Portals and Passageways

I nodded to Jake as the automatic doors opened to me with a slow swooooosh sound. "I've brought back my books!"

"Yeah, yeah. You know where to put them."

I did – the library was more my home than anyplace else. I put them back, checking them in for Jake, who was flipping through a magazine of Popular Mechanics. He looked up, watching me for just a moment, then went back to reading his magazine. I took off toward the back of the library, where an out of the way table waited my homework studies. I set down my backpack, breathing in the smell of old books. First, I would treat myself to a book or two from the library. It wasn't like my homework had to be done right this very minute.

I started to walk towards my favorite place in the library – the shelf of mystery novels – when an old book on the shelf caught my eye. The molding books around it looked exactly the same with their grayed dust jackets and cracked spines. The lettering of the title was as bleached by the afternoon sun as the other books and the dust had settled on it just as thickly. I don't know why, but I decided I wanted to get a closer look at what on earth On Alternate Dimensions and Parallel Universes could have to say, especially an edition that had to be older than 1950.

I took the book only to hear a groan that nearly made me need a change of clothing. I looked up in horror as the shelf clanked and groaned, moving backward and swinging inward to reveal a dark passage, filled with spiders, insects, and probably rats. I looked back at Jake. Still reading. Nobody else was in the library at the moment. I shivered whether from the draft of the tunnel or fear, I couldn't tell. I zipped up my jacket, looked down at my jeans and shoes then I walked through, of course. How could I not? I left the door open behind me, but I wondered if I would ever be back. I crawled through an incredibly dark tunnel by feeling the walls. They were slimy and I had to resist the urge to run back through the open door in the library to wash off my hands.

I emerged suddenly into streaming sunlight, an afternoon in a fall forest. I looked back and I could just see the dim outline of the library door. There was one narrow dirt path, covered in leaves, winding through the forest floor, kept separate from the forest only by the use of wooden rods. "Well, it has to go somewhere," I murmured to myself. I walked on the winding road. No other sound was in the place except me crunching on the leaves. No birds sang, no insects buzzed near my head. I got a cold chill down my spine again. I turned back once more only to stop in my tracks.

The library building I had come out of was gone. I knew I hadn't walked far – but the place I had come from had completely disappeared. Only the road and forest were there. "Only way I can go is forward then," I said, trying to ward off a very bad feeling of dark foreboding. I walked on, putting my hands in my jacket, keeping on the path as the sun continued to set.

The trees were sparse but still covered most of the ground in red-orange leaves. Little tufts of green grass showed through, sparkling with spider webs. The hard dirt path underneath my feet continued straight through the trees while the sky up above began to turn from a soft blue into a darker blue filled with the colors of the setting sun. Thin clouds appeared and they turned the colors of orange, purple, and blue. I was glad the sun was setting to the right of me, behind some trees, so it didn't blind me. I was concerned about nightfall, though. Where was I going to sleep? I hadn't heard any animals yet, but that didn't mean there weren't any. And where did this path go?
***
Prince Alvaro was in a bad mood. He scowled as he stomped along the forest path. It wasn't bad enough that his griffin had gone missing or that he had misplaced his special sword for dueling practice, his grandfather had to show up. Normally, Prince Alvaro loved spending time with his grandfather, but his grandfather had come with his quest stick.

The quest stick meant you had to drop everything to hear someone given a quest. Even that might have been a moment's relief from his problems, but then his grandfather had to go and point the stick at him. He couldn't look for his griffin because he had to go pack. He had thrown several changes of clothing, including his leather armor, into a small pack. As he had been angrily throwing a shirt in his pack, he had found his sword as it managed with its somewhat dull blade to cut his hand. He put on a pair of pants made of coarse textile and a shirt made of animal hide. After bandaging his hand, Alvaro had banged his head on the door as he went out.

His grandfather has just chuckled at him and said, "Don't worry. You'll find your griffin. But first, a treasure much more worthy of being sought."

Alvaro glared at him, but decided to keep his mouth shut lest his grandfather lose his good humor and turn him into a toad for a fortnight. Again. The whole community gathered around to watch as Alvaro's grandfather pointed the road he was to take. The forest road. That went along the forest for miles, broken up by cliffs, waterfalls, swamps, and other perilous pitfalls before ending up at the palace. The king there was not a fan of those who came by the forest road – he had the entrance to the palace well-guarded and typically beheaded anyone who came that way. Alvaro's patience, stretched taught, snapped.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize that quests gave you the right to send your grandson, the heir, on a suicide mission!"

"Alvaro." His grandfather stared at him, his eyebrow raised. Alvaro recognized it as the "turn you into a frog" eyebrow raise and quickly shut his mouth. "Usually, I let people choose their quest. This quest . . . chose you."

"What?"

"You'll understand some day. Until then, go quickly."
***
Prince Alvaro looked up from his scowling at the forest path to see a young girl. Not from his tribe. She seemed to be completely lost in the forest.

