Chapter 12

The carriage continued it's journey over the smooth rock, as the occupants chatted about the queen."So what is she like?"asked Tohru, wringing her hand nervously in her lap.
Kagura looked out the window, her eyes saddening. "She's been very ill as of late." said Alex, patting Kagura's hand. Uo looked out the window, wrinkling her nose in disgust.
"I thought elves couldn't get sick or die."said Uo, twisting a lock of hair around her finger. Kagura looked at her, leaning against Alex.
"We can be it is not often, because we can only die in battle or of a broken heart, her has been broken many times, but she always comes back to us before it is to late"
explained Kagura, rubbing her fingers on her amber pendant. "Why is her heart broken?"asked Tohru, pulling the blanket higher up. "Because she felt his light go out, and that means he is dead or does not want to be found, but she guessed he was dead, and it hurts her."said Alex.

Tohru turned her head away, watching the road as it passed by them. Finally a giant white wall seperated them from the palace. "Who are you?"yelled the gatekeeper, as they approached the gates."Kagura of the Rinji!"Kagura yelled out the window, poking her head out of the window. Alex laughed as she sat back into her seat, rubbing her head."What's so funny, Alex?"asked Kagura, wrinkling her nose at him. Alex just sat back in his seat, closing his eyes and smiling to himself. Uo and Tohru looked at him funny, staring at their guardian. "He's acting weird."Uo whispered to Tohru. Tohru nodded, looking out the window as they past the gate and entered the courtyard. The trees stood high above them as they entered, and they all slowly walked out of the carriage. Guards stood watch as over the palace, their weapons drawn and ready for an attack.
"Mind them not, they will be like the trees themselves."said Kagura, linking arms with Tohru.

Slowly they entered the palace, silently walking to their destination. As they traveled further down the hall, a strange yet familar scent caught Tohru's nose, leading on through the hall. "What is that?"asked Tohru, s shiver running down her spine. Kagura looked at the teen, a quizzical expression replacing her happy one. Alex nudged her, walking at a steady pace. "It's called, 'lave getla tou', meaning the flower of saddness."said Alex, as they walked to two huge doors. They stood towering over them, there white surface foreboding and still. "That scent is coming from here." said Tohru, carefully walking to the doors. The action echoed throughout the hall, bouncing off the white stone halls. The doors slowly opened, revealing a garden, alive and dying. A woman sat on a large rock in the center of the garden, her staring at her reflection in the water. Her long body was stretched over the rock, her pale skin was the color of the waning moon, her long wavy white-blond hair was cast over her shoulder, her icy blue eyes stared at them with no emotion, alive yet dead, just like her garden. Tohru's heart ached for her, the pain forcing tears to her eyes.

"My queen, this is Tohru of the Rai and Uo of the Chiko, they bring you news of the outside."said Kagura, kneeling before the broken woman. Alex followed suit, bowing his head to the woman. She looked up from the water, searching their faces, her eyes darting from one face to the other."I care not to hear of the outside, it pains me." said teh queen, looking directly at Tohru. Tohru stared back, her breath caught in her throat. The queen's eyes flashed with recongnition, as she stared at Tohru's neck. A flash of movement was seen, and the queen was holding the pendant."Where did you get this?"asked the queen, staring Tohru directly in the eye, her gaze piercing through Tohru's soul. Tohru looked at the queen, her eyes filling with tears of fear. Uo grabbed Tohru away from the queen's grasp, pushing her behind herself. The queen caught herself, leaning against the rock, her frown deepening. The guards surrounded them, their swords drawn and ready to defend their queen. Uo drew her's, readying herself. "Stop!" shouted the queen, standing tall. Every eye in the room was on the queen, every sword ready at her command."No blood will be spilt today!"

Tohru cowered behind Uo, hiding her face from the queen as she slowly approached her. "Where did you get that?"asked the queen, gently. Tohru slowly showed her face, her dark brown eyes staring into piercing grey."An elf named...Yuki."said Tohru.