Morgaine led Alianor and Jacquelyn through the trees. The sun was beginning to set, but it was still bright enough for them to see their way through the forest. She hadn't told them where they were going, she just said: "follow me". All they knew was that they were looking for another guardian. There was silence between them as they walked, and they used it to their advantage.

Morgaine used the time to calm herself down. Everything was happening so fast, and she was starting to freak out. The pressure of being the Sun Queen was really starting to set in. Caine was back, and her people were in danger. If she didn't do her part to help the descendants, he would succeed in his plans, and all would be lost. She had to get her confidence up, she had a kingdom to save.

Alianor spent the silence processing the news of being the new guardians. She remembered the stories her grandfather told her about the guardians being brave and strong. She wondered if her clumsy body would hinder her in her quest to save their kingdom.

Jacquelyn was still not convinced of the whole guardians thing and Morgaine being the so-called new Sun Queen. For someone who was a Queen, she didn't look much like royalty. Where were her sceptre and long gown? Why was she wearing tight trousers? Or was this how Queens usually dress on the Northside?

As they walked a clearing could be seen up ahead.

"We're almost there," Morgaine said

Anticipation could be seen on the girls' faces. They had heard many stories about how the people in the forest acted and lived. No one really knew what to believe because there was never any contact with the other side. They would be the first to finally know the truth.

Before they knew it, they were out from under the trees and standing in the clearing.

"Welcome to North Luxia," Morgaine said

Morgaine stood there and waited for the girls to take it all in. Things certainly didn't look the way they expected. They thought their houses would be small huts made of wood that was high up in the trees, but to their surprise, the houses here looked a lot like the houses on the South side.

"Come on," Morgaine said after a few minutes

They continued walking, Alianor and Jacquelyn still observing their surroundings. They noticed that the houses and other buildings there were much further apart than the houses on their side and that it was made of more wood than stone.

Soon they were on a sparsely stoned road and started to see other people. They certainly didn't look like savages like the stories said. The men they passed wore the same things the commoners on their side wore, a tunic, maybe with a coat, and slack or tight trousers. The women, though, were a bit different. To Jacquelyn's amazement, every woman was wearing tight trousers like Morgaine. But unlike her supposed Sun Queen, they had on simple dresses that either at their knees or higher. Alianor and Jacquelyn stuck out like sore thumbs in their floor-length puffy gowns.

Looking around, the girls made a conclusion, this place was a lot like home but in subtle ways, different.

"When the people got banished here, they had very little resources" Morgaine began giving some history "They had to make do with what they found here and what they managed to come over with. Plants were all they found, so that's what they used for food and shelter. The women had to cut their dresses shorter to get around the forest easier and had to start wearing trousers underneath to protect them from insect bites. As time went on and we found more resources, we started to develop. It may not be like where you live, but it's certainly better than it was before"

They listened attentively to Morgaine as they tried to ignore the stares they got as they passed by people.

They noticed another thing as they walked. The buildings and homes were decorated with gold banners and ribbons.

Morgaine noticed them staring "We have a festival celebrating the Sun Queen too, which my birthday happens to fall on...which isn't a coincidence as I thought it was," she said, trailing off a bit "We call it Solaria...after the Queen"

They continued on with silence, the girls' eyes wondering until they came to a stop in front of a gate.

The gate was about ten feet tall. Its iron rods were swirled and curved into different patterns, most of them with leaves on them and ending with flowers. It basically looked like iron vines. At the side of the gate were stone pillars, on the side of these pillars was an equally tall green hedge.

Morgaine pushed open the gate and walked through, leaving it open for the others to follow behind her.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Jacquelyn asked "You can get in trouble for this"

At her house, if anyone was caught entering the premises without her or her grandfather's permission, they would feel the wrath of the former wind guardian and be thrown into the dungeon for trespassing.

