"Of course, we love visitors!" the young queen exclaimed. "I'm sorry if my guards gave you a different impression." Flare snickered quietly. A threatening ancient beast whose only desire was to eat her? Not exactly welcoming. 

    Upon entering the gates, Flare had been overcome by the beauty of the kingdom. A long winding river ran through the middle of the town overlooked by powerful mountains; the base of the mountains were lined with wooden and stone buildings laced with silvers or golds or other precious metals, all built on stilts. Soft sunlight bathed the valley and wind rustled the vibrant green grass, lovely pink cherry blossom petals were scattered sparingly throughout the scene, but perhaps the most breathtaking was the large castle at the end of the narrow valley. It was made with beautiful architecture, of timeworn stone and traces of silver, a place fit for royalty. Shortly after, she was confronted by two guards, a short girl and tall boy, both their faces concealed, and they took her to the castle, where she was now kneeling in front of a spectacular throne.

    "It's... fine," Flare said after a moment, unsure if she was supposed to respond. The two guards, dressed in tight black outfits, now stood at both sides of the queen, who sat in a large golden throne. The queen looked fairly young for someone who led the majority of geomancers in Sarbor Akuot, with a youthful, feminine face and slender body. She was upbeat and active, never sitting still and always speaking.

    "We simply adore visitors," the queen repeated. "Dune, Slate, why don't you apologize to our guest?"

    "I apologize," the boy said, peeling off his mask.

    "I as well," the girl mumbled, keeping her face concealed.

    "Dune, take off your mask please," the queen reprimanded jokingly.

    "I apologize," Dune said, taking off her mask which allowed Flare to realize, for the first time, that she was stunningly beautiful. Everything about her spoke of earth, spoke of geomancer - her curly, chocolate colored hair, her round, light gray eyes, her thick lashes and brows, her smooth, coffee brown skin. She spoke of rabbits tripping over their own feet in a hurry to get somewhere, of succulent plants in soft soil perched on the edge of a windowsill, of the songs that the moon sang when it thought no one was listening, of golden flowers tickling your nose and lemon soda fizzing on your tongue.

    "That's alright," Flare breathed.

    "Anyway, what's your name, darling?" the queen asked, transitioning to sit on the arms of her throne rather than the seat. "Oh, how terribly rude of me. I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Tera, the queen of this magnificent city."

    "I'm Flare," Flare said with a soft smile.

    "A pyromancer, then," Tera raised her eyebrows. "What brings you here?"

    "I'm trying to - trying to help my brother," Flare stuttered, flicking her eyes over to Dune. Dune stood with her arms crossed, smiling condescendingly at Flare. She felt her face turn red and she ducked her head quickly.

    "Well, we do what we can for family," the queen smiled and ran her fingers through her long blond hair, standing up decidedly. "What can we help you with? And please, stand up darling. There's no need to kneel."

    "I - " Flare began, but was interrupted by Tera.

    "Take a walk with me, love," Tera said. Dune and Slate went to follow, but she shooed them away.

    Tera led Flare outside into what she assumed was her garden. Trees and flowers bloomed everywhere, luscious and green types of plants which did not grow in the pyromancer villages on account of the heat and dryness. A gravel path wound through the yard, and Tera showed Flare a wooden bench made of tree stumps and sat next to her.

    "Aren't you afraid your dress will get soiled?" Flare asked, glancing down at the lovely white cloth that was now covering the dirty tree trunk.

    "Oh, darling, I have plenty of clothing. The only thing I'm afraid of is being too concerned about my dress to be able to appreciate this lovely night," the queen smiled benevolently at her garden, inhaling the fresh and sweet air. "But I'm forgetting what we're here for. What can I help you with?"

    "I need to find a necromancer," Flare said softly.

    "That's quite a difficult - not to mention dangerous - task," Tera warned.

