Welcome to Gaia! ::

I can see that you put allot of thought and effort into your writing and I hope to see more from you in the future.

Yeah, I know what you mean. A lot of writers just take the creatures as they are without adding their own personal twist.
You seem to have your own take on things, which is really good to see.

The box is indeed beautiful. I wish I had the talent to draw well enough to show people how I see things.... that would be handy, but unfortunately, I'm not great with a pencil razz

I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the chapters a little bit later, and giving you some feedback. And I'm looking forward to you posting some more of your work!

Sorry I haven't given any further feedback yet, I haven't had much free time on my hands.
I'm currently looking for a full time job, whilst working extra hours on my part time job and seeing friends before they all leave next weekend to go to university.
My best friend included in this sad

I will read them and give you feedback as soon as I get the chance!!

Chapter Seven

Silanis’ father was in the front of the building, in the store, when the man with the dark red hair came in and asked for his daughter by name. He was kind of tall, and looked very regal, in a midnight blue cloak of velvet, and a suit of deep crimson, deeper than his hair, which reached down to his shoulders in waves.

Kind but intense blue eyes stared out from his softly angled face, and Manuall Reid asked him who he was in as polite a manner as he could.

“Dian Liberati, emissary of the late Katthereen Reid Mikkells, Duchess of the Citrine Region of the Royalle Mega-City in Hundr Buma.” He replied, bowing. “My Lady Katthereen was the great grand daughter of Silanis’ great, great uncle Heyail Reid. She liked to keep a watchful, but secret eye on this side of her family, and has named Silanis Reid her heir.”

Manuall stood staring, more than a little in shock at what he was hearing. He knew the name, it was in his family tree, in the book in his study. He never knew the man, and he never heard what became of that side of the family. He knew Heyail liked to travel, and spent a great deal of time in the ByTalna region of Hundr Buma, but he never knew he liked to go to the Royalle Mega-City. But then, there were many things that people did not talk about, and many things you could do when you were so far from everyone who you knew.

“Of course, you come bearing proof?” He asked the man, finally. “How do I know for sure that you are who you say you are?”

“Of course,” Dian replied, reaching into a pocket on the inside of his cloak and pulling out a loose pile of papers, “My Lady bid in her will that I bring these with me. She had no children to call her own, you see...” He handed the loose pages to Manuall.

He looked them over, drawings of bird-women and of the mountains and animals found in that region. There were writings on the reverses of each, anecdotes left by the artist.

“Drawings.” Dian said, smiling kindly. “Each one signed by My Lady’s great grandfather, Heyail Reid. Also, I have My Lady’s will in the carriage out front, if you would like me to retrieve it? The actual will is not opened yet, but there were instructions left to find your daughter and have her open it herself.” Dian had Wolfe create the will before they had left, and had the city notary mark it. No one from a small Gandaran city would know the difference between an Elvish notary seal and a Hundr Bumaen notary seal, especially that of someone rich and powerful from the Royalle Mega-City.

Of course, Manuall did not know that, and so was actually quite impressed by this fact. Looking over the drawings again, he, too, began to smile. It seemed to him a miracle was befalling his family.

“Please, ah...”

“Dian.”

“Please do go and fetch it, Dian. It would be much appreciated. I will go and get my daughter.”

“Excellent.” Dian said, turning to go out to the carriage and retrieve the document that would allow them to remove Silanis from Clover Hill.

---------------------------

“Sila!” It was her father calling her from the shop. She and her mother exchanged glances; they had been speaking about dresses and the current fashions in Clover Hill. Silanis stood up, and then turned back to her mother and bid her to come as well. What ever it was, it had to be important, right?

The two walked down the hall and into the store front, and Maunall explained what was going on as Dian made his way back into the shop. Her father showed her the drawings, and the writings on the back, and Dian placed the will on the counter for all to see, with what was presumably the Seal of the Duchess of the Citrine Region.

“My Lady.” He said, kneeling to her and taking her hand into his to kiss. “My late Duchess has bid me come across the globe to find you. Will you open the will and read your fate?”

Silanis felt herself blush, looking from him to the document on the table. Even though she knew this was a show, she still felt like this was all so sudden, and things were too fantastical, so she gave a convincing enough performance at being in shock.