"It's Ok, Gawain doesn't mind," Morgaine said "Just close the gate behind you"

Their ears perked up at the name. This was Gawain, the earth guardian's house. They didn't know they would be going there.

They quickly walked through the gate, closed it behind them and fell in place behind Morgaine, keeping on the path of small pebbles that lead to the front of a house. They looked around the yard, it was filled with different looking plants. It certainly seemed fitting for a former earth guardian.

Soon they were standing in front of the door of a large house. It didn't look as big as any of their houses back home, but it was certainly bigger than the ones they passed on their way there. It was made of mostly stone, and wooden parts could be seen in certain areas, with vertical brown planks against a white wooden surface. The two small steps lead up to a large wooden door, with flowers and leaves carved into it.

Morgaine walked up the steps and knocked on the door.

"Coming" an older woman's voice was heard from the other side

After waiting for a minute, the large wooden door opened. There stood an elder woman. Her skin was brown and barely wrinkled, her black and grey coiled hair held tightly in a bun. Her chubby face held bright brown eyes and a button nose. Her thick lips had a large smile. She was wearing the typical north side attire, a brown dress just at her knees and tight black trousers under her dress. Her plus-sized hourglass shape was evident under her clothes.

"Hello Morgaine," she said

"Hi Miss Royale" Morgaine smiled back "I'm here to see Gawain and Ryia"

"Come on in," she said stepping aside allowing them in

"Hello" Alianor and Jacquelyn greeted politely, bowing their heads

"Hello," Royale said her smile falling a bit as she observed the girls "Are these some new friends Morgaine?" She asked the young woman

"Uh, yes" she answered

"I wouldn't say that," Jacquelyn said under her breath in a whisper

Alianor, who was standing right next to her, heard everything and roughly nudged her with her elbow. Jacquelyn hissed and glared at her best friend. Ignoring their antics, Royale turned to Morgaine.

"My husband is in his study. Ryia is...off somewhere. She should be back soon, though"

"Thank you," Morgaine said before turning to the others "Come on"

Alianor and Jacquelyn followed, feeling the older woman's eyes on them.

Morgaine lead them down a hallway and passed some doors. It was like she had been there many times before. After a minute, they stood in front of a large wooden door. Morgaine knocked.

"Come in," said a deep voice on the other side

Morgaine turned the knob and opened the door, Alianor and Jacquelyn following closely behind.

The room wasn't very big, but it had a lot of space. That was because the only thing occupying the room was a desk, chairs, and an almost empty bookshelf.

The dark skinned man sitting at the table looked up and then smiled.

"Morgaine," he said

"Sir" she smiled back

"What brings you here?" He asked getting up from his seat and then noticing the others with her "And who are your friends?"

Alianor and Jacquelyn stared. It was the first time they were ever in the presence of another former guardian that wasn't their grandfathers. The girls recalled the portraits they had seen of the guardians, and the elderly man before them still looked a lot like him. The only differences were the wrinkles and mostly grey hair. His chiselled face and deep brown eyes were the same, his muscular physique was the same, only he was a little bit bigger now.

"I came to see you and Ryia" Morgaine answered

"Well Ryia isn't here," he said "But we can talk while we wait for her"

"Well, it might be best if we wait, it about her...and them," she said pointing to Alianor and Jacquelyn

Gawain looked at her confused.

"This is Jacquelyn and Alianor. Girls, this is Gawain, former earth guardian" Morgaine said introducing them

Gawain stepped out from behind the desk and approached the girls.

"Nice to meet you two," he said bowing before them

"Likewise sir," Jacquelyn said both her and Alianor curtsying

Gawain looked at the younger girl and instantly froze. Something about her looked familiar.

"Sir?" Jacquelyn asked, noticing his staring

He shook himself out of the daze and stepped back.

"I'm sorry, you just remind me of Rhoslyn"

"Rhoslyn?" Jacquelyn asked. She knew that name

"Yes, she was a friend of mine when I was younger" he answered

"I know her"

"You do?" He asked confused, this girl couldn't have known her, she lived on the Southside

"She's my grandmother"

Gawain was even more confused.