    "I'm aware," Flare said. "But I was hoping some geomancers would be able to assist me in climbing the mountain to where the aeromancers live, because I know I wouldn't be able to do it myself. I've heard from some reliable sources that the ruler there knows something about a necromancer that may be willing to speak with me," she explained, and Tera furrowed her brow thoughtfully.

    "I may know a geomancer or two that would be able to help you," she finally stated.

    "Thank you so much!" Flare said excitedly. "Who would they be?" she asked, hoping secretly for Dune.

    "That young girl in there, Dune, my guard. She's arguably the most talented geomancer we have, despite only being seventeen, about your age, I'd guess. She's not the kindest at times, but I'm sure she'll warm up to you. And I'll send Amber as well. She's quite the opposite, Amber is simply darling. They're two of my best, and I know they'll do well," she said.

    "You'll never know how grateful I am for this," Flare couldn't suppress her smile.

    "It's no problem, sweetheart. I'll have you leave first thing tomorrow morning, if Dune and Amber agree, of course," she laughed lightly, and stood up. "I'm sure you must be starving."

    "Yes, a little," Flare said, although secretly she would've done anything for something to eat at that moment. She hadn't eaten a proper meal in ages.

    "Perfect!" Tera crowed. "You'll eat with Dune, Slate, and I, and then you may sleep in one of my chambers. Slate will be leaving after, but Dune lives here, so if you need anything and I'm not available, just go right to her," she reassured.

    "Why does Dune live here, if I may ask?"

    "Dune has lived with me since her parents died when she was nine years of age, so about eight years ago," Tera said solemnly. "Ever since then, she's been a blessing. Like the daughter that I'll never have."

    Flare repressed the urge to ask why Tera wouldn't ever have a daughter, despite her curiosity.

    "Oh, and my Bulgarian Rose tiger will be dining with us as well. She's a beauty, one of the last left in this region. If you like animals, you're sure to love her," Tera gushed. At that moment, Abby decided to poke her head out of Flare's backpack, whom Flare had forgotten she had zipped up in there to cross the canyon and who had been sleeping until that moment.

    "Who's this?" Tera asked in a sugary sweet voice, lifting Abby from the backpack. Abby sniffed Tera, then snuggled in close to her, shedding crimson fur all over her white dress.

    "This is Abby. She's an Eastern Alizarin Crimson Abyssinian," Flare said as Tera cooed soft words to the cat and stroked her gently. Tera's eyes widened suddenly.

    "I wouldn't show her to too many people. Eastern Alizarin Crimson Abyssinians are extremely rare these days, much more rare and better bred than the abundant Western ones. I know some people, especially zomancers, who'd love to get their hands on her," Tera said, handing the cat back to Flare. Flare cradled Abby tightly.

    "I'd never let anyone touch her," she swore.

    "Make sure of that," Tera nodded. "Now, you can wash up, and then we'll go eat."

***

    After Flare showered and changed clothes, which was very refreshing, she was shown into the dining room, where she was seated at an extremely long table, much too large for the 4 people that would be eating there. Neither Slate nor Dune had arrived at the table yet, and Tera had said she was going to prepare the meal for her Bulgarian Rose tiger, who Flare learned was named Cosmo, so she was alone in the room. She surveyed it, taking in every extravagant detail. Although the room, much like the rest of the castle, was elegant and expensive, it still held the sense of nature and earthiness, exhibited in things such as the dark wooden table, the bamboo chairs, and the mossy stone statue in the corner. The ceiling stretched tall, and a large crystal chandelier hung from it, reflecting soft green light all around the room. In a corner of the room, there was a large stone fireplace with a fire crackling inside it. Flare closed her eyes to see if she could hear what the fire was saying for a moment.

    Careful, Flare, there's something about you that Tera doesn't like, although she doesn't know it yet, the fire whispered. Careful, Flare.

