When the light dimmed, Diana found herself in a palace. In front of her were two people - Queen Aphelia, the woman from before, and Propserpina.
"So wewe found Diana?" Proserpina questioned the queen.
"Yes. I have indeed, Proserpina." Queen Aphelia responded, "Now come on, both of wewe are staying in Hydromeda for the rest of the week. It's too dangerous to send wewe a portal back, wewe know."
Diana couldn't believe it. This couldn't be happening.
"Excuse me, but I don't know." She blurted, "Where is Hydromeda, and what portal?"
"We are in Hydromeda." Aphelia explained, "And as for the portal, wewe both don't need to know anymore. Oh, and in case wewe were wondering...we have fresh clothes here. And wewe will get roommates, too. We don't have that many rooms here anymore."
Diana and Propserpina both nodded in unison. They trailed after Queen Aphelia up to their rooms. This is so weird. Diana thought.
"So wewe found Diana?" Proserpina questioned the queen.
"Yes. I have indeed, Proserpina." Queen Aphelia responded, "Now come on, both of wewe are staying in Hydromeda for the rest of the week. It's too dangerous to send wewe a portal back, wewe know."
Diana couldn't believe it. This couldn't be happening.
"Excuse me, but I don't know." She blurted, "Where is Hydromeda, and what portal?"
"We are in Hydromeda." Aphelia explained, "And as for the portal, wewe both don't need to know anymore. Oh, and in case wewe were wondering...we have fresh clothes here. And wewe will get roommates, too. We don't have that many rooms here anymore."
Diana and Propserpina both nodded in unison. They trailed after Queen Aphelia up to their rooms. This is so weird. Diana thought.
Part 2: Diana
"Ugh, that rat." Diana complained to herself, "And that stupid flower. What in the world was wrong with it anyway?"
Diana knew Proserpina thought she was the one who was spoiled rotten, but the truth was Proserpina was spoiled rotten. In Diana's opinion at least.
And now Diana had PROOF Proserpina was not only spoiled and selfish, but stupid as well. How could she bring them to THIS desolate place? There was absolutely no one here, and of course Proserpina had deserted her.
"Ugh, that rat." Diana complained to herself, "And that stupid flower. What in the world was wrong with it anyway?"
Diana knew Proserpina thought she was the one who was spoiled rotten, but the truth was Proserpina was spoiled rotten. In Diana's opinion at least.
And now Diana had PROOF Proserpina was not only spoiled and selfish, but stupid as well. How could she bring them to THIS desolate place? There was absolutely no one here, and of course Proserpina had deserted her.
"Get inside Proserpina." Queen Aphelia appeared, her voice curt.
Where? Proserpina looked around, hoping to find a palace. No such luck. But when she turned back to Queen Aphelia, it was there, the most beautiful palace ever.
A bunch of grownups that were standing around swept past her into the palace. Proserpina followed. A bunch of guards surrounded her and pushed her into a room at the far side of the palace. Proserpina tried to get back to Aphelia, who had dissappeared in a flurry of blue and white and was swept away with another group of guards.
Queen Aphelia's voice suddenly started echoing in her head.
"Do not go. This is for your own good. Stay in the room and don't get out, no matter what. We are going to find Diana. Now."
Where? Proserpina looked around, hoping to find a palace. No such luck. But when she turned back to Queen Aphelia, it was there, the most beautiful palace ever.
A bunch of grownups that were standing around swept past her into the palace. Proserpina followed. A bunch of guards surrounded her and pushed her into a room at the far side of the palace. Proserpina tried to get back to Aphelia, who had dissappeared in a flurry of blue and white and was swept away with another group of guards.
Queen Aphelia's voice suddenly started echoing in her head.
"Do not go. This is for your own good. Stay in the room and don't get out, no matter what. We are going to find Diana. Now."
"But what about Diana?" Proserpina wondered aloud, "Aphelia, are wewe still there?"
No reply. Guess not.
Proserpina hurried up the hill. The ground was rocky and hard to walk on, but lucky for her, Proserpina found a trail. A smooth, and, most importantly, VISIBLE, trail.
Soon, she was at the juu of the hill. Still no palace.
Fortunately, there were people. Finally, there was somewhere with people. Proserpina recognized one of them.
