"No! You don't understand Cwen..." She looked away down, her curls bouncing with each movement of her head. "That ball is stupid...mother and father just want me to 'Match up' with a prince...but I do not wish to. I understand we have come to our 13th year...but...this is not my future." Cwen looked at her sadly, her sapphire gleaming blue eyes looking at her softly. She rested a hand on her shoulder, vearing away from her locks. "This is your future. To rule Fincayra along side by me, remember what mother and father said: We mustn't leave the White Path. It is our destiny to rule the White Castle and restore the Blighted Lands, bringing it into our rule." Garlatha's hand tensed up and pulled it away from her face, looking at Cwen with stern, grey eyes. "Why can we not choose our own future? Mother and father know of nothing what we want...they don't care about what we want...all they care about is if we rule Fincayra correctly or not and restore the Blighted Lands." She looked at Garlatha as if she were confused. She tilted her head slightly, her long white hair gleaming under the partial sunlight. "What we want is to rule as they want us to...is it not? Mother and father are wise enough to know."
"It's not what I want, Cwen! I want to be on my own!" She stood up, Cwen's hand falling down onto her plush, white dress. Garlatha looked down on her. "It may be your destiny, Cwen, to rule the Colored Lands...but none of you need me. It is my destiny to rule someplace else...on my own, where I can rule with no questions asked." Looking at the water one last time, she called out into the sky in a Fincayran language. Down swooped a large, amber hawk. It's wings were wide, tiped with black. The hawk pointed it's head down, his beak gently touching the soil. Garlatha gently stepped on the hawks' beak, climbing up the front of his face onto it's back. The hawk freed his talons from the grassy soil, and took flight, heading North back to the White Castle. "Garlatha! Trouble!" She sighed, looking down as a magnificent, white gleaming horse arrived from inside the Druma. Cwen looked up smiling. "There you are, Amistris." She walked over to her and got up onto her back as Amistris rode off into the forest.
As Trouble flew with Garlatha on his back, before reaching over the White Castle, she veered sharply to the left, going East...towards the Blighted Lands.
Amistris stopped in front of a large, white, gleaming castle. Outlined with white cherry blossom tree's, it stood out amongst all the other tree's. She slowed down to a trot and stopped in front of the stables. Cwen climbed down off the horse's back, allowing her to go into her stable. She headed to the enterance and walked inside. "Cwen!" Cried her mother, running through the hallways keeping her long gown off the floor. She stopped in front of Cwen. "Cwen...have you found Garlatha?" She sighed, looking at her with bright blue eyes. "Yes, but I was unable to return with her. I found her close to the Speaking Seashells Shore, under the Shomorra Tree." She looked down, knowing that to save her own sister, Garlatha, she must hide their conversation. "I wasn't able to talk with her, for once she saw me, she called for Trouble and flew off. Odd she isn't here, I saw her flying North." The queen stroked Cwen's hair lightly, pulling her chin up with her finger. "She must be trying to get away from everyone by going to the Living Stones in the Misted Hills, darling. It is quite alright, as long as you knew she did not get hurt."
"Mother...do you need me to take Amistris to go bring back her?"
"It is alright, you need not to. She will come back soon enough, for this is her home."
"But mother, the ball! Garlatha must-" She looked away and down at the floor, peering at her silk white boots. "Excuse me mother for speaking out of turn as such. It was rude and very un-lady-like." Her mother smiled warmly at Cwen, leaning down onto her knees looking into Cwen's eyes. "You were only thinking of your sister. Do not ever be afraid to let out what is on your mind, my dear Cwen. Those eyes of yours...you have them for a reason: To care. Use them. Do not hold them back." She smiles warmly into her eyes and stands up, walking back off into the hallway.
Cwen~
Garlatha~
Mother~