Her eyes widened when she saw him and she moved back on the path. His rough pants and his shirt which seemed to have fur still attached to it contrasted almost ridiculously with the high end shops her friends liked. "Who are you?" She asked, stepping back further.

"I am Prince Alvaro. I am on a quest and I do not have time to help strangers in the wood."

"Did I ask for your help?"

"Oh, good. So you're just planning to walk right on by, are you?"

"Yes. That was the general idea."

"Oh, please. You're part of the quest. I cannot believe Grandpa would set up a quest just to have me meet a girl. How much did he pay you, anyway?"

"Excuse me? I'm pretty sure I've never met your grandfather. I've never even been here before. And no amount of money would bribe me to meet you."

"You know what? I really don't have time to waste standing here arguing with you. I have to go on my quest. You're here and that means that you're almost certainly going to accompany me or require rescuing at some point."

"Look, Prince Alfredo – "

"ALVARO."

"Alvaro. I am lost. I don't know where I am. All I did was walk through a passageway that opened in the library when I had the misfortune to pick up an old book called On Alternate Universes and Parallel Dimensions or something like that. I didn't expect the freaking library to disappear. Also, I've been walking for quite some time. I don't know where shelter is. If you'd just give me directions to either where I can sleep safely and warmly for the night or how to get back to the library, that's really all I want, thanks."

"Oh, the old 'I'm a helpless damsel and lost in the woods' deal. Can't you at least think of something original?"

"I am NOT helpless. I do not require your help other than giving me directions, you pompous jerk."

"Sure. Then the minute I turn my back on you, you'll be being eaten by a granther."

"A what?"

"Oh, I see. You know nothing about this world because you came in through a . . . what did you call it?"

"A library."

"Right. You came through a library. Points for an original name, at least. Well, if you're going to insist on continuing this charade, a granther is a fierce animal that lives in these woods."

"But I haven't heard anything in these woods besides you."

"You wouldn't. The granther's eaten most of them."

Prince Alvaro smirked as he saw her eyes widen. "You really are a remarkable actress. I hope my grandfather paid you enough for this."

"For the last time: I don't know where I am, I don't know your grandfather, I've never even heard of a granther, and all I want is directions. I don't want to be involved in your quest, I just want to go home."

"Ahh. Must be part of the quest then. Well, it can't hurt for you to come along with me for awhile I suppose. Unless, of course, you'd like to stay on this road and risk the granther."

Prince Alvaro smiled at her as he came towards her and brushed past her on the road. She stood still for a few minutes, then turned around and started walking with him. "Not like I have anywhere else to go and I really don't want to hang around to see the granther. But I've got to tell you, there's nothing but woods in this direction, as far as I know."

"As if you didn't know this leads to Fresnia."

"What on earth is a Fresnia? It sounds like a kind of flower."

Prince Alvaro rolled his eyes. "Look, I know that you have to act as if you're from another world, but that's no reason to act stupid. It's the capital. Of our world. Honestly."

They walked on for awhile in silence. Then the girl looked at Prince Alvaro and asked, "What are we going to do in Fresnia?"

"Hopefully, we should be able to get you to this . . . what did you call it, again?"

"A library. The library was what opened the passageway to get me here."

"Then it stands to reason if we can find the library, whatever that is, we can find your way back."

"How do you not know what a library is?"

"How do you not know what a granther is? Or Fresnia? Oh, that's right, I forgot. You're not from here."

"I wish you would stop saying that with such sarcasm."

"I wish you would stop acting so . . . just stop acting!"

"I'm not sure what I have to do to prove to you that I am not acting."

Prince Alvaro snorted and said, "Fine. If you insist."

After a few more minutes of walking in silence, the girl looked up at the sky and said, "It's almost night fall. Will we get to Fresnia before then?"

"Certainly not if you insist on bickering the entire way."

The girl sighed in frustration, but she didn't say anything more. The sky continued to darken, creating a cool breeze that made her shiver.

"Oh, is this where I'm supposed to be the chivalrous knight, offering you my cloak?"

"I didn't ask you for anything!"

"But if I don't give it to you, you'll probably turn me into a toad."

"Believe me, if I had the power to turn you into a toad, you'd be one already."

In spite of himself, Prince Alvaro laughed. "Yes, I believe that I might be. Here. Please take my cloak anyway. I have a spare in my bag."

"I don't want anything from you."

Prince Alvaro stopped, causing the girl to almost run into him. He took off his bag, rifled through it, and pulled out a spare cloak. "You're going to freeze if you don't take it."

The girl squared her shoulders and looked as if she were going to say something rather nasty, but another cool breeze blew through the woods, causing her to shiver and get goose bumps. She reluctantly took the cloak. "Thank you, Prince Alvaro."

"You're welcome . . . Ahh, I believe I've forgotten your name."

"That's because you never asked it."

"Very well. What is your name?"

"I don't know if I should tell you. You're being such a jerk."

Prince Alvaro rolled his eyes. "Look, I admit I was a little . . . brash, earlier. But I can hardly go around calling you the girl who isn't from here for the entire length of this quest."

The girl seemed to hesitate a little, then answered, "My name is Cornelia."

