Heir of Autumn

The next day Thea woke up to the sounds of her brother snoring on the other side of the tent and Daigo staring at her from where his head rested on her chest from where he was sprawled out alongside her. Today was the day she would take the first step to free her Kingdom again, to make it so that she and her people could finally go home. Not shortly after Autumn began to fall into Ash’s grasp the people of Autumn began to flee from their homes. Julius Ruena, the King of Ash, the Bridge Kingdoms’ fallen Kingdom, had begun to push more of his soldiers into Autumn and enslave the people. He had placed many of them who could not get out into two prison camps. One was near lake Orion and the other was in the south eastern peninsula. Those who weren’t captured but were able to escape fled to Spring, Tropical, Quad, and Desert. Those who evaded capture but stayed in Autumn were the Indos, the Wildmen tribe in Autumn, as well as a few brave souls who sought the safety in the mountains. Before she did anything else, she wanted to start her day with the Great King. For her plan to succeed she desperately needed Him to be throughout it. Uprooting Daigo from where he was lying beside her, she sat up and grabbed her Bible. Already it was beginning to look old and warn, well used. It pleased her slightly because it had been a dream to have a bible so warn and loved on the outside that it was a silent message that said she was doing something right on the inside. Taking the early morning to herself Thea got dressed quickly and hurried out of the tent with Daigo on her tail. She wanted peace before the crazy of the day started and she knew she would find it in her special tree a few minutes from the camp. When she reached the tree, she placed her Bible and journal in a small basket and nimbly climbed into the tree. She moved her way up the tree carefully and when she was finally at her little perch that she had made years ago she settled herself down, pulled up the basket, and had her alone time with her Lord, Daigo making his way up the tree to join her, curling up into his normal spot beside her, his head resting in her lap. Mornings like this one were the mornings she loved best. Getting lost in the stories of the Bible and discovering new things every time she read certain passages over again. She loved just sitting and reading in the quiet of the morning hidden from the world in her secret little treetop spot. After a half hour or so she heard Thiago give three sharp whistles from the camp and knew that it was time to get down and start the day. The Summit was only an hour away and she had to do her chores, eat breakfast, and saddle her horse. With nimble practiced moves she was on the ground in a few moments and hurried off towards the camp. “Ready?” Thiago asked after she finished her chores and came over to where Leah had breakfast ready. “Yes,” Thea said as she grabbed a couple of biscuits from the basket and began to tear them and drop them into her sausage gravy. Thea doubted it was a coincidence Leah had made her favorite breakfast meal on perhaps one of the biggest days of her life. “You’ll do fine,” Leah said from where she was sitting, her own plate of food in her hands, “just remember what I’ve taught you over the years for court etiquette and what Zayn has shown you as a ruler, it’ll be easy as pie.” “Prayer is also important,” Thiago added, “especially if you get nervous.” “Guys,” Thea said with a laugh, “I’ve got this, really, I spent the morning with Jesus I’m nervous but I’m also calm. I know that what I am about to do will be the right thing. I wouldn’t have peace if it wasn’t.” “We’re with you,” Leah said as Thiago nodded his head in agreement. “No matter what happens,” Thiago added. “Well then let’s stop talking and finish eating,” Thea said with a laugh, “we don’t want to be late.” They finished eating quickly and left when they were finished. She was nervous but she was ready. Although she did not want Olliver to come, he still was and she knew it was his attempt to try and still grapple for his control. She wasn’t going to let him stop her from doing this. She wasn’t afraid to leave him behind. She was grateful though that they did not live far from the Summit Hall. In fact, by horse they were only about twenty minutes away. As they drew closer and closer the butterflies and knots began to fill her stomach. She clung tightly though to the calm she had had earlier that morning. She knew that what she was experiencing was only from the nerves. Everything was going to be fine, she had faith it was going to work out just the way it was supposed to.