“Oh, and there is this, as well.” Dian said, reaching back into the cloak. He pulled out the ring, and put it on her right index finger as Wolfe had only days before. “It was My Lady’s favourite ring. She wanted you to have it.”
“Stand up, I won’t be kneeled to like some big-shot member of royalty!” Silanis said, out of nowhere. She felt silly with this man kneeling in front of her, and it was compounded by the ring being placed on her finger. He stood, and nodded his head. “I will open and read the will.”

She picked up the tightly folded, wax-sealed piece of parchment - she hadn’t been expecting an actual will, but she felt it made things all the more believable. She cracked the seal and unfolded the page to reveal the exquisite handwriting within. It read inside:

Here is the last will and testament of Katthereen Reid Mikkells:

All of my money, estates, and worldly possessions are hereby left unto the care of one Miss Silanis Reid of Clover Hill. This include my estate in the Citrine Region of the Royalle Mega-City; my ship, The Distant Fortune, which is left to harbor in Saikoda, where I also have an apartment, when I am on the continent of Hundr Buma; my estate in Sorstice, near the Nylia/Hundr Buma border, and the Skydragora Desert, which is south-south-east of my estate in Citrine Region; the sum of eight hundred and ninety-five thousand gold Dinari; two horse-drawn carriages, with internal, non-flame lighting for night-time rides; eight horses, four black and four white, stallions and mares; my estate on the island of Kala, among the Sarda Islands; and my beloved collection of artwork and artifacts brought back to my from my great grandfathers trips around the globe.

I hope you enjoy everything as much as I have, my dear heir. It is only my regret I was never able to meet you.
In order to claim this inheritance, you must pack up some of your things and leave with my man Dian to come back to my estate and learn of your new duties.

You cannot bring your parents with you, but you may visit them, and you may share your wealth once its been claimed. And they may visit you after the first year.

Signed,
Katthereen Reid Mikkells


Silanis read it out loud, and then showed it to her parents when her father protested. He grabbed it from her and read it over fast a couple times, and then carefully a third. There it was, in hand-writing that could only be female, and notarized. He could hardly believe his eyes, but it existed.
Looking into the eyes of the strange man, Dian, Silanis made in a few moments a decision that her parents never expected of her. She said yes, she would go, and asked only until nightfall to get everything she needed in order.

Her father stepped forward and placed his hand on her shoulder. “Are you sure, Silanis?” He asked her.

“Dad,” she replied, “this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance for me to become something I never would have gotten to be otherwise. I am sure.”

“And I don’t get to see you for a year?” He asked her, sounding angry.

“Silanis, no! You can’t just run off like that! How will I know if you are okay? Anathea, you have to agree!”

“Dad, I can write letters.” She told him. “Dad, you would deny your daughter the chance to travel and have luxuries and power in the world?”
Manuall looked at her, and then averted his gaze in what seemed to be embarrassment. There was a long moment of silence, and he walked away, to sit on a stool behind the counter.

Silanis’ mother took this time to ask Dian a few questions, which he seemed to answer satisfactorily, in private, hushed voices across the room. Silanis couldn’t make out what was being said, though. This fact sort of bothered her.

After a few moments her mother came back over, putting her hand on Silanis’ shoulder, and smiling.

“Be safe on your journey, Sila, dear.” Said Anathea, and she gave her daughter a hug.

Manuall gaped at his wife, and then got up and stalked into the back, presumably to his room. This was punctuated by slammed doors and grumbling.

“Mom, are you sure?” Silanis asked. “Dad seems angry.”

“He’ll get over it, darling.” Anathea told her, matter-of-factly. “He’s just not ready for you to grow up yet, that’s all.”

“Thank you, mom.” Silanis said, giving her a long, hard hug. “Thank you so much.”

“Don’t mention it.” She replied, with a wink. “Now go get your stuff together, yeah? You’ve got to be on your way!”

Anathea gave her daughter a gentle push towards the door, and then sat behind the counter, to mind the store until her husband cooled down, and learned to accept the fact that children grow up. Dian told her he would await Silanis by the carriage, and she nodded and said she would pass on the message.