"Cornelia. Interesting. And is this your first quest?"

"I told you already. I am not part of your quest."

"If we're going to spend any length of time together, you should know that I absolutely cannot stand liars."

"I'm not fond of them either."

"Look, I'll pay you double whatever my grandfather is giving you when we finish. Just tell me the truth."

"You say you hate liars, then you tell me to lie. Please make up your mind, sir."

Prince Alvaro glared at Cornelia. "This is ridiculous. I can't imagine what he's promised you for that kind of loyalty. But I assure you, if you have your sights set on becoming royalty, it won't be as my bride."

Cornelia sighed deeply. "I'm tired of arguing about this. I'm tempted to just tell you what you want to hear, just so we can get on with it. But I was raised not to lie. I'm not going to start now, especially over something as ridiculous as all this. Just look, you claim to be a prince. But I've never met you before. You could be completely insane for all I know. Or you could be looking to sell me on the black market for slaves or all sorts of other things. You come from a place I'm still not entirely sure exists outside of my own head. Not only that, but you insist on accusing me of being in league with your grandfather to use a quest to trap you into marrying me. It's so ludicrous that I'm simply not going to answer the accusation."

Prince Alvaro began to clap. "I really enjoyed how you accused me of being evil. Nicely done. Very well, then, we will continue to play by your rules."

"Oh, I wish I hadn't met you. I'm beginning to wish I really was in league with your grandfather!"

"I wish I hadn't been picked by my grandfather to go on a quest, but there it is."

"Are we ever going to get to Fresnia?"

"There it is," Alvaro said, pointing.
***
I looked where he was pointing and I saw ahead of us a small city with people bustling around. The homes seemed to be made of the wood from the forest. The path was lit with small fires, placed at a careful distance from the homes, which seemed to have their own version of light, but I couldn't tell what it was from this distance. The people were dressed in rough, colorful cloth. It looked to be the same design for men as for women, a kind of robe.

"This is definitely not home."

"Well, considering you thought it was a flower, I'm not surprised."

"I thought you said this was the capital of your world. It's smaller than I thought it would be."

"Well, most sensible people are in bed by now. And we don't want to draw too much attention."

"Why not? Isn't that kind of the point of having a capital city?"

"Are you daft? Are you completely unaware of what's happening around you? I know small children who are less idiotic!"

"I. am. not. from. here. I don't know how many times I need to say that. Let me rephrase that: I am not from this world. I have no concept of what's going on because I've never been here before."

"Stop. ACTING. Just stop lying to me! You have nothing to gain by it!"

"You know, I hope one day, you come to my world and have the same thing happen to you. I also hope you get eaten by a granther. I can't decide which I want more."

I stalked off ahead of Alvaro, almost running out of the woods to Fresnia. Just before I got to the city, I felt Alvaro put one hand around my waist and another over my mouth. Before I could move, he dragged me back into the forest.

"I don't know what you think you're doing or what my grandfather asked of you, but you do not go running into cities from the woods, especially not the capital. I get that you're a phenomenal actress and all, but it is time to stop playing. This isn't funny or cute, and it's not worth whatever he promised you. This is life and death and if you don't start paying more attention to what's going on, you will be killed. Do you understand?"

I could feel myself shaking, on the verge of tears. I didn't want him to see me cry, so I managed to gulp and nod. "Now, you need to be very quiet. You can't startle people here. It's not safe." Alvaro slowly let go of me, watching me very closely. "We are going to go off the beaten path a little, so we can walk up to the guards. It's the only way we're not going to start a mass riot. I want you where I can see you."

"It's dark. You can't really see me anyway."

Prince Alvaro stared at me. He grabbed my chin and brought his face really close. For a minute, I thought What will I do if he –

But that thought was completely erased when he shoved me away. "You can't see in the dark. I don't believe it."

"Believe it."

"Well, obviously, I believe it. I saw it for myself. But I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't. No wonder you've been so obnoxious. You're far from home, you don't know anyone except my grandfather and me, and you can't see in the dark."

"You know, considering that all I wanted to do this afternoon was sit in a library and read, I think I've been remarkably pleasant."

"Why did you come here if you can't see in the dark?"

"For the last time, I didn't come here on purpose. Not for riches, not for quests, and certainly not to marry you."

Prince Alvaro turned his head a bit, as if to look at me better. "Well, whatever reason you chose, it was most unwise to pick here. This land is darkness most of the time. We've more or less adapted to it. The sun setting you saw was as bright as it gets and even that's only out for a few hours a day."

I felt my jaw dropping. "But . . . what about your plants? All these trees. Don't they need sunlight to grow?"

"There are old fables that they once did, but those are children's stories."

"When and why did your world become dark?"

"There are many stories about that. Nobody really knows for sure." He blinked for a minute. "Wow. You really had me believing you for a minute. What, are you some famous actress I've never heard of? I admit, I don't get to see plays often."

"Talking to you is like talking to a brick wall. And I've known a few more intelligent ones, too."

"Brick? What's . . . never mind. Let's just get a place to sleep, all right?"

