa," there were tears in her eyes. Anastasia was never good with farewells. With the stinging feeling in her eye, she decided it was time that she leave. She looked at the man who had turned her life upside down. She adjusted her bag in her hands and looked at him, "I guess... it is time to go."

A yapping sound caught her attention and she dropped her bag. Turning, she picked up Melor, she hugged the dog tightly as he placed his chin on her shoulder. She stood and looked at the man, "Can I bring Melor? I can't leave without him..."

[pyroman]

If he was going to be honest with himself when she had asked if she could bring her dog, he would have told her that he wouldn't have cared, but she was royal, and so was her mother who had sent him to bring her. He nodded slowly and took a large step back to the door, still facing the rest of the house. With his back against the door, he knocked on it and and door opened behind him, with the two hybrids behind him and looking inside the house. Samsul turned to face the guards and took a step back, and then to the side. "The dog will be coming with us as well, the princess demands that he be brought back to the capital." One of them nodded and stepped forward and in to the house, walking to the Queen-to-be and holding his hands out so he could hold he dog. Although Samsul would have been perfectly fine and capable of having both her and the dog riding with him, it was safer is one of the others carried the dog while he had the princess.

Samsul glanced at the dog, then to the guard who would be carrying him, and them back to the princess. He hadn't been in her situation, but he could understand the feelings that she had about the whole ordeal. "Don't worry Princess, your adoptive mother and father will be treated like royalty, and allowed access to enter the Capital whenever they wish to see you." It was the very least that Queen Elana could do for the two people who raised her daughter, and she even had plans about moving them to the capital just to they could be with the girl who was treated as if she was related to them by blood. Samsul hadn't been notified about this, but if he was he would have been against the idea of bringing more outsiders in to the castle. She wanted to thank the people who raised her in the best way possible, and she was planning to do so.

He was one of the few of his race that were still left in the world, and his race was as ancient as the formation of the world. The had so many connections to the races that now inhabited the world, and many of their skills and even appearances in some ways resembled many of the elf types, the most notable being the Wood Elves, the Dark Elves, and the High Elves. Their strength and power was similar to an Orc, but their abilities were more refined than an Orc, and less reliant of raw power and savagery than the beast-like race. Mnay who have seen his kinds had given them many names, and the most notable of them was The Lost Elves. The race itself didn't understand why they would be named such a thing, but they weren't going to argue and fight over a name, and simply allowed the name to continue and grow in popularity.

[tsubasa]

Anastasia allowed the man to take Melor from her, "Careful... He doesn't like people to touch his stomach."

She watched at the man took her dog outside, surely to prepare for the ride to the capital. When the man turned to her, telling her that she needn't worry about her parents, both of whom would be allowed to see her as she wished. She smiled and let out a sigh of relief, she had been worried that her parents would not be able to come see her and she would be too busy to see them. She turned around and hugged them, "Goodbye..." she whispered to them both.

They each gave her a kiss on the cheek and smiled, "We'll see you soon," Fletcher said as he released her. Anastasia smiled softly and grabbed her bag from where she left it on the ground. She walked over to the man and nodded at him, "I guess we should go," she began to walk out the door as she looked over her shoulder at him, "You know, you haven't said your name... And I think I should learn the name of the man who the Queen chose to come and take me to the palace."

[pyroman]

The Hybrid guard took note of the warning and made sure not to touch the dog's stomach as he carried him out of the door and somehow managing to get on his house. He cradled the dog in one of his arms while his free hand held on to the saddle of the horse. The other guard left the doorway and returned to his horse, sharing a glance with the other guard. the two of the turned their attention to Samsul and the Princess as they waited for them to get on his horse.

Samsul made sure that he wasn't in the way of the princess and the door as she made her way outside, following closely after her and connected his eyes with hers as she turned her head to look at him. He nodded and took a small and short breath. There was a certain way that Lost Elves were given their names, and it revolved around the spirits. The process as an odd and somewhat complicated one, but it was to make sure that each name in the race was unique. "My Name is Samsul, and I am the head guard as well as the next to lead the Royal Guard that protects your family." As far as he knew, the Queen hadn't named her when she had given birth to the girl, so he assumed that the man and woman she was living with gave her a name. "If I am going to be the next head of the Royal guard, it is my duty to know as much about you as I can, and I believe that I should start with you name."

[tsubasa]

Anastasia listened to him as he explained who he was. She nodded her head as she walked over to his horse, which was simple to find as it was the only one without a rider. She stopped and noticed a few people still looking, curious about what was happening, why the men were there, why she was leaving. She smiled at him when he asked her her name, "Anastasia Estella Miller... Although, I guess that isn't really my name... Since I'm not a Miller..." She looked at the door, "Well... I am... just not genetically."