"Mr. Hassen!" she hollered,
Mr. Hassen turned around. "Proserpina! Aren't wewe supposed to be in Amphitha?"
Proserpina opened her mouth to reply, but was interrupted.
"Don't worry, Paul. It isn't her fault."
No reply. Guess not.
Proserpina hurried up the hill. The ground was rocky and hard to walk on, but lucky for her, Proserpina found a trail. A smooth, and, most importantly, VISIBLE, trail.
Soon, she was at the juu of the hill. Still no palace.
Fortunately, there were people. Finally, there was somewhere with people. Proserpina recognized one of them.
"Mr. Hassen!" she hollered,
Mr. Hassen turned around. "Proserpina! Aren't wewe supposed to be in Amphitha?"
Proserpina opened her mouth to reply, but was interrupted.
"Don't worry, Paul. It isn't her fault."
Proserpina closed her eyes, then opened them again. "Where am I? This doesn't look like Hydromeda." She wondered aloud. It really didn't look like the palace they landed in last time. For one thing, the room they were in had no windows, doors, au furniture as far as Proserpina could see.
"What's Hydromeda?" Diana sneered, "And what did wewe do, wewe nincompoop! I'm going to be late for Archery, and wewe decide to take me to this gross place? I'm not even going to ask how wewe did it. I want out!"
Diana snatched the rose away and started walking to the door. Proserpina did a double take at Diana. That door wasn't there earlier.
But Proserpina decided she probably just didn't see it, because Diana walked out and left. And left Proserpina in the dark, mysterious room that had weird doors.
"What's Hydromeda?" Diana sneered, "And what did wewe do, wewe nincompoop! I'm going to be late for Archery, and wewe decide to take me to this gross place? I'm not even going to ask how wewe did it. I want out!"
Diana snatched the rose away and started walking to the door. Proserpina did a double take at Diana. That door wasn't there earlier.
But Proserpina decided she probably just didn't see it, because Diana walked out and left. And left Proserpina in the dark, mysterious room that had weird doors.
"Proserpina, are wewe listening?" Mr. Hassen asked,
"Uh..." Proserpina didn't know what to say.
"I said, your education will begin soon. Your tutor will be here any minute. Get yourself ready." Mr. Hassen replied.
"Oh, okay." Proserpina said.
Mr. Hassen left the room, then came back with woman. Then he left again, but the woman stayed.
"Proserpina." the woman looked at her, "I am Countess Peniah, your tutor in magic. But wewe are to call me madam. If wewe misbehave during your lessons, wewe will be sent back to Earth. And never to return ever again do wewe understand?"
Proserpina nodded. What a disciplinarian.
"Good. wewe are to return here on Wednesday at the same time. Do be prompt." Madam walked out of the room.
~
"Uh..." Proserpina didn't know what to say.
"I said, your education will begin soon. Your tutor will be here any minute. Get yourself ready." Mr. Hassen replied.
"Oh, okay." Proserpina said.
Mr. Hassen left the room, then came back with woman. Then he left again, but the woman stayed.
"Proserpina." the woman looked at her, "I am Countess Peniah, your tutor in magic. But wewe are to call me madam. If wewe misbehave during your lessons, wewe will be sent back to Earth. And never to return ever again do wewe understand?"
Proserpina nodded. What a disciplinarian.
"Good. wewe are to return here on Wednesday at the same time. Do be prompt." Madam walked out of the room.
~
The man opened the door and gestured for her to enter. Once inside, Proserpina was aliyopewa a dakika to look around.
There were a few old-fasioned chairs, lots of bookshelves of books, huge windows, fancy rugs, and fashionable curtains.
"Have a seat." The man said, scooting a chair out in front of a dawati for her. Proserpina sat. The man sat in the chair facing hers.
"We recieved a note from Her Majesty Queen Aphelia. Your name is Proserpina, correct? wewe live with your sister Diana?"
Proserpina nodded.
The man continued. "Good. I am Paul, the advisor to the King of Hydromeda, which is the city wewe are in, however wewe are to call me Mr. Hassen. wewe will be trained here, due to the siege in Amphitha."
"Siege?" Proserpina thought, "In Amphitha? Why?"
Would Queen Aphelia be okay? And why Hydromeda? What was special about this city?
There were a few old-fasioned chairs, lots of bookshelves of books, huge windows, fancy rugs, and fashionable curtains.