"I am NOT sleeping with you!"

"I didn't . . . Let me clarify. That was not an invitation. I want a place to sleep. I assume you want a separate, preferably secure place to sleep."

I felt my cheeks go pink. I hoped his eyesight wasn't as acute as it seemed to be. I managed to mutter, "Yes, please."

"You blush? Interesting."

"I was hoping you didn't see that."

"I see as clearly as if the sun were still up." He looked at me and his eyes narrowed. "Had I not seen your eyes for myself, I would be uncertain of your ability. However, I suppose you will require help in navigating."

"It's not like I wanted this."

"Then why accept a bribe? You have only yourself to blame. And, since you insist on keeping secrecy, you cannot possibly hope to gain my trust. But you have no choice about trusting me."

"There's enough light to see by once we get in the city, but until then, yes, you'll have to guide me. I'm at least as unhappy about it as you are."

"I very much doubt that." He frowned at me but still took my arm and led me through some bushes, trees, and other plants that brushed against my skin. We finally met up with another path, this one with men and women dressed with the same robes, but each had a sharp spear as well as a special kind of shiny cloth over their chest. They were positioned in a semi circle near the path, moving their heads, scanning the forest.
***
I could not believe that my grandfather had decided to give me a quest that involved this . . . girl. She was either the greatest actress I had ever seen or she was the stupidest person I had ever had the misfortune of meeting. Possibly, she was both. Probably she was both. Did she actually expect me to believe that she had walked through a . . . whatever it was to get here, that said place she had come through had disappeared, and she had just so happened to be walking along the road I was on?

Perhaps she thought I was the stupid one. My 8 year old cousin could come up with more believable stories.

"What do we do now?" She asked, in a whisper, coming a little too close to me. I backed off from her in disgust. As if I couldn't see right through her.

"I will go out and tell them we're here. You will stay here until I tell you to come. Don't expect a warm welcome. The guards are awfully suspicious of those who don't have any clan ties."

"You couldn't just tell them I'm a part of your clan?"

"No. I can't. You know full well I can't."

"No, I don't, but to avoid yet another argument, I'll say that I completely understand and I'll just wait here, thanks."

I shook my head a little and moved quietly out of the forest and onto the path. The guards nearest me immediately pointed their spears straight at me. Fortunately, one of them recognized me.

"Prince Alvaro!"

Unfortunately, I did not recognize her. "Greetings. I come in peace." She signaled to the others to put down the spears. "What brings you to Fresnia?"

"Well, both the fact that I am on a quest and the fact that I have met a traveler."

"A traveler?"

"She claims to be from another world."

A few of the guards laughed. The woman who had recognized me raised an eyebrow. "Who do you think she is?"

"An amazing actress who was bribed by my grandfather in hopes that I will marry and settle down."

One of the other guards asked, "Is she at least pretty?"

"She's not bad looking, but I'm hardly interested."

The woman guard just shook her head and muttered something. "Well, where is this traveler of yours?"

"I told her to wait in the woods. I didn't want her to startle you. If you would give her a thorough inspection, though, I'd appreciate that. Obviously, I can't trust her."

"Sure, sure. Bring her out."

I went back into the forest, seeking Cornelia. I called out softly. "Cornelia!"

There was no answer. I continued farther into the woods, to the place we'd been.

There was no trace of Cornelia.
***
Prince Alvaro circled around the area, a few times. He finally went back to the guards without Cornelia. "I can't find her." He was frustrated that she'd vanished. He really hoped this wasn't some ridiculous trick of hers. He was also a little worried. So far, Cornelia had displayed all the attentiveness of a two year old child as well as the bickering skills. He didn't like her, but he also didn't wish harm to come to her.

A few of the guards went in pairs into the woods around them. Prince Alvaro was left looking at the woman who'd recognized him. "Well. Prince Alvaro."

"Well. . . I've forgotten your name."

"It's Elizabeth. Remember? The girl who used to live in your village?"

"Elizabeth? Oh, yes now I remember you."

"Found her!" One of the guards came back into the circle, dragging a bruised, scratched, shaking Cornelia.

Prince Alvaro immediately went over to her. "Are you all right? What on earth happened to you?"

"Not entirely sure, but I think I found out what a granther is."

"Can I not leave you alone for five parsecs without you finding trouble?"

"It's hardly my fault the thing attacked me!"

Prince Alvaro let out an exasperated sigh. "Let's get you in the town so we can get you bandaged up."

Elizabeth said, "I guess we'll leave the inquisition for tomorrow."

Prince Alvaro went to Cornelia and put his arm under hers to support her. Elizabeth walked to the other side and did the same. Together, Alvaro and Elizabeth carried Cornelia into the city of Fresnia under the watch of the rising moon.
***
I woke up in a room that was well lit by the fire. I heard snoring near me. I saw that Alvaro had fallen asleep not too far from me. The guard who had helped me walk into Fresnia was standing by the door. She was dressed in a blue robe that covered her from the neck to her feet, tied by a string at the waist. Also along her waist were several scabbards.

