Garcia

Looking above the mountains stood the high and mighty Kingdom of Garcia, it was considered a majestic sight, the clouds seemed to give it an angelic aura as everything looked perfect, the mountains on which it stood flourished with beautiful flowers which added colour to it's surrounding area.

Lush green forests surrounded the mountainous kingdom of Garcia. It's borders were well defended with a thick stone wall and a high draw bridge.

The people seemed to be busy in one business or the other, some were selling milk, food, gem

Garcia was a beautiful place, but its people were very hard working. They lived in a community of approximately 150 square miles.

It's capital city was called 'Weirwood' and was situated at the heart of Garcia. The people lived in a high rise building, that had a stone wall. The view had a beautiful view of horizon.

They were all busy in one business or the other, some were selling milk, food, gems, animals, clothes; the kingdom thrived with its trades as people from different kingdoms, settlements trooped in large numbers just to get a glimpse of the mystical fountain which springs diamonds instead of water, legend says only the royal family of Garcia can hold these diamonds without it resolving to nothing but what it's meant to be "water".

All attention were drawn to a carriage that was driving slowly through the streets.

Two soldiers were standing at a gate leading up to the Castle. The carriage stopped and the door opened.

"What's the purpose of your journey?" Asked one of the soldier on the left as he looked at the opened door warily, drawing out his sword out of its sheath.

Stepping out was a gentleman in a dark loose shirt and trousers, a grey beard, and small steely blue eyes.

"The name is Iac Moss, I am unarmed, and mean no harm. I'm here to give something to your King." He said.

"Under whose orders are you here?" Asked one of the soldiers.

"I speak for three Kingdoms, tell the King this and he would know."

Both guards looked at one another in confusion but kept a straight face nonetheless, looking down at the old man's hand clutching a note of some sort.

"Give him this," He passed on a concealed note with a flame insignia on it, "He is not meant to open it until the princess comes of age." He added mysteriously.

The guards looked at each other again in confusion, wondering what this could mean, but they were both cautious and knew that they had a job to do, they watched Iac Moss as he climbed back into the carriage and closed the door. The carriage slowly drove away.

The soldiers both looked at the note.

"We should take this to the King at once." The other soldier nodded.

–––––––––––

"My King, My Queen." The soldier beat his armoured chest in salute as he bowed his head.

"You may rise." King Morgan replied.

King Morgan was known to be both resourceful and wise, with his elegant wife Vivian, they both ruled the kingdom in relative peace, they were loved by their subjects and this love increased as a new member was added to the family with the birth of their beautiful daughter who they named Mae.

Queen Vivian had little Mae in her arms, rocking her to sleep.

The soldier contemplated how he could hand over the note without being bombarded with questions. Taking a deep breath, he made a resolve to say exactly what that old man had instructed.

–––––––––––

"Mae, would you stop running, show some manners." Queen Vivian yelled at the receding figure of her daughter. "Mae! Would you get back here this instant, this isn't how a princess is meant to behave."

Mae giggled, halting in her steps, turning around, she groaned, stomping her feet reluctantly towards her mother with her head hanging low.

"But mother I'm thirteen years old now, I want to take a look around the castle, might I add it's still within the castle walls" she clasped her hands in a pleading manner, adding a little touch with her face, "please?!" She stressed it.

Queen Vivian chuckled at how pitiful and innocent her daughter looked. "Fine but don't be late for dinner, if you need anything, alert the guards nearby, ok?" She said as worry crossed over her features.

"Sure will mother!" She hugged her mom tightly, "see you at dinner."

Mae wandered around the castle, as she was hopping along, humming a melody she had come to cherish from the constant visits from her mother during the night, she jumped to a screeching halt, a sound from a distance coming from the walls, she laid her ears to get a better chance at hearing this strange sound, instead her hands unintentionally opened up a secret passageway.

"Wow!" She exclaimed, looking at the stairs which lead downwards.

Shaking her head, she had promised her mother not to get into trouble, but for some strange reason, she felt no trouble lurking by, only an unquenchable thirst for the unknown, her curiosity getting the best of her as she went in through the dark pathway .

This was a strange adventure to Mae because she had never ventured into this part of the castle before.

Walking down the pathway was difficult as the pitch black darkness made her extremely aware of her surroundings, like a blind mice following the smell of cheese, she used her hands to feel the solid walls while going down the stairs she presumed, as her only sense of sight until she saw a faint light lighting up the way ahead, this sparked hope in her. Maybe this could be a way out of the castle she smiled as the mischievous thought played in her head. She increased her pace towards the light.

On getting to the bright area, it took a while to get used to the light as she squinted her eyes, adjusting to the sudden light, she halted in her tracks as she noticed a strange insignia embedded into the archway on the wall it was blue with flame like motions on it, surrounding it was a gold band.

'Strange.' She thought as she was mesmerized by the insignia's beauty, she looked at her surroundings as the little light seeping in was enough for her to realize how old and different this part of the castle looked.

She shook her head back to reality as she entered, her smile instantly dropped, replaced with fright as her gaze fell on a dragon laying down watching her with keen eyes with its neck, tail, legs, hands and wings chained and fastened to the wall.

'What did I get myself into?' She thought.