    As Flare listened to the fire, Cosmo entered the room, followed by Tera with her bowl of food, and instantly Flare was knocked off her feet and forgot any trace of the message she had just heard. The tiger was enormous, but graceful, with slow, gentle steps and a fluid motion of the body. Her eyes were a light golden color, that surveyed the room and locked on Flare with a timeworn, wise look. Perhaps most entrancing of all was her fur. It wasn't simply rose, like her name suggested, it was a swirl of midnight blues and light pinks and scattered with dots of white, and she suddenly understood why the tiger was named Cosmo.

    "She's gorgeous," Flare said breathlessly.

    "Isn't she?" Tera beamed proudly as Cosmo sat at the table, expectantly awaiting her meal. The queen set down the enormous bowl of food in front of Cosmo, who sniffed it and looked up at Tera.

    "No, Cosmo, not yet," she replied, and Cosmo sat back and waited.

    "Does she understand human speech?" Flare asked incredulously.

    "Most of it. I'd estimate that she has the vocabulary of a 5 year old or so," Tera explained. "She's very intelligent. It's a shame she can't speak."

    "She's beautiful," Flare said, thinking there weren't enough words in the language to describe the tiger's beauty. Cosmo looked over at her and squinted. Flare drew back a little.

    "Don't worry, when cats squint it means they're happy. Aren't you happy, Cosmo?" Tera purred, stroking Cosmo's sleek, shiny fur. Cosmo churred and licked Tera's hand. As Tera continued stroking Cosmo, Flare looked at the door to see Dune and Slate entering.

    "Hi Flare," Slate greeted Flare kindly.

    "Hey," Dune said, nodding at her. Flare's heart fluttered in her chest and she struggled to contain her smile.

    The four proceeded to have a wonderful dinner, consisting of deliciously cooked vegetables including a few that Flare had never even tried before, a naturally sweet fizzy drink that Tera said came from trickles running down the sides of the mountains, fresh bread with all sorts of nuts baked in, and savory, juicy fruits. Cosmo ate calmly and allowed everyone to spectate her beauty, and even Abby got served a bowl of lavish cat food. On top of the tasty food, the dinner was filled with all sorts of conversation with never a dull moment. It was the best meal Flare had had in a long time.

    During the dinner, Tera asked Dune if she would help Flare surmount the mountain; she had already discussed it with Amber and all she needed was Dune's agreement. Dune had smiled at Flare and agreed.

    "Dune, show Flare to her chambers please," Tera said.

    "Do you need any help cleaning up?" Flare asked.

    "Oh, Slate and I are perfectly alright by ourselves," Tera said, glancing at Slate who smiled and nodded.

    "Okay, thank you for your hospitality, and for the delicious dinner," Flare smiled at Tera and ran after Dune, who was already in the hallway. They trotted next to each other in awkward silence for a little, Flare holding onto Abby, Dune crossing her arms and looking ahead intently.

"Your cat is beautiful," Dune said suddenly, glancing at Abby. She stopped walking and held her arms out. "Could I hold her?"

"Yeah," Flare said, and she couldn't help but watch the way Dune gently cradled Abby, the way her coffee brown afro fell on her head, the way her soft lips formed sweet whispers that she passed along to the crimson cat.

"I said, is she an Alizarin Crimson Abyssinian?" Dune said with an amused smile, snapping Flare out of her trance.

"Yeah. Eastern," Flare responded.

"I know some zomancers that would kill to get their hands on her," Dune said, turning and walking.

    "Tera told me. What's so special about the Eastern ones?"

    "Extremely rare. Well bred. Great temperament. In some parts, they're even thought to have magical powers."

    Flare contemplated this. "I haven't seen anything too special about Abby. As sweet as she is, she's just a normal cat."

    "They're sacred to the zomancers or something. I dunno. Anyway, here's your room," Dune said, swinging open a door into the most lavish, dazzling room Flare had ever seen. A large, soft bed sat in the middle of the room, with countless pillows heaped on a thick comforter. A dark wood covered the floor, and the walls were a pleasant kelly green with white trim. The furniture was a beautiful birch, and windows all along one wall allowed for a spectacular view of the city below.