I slowly stretched only to be reminded by several hurting spots that moving wasn't a good idea. The guard came over when she heard me whimper. "So. You're awake."

"Yes?"

"Good. We can have a little chat before Alvaro wakes up." She sat down on the foot of the bed, watching me carefully, her eyes narrowing. "What do you want with him?"

"Who? Alvaro? Nothing. I just want to get home."

"Oh, come on. We all know that you've been lying the entire time."

"What on earth would I have to gain by continuing to lie? I'll tell you the whole story. I went to the library. I picked out a weird, old book whose title was something like On Alternate Worlds and Parallel Spaces. The entire bookshelf moved back and a hall opened. I went through the hall and landed in the middle of the forest. The library vanished behind me. I walked on the path, met Alvaro who was none too happy to find me, and he decided to take me here. I'm not entirely sure why Alvaro doesn't believe me. I don't know why your planet is so freaking dark. But believe me, if I could find a way back, I'd be in the library, happily reading and studying for the history test I have . . . well, I suppose it's today, if time works the same way here as it does at home."

"Alvaro was right. You really are quite the accomplished actress. I don't think I've ever seen another actress who believed in her lines that much."

"I am NOT lying!" At my shout, Alvaro stirred a little, and I watched until he'd settled down. "Look, I am not lying to you. I want help to get home. I have not been paid by Alvaro's grandfather. I've never even met Alvaro's grandfather. I have absolutely no desire to marry Alvaro. I just want to go home."

"Bravo. A really fantastic performance." The guard shifted on the bed. "Now I'm going to tell you what I think of you. I think you are a lying little trandilick, looking to marry into royalty. Whether or not you're in league with Alvaro's grandfather is almost irrelevant. I don't care what you've been promised by him or by someone else, you will stay away from him. He is mine, do you understand?"

"You are welcome to him. I don't want him. I never did."

Alvaro stirred and yawned. I jumped, hoping he hadn't heard our argument. "Alvaro? Are you awake?"

He stretched. "Yes, I think I am fully awake now." He got to his feet, and blinked slowly at the guard and me. I turned my head while Elizabeth stared straight at him. "I think it's time we ate something."

"Oh, yes." I said, my stomach growling. "Is there food around here?"

"Come this way." Alvaro turned and walked out of the room, leaving me to try to get up. I didn't want the guard to help me, but I could hardly disguise the wince on my face as I tried to get to swing my feet off the cot I'd been lying on.

"Goodness, what an actress. I suppose I'd better help you, hmm?" The guard raised an eyebrow.

"I didn't ask you to help. It would probably involve less pain if you did, but I wouldn't want you to go to any trouble for a . . . what did you call me? A lying little trandilick."

"Oh, don't worry. I don't intend to go to any trouble at all." The guard stomped out of the room, leaving me to try to get up as best as I could. I had to repress several yelps of pain as I found new muscles that hurt and new scratches. How badly had that granther hurt me, anyway?
***
After a breakfast that was very odd for Cornelia, Elizabeth interrogated Cornelia about her family, whereabouts, and purpose. Alvaro mostly just watched, continuing to eat breakfast. He stepped in a few times when Elizabeth got overly nasty, but for the most part he watched Elizabeth unsuccessfully attempt to make Cornelia admit the lies.

Alvaro eventually got bored of listening to the dialogue go nowhere. He stood up, stretched, and said, "Elizabeth, she's not going to give it up. I don't know why, but I think any further questioning is pretty futile."

"If you would let me torture her a little, I'd have the answer soon enough."

"It's not worth it. Let's just go."

Cornelia looked at Alvaro. "Go? Where are we going?"

"We're going to go see Aeon Starshiner."

"Alvaro, are you out of your mind?" Elizabeth said, standing with her hands on her hips. "Aeon Starshiner?"

"Who's that?" Cornelia asked, regretting it when they both glared at her. "Drop the act, hon. It's not cute anymore." Elizabeth said, turning first to Cornelia then back to Alvaro.

"Think about it, Elizabeth. If anyone is going to know where she came from, it would be Aeon Starshiner."

"Oh, and I suppose the fact that he nearly got killed last week means nothing to you?"

"Wait, what?"

"I know you choose to live in the back woods of nowhere, but surely you heard that he had to go into hiding last week."

Alvaro's eyes widened. "No, actually, I hadn't heard that. What happened?"

"He had some people come in to his work with very advanced weapons. He only got a few minutes warning from one of his students."

"I see. Well, that's going to make things a bit more difficult. I'm not sure who else we can ask who might be able to locate her clan."

"Well, it's obvious she's not from around the area."

"She can't see in the dark. Is there a place where light shines more often?"

"What do you mean she can't see in the dark? That's ridiculous!" Elizabeth snapped and stomped over to Cornelia. She grabbed her jaw much the same way Alvaro had earlier but much less gently, causing Cornelia to pull back. "Hold still!" Elizabeth looked into Cornelia's eyes. After a few moments, she let go and looked at Alvaro. "How is that possible?"

