Dear reader, once again I am beneath the trees of Greenwood, and how happy I am! It feels so good to be home once again, to see my friends’ smiling faces, and to feel Flame’s soft fur against my cheek. And now, with so much to look forward to as the seasons change, I find my heart is floating like one of the soft, summer clouds.
It was actually a little sad to say goodbye to Alvena, especially to George and Alison, who had been the most generous of hosts. However, upon learning that we were engaged and planned to wed in the fall, they embraced us joyously and declared that surely we would be seeing each other very soon. “If you need anything for the wedding,” George declared, “just let me know. We can make it the event of the century!” Lorenz thanked her for the offer, but explained that we were planning a small, personal ceremony. Alison smiled knowingly, but George still said she would give us whatever we needed. “Small or not, nephew, it should still be fantastic!” I giggled shyly.
Lord Leland clearly seemed disappointed that we did not plan on living in the capital after marrying, but he did not voice his feelings on the subject. I think he was trying to respect his son’s choices. And when Lorenz asked his father if he would come down to Greenwood for the wedding, he responded “I would not miss it for all the kingdom.” He shook his son’s hand, and cordially kissed mine, wishing us all happiness.
Before we left the capital, we had one more visitor. Mr. Olrik Alfaro came by to see us, for he had translated all of the message from the green person in the magic mirror, and he could barely contain his excitement as he produced a crumpled piece of parchment from his pocket. He had clearly poured over the translation for hours. His page was covered in messy lines, some scratched out and rewritten several times, and there were so many indecipherable notes scribbled along the margins that I was amazed he could make heads or tails of his work. “I did my best to correct the spelling of the phonetic words, as well as to find their right translations,” he explained as he drew out a big pair of spectacles. “Not knowing the specific time frame made it a tad difficult at first, but once I really got into the thick of things, I realized that this speech mimics a very old dialect indeed! All that said, this is what I was able to make of it.” He cleared his throat and read aloud:
Here, I, caretaker Caradoc, leave my final record of this hallowed place. While the well flows, the vine fruits, and her pale tree still stands tall, none but myself remain. Times have changed. The tribes have pulled away with their own troubles, and no one comes to seek the gifts of the Aumbra children in the forest any longer. Still she has given me a new duty to fulfill. I shall go forth with the golden seed. I will search for another well, and there I will plant the tree, so that if the people of that land have need of the magic, there shall they find. To you who see my face and hear my voice, you have come to a place of great enchantment. May she smile on you, and may these halls be filled once again.
After he finished reading the page, he looked up at Lorenz and me with such a look of joy and burning curiosity in his old face. “My dear young people,” he said, “Where on earth did you come across this speech!? ‘To you who see my face and hear my voice’. These words are as old as the kingdom itself, if not older! And you wrote them out as if you truly heard them spoken, even though you had no idea what they meant. I would be a fool if I did not beg you to tell me more!” I turned to Lorenz and he looked to me. Wordlessly we smiled at one another, and then Lorenz proposed an even better plan. “Mr. Alfaro you have helped us in ways we could have never dreamed. Why not come down to Greenwood this autumn? Be a guest at our wedding, and while you are there, we will show you the place where we first heard these words.” And I added, with a mischievous grin that surprised even me, “The forest has many secrets, but it shares them with those who are willing to humbly walk beneath its boughs.” He looked intrigued and said he would certainly be there.
We told Alexander of all we had learned, along with our wedding plans, on the carriage ride back home. He was thrilled for us and was looking forward to meeting Mr. Alfaro himself. “I can’t believe I’ll get to show my favorite author around Greenwood!” The baron coughed loudly as the carriage jostled along, and said “It might very well be your first official duty as baron-in-training.” He sighed heavily, “It will be good to be back; the city is exhausting!” I think I knew what he meant.
So now we are home once again, dear reader! Lorenz and I have told all our friends in the village about our plans. I have written out letters for Auntie Ember, and Lettie and Peter. And I have told you as well of all that we have to look forward to! I can’t wait for the fall, though I know the time will fly by, and there is so much to plan for… but in this moment, all I want to do is sit here with Lorenz, beneath the trees of Greenwood.