Hi, everyone! I just finished listening to In The Heights last night and I must say that I like Lin Manuel Miranda's habit of writing about destitute orphans from the Caribbeans a lot.

bluecheesecake24: Remember those color changing fins. They are important later. Also on the subject of Paradox Space, might I direct your attention to the full name of the lord of Dalelry?

Here's today's chapter:

January 28, 171 A.E.

Entry # 29

Last night when we returned from Dalelry, I asked Asgore to lend me his journal. He was ecstatic at the prospect of me writing in it again. I have decided to stop being so stubborn. I must start to consider my new responsibilities in the future, and I suppose writing here will help me clear my mind of some of the stress.

Last week, Queen Amoura woke me up before sunrise and told me that I must start on my trip to Dalelry as early as possible.

"I thought we were taking a boat," I muttered, clumsily pulling on a shirt.

"Asgore and I will be," Queen Amoura replied, "but you will not. Every future royal advisor must learn the way to the Monarch's Council on foot. If anything happens to the kingdom and the river systems are disturbed, it would be the royal advisor's job to lead the monarchs to their council. I'm sorry we have to do this while you're still so young, but now that Hadriel is gone, you must learn this route as soon as possible."

Queen Amoura promised that I would make my way to Dalelry with several guards to make sure I do not get hurt. I was given a map of all the trails leading from the Capital and Dalelry and told to trace a route for us to follow. There were several routes that I could have taken, but the guards told me about all the bumpy tree roots in the shortest route and the bugs on the second shortest.

According to one of the older guards, Mother was the one that planned out most of these trails, along with King Amynos. Almost sixty years ago, when she was a bit older than my age, the Riverpeople, along with the elementals, rebelled and Mother and King Amynos walked to Dalelry to meet with the rest of the Monarch's Council and end the rebellion. She never had to use the trails again, the guard said, and he hoped that I did not have to either.

We came across two small villages during the day but slept in tents in the wild during the night. If we wanted to reach Dalelry as fast as possible, the guards said, we must travel as much as possible and cover as much ground as possible.

We bought some supplies in the villages-I was given fifty gold and told to buy enough food for myself for the next five days. I did not buy enough food and ran out by the third day, but the guards said that that was expected and showed me how to find and cook food found in the forest. Snail pie tastes surprisingly good. I like the creamy texture.

They also showed me how to build a shelter from branches in the woods and leaves. I was a bit clumsy at first, but I learned quickly. With the right type of moss as bedding, a shelter made of sticks and leaves is actually quite cozy.

It started raining on the fourth day, though, and we were all cold from our wet clothes. We stopped several times to start fires and dry off, but the fires never lasted long unless they were extremely hot, I noticed. I conjured a line of flames above my head and it evaporated the water that was about to drench me. It was extinguished almost immediately, but I conjured another line of flames almost immediately. I kept trying to do that, although I could only do it for about five minutes before I got too tired. The guards said it was very innovative.

We arrived at Dalelry on the fifth day about an hour after it got dark. The lord of the town, Lord Von Salamancer, told servants to escort me to a room to wash up and rest. Asgore tried to talk to me, but as glad as I was to see him that day, I told him to come later. My feet were very sore and I wanted to sleep. I did not get much sleep, though. The bed in the Von Salamancer bedroom was so soft compared to the moss I had become accustomed to in the past five days. It was unsettling.

The next day, Asgore took me to meet the new friends he made in Dalelry. He said he was going to write to Wingdin about them. Carys seems shy, although that may just be a result of her father pressuring her to behave herself. Sedna was very outgoing and friendly. I found I liked her quite a lot.

That morning, Queen Amoura asked me to sit in the council with her. She sat on one end of the long table and seated me in the chair right next to the other end. I quickly realized whose chair it used to be and pushed that thought away. Royal advisors do not cry. Crying is for children, and I cannot afford to be a child anymore, not when I have people that I care about that I have to take care of.

"So, Lady Toriel," Lord Von Salamancer said. My eyes widened at the word "Lady." I have never been referred to as "Lady" before, only "Miss" in formal occasions. But Mother was "Lady Hadriel," so I suppose that will be my title from now on.

"Now that you know the way to Dalelry," Lord Von Salamancer said, "know that you are always welcome in my town if King Asgore ever has any problems during his reign."

I glanced at the queen. I hope she will stay for a long time, but every monster dies. I did always expect to be Asgore's advisor some day, when he is king.

"Toriel," Queen Amoura said, "I know you will not be an official royal advisor for another seven years, but I would like you to start thinking like one. Your main job now is to do as the monarch tells you, and protect the royal family at all costs. No matter what, I want you to protect the heir to the throne."

"I will do my best, my queen," I said.

"No," Queen Amoura replied, "You will do it. You cannot fail, Toriel. The fate of monster kind rests on your ability to protect the future monarch. You must protect them, Toriel." She rested her hand on her chest, where her soul would be, "No matter what it costs you."

My soul pulsed with fear. I suppose it is only logical. War is a dangerous time to live through. A king can rule without his advisor, but monsters need their king.

I do not know if Asgore will read my entries or not. I read his, since he did not seem to mind, but he did not say anything about the things I wrote last time. Nevertheless, Asgore, if you are reading this, I promise I will be the best royal advisor I can be. I will help you rule with the same brilliance as my mother before me and we will have a peaceful reign, free of war.

And I swear on every angel I can name and every angel I cannot, that I will protect you. I will do anything to keep you from harm. Even if it costs me my life.

~Toriel

Remember that if you don't keep your promise, then there's really no point in making it in the first place.

Review!

~Pandora