"Recessive genes?"

"Then her clan should be very easy to locate – We won't need Aeon Starshiner at all. We'll just go to the genspi."

"I thought access to that was ridiculously hard. I'd rather not have to put up with her longer than I have to."

"Don't worry, Alvaro. I have special access as a guard. Finding missing children and all."

"I'm sure some of the local politicians are just thrilled."

"Some of the local mothers are less so. But that's another story."

"Interesting. Very well, if you can get access, let's go to the genspi."

"What's a genspi?" Cornelia asked. Alvaro and Elizabeth looked at each other and shook their heads.
***
I had never seen a full grown adult who was so . . .  childlike about the world. She was a lying little trandilick, but she was the best actress I had ever seen. As a guard, I had to be good at reading people. It was part of my duty to protect the city. But I couldn't read this woman at all, sitting there, wide-eyed and seemingly frightened. All my training at reading people told me she was telling the truth. But all my experience in real life told me she was lying.

Besides, she kept moving entirely too close to Alvaro.

"A genspi is a tool we use to reunite children to families. When a child is born, the genspi data is automatically recorded. We should be able to just match up your data appropriately and send you on your way."

"Except my data won't be in there because I'm not from this world."

"I highly doubt that. However, genspi will tell us if that's the case."

Alvaro looked at me. "Elizabeth, you're starting to like her, I think. If that's the case? It can't possibly be the case."

"There are stranger things in heaven and earth, Horatio, then are dreamt of in your philosophy."

I just stared at her. "Who is Horatio?"

"You've never read – of course you've never read Hamlet. What am I thinking? I'm just saying it's possible that there are more things outside your world than you think exist. Can't you at least entertain the possibility that there might be other worlds and I might be from one of them?"

"I think it's pretty clear to everyone around you what you are. If there were other worlds, we would know about them because they would have visited us by now. Don't you think that if a portal really opened between our worlds by picking up a book in a . . . whatever you called it –"

"LIBRARY. It's a LIBRARY. It's where people go to borrow books!"

"Right. A library. Well, don't you think that if people could really come to our world from yours by picking up a book from this . . . library . . . that we'd know about it by now?"

"It wasn't a very interesting looking book. I don't think anyone else has touched it in at least 50 years. The only reason I picked it up is because I knew it would be one I hadn't already read. I was planning on putting it back down after flipping through it."

"A very convenient excuse I think. It's much more likely that you're an extremely accomplished actress and liar. I very much doubt that you, the only person to ever touch one book in the library, opened a portal between this world and yours, stepped through it only to have the portal disappear behind you." I said, putting my hands on my hips and staring at her. "If your information doesn't come up in the genspi, then I will give more consideration to your story. Until then, I'm just not that interested in hearing it. Come on, Alvaro. Let's take her to the genspi."

Alvaro nodded and arose from where he had been sitting. I watched just for a moment, then turned my attention to Cornelia. She slowly rose as well and the three of us went out of my house, leaving breakfast behind us. I'd clean it up later – I had official duties to attend to.
***
I walked beside Elizabeth who was keeping a close eye on Cornelia. I found it difficult to believe that level-headed Elizabeth had even given one second's consideration to the possibility that this . . . girl's story might be true. Still, she might just be placating Cornelia. Surely, as a guard, she would have dealt with many other unstable people. Sometimes, it's probably just easier to agree with them.

I looked over at Elizabeth again. She has changed a lot. I wonder what her argument with Cornelia this morning was all about. Elizabeth turned and looked at me when she saw me staring. I pointed quickly. "Isn't that the building where the genspi is?"

"Yes, that's it." Elizabeth said and together, we walked silently into the crowded building.

"Wow. Reminds me of the DMV office." Cornelia said. Elizabeth and I both looked at each other. I had little doubt we wondering the same thing: Is she mentally challenged?

Elizabeth led us to a door that was being watched by a surly looking guard. She showed the guard a small silver token and the guard moved, slowly and reluctantly, away from the door. We all three passed through the door and the guard closed the door behind us. We were in a long, dimly-lit hallway. "This way," Elizabeth said, moving toward the right. Cornelia and I followed her.
***
We continued to walk down the hallway at a rapid pace until we got to a strange door that Elizabeth had to open with the silver token. The door slid open with a slow swoooooosh sound that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up – it sounded just like the door at the library.

It was a dark room we walked into, slightly aglow with pin pricks of light that seemed to be emanating from an apparatus in the center of the room. There were gigantic gears and large cables meshed together with no seeming rhyme or reason, all covered with a bright blue dust that seemed to glow just a little bit. Several people were walking around the machine, touching it on the gears or removing a wire to replace it elsewhere. They had on loose fitting shirts – they seemed to be a loose textile of some sort – but pants with fur and hair still attached.

"What is that?" I said, my eyes widening as I inched back as far away from it as I could get.

"What a frong." I heard one of the other people in the room say, causing general laughter. Even Elizabeth and Alvaro smirked. Elizabeth turned to me and said, "That's the genspi."

"What does it do?"

