Chapter 8
Morning arrived beneath the branches of the World Tree with a quiet grace unlike anywhere Adrian had ever known. He awoke not to the frantic bustle of servants rushing through palace corridors, nor to the distant clang of iron armour echoing from training grounds, but to a symphony of birdsong. Hundreds of voices greeted the dawn together from somewhere high within the endless canopy above, their melodies weaving naturally with the gentle murmur of flowing water that drifted continuously through the palace itself. Warm rays of sunlight filtered between countless emerald leaves before slipping through the wide windows of his guest chamber, painting soft, golden patterns across polished wooden floors that still carried the rich, comforting scent of living cedar.
For a long moment, he simply remained exactly where he was. He lay there, listening to the rhythm of the world outside. Back on Earth, his mornings had almost always begun with the grinding roar of traffic outside his apartment or the familiar, irritating buzz of his phone demanding immediate attention before his eyes had even properly opened. In Stonehollow, the day usually started with the harsh pounding of hammers, merchants unloading heavy wagons, guild requests piled high and waiting on his desk, and someone inevitably knocking on his office door before he could even think about breakfast. Here, however, the forest quietly decided when morning began.
He smiled to himself, staring up at the leafy patterns on the ceiling. "I could definitely get used to this."
A soft, polite knock interrupted his thoughts three gentle taps, completely unhurried and patient, just enough to announce someone's arrival at his threshold.
"Come in," Adrian called out, sitting up.
The door opened quietly on its living hinges, and Princess Elaris stepped inside, carrying a small, beautifully woven basket resting comfortably over one arm. The crisp morning light caught her golden hair as she smiled warmly at him. "I hope I didn't wake you."
Adrian laughed softly, swinging his legs out of bed. "Not at all. I've been awake for a while."
"I suspected as much," she said, her emerald eyes twinkling. She held up the basket, gesturing to the cloth covering it. "Our cooks prepared breakfast."
Adrian blinked in surprise, looking at the offering. "...For me?"
"For us," she corrected gently, a teasing smile playing on her lips. "My father has a habit of beginning his royal duties long before sunrise. And honestly, if we wait for him to finish, breakfast inevitably becomes lunch."
Adrian chuckled, immediately thinking of home. "I know someone exactly like that."
"Oh?"
"My Guild Master," Adrian explained with a fond shake of his head. "He completely forgets to eat when he gets focused."
Princess Elaris smiled, turning toward the doorway. "Well, my father always remembers to eat. He simply forgets that time exists."
A few minutes later, they found themselves walking side by side through one of the serene palace gardens. Each carried a warm, flaky pastry, the early morning air remaining pleasantly cool and crisp beneath the endless protective shade of the World Tree. Heavy dew still clung to the flowering bushes lining the winding stone pathways, while royal gardeners moved quietly between lush beds of herbs and exotic blossoms that seemed to grow almost effortlessly beneath their careful, practiced hands.
Adrian glanced down toward the woven basket in her arm, genuinely touched. "This is incredible, Elaris."
The princess looked over at him, tilting her head. "The pastry?"
"The hospitality," Adrian clarified softly. "Everything about it."
She smiled, her gaze drifting to the blooming gardens. "My father firmly believes that visitors will remember how a kingdom made them feel long before they ever remember its politics."
"I think he's absolutely right."
"I think so too."
For several peaceful minutes, they simply walked in a comfortable, shared silence. Around them, the daily life of the upper terraces was beginning to stir. Children hurried along the walkways toward their morning lessons, carrying neatly wrapped books beneath their arms, while elderly couples strolled through the shaded paths, feeding brightly coloured forest birds that landed fearlessly upon their shoulders. Somewhere nearby, a group of musicians practised quietly beneath a flowering archway, their soft melodies drifting gently across the palace grounds like a morning breeze.
Eventually, Adrian broke the silence, voicing a thought that had been lingering since the previous afternoon. "Can I ask you something?"
"Of course you can."
"Yesterday..." He hesitated for a heartbeat, searching for the right way to put it. "...everyone in the council room seemed incredibly curious about me. Almost intensely so."
Princess Elaris kept her eyes on the path ahead, her golden braid swaying slightly as she walked. "They were. Very curious."
"I thought so."
She nodded thoughtfully, her expression turning open and honest. "When the forest reacted the way it did several months ago... people became deeply frightened, Adrian."
Adrian's expression softened, a sudden weight settling into his chest. "The Sovereign Collapse."
She stopped walking and looked at him directly. "We didn't know what to call it back then. We simply knew... that something ancient had awakened, or that someone with a truly terrifying, overwhelming power had stepped onto the frontier." Her voice remained remarkably calm, devoid of any hidden accusation. "No one in the capital expected that power to belong to... well, someone who apologises to injured forest birds."
