10 years later...

Meridia was undoubtedly the best city in the entire world.

It didn't matter if it was the only city Andromeda had visited, it was the best. And it was built around a ginormous tree, which had to count for something.

The city itself was color, life, vibrancy beyond imagination. So many people from so many places, all with different ideas and views of the world, milling about and going around the wooden path that spiraled around the tree, sometimes strolling, sometimes jogging, most of the time somewhere in between.

It was a hub for the senses, everything flooding in at once. The colors of the clothing and decorations at the shops, the scents from food cooking at stalls, the chatter of conversations and tunes of several songs. It was exhilarating.

Shops lined the path, with stalls on the outside and full-blown stores on the inside that were carved into the tree. It was a bit trickier to set up shop at a stall since it was first-come first-serve every day, and if you left your things out overnight they could get stolen. But buying a space for a store was crazy expensive, and hardly anyone could afford it.

Speaking of expensive, that was one of the downsides to living in Meridia (okay, the only downside.) Everything for sale cost so much, and the shopkeepers could make a good living off the nobles that lived near the top of the tree. The city most likely had the largest concentration of wealthy people in all of Leroal, since living in Meridia when you're poor just didn't work out.

Luckily, since Andromeda stayed in the Order of the Dandelion's camp, she didn't have to worry about all that, but she still didn't get a lot of pocket money. Most of what they earned went to those living in small villages—the people who really needed it. Still, there were times she wished she had enough to buy the things she really wanted.

Like now.

"Isn't it beautiful, Sorren?" Andromeda breathed. Her eyes scanned the violin, taking in every detail, from the curved body to the taught strings to the stiff and strong neck. It was just the right size, too.

"Yeah," Sorren, Andromeda's best friend, agreed. "If we had the money, that is."

Andromeda rummaged around in her bag, mentally counting her coins. It hadn't changed from last time—she still needed 236 more coppers. She wouldn't have that much for months if her allowance kept up at the rate it was going.

Sorren picked up a flute and twirled it. "You know... I could lend you some of my coppers if you wanted," they said when they saw their friend's face. "It's your birthday coming up this week, after all and, well, it's not much but..."

"No, it's fine," Andromeda said. It took some effort, but she finally turned away from the violin and gave Sorren a broad smile. "Thanks a ton, though. That means a lot to me."

Sorren made a face. "Then why won't you let me give you the damn money?"

"I know you've been saving up for that bracelet. You can't hide it from me. I see all."

Sorren laughed but stopped in an instant when they saw the shopkeeper approach. He was a burly man with a long, bushy beard. He looked very out of place among the delicate instruments and the smooth wood that made up the walls.

"Are you going to buy something or not?" he grunted.

Andromeda desperately scanned her mind for something to say. The shopkeeper did not look like someone who appreciated window-shoppers. "Um..."

"Get out."

"Of course, sir. Sorry for wasting your time." Sorren took Andromeda by the shoulders and steered her out of the store and onto the path full of people milling about. "Jeez, was that man big or what? He could've thrown us out of there like we were cats!"

"He wouldn't have done that."

Sorren raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"

"I don't know. He just seemed like the kind of person who's softer on the inside."

"You need to stop that," Sorren sighed. "Not everyone is secretly good. The sooner you accept that the better."

Andromeda shrugged and started walking down the street. "Hasn't gotten me in trouble yet."

"You've almost gotten arrested, like, three times already!"

They continued to go back and forth as they walked, but Andromeda was only half paying attention. The other part of her mind wandered, catching parts of conversations or bits of music. The melodies made her fingers tap on the side of her leg and added a rhythm to her step. She wanted to hum along, but that was difficult to do while speaking with someone.

The sun was setting when the duo finally headed out of Meridia and into the vast Syllian Forest. It covered two-thirds of the continent, with trunks too large to wrap your arms around in some parts. The leaves scraped the sky, and in the fall they turned the colors of flame, making the forest seem cozy.

The air had just barely started to lose its heat, though, and the woods were still green and thriving. The canopy blocked out the setting sun, creating a dim environment. But it wasn't frightening—it was almost peaceful, with the crickets striking up a song and fireflies drifting about like stars that had fallen and were trying to find their way back.

After a short trek through the forest, Andromeda and Sorren arrived at the location of the Order's headquarters. It was hidden, and if you didn't know where to look you would never be able to find it. But Andromeda had lived there for three years now, and the area was as familiar as the back of her hand.

The barrier became visible as she stepped through the entrance. It was like a waterfall, carrying a rainbow of colors from the top of the dome all the way to the ground. It parted to let Andromeda and Sorren pass through, then closed behind them and disappeared once more.

The camp stood before them. Buildings were suspended in the trees, connected by rope bridges. They were wooden, with open windows and woven grass canopies for roofs. It never rained or snowed in camp—the barrier made sure of that. The buildings' purposes varied, from sleeping quarters to the library to the hospital.

In the center of the clearing were several contraptions for practicing magic on: dummies for battle magic, a stage for performance magic, and targets for aiming, no matter what the type. Surrounding the practice area were tables and benches for eating and relaxing. The sky above was open, revealing thousands of stars speckled throughout the twilight sky.

"Andromeda!" The call carried throughout the clearing, short and sharp. Andromeda looked up to see Chamomile marching across the clearing, her anger visible even from there.

"You were supposed to be back before sundown," Chamomile said, a scowl etched across her face.

"We left Meridia before then. It just took a while to get through the forest." When Chamomile still didn't look satisfied, Andromeda added "Come on, you know nothing ever happens out there! Everyone's inside before it gets anywhere close to nighttime."

Chamomile sighed. "I suppose you're right. But when I say I want you back by sundown, I want you back by sundown. I need to discuss something with you. Come, the library should be a suitable place to talk."

Sorren waited until the leader of the Order was out of earshot before muttering "Sometimes I don't know if you're lucky or unfortunate she adopted you."

"She's not that bad," Andromeda said. "She just... gets angry sometimes."

Sorren rolled their eyes. "Whatever. I'm going to bed. You'll be back before lights out, right?"

"Yeah, go ahead. I'll be there in a bit."

Andromeda waited until Sorren was on their way to the sleeping quarters before heading for the library. She hadn't said anything, but she could tell Chamomile was distressed. Most people couldn't pick up on the little clues, but over the years Andromeda had learned to tell the difference between when Chamomile was actually mad and when there was something else on her mind. That night, it was clearly the latter.

Andromeda wasn't sure which she preferred. 

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Thanks so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed the chapter :)

What do you think about Leoral and the city of Meridia?

If you have any feedback, feel free to let me know! I'd love to know how to improve.