"I explained that to you – it's going to tell you what clan you belong to."

"How on earth is it going to do that?"

"Just watch and see." Elizabeth said. She pulled out one of the cords and brought near me, very near my face. The end of it lit up a few times, then it became dark and the whole machine began to make a noise reminiscent of a clowder of cats deciding that their backyard trash can collection could become a new hardcore metal band. The screeching and the cranking were unbearable, but beyond all this there was an ever increasing hum that made me want to tear off my ears.

The next thing I knew I was looking up into the very concerned faces of Elizabeth, Alvaro, and a few other people. "Are you all right?"

I listened and was relieved to not hear the same cacophony of discord that I had before. "Yes, I think so." I slowly sat up, holding a hand to my head. "I don't hear the awful noise or hum anymore."

The entire group looked at each other. Alvaro looked me in the eyes and said, "What noise?"

"What do you mean what noise? That unholy raucous music of unfortunate distraught notes who were never, ever meant to be shoved together, along with a hum of infamous rage."

Several of the other people moved towards me. "You heard the genspi?"

"I don't know how you could not hear that." I shuddered.

One of the other people looked at Alvaro and Elizabeth. He said, slowly, "The only other person I've ever known to hear that machine is Aeon Starshiner."

"Why does that name keep coming up?" I asked. "What is he, some evil overlord?"

This drew another round of curious looks from everyone in the room except Elizabeth and Alvaro. Alvaro huffed and said, "Look, this is some sort of actress my grandfather hired. Don't take her too seriously. He put me on a quest, showed me the road to take, and there she was, lost in the forest. Her story is that she came from a magical portal that opened when she grabbed a book, she walked through it, it closed."

"And you think she's lying?" The same person who had told me that Aeon was the other one to hear the genspi now addressed Alvaro.

"You can't seriously believe her."

The genspi suddenly beeped and whirred. It was only a little, though. Nothing like the last time. "I think it's done." I said, pointing at the genspi. The man looked at the machine and grabbed a piece of paper that had come from somewhere inside the genspi. "She definitely heard something." He pointed out. "I have yet to hear her lie."

"Finally, someone is listening to me."

"I'm sure the genspi will give you her clan and everything she said will be proven wrong."

"Oh, it gave us her clan all right."

"WHAT? How is that possible? I keep telling you, I don't know anyone here!"

"It's quite possible you don't." He said, looking at the paper, then at Alvaro. "You're not going to believe who her one clan member is."

"Try me." Alvaro crossed his arms and leaned back.

"Do you remember the scandal about how Aeon Starshiner had that party and stumbled everywhere, like he had had far too much joxer?"

"Yes. I always found that accusation completely ridiculous."

"Well, I think I may have an explanation for his behavior."

"What?"

"He can't see in the dark either."

A few moments of silence passed where both Elizabeth and Alvaro stared at him. "What are you trying to say?" Elizabeth asked.

"According to the genspi, she does have a clan, but it consists of only one member. It would appear that her one clan member is Aeon Starshiner."
***
The noise in the room after Grigol made his announcement was quite loud, but none of the noise was coming from the genspi. It was turned off as the people in the room began to argue. The only person who was quiet was Cornelia. She looked pale and slowly sat down next to the wall while Alvaro got very close to Grigol and screamed at him.

"You can't have done this right – the genspi must be wrong!"

"You're welcome to try again. I have never known the genspi to be wrong – ever."

"This is preposterous. She can't be related to Aeon Starshiner."

"You forget that being related to someone and being in their clan are two different things. They are not related – but they are in the same clan."

Alvaro just stared at him. "What am I supposed to do with that result? I can't just go walking up to Aeon Starshiner and say, hey, here's this girl who's in your clan. By the way, I'm pretty sure she's a liar and that my grandfather hired her to be a part of my quest. In the first place, I have a quest I need to get back to. In the second place, I still don't trust her, even if she is part of the same clan. In the third place, this is Aeon Starshiner."

"Besides, he's gone into hiding." Elizabeth said, looking at Grigol. Grigol looked down at the piece of paper and took a slow breath. "I may be able to help you there." He said, speaking in a low voice, looking at Alvaro and Elizabeth. "Come quickly. Bring the girl."

He opened another door, not the same one the three had used to come into the room. Alvaro and Elizabeth looked at each other and shrugged. They passed through the door. Cornelia, however, did not move.

Grigol walked over to her and knelt down. Cornelia crossed her arms in front of her face and pulled her knees into herself. "Hi there. My name is Grigol. What's your name?"

"Cornelia."

"Cornelia. I know Prince Alvaro has probably given you a hard time –

"There's an understatement."

"But you have to know he's not mean. He's just a little . . . overprotective. He has a right to be."

Cornelia looked from between her arms. "What do you mean?"

"Well, that's his story. He should be the one to tell that to you."

"Let me guess. Someone he trusted and or loved very much betrayed him."

"Something like that."