"Have a seat." The man said, scooting a chair out in front of a dawati for her. Proserpina sat. The man sat in the chair facing hers.
"We recieved a note from Her Majesty Queen Aphelia. Your name is Proserpina, correct? wewe live with your sister Diana?"
Proserpina nodded.
The man continued. "Good. I am Paul, the advisor to the King of Hydromeda, which is the city wewe are in, however wewe are to call me Mr. Hassen. wewe will be trained here, due to the siege in Amphitha."
"Siege?" Proserpina thought, "In Amphitha? Why?"
Would Queen Aphelia be okay? And why Hydromeda? What was special about this city?
Proserpina followed Queen Aphelia down the corridors and staircases all over the huge house. It looked like a mansion, au even a ngome to Proserpina, however, to Queen Aphelia, it looked merely like a normal house.
Finally, after a lot of walking, Aphelia brought Proserpina to a room much like the room in Amphitha. There were three people waiting for them. A man and two women. All looking quite distinguished.
"She's here." Aphelia announced to them.
The man nodded. He was tall, slender, and the most finely dressed out of the three. "Come with me, now, Proserpina." He said, "You, Aphelia, can return to Amphitha now."
Proserpina obediently followed the man, while the two women alisema goodbye to Aphelia, then returned to their work.
They walked for a few minutes, then went inside a room.
Finally, after a lot of walking, Aphelia brought Proserpina to a room much like the room in Amphitha. There were three people waiting for them. A man and two women. All looking quite distinguished.
"She's here." Aphelia announced to them.
The man nodded. He was tall, slender, and the most finely dressed out of the three. "Come with me, now, Proserpina." He said, "You, Aphelia, can return to Amphitha now."
Proserpina obediently followed the man, while the two women alisema goodbye to Aphelia, then returned to their work.
They walked for a few minutes, then went inside a room.
The doorknob turned. Proserpina was still standing in front of the door.
A beautiful woman walked in and stood in front of her. It was Queen Aphelia!
"There wewe are, Proserpina." Aphelia exclaimed, seeing her, "I was beginning to think the Transport didn't work."
"Did it?" Proserpina asked, not knowing what a "Transport" was.
"The rose, dear." Aphelia replied, nodding to the rose that Proserpina still grasped. "Keep it, you'll need it later."
Proserpina looked at it. She nodded.
"Now, that wewe are here, do wewe want me to explain why I sent for you?" Aphelia finally said, smiling at Proserpina.
Proserpina nodded again. Aphelia waved her out of the room, and locked the door behind them.
A beautiful woman walked in and stood in front of her. It was Queen Aphelia!
"There wewe are, Proserpina." Aphelia exclaimed, seeing her, "I was beginning to think the Transport didn't work."
"Did it?" Proserpina asked, not knowing what a "Transport" was.
"The rose, dear." Aphelia replied, nodding to the rose that Proserpina still grasped. "Keep it, you'll need it later."
Proserpina looked at it. She nodded.
"Now, that wewe are here, do wewe want me to explain why I sent for you?" Aphelia finally said, smiling at Proserpina.
Proserpina nodded again. Aphelia waved her out of the room, and locked the door behind them.
One week later...
"Why did I have to leave Amphitha?"
This swali was the only thing that Proserpina could think of for one whole week. Everything at nyumbani was normal, too, as if no one knew she had dissappeared and went to a whole different place.
When she had returned from Amphitha, everything seemed the same, as if no time had passed at all when she went throught the painting-portal. It was still a commercial break on the TV channel. Her mom still hadn't noticed her, au noticed that she had left, anway. And Diana still wasn't home.
And so Proserpina hoped to hear from Aphelia soon.
And today, Proserpina hoped extra-hard. It was a Monday again.
"Why did I have to leave Amphitha?"
This swali was the only thing that Proserpina could think of for one whole week. Everything at nyumbani was normal, too, as if no one knew she had dissappeared and went to a whole different place.
When she had returned from Amphitha, everything seemed the same, as if no time had passed at all when she went throught the painting-portal. It was still a commercial break on the TV channel. Her mom still hadn't noticed her, au noticed that she had left, anway. And Diana still wasn't home.
And so Proserpina hoped to hear from Aphelia soon.
And today, Proserpina hoped extra-hard. It was a Monday again.