She turned and looked at the horse. It was far to tall for herself but the rider was a fair bit taller than her. She attached her bag to the saddle and then took a deep breath. She knew full well how to ride and get onto a horse. Of course, she didn't know how to ride like a princess. Not to mention, she couldn't lift her leg high enough to reach his stirrup not without making herself look like a fool. She turned and face Samsul. She scratched the back of her head as she looked up at him, "Would you mind... um... Helping me up..."

She waited for him, feeling like a child needing to be helped onto a horse. She didn't even know that horses got that big.

[pyroman]

Samsul nodded slowly and placed his on the sides of her waist, picking her up with ease and lifting her high enough and setaing her down on the horse. She was move a little further back since he was to ride with her, and got in the horse with ease. The horse was picked for him, since his size was greater than a standard human's, he needed a horse that would go well with him. He looked to the other guards and the had looked back at him with undivided focus. "We need to get back to the capital, it's already midday and it's going to quite the ride back. Let's go." The Hybrids spurred their horses and were on their way back to the capital.

Samsul turned his head back to see the princess and looked at her calmly. "You should hold on. It is a long ride back to the Capital, even at full speed. We need to get there before sundown." He spared no time to allow her to hold on to her and spurred his horse like the hybrid guards did and quickly caught up to them. Samsul's horse wasn't only bigger than the others, but it was also a fair amount stronger and faster, even with two people on it's back. the three horses followed their rider's commands and continued with speed back to the Capital, where Queen Elana was waiting to see her daughter that she was forced to give away so soon after birth.

[pyroman]

Samsul nodded slowly and placed his on the sides of her waist, picking her up with ease and lifting her high enough and setaing her down on the horse. She was move a little further back since he was to ride with her, and got in the horse with ease. The horse was picked for him, since his size was greater than a standard human's, he needed a horse that would go well with him. He looked to the other guards and the had looked back at him with undivided focus. "We need to get back to the capital, it's already midday and it's going to quite the ride back. Let's go." The Hybrids spurred their horses and were on their way back to the capital.

Samsul turned his head back to see the princess and looked at her calmly. "You should hold on. It is a long ride back to the Capital, even at full speed. We need to get there before sundown." He spared no time to allow her to hold on to her and spurred his horse like the hybrid guards did and quickly caught up to them. Samsul's horse wasn't only bigger than the others, but it was also a fair amount stronger and faster, even with two people on it's back. the three horses followed their rider's commands and continued with speed back to the Capital, where Queen Elana was waiting to see her daughter that she was forced to give away so soon after birth.

[pyroman]

Samsul nodded slowly and placed his on the sides of her waist, picking her up with ease and lifting her high enough and setaing her down on the horse. She was move a little further back since he was to ride with her, and got in the horse with ease. The horse was picked for him, since his size was greater than a standard human's, he needed a horse that would go well with him. He looked to the other guards and the had looked back at him with undivided focus. "We need to get back to the capital, it's already midday and it's going to quite the ride back. Let's go." The Hybrids spurred their horses and were on their way back to the capital.

Samsul turned his head back to see the princess and looked at her calmly. "You should hold on. It is a long ride back to the Capital, even at full speed. We need to get there before sundown." He spared no time to allow her to hold on to her and spurred his horse like the hybrid guards did and quickly caught up to them. Samsul's horse wasn't only bigger than the others, but it was also a fair amount stronger and faster, even with two people on it's back. the three horses followed their rider's commands and continued with speed back to the Capital, where Queen Elana was waiting to see her daughter that she was forced to give away so soon after birth.

[pyroman]

Samsul nodded slowly and placed his on the sides of her waist, picking her up with ease and lifting her high enough and setaing her down on the horse. She was move a little further back since he was to ride with her, and got in the horse with ease. The horse was picked for him, since his size was greater than a standard human's, he needed a horse that would go well with him. He looked to the other guards and the had looked back at him with undivided focus. "We need to get back to the capital, it's already midday and it's going to quite the ride back. Let's go." The Hybrids spurred their horses and were on their way back to the capital.

Samsul turned his head back to see the princess and looked at her calmly. "You should hold on. It is a long ride back to the Capital, even at full speed. We need to get there before sundown." He spared no time to allow her to hold on to her and spurred his horse like the hybrid guards did and quickly caught up to them. Samsul's horse wasn't only bigger than the others, but it was also a fair amount stronger and faster, even with two people on it's back. the three horses followed their rider's commands and continued with speed back to the Capital, where Queen Elana was waiting to see her daughter that she was forced to give away so soon after birth.

[pyroman]

Samsul nodded slowly and placed his on the sides of her waist, picking her up with ease and lifting her high enough and setaing her down on the horse. She was move a little further back since he was to ride with her, and got in the horse with ease. The horse was picked for him, since his size was greater than a standard human's, he needed a horse that would go well with him. He looked to the other guards and the had looked back at him with undivided focus. "We need to get back to the capital, it's already midday and it's going to quite the ride back. Let's go." The Hybrids spurred their horses and were on their way back to the capital.