    "This is pretty palatial," Flare said after admiring the room for a moment.

    "Is that pyromancer slang or something?" Dune laughed, entering the room and sitting down on the bed. She set down Abby, who promptly jumped off the bed and curled up on the plush cushions of the window seat.

    "Resembling a palace," Flare defined, standing awkwardly in the doorway as Dune shook her head around, letting her hair bounce around gracefully.

    "I'm more street smart than book smart," Dune smiled. "But you must be pretty street smart, too, if you made it past the Amazon Howlers."

    "They're pretty intense," Flare acknowledged, suddenly feeling less intimidated and sitting next to Dune on the bed.

    "Who was it? Adarar?" Dune asked. Flare nodded. "You're lucky, then! He's one of the tamer ones. What'd you get from him?"

    "A map, a key, and... tomorrow, which he said meant he's allowing me to live until tomorrow. I have no idea what the map and key are for, though," Flare shrugged.

    "Ah, well, it looks like it's your lucky day. I am well versed in the ways of the world, and I bet I can figure this out for you," Dune joked. "Let me see them." Flare dug the key and map out of her backpack and handed them over.

    After a moment of studying the key, Dune seemed to have figured it out. "Flare, see these intricate designs right here?"

    "Yeah," Flare squinted, examining them.

    "Yeah, they're faded, but it's not hard to tell that those are the designs of chronomancy. This most likely unlocks something in a chronomancer village, or it's a rune of some sort. Either way, it belongs to the chronomancers. It's definitely something to look into, though," Dune explained, examining the key even closer. She handed it back. "Let me know if you ever find out. That's pretty cool."

    Flare held the key as Dune examined the map. It took her longer than the key, and eventually she sighed and handed it back to Flare.

    "Don't know it?"

    "Not a clue," Dune said. "It's unlike anything I've ever seen before. Must be someplace obscure, or simply forgotten by time."

    "Well, thanks for trying," Flare said, tucking them back in her bag.

"You know, being well versed in the ways of the world and all, I've managed to pick up a little palm reading as well," Dune said kittenishly.

    "Really," Flare snickered.

    "Hey, it's true," Dune defended. "Give me your hand."

    Flare held her breath and put her hand in Dune's. Her heart raced as Dune traced the lines on her hand for a moment, then looked up.

    "You have a crush," Dune said. "And you're gay."

    Flare was stunned for a moment. She could barely get a sentence out. "What?"

    "Which part? The gay thing, that's just simple science. If you're a girl, and your ring finger is longer than your index finger, you're most likely gay. With boys it's vice versa," Dune explained. Flare was quiet. "Something to do with the amount of estrogen you get in the womb. And the crush thing, well, that's just the ways of the world stuff." Still Flare didn't speak, so Dune held up her hand with a smile. "Flare. Look."

    Flare noticed Dune's ring finger was longer as well. She looked into Dune's eyes and Dune was laughing.

    "Flare, you're sweet. I could tell you liked me from the moment you glanced at me."

    "First of all, I'm pansexual. And that could be just attraction, not romantic like," Flare pointed out.

    "Don't you believe in love at first sight?" Dune asked. "Sometimes you can tell. Well, scratch that, all the time you can tell. There's a clear difference between looking at someone and wanting to be romantically involved with them rather than just physically involved. When it's love at first sight, time slows down, and all you can think about is the shape of their body under their clothes because it's like a work of art, not just because you want to kiss every inch of it. You get lost in their eyes, not only because they're a pretty green or a pleasing blue, but because the eyes hold their entire soul and all you want is to spend eternity swimming in them."

    "I'll never see you again after one or two days," Flare said.

    "Perfect," Dune said, then leaned over and kissed Flare softly. Flare was rigid at first, but eventually leaned into it, embracing this beautiful, street smart, versed in the ways of the world girl.