┌──❀*̥˚───❀*̥˚─┐
CHAPTER 6
└───❀*̥˚───❀*̥˚┘

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Thunder rattled outside as I tossed and turned, trying to sleep. It has now been a month since I've been in this other world, and as days go by, all I wanted to do was go home.

I missed everyone. My family, my friends. I was supposed to take the SATs days ago, but I missed it, unfortunately. In two months, I was supposed to graduate from high school. How am I supposed to explain to my family the reason for my disappearance when I return? Surely they've been looking for me.

There's not even one phone. How do people communicate here without them?

The thunder rattled louder and louder, lightning striking. I shrieked loudly and covered my face with the blanket in fear, my body trembling.

I have never in my almost 20 years of life, ever liked thunder, nor lightning. I have no problem with the rain, as I enjoyed the sounds of it. However, thunderstorms are like a complete nightmare to me. The loud crackling noises make me so scared, that all I wish is to just have no ears at all so that I won't be able to hear them ever again.

A few seconds later, I heard footsteps walking up toward my door. I peeked my eyes out from under the covers, and noticed that the light in the passage was turned on. I saw a pair of feet underneath.

Who could be awake at this time of night? I questioned in thought.

Suddenly, the thunder stopped. Not just the thunder, but everything else. I removed the covers from my face and became confused by what I was I was seeing.

I was no longer in my room, but in a forest. Not again, I thought in annoyance, rolling my eyes.

However, I looked around and noticed how ethereal it appeared to be. It had the most heavenly exquisite looking flowers, and a pinkish scene that covered mostly everywhere. There was a river in the distance, near the trees.

I could hear birds chirping, though I couldn't see them. I then heard a beautiful melody of what sounded like a harp playing a lullaby.

The pleasing melody caused my eyes to feel droopy and weak. I yawned, laying my head back down on the pillow. The sounds drowned out as I fell deeply into sleep.

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It was now later in the morning, and Liam had made breakfast and tea.

He cooked a traditional Vomaland breakfast meal; simmered eggs and coconut trout.

I enjoyed it more than I thought. To be quite honest, it was the best thing I have ever eaten for breakfast. I loved my parents' cooking, of course, but this was different.

I ate it all off and then began drinking my tea. It too was traditional. The tea, called dried berry caramel tea, has a sweet taste, kind of like candy. It also has a little spice, which was an unfamiliar taste in tea for me. It also has a bronze-translucent color, and a slightly bitter taste, but a little milk and honey helped fix it.

"Where's Asra?" I asked Liam, noticing she wasn't having breakfast with us, as usual. Not that I care about that grumpy bitch, but I was just curious.

"She went to get something from the market. She'll be back shortly." He answered, taking a bite of his trout. He's a slow eater, apparently. We started eating a few minutes ago, and he hasn't even gotten to the eggs yet.

"So, I know I ask a lot of questions," I started, placing my now half cup of tea down on the table. "But I just have one little question, if you don't mind me asking."

"No, of course not! Go ahead." He smiled warmly.

"Well, as you know, you guys don't age. What I am trying to figure out, however, is why is the queen so- well, old?" Liam suddenly bursts into fits of laughter, holding onto his stomach.

I gave him a grimacing look as his face turned red–and I mean RED as he continued to laugh.

What in the hell?

This was obviously because he's magical, but does his entire face have to change color when he laughs that hard?

"Whoo! that was- oh my." He wiped his eyes and tried to control his laughter, his face slowly turning back to normal.

How was what I said even funny? I just asked why she's old.

"Anyway...as I was saying. Why does she look old, but everyone else looks so young?" I finally asked.

I swear if he laughs again, I will find his spellbook and turn him into a platypus.

"Ah! Great question. You see, every royal family here has a rule with succession. It's the same as in your world. The king or queen has to die for the next heir of the throne to take their place. Whenever a baby is born here, they're baptised in the fountain of youth for eternal life. The royal family, however, is not. So the reason the queen isn't young is - well - I already said it; so that there will be a next heir to the throne." He finished explaining.

"Oh, right, yeah, that makes sense, I guess. I don't really know much about the royal family in my world. I am obsessed with the princess, though. Her name is Diana. She's like- the sweetest and most heartwarming person ever. Everyone loves and adores her!" I gushed.

"I bet she's a wonderful princess. There was once a Princess here that everyone too adored and loved. She was the kindest and sweetest person to everyone." He admired. "We don't have a monarch in our country, but her royal family is very popular around the world. More famous than other royal families here."

"I guess we have something in common, then." I said with a wink.

He looked at me perplexed, and asked, "Are you okay? Do you have something in your eye?"

I just rolled my eyes and shook my head, taking another sip of my tea.

Why do I even bother with this guy?

"You said that in past tense by the way," I noticed, setting the tea back down. "What happened to the princess?"

"She broke the law I told you about. She
refused to give up her baby and threw a rut, demanding that her baby stay. She didn't want to give her child up, so she was stripped of her powers and royal titles, and was sent to the other world along with her child and mortal husband." He finished explaining.

"Wait, what? she actually gave up her powers for her child because of some law she broke?" I questioned in appal.

"Yep. It's a choice for everyone though. You either make the choice of giving up your child and sending them to the other world to be raised by another family, or stripping your powers forever and going to the other world to raise them. She was just the first royal to do so."

"Oh wow." I breathed in disbelief.

Suddenly, a thought came to my mind. "Wait, what's a mortal?" I asked. "You said that word ealier."

"A mortal is what we call nonmagical people, like you. The Princess married a human– and if you're going to ask how a human ended up here, considering how many questions you're asking, we do have permission to go to the other world and visit relatives who were stripped of their powers. Some of us unfortunately ended up falling in love there." I smiled at the fact that they still get to visit family, despite the circumstances.

"We firstly have to be stripped of our powers to travel there of course. Then, once they decide to come here to live permanently, their families will have to be wiped of any memory of them. Their memories are brought back by the Elders once the norm decides to go back to be with their child, having no memory of them ever being gone. It is an illegal law to break though, telling a non-magical person about us, so they do have to face consequences for it. If it goes bad with telling them, there is a spell to erase their memory just in case. As for the royal family, they sometimes go to the other world for their royal tours. Just to explore what it's like and experience other world things. The princess fell in love with a mortal there."

"Oh, interesting. So the Princess, she really gave up a lot." I replied, sympathetically.

"Yeah, she did. Heck, I wish I had the courage to do that if I ever had a child with Asralyn. No one's going to keep me from my child, that's for sure." He says matter-of-factly.

"Speaking of Asralyn, if you don't mind me asking, why is she so-you know-....mean?" He chuckles at that, leaning back on the couch, and ran his hand through his hair.

"I knew you would ask that." He said, clicking his tongue.

"She's kind of had it bad growing up. She doesn't trust people easily because of it. I know it's no excuse, but trust me, she's a good person." He tries to convince me.

"Oh...okay, I guess." I replied doubtfully.

"She'll get used to you, don't worry."

I sure hope so, because if she keeps acting like this, well, let's just say, she'll be on the ground before she could even see the light of day.

....Okay, maybe I'm a bit sensitive and her insults hurt, but still.

ஐ〰ฺ･:*:･✿ฺ ஐ〰･:*:･･:*:･✿ฺ ஐ〰･:*:･･:*:･✿ฺ ஐ〰･:*:･

I hope you guys liked this chapter!.xX❤️

Amour word of the day.
"Rut"
Meaning: To express anger or disapproval (similar to throwing a fit).
Place of use: Worldwide.
Language: Multi.