Samsul turned his head back to see the princess and looked at her calmly. "You should hold on. It is a long ride back to the Capital, even at full speed. We need to get there before sundown." He spared no time to allow her to hold on to her and spurred his horse like the hybrid guards did and quickly caught up to them. Samsul's horse wasn't only bigger than the others, but it was also a fair amount stronger and faster, even with two people on it's back. the three horses followed their rider's commands and continued with speed back to the Capital, where Queen Elana was waiting to see her daughter that she was forced to give away so soon after birth.

[tsubasa]

Anastasia had not expected him to pick her up and place her on the horse as though it were nothing. She had been expecting a boost or foothold. She looked at him in marvel, amazed by his strength but assumed it would be expected from the man who was next to lead the Royal Guard. She could not even imagine that and she was going to have to run a country. She thanked him quietly when he released her waist. She moved slightly to allow him to climb on himself, which he did so with great ease. She watched him as he looked at the other guards who had come along on his retrieval mission. Her eyes widened slightly when he mentioned that they would have to get back to the capital before sunset. The capital was easily a day's ride away, and that was if you didn't stop and rode through part of the night. That was one of the main reason, her family had never travelled there. To leave the animals for so long wouldn't do them good. And yet, Samsul was insistent on getting there by sunset when the sun was already high in the sky. She was about to reply when her spurred his horse. She yelped slightly as she reached out and grabbed onto him to prevent herself from falling off the back of the horse. She wrapped her arms around him, ensuring herself that she would not fall off. To think she had forgotten why she hated riding on the back of horses that she didn't hold the reins of.

She sighed and rested her head against his back and looked at the scenery as it passed by. To think, she had never left Fyodor and now she was to go the palace to learn to be a princess and become the queen. She looked back at Melor, who sat in the arm of one of the guards. He didn't seem too troubled, then again, he wouldn't have a country to take care of.

[pyroman]

Now caught up to the guards, Samsul continued his pace while the others spurred their horses again, keeping up with the Lost Elf who could easily speed past them at full speed on his horse. He knew that something would be planned tonight in celebration of the arrival of the princess, but that was all of the Queen's doing, and not his. It may have been a party of sorts, or possibly a feast, but Samsul was only focused on reconstructing the cities that they lost during the war and reclaiming the peace that they once had all throughout the country. The young woman who held on to him wouldn't be doing all of this by herself, she would have royal advisers that were different than the men and woman training her to be a proper Queen. They could only suggest things to her, while her trainers and teachers give her orders and she would be to follow the proper way to do things.

It was all a waste of time to him, but as much as he wanted to say something he had no place to. He was simply a guard, and although royal in his own right, he wasn't the king. The ride back to the capital had taken a lot of the day, and Samsul was thankful for the peace that they had now because if he were to have ran in to any trouble along the way he wouldn't have made it back to the capital in time. Him and the two hybrid guards were seen from one of the watch towers and the gates that led in to the capital were opened, allowing all three of them to rush in to the city that held this country together. They slowed their horses down quite a lot as the horses reached the more populated areas of the capital, looking at the three men with confusion and curiosity as to why they had brought back a young woman with them from their travels. Samsul was a respectable man and wasn't ever one to bring back woman, despite them falling over for him because of his race and looks. He only cared to protect the royals, and he had no need or worry about his own safety or cares. His visions were to serve the capital of GreenSpring. The young Lost Elf turn his head to look not only at the sun that had just touched the horizon, but also the woman who rested on his back. "We will be at the castle shortly, the Queen might be a little emotional, but only because she hasn't seen you in so many years."

[tsubasa]

Anastasia looked around as they came into the city, the country side falling away behind them. Her eyes widened at the sheer size of it, it was far larger than her own home. She looked over her shoulder to see the large gates that had allowed him into the city, as she had not seen them upon entering due to the size of her riding companion. The were giant, larger than any gates she had ever seen, she wondered if they had ever held back an army. She rested her head on Samsul's back again as she noticed the people looking. She supposed they wouldn't know who she was either, after all she hadn't known. She assumed their interest was why there was a strange girl with the three guards. She was thankful for her mother changing her into a new dress. At least, now, she didn't appear as dirty as she had been for the guards. All the same as she rested against Samsul, it was more so to hide herself away behind the large man, rather than to rest. Anastasia looked up at him as he spoke of her true mother. She nodded her head, "I guess would make sense."

Soon after they entered through another set of gates and into the palace courtyard. Her eyes widened again as she looked up at the giant rock palace that would be her home. She looked around the courtyard as they road along the path that led to the palace doors. It was stunning. She tried to peer around Samsul to see what his body hid but it seemed she was either too short or it might result in her toppling off. She released Samsul as they slowed to a stop. She rolled over on the saddle, onto her stomach and jumped off the tall horse. She looked over at the man who held Merol and smiled as he released her dog, good and well. Ana removed her bag from the saddle and looked up at Samsul, "So... Am I going to meet my mother now?"