Hello There! I'm sorry for another long wait. I've always had hard time trying to find the discipline and the motivation to get things done. But I hope you like it! And I hope that God will use this to help someone in need. I don't know how but I know that He gave me an imaginative mind and I want to use it for Him. But anyway here's the next chapter! YAY!

Enjoy:)

- Joyful Wild

CHAPTER 22: MIRACLES AND CASTLE RYSEN

Amrah woke up but didn't open her eyes yet. She felt something soft beneath her and slowly started to remember what ha happened. She found the royal family, they let her come with them to Anniera, and now she was in an inn sleeping peacefully in a soft bed. The bed was very comfortable but it also felt strange. She was always used to sleeping in the trees or on the ground. Then she opened her eyes and let them adjust to the warm light that shone through the window and looked around taking in her surroundings. There wasn't much in the room but it still felt cozy and welcoming.

She sat up, yawned, stretched then rubbed her eyes with her hands. Hands! No, she always had claws and walked on all fours. Of course she could walk on two legs but it felt better to walk on all fours. She looked down expecting to see claws but only saw hands. Human hands! She gasped. Was this real? Was she really a human again? It couldn't be! She was a complete Darkkstoner meaning she couldn't shape shift between a creature and a human. But then again once you touch the Darkstone you're not a complete human anymore. Like Laylah. But Amrah touched the Darkstone and let it transform her completely. Once you're transformed completely there's no going back. But ow something was off.

She stepped out of her bed and looked at herself. She was wearing a white nightgown that went down to her ankles. She could see her human feet peek from under the gown. She went to the mirror that was in the corner and put her hands over her mouth. She was expecting to see a part eagle-part cat monster, but instead saw a women with silky black hair, dark eyes, and tall. She looked at her hands again this time with tears swelling in her eyes.

This couldn't be real! How did this happen? She searched her memory while pacing back and forth until she remembered what happened back at Throg. The light. The Wingfeathers said it was the Maker. She recalled the time when she stared into the light and a quiet voice said, "Follow them. In My land you will be healed." She looked down at her feet then her hands then in the mirror. Healed. Was she healed? Was she free from the dark thoughts that was always in her mind? From continuing battle in her mind trying to decide what was right and what was wrong? Could she start something new here? In Anneira?

Yes.

A quiet voice whispered in her mind, filling her with a strange joy that she never felt. "Yes." She whispered to herself. She can start something new. If the Wingfeathers were willing to let her come to their home then maybe they were willing to help start new life. There was just something about this family that seemed to be surrounded with light. As if the Maker was still next to them. Maybe He is! Amrah thought. She looked at the door and walked to it reaching out the handle with her human hand. Still amazed at what happened opened it and walked out of her room and saw Leeli and Sara walking down the hallway towards her while talking to each other excitedly. She wondered if the would recognize her.

She walked down the hallway and Leeli looked ahead of her and saw Amrah. She gasped as she stopped dead in her tracks. "Amrah! Is that you?"

Amrah looked down at herself again as if to make sure that she was indeed a human again. "Yes. It's me."

"You're…you're human!"

"So it seems."

"But how!?" Leeli asked as a smile came on her face.

"I guess the Maker healed me just like He said."

"He told you that you be healed?" Sara asked smiling as well.

"He told me to follow you and your family and that I would be healed in His land." Then Amrah started to smile. But this wasn't a smile of evil, it was a smile of joy. "I don't think I've ever smiled of joy like this before." She said while putting a hand on the side of her face. Leeli giggled as she went over to Amrah and gave her hug. Something that Amrah never expected. "I've hurt you and your family before and yet you're giving me hug."

Leeli looked up at Amrah with big, bright, blue eyes. "I believe that anyone can change. And I believe that the Maker is willing to give another chance to anyone who's willing to accept it." Sara came and joined the hug as Amrah was trying to hold back tears. Then a door opened as a teenage girl walked out of Sara, Leeli, and Laylah's room. She looked like a regular human with black hair and one of her eyes was brown while the other was blue. And she looked shocked.

"Guys, I think something happened." Laylah said.

"You're a human too!" Sara exclaimed.

"And who is she?" Laylah asked while pointing at Amrah.

"It's me, Amrah!" She responed.

Now Leeli was starting to jump in her excitement. "We've got to tell everyone! Come on!" She said while grabbing Amrah's hand and led her down stairs. Amrah was surprised at how fast she was for someone with a crutch. Sara and Laylah were close behind them just as excited.

Once downstairs they saw Nia who was helping setting up the table for breakfast, Esben and Rudric who was trying to hold in their laughter after pranking Artham by making his hair a mess, Artham who was staring at them trying to think of a good way to prank them back, Podo and Oscar who were talking happily with each other, and Kalmar who was currently teasing Janner about what he did that morning with Sara. But when everyone saw why Leeli and Sara were so excited, they stared in shock. "Well, I don't believe it." Oskar said.

"First Janner's a human and now you two! This has to be the best morning ever!" Kalmar exclaimed. Soon they all went to a table that was large enough for them all to sit at. "Is there anything you need help with for breakfast?" Amrah asked Nia.

"Well, you could help bring out the food."

"Alright, I can do that." Amrah looked at her hands again as Nia put a hand on her shoulder.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." Amrah said.

…

After breakfast the Inn Keeper offered them a wagon and a couple of horses that they gratefully excepted and were now riding in a wagon with Rudric in front driving the wagon with Oskar next to him who asking many questions about what he saw when he was with the Maker. All of the kids sat together in one little group pointing out everything that they saw which made everyone smile even more. Even Amrah was pointing out a few things while talking with Nia.