"Your grandmother? That can't be possible. She lives on the South side of Luxia, with her husband, one of my closest friends Zoricus"

Morgaine chose this time to intervene.

"Gawain, Jacquelyn is Zoricus' granddaughter," she said "And Alianor is Alistair's granddaughter"

So much for waiting for Ryia.

"What?" He asked before turning to the girls

The two nodded, confirming Morgaine's statement.

"I found them in the forest"

"How?" He asked, still trying to process the information "How did they even get here?

"The book and pendant" she answered, lifting up the book

For the first time, Gawain noticed the book in her hand and the pendant around her neck. For a few seconds, he stared, and then finally smiled.

"You're the new Sun Queen!"

Morgaine smiled and nodded.

"Well your majesty" he began taking a deep bow, "I told you it would be you, didn't I?"

"You know about this?" Alianor asked

"Yes. Merek himself told me what the Sun Queen told him. I took it upon myself to tutor the possible Sun Queens, wanting to help the new guardians as much as I can. I knew from the beginning that it would be her"

It was true, Gawain would help every female descendant of Merek that could be the Sun Queen. He, along with Morgaine's mother, was the only people who believed she could be it. Morgaine often came over to their house to learn what she could about being the Sun Queen and the guardians. It was why she was so familiar with the place.

"So, what did the book tell you?" Gawain asked

"It showed me who the new guardians are, and the pendant helped me find them"

Gawain then turned to the girls.

"So that means you two are going to be the new guardians"

"So she says," Jacquelyn said pointing to Morgaine

"We're still trying to convince her," Alianor said with a small smile

"Wait..." Gawain said after a few seconds of thinking "...is that why you're here to see Ryia?"

"Yes" Morgaine smiled "The book showed me her hair ribbon, and the pendant lead me here...though, it still seems to be pointing to the backyard"

"That's because she's in the forest somewhere beyond the yard" he answered before smiling to himself "My little Ryia, a new guardian"

Gawain continued to smile, the time for new guardians was finally here. But then his smile dropped. The new guardians being revealed meant one thing.

"Caine..." he began "...is he back?"

The three nodded.

"He crashed our Sun Festival by emerging from the ground, causing this earthquake and sending freakin' shadow people after us" Jacquelyn explained

"Shadow Moon Worriers" Gawain said

"Is that what they're called? I think I'll stick with 'freakin' shadow people'"

Gawain thought of earlier that day, he did feel an earthquake, but he had no idea it had anything to do with the return of his childhood friend.

"How did you two get away, and end up here?" Gawain asked

"There's a secret passageway in Merek's old shop that led us here" Alianor answered

"Of course," he said

He was always aware that there was some hidden passage that led from the shop to the forest, he just never knew where it was, and Merek never dared tell them.

"Where is it? This secret passageway?" He asked

"Behind the Sun Queen portrait" Alianor answered

Gawain smiled, now he knew why Merek was so careful with it and didn't want them touching it.

"How about I get you three something to drink while we wait for Ryia"

"That would be nice, thank you" Alianor answered

Gawain nodded and headed out the study, leaving them alone.

"This Ryia girl, does she always roam the forest this late?" Jacquelyn asked

"Yeah" Morgaine answered "She likes to go there sometimes and draw or just hang out when she needs space"

"Or maybe she's with a boy" Jacquelyn added with a smirk

"Unlikely" Morgaine corrected "She's not the type that talks to a lot of boys"

"That's what she wants you to think. Maybe she's having a secret forest rendezvous right now" Jacquelyn shot back with a smirk

°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°

And there it is, chapter 6. If you like this chapter, please be sure to vote and leave a comment. A new chapter should be up next week.

And please check out my new story Wright Magazine and my collaboration with TeaceFindlay called Work For it!