Adrian burst out laughing, the tension instantly shattering. "I've noticed that particular story has spread surprisingly quickly around here."
"You helped a creature in need," she pointed out, her emerald eyes holding his with quiet sincerity. "It seemed like the natural, right thing for you to do. And because you did... nobody here fears you anymore."
The words caught him entirely off guard, his laughter fading into surprise. "...Anymore?"
She nodded honestly, resuming her slow walk beside him. "At first... yes, we did. We were terrified." She gestured out toward the vast, endless forest surrounding the capital. "Our oldest guardians have protected the borders of Verdant Reach for centuries. When they all turned and looked toward the west at the exact same moment, completely frozen... people naturally imagined the absolute worst."
"And now?"
Princess Elaris smiled, a bright, reassuring look. "Now... they're simply curious to see what kind of man holds that power."
They reached a broad, stone overlook where the manicured palace gardens blended naturally into one of the massive upper terraces of the World Tree. From this vantage point, Adrian could see almost the entire spectacular expanse of the Emerald Capital stretching out beneath them, alive with the gentle, organic rhythm of another ordinary morning. Down below, merchants opened their colourful stalls, children hurried hand-in-hand across suspended rope bridges, and Forest Wardens changed their shifts with relaxed smiles and casual greetings.
Everything carried on perfectly. There was no widespread panic, no palpable fear, and no whispered, dark rumours following him through the streets. It felt entirely, wonderfully normal.
Adrian realized something as he watched the peaceful streets below. "I haven't seen anyone stare."
Princess Elaris laughed softly. "Oh, they are."
He looked around the immediate terrace, still seeing nothing but friendly faces. "They're just very polite about it."
Heavy footsteps echoed on the stone path behind them, and Theron's unmistakably deep voice arrived long before he did. "There you are."
The enormous elf emerged from a nearby flowering pathway, carrying Frostrender across one broad shoulder as though the massive weapon weighed little more than a wooden walking stick. "I've been looking absolutely everywhere for you two."
Princess Elaris smiled knowingly. "You checked the palace kitchens first, didn't you?"
"I did."
"And?"
"They lied to me."
"They told you breakfast was over," she surmised.
"They vastly underestimated me."
Adrian grinned, thoroughly entertained. "Did you actually manage to find any?"
In response, Theron proudly produced an entire loaf of still-warm, rustic bread from somewhere inside the depths of his travelling pack. "I always come prepared."
Princess Elaris sighed dramatically, though her eyes were filled with affection. "I genuinely don't know how you do that, Bear."
"It's a natural gift."
"No..." She smiled, shaking her head. "...it's a complete mystery."
Theron tore the massive loaf neatly in half with his bare hands before offering one substantial piece to Adrian. "Here. You'll need your strength today."
Adrian accepted the warm bread, its crust crackling beneath his fingers. "For what, exactly?"
Theron's smile widened beneath his thick beard. "The King asked me to take you somewhere."
Adrian raised an eyebrow, pausing before taking a bite. "To the Cycle Dungeon?"
"Not yet," Theron shook his head. "To meet someone."
Princess Elaris' smile became instantly amused, a spark of pity in her eyes. "Oh... I almost feel sorry for him."
Adrian looked back and forth between the two elves, his instincts kicking in. "...Should I be worried?"
Theron considered the question with absolute gravity. "For your physical safety? No, not at all."
"For your patience?" Elaris interjected.
"...Probably," Theron finished.
Adrian frowned, holding his half of the bread. "I feel like neither of you are telling me something incredibly important."
Princess Elaris laughed, stepping back. "We're absolutely not."
Theron nodded toward a winding forest path leading away from the manicured palace grounds and deeper into the World Tree's countless wild gardens. "Come on." He adjusted Frostrender across his shoulder before beginning to walk with long, confident strides. "If you're going to truly understand Verdant Reach... you first need to meet the only person in this entire kingdom who occasionally argues with common forest squirrels..." He paused thoughtfully, a smirk crossing his face. "...and somehow loses."
Adrian blinked, completely derailed by the description. "I'm sorry... what?"
Theron simply continued walking, not offering a single shred of elaboration. "You'll see."
Princess Elaris quietly covered another blooming smile with her hand before following right after him. Adrian let out a long sigh, looking down at his warm bread. "...I have a distinct feeling that's quickly becoming a very common sentence around here."
The morning sun continued climbing steadily through the vast emerald canopy, casting long, golden beams across the ground as the three figures disappeared deeper into the ancient gardens. Somewhere beyond those winding paths and ancient, whispering trees, a woman named Mirelle was about to introduce Adrian to a side of Eryndor he had never even imagined existed.