Artham looked at the sky and saw a couple of birds fly above them then turned into a different direction. He thought about how he could just easily fly but this was better. He looked at his loved ones around him until his eyes stopped at Laylah who was looking all around her taking in the view. There was something strange about Laylah that he couldn't figure out. Last night he had dream but couldn't remember most of it. The only thing he could remember from it was that one, it was the same dream he had that night when he first met Laylah, and two that dream was an old memory. The memory was of an old friend that Artham had but has never seen him since Anniera fell. But now he looked at Laylah again and could not shake the feeling that he had seen her somewhere else other than that cave that she lived in. Artham looked out onto the horizon where the hills rose and sank like waves so that he wouldn't look like he was just staring at Laylah. Artham snapped out of his thinking when Janner gasped, pointed ahead and said, "Look!"

Everyone turned to look at where they were going and gasped in awe at what they saw. For up ahead was a bright, tall, beautiful castle that shone in the sunlight. It pointed up into the sky with a mountain behind it. As they got closer they saw the courtyard in front of the castle and was surrounded by a stone wall with beautiful gates that were open wide. Once they got to the gate they looked up at the castle still taking in the size of it and the fact that it was standing once more. Above the gate was a sign that said, "CASTLE RYSEN" in a swirly font. Inside the wall was a trail made of stone as it led to a large tree and around continuing forward to the steps of the castle. The stone path also led to the left and to the right and around the castle.

Rudric stopped the wagon and everybody jumped out and walked down the path. The people who were working in the courtyard or simply resting there stopped what they were doing and looked to see the royal family then went to tell everyone else that the royal family had returned. "It's so big." Leeli said.

"It sure is." Esben said with a smile on his face. Artham looked at Esben who looked back at him and knew what he was thinking. "Wanna race?"

Esben laughed, "Sure, why not?" Then Esben turned to Rudric, "Wanna join?"

"Do I want to join? What kind of question is that?" Rudric laughed.

"Okay on three." Esben said, "One, two…five, six, ten, twenty-seven…" At this point everyone was just string at him as he was saying random numbers out of order until, "THREE!" Then Esben darted off with Rudric and Artham at his heals. Soon, the kids ran after them laughing. While everyone else simply walked up the stairs and to the great big door. "Do those three always do that?" Amrah asked.

Nia nodded, "Whenever they get a chance they are always going to challenge each other."

Janner and the others finally got to the door to meet Artham, Esben, and Rudric all panting from running so fast. Then the kids leaned against the wall and plopped to the ground. "Are you guys okay?" Nia asked once everyone else got to the door. They nodded. "I think we're good." Laylah said putting up a thumbs up. "It's weird not having as much speed as you used to."

"Alright break's over." Esben said. And the kids got back up still excited to see inside. "You guys ready?" Esben asked once he put his hands on the door handles. Everyone nodded. Then Esben flew open the doors to reveal a large room with to large stairs curving towards each other leading to the next story and below the stairs were two large doors and a hallway on each side of the stairs. Hanging from the high ceiling was the most beautiful chandelier that lit up the room. The floor was a shiny marble floor that had little dragon designs that could be seen when the light hits it just right. To the left and right were hallways that had doors on one side of the wall and windows down the other wall. A red carpet started at the front door and led up the stairs, down the hallways and towards the doors on the other side. There was also side tables each with their own decoration and a painting above each one. And there was a stained glass window with the Annieran symbol on it making the room glow with colors.

Everyone was silent until Artham said, "It's as if nothing ever happened to it."

Janner looked up at him, "You mean it looks exactly the same as before?"

"Yeah." Artham nodded. Just then a barking sound came from one of the hallways. Leeli squeeled when she saw Baxter running towards her. She ran up to meet him and was immediately covered in doggie kisses once she reached him. The rest of the kids came to greet the happy little dog. "Baxter, this is Laylah, Laylah this is Baxter!" Leeli said. Baxter went up to Laylah who held her hand out for him to sniff. Then he ran onto her lap to lick her face as a way of saying hello. "Well, who do we have here?" Esben asked as he knelt to the ground to get a closer look at Leeli's little friend.

"This is Baxter!" Leeli said. Laylah picked up Baxter and faced him towards Esben so that he could meet him too. Baxter barked again as he went up to Esben to say hello. "Baxter." Esben said, "I remember reading a book with a character named Baxter."

"Wait Leeli didn't you name Baxter after a book character?" Sara asked.

Leeli jaw dropped, "What if we read the same book?!"

Esben laughed, "We probably did."

"Baxter! Where are you?!" A voice came from one of the hallways. Then Arundelle appeared from the hallway, "Baxt-" She froze, "You're back!"

"Arundelle!" Artham exclaimed as he ran to her and pulled her into a hug.

Esben stood up, "So those two are getting are married?"

"Yes." Nia said.

"Called it!" Esben exclaimed.

Arundelle gasped at what she saw. She looked Artham who smiled at her. "How…?"

"It's a long story."

"I can tell. And I have a story to tell all of you!"

"Why hello Wingfeathers!" A man exclaimed from the stairs.

"Armulyn!" Sara exclaimed as she ran to give him a hug.

"I see you brought a few more with you." Armulyn said.

"Yes, we did." Kalmar said.

Artham introduced Armulyn to Amrah, Laylah, Podo, Rudric, and Esben. But when Armulyn was introduced to Esben his eyes went big and his smile was even bigger. After all this was the King of Anniera whom he only read about in books and was never sure if the stories were true until he met Artham. Then everyone went to a family room that felt cozy and warm and told their stories. Arundelle described how the ground began to shake only yesterday as the towns and farms and everything rose from the ground. As the stories were being told they all were thinking the same thing:

This is just the beginning.