"I don't want to go through that door!" Cornelia shouted. "Do you know what happened to me the last time I went through a door to the unknown? I landed here with no way of getting back! Now you're telling me I'm of the 'same clan' of this Aaron Starsinner or whoever! I just want to go back to my nice quiet library. I swear on a stack of Bibles that I will never go through a portal again!"

"Bibles?" Grigor asked, then immediately regretted the question as Cornelia pulled her arms back over her face. He said, "I imagine you must be frightened. And to land in Alvaro's path, of all people, must have been quite frustrating."

"You have no idea."

"I have some idea. We used to live in the same village."

"Like Elizabeth?"

"Well, Elizabeth came later, but yes."

"Does everyone spend time in Alvaro's village or is it just everyone I've met so far?"

"Just everyone you've met. I'd know a few people who'd be unaware he was a prince."

"Until he told them that he was. Loudly and repeatedly."

"Are you coming, Grigor, or are you just going to sit here and talk with Cornelia all day?" Prince Alvaro's voice startled both Grigor and Cornelia into looking slightly guilty. "We're coming." Grigor said, staring back at him. He turned back to Cornelia. "I know you're probably frightened. You have good reason to be. But I promise you that what is behind that door is nothing more than some offices and a hallway that leads outside to the village."

"Okay." Cornelia said, slowly getting up. She dusted her pants off and looked at Grigor. "As long as you lead the way."
***
As we were all four walking in the hallway, I turned to Grigor. "You know, I can think of at least one time the genspi was wrong."

He looked at me, his eyebrows rising. "That was a very long time ago. There was a failure of the machine. We corrected it and we now have people checking it every day."

Of course, Alvaro immediately rejoined, "But something could have come up that you didn't see! What is Aeon Starshiner going to say when we waltz in with someone supposedly of his clan?"

"I imagine he will be quite surprised. Before this, he has never been matched with any other clan. At the very least, I would think he would be interested to hear her story. Or, possibly, to see why the genspi refuses to match either one of them with someone else."

"Still. If we go and seek him in hiding – which could put him in very real danger – for a girl that the most . . . level headed among us have cause to doubt . . ."

Grigor stopped for a moment and stared at Alvaro. "What would you rather do? Go to the king? By all means, continue to follow the forest road then."

"I'm thinking maybe I should do that anyway. It is the road my grandfather sent me on for my quest."

"I think, Alvaro, that this girl is your quest. I'm not convinced your grandfather bribed her to be there, but I think this is why you are here. You would not have stopped in Fresnia otherwise, nor would you have stopped in the genspi room. She has already altered your course."

"Not by my consent!"

"It was always my understanding that you had to let quests be what they were. Trying to impose your will on one is a dangerous thing."

"What would you know about quests? You left before you could be given one!"

"The decision to leave was not of my own choosing." Grigor drew himself up to his full height and his shoulders stiffened.

"Hey, guys." I said. "When you're done standing around arguing like little children, maybe we should actually go do something? You know, before Cornelia decides to wander off?"

"She's not going to – " Grigor stopped his rejoinder as he looked around. His eyes got large. "Where did she go?"

"With any luck, she got eaten by the genspi." I said, with a grin. "But with my luck, she probably just wandered into one of the rooms and will come out in just a moment or have walked outside."

"But she doesn't know what's out there!"

"Then maybe you should go find her and Alvaro should go find his quest."

"I am not going to go find her. That's completely ridiculous. And as far as Alvaro goes, I'm not certain his grandfather hasn't set this entire thing up. Yes, I know what the genspi report said. But I think there's something you're forgetting."

"What's that?"

I hesitated. "The old stories."

"Now which one of us is being completely ridiculous?"

"I suppose that's the question we'll have to ask Aeon Starshiner."
***
It was a cold gray day and the clouds hung low over the forgotten alley I had stepped into when I'd opened a door. It was partly tiring to hear the constant bickering of the others and partly on a whim – the door looked shinier than the others.

I stood in the alley for a minute, looking at this forgotten street that was almost sagging with the recent rain puddles, glistening wet in the few places that had managed evaporation of the puddles.

I turned around to go back inside when I heard voices that carried from further down the alley.

"I will kill him this time."

"I hope so. The only reason you're being allowed to try is because you've never missed before."

"He must have been warned by one of our own. It's the only way he could've known."

"Or he's smarter than we gave him credit for."

"Not possible. I've already found where he's hiding."

"You think you've found where he's hiding."

"I know I have!"

"It's entirely possible he's setting you up."

"Look, for the last time, I will deal with Aeon Starshiner. He will be gone. Haven't I gotten rid of our problems before?"

"Mmm. Just make sure it is gone."

I kept quiet, pressed back against the building, my hand searching for the handle of the door and grasping only air. I finally turned back around to see only a wall, no doors in sight. I banged my fist against the wall noiselessly and without result. What is this place where doors keep disappearing at the most inconvenient times? I heard the steps of one or both of the speakers coming towards me, so I turned away from the sound and moved as quietly as I could, trying not to splash.

Finally, I came out of the alleyway into the street. I turned to my right, the building I had come out of. Only, it wasn't the place where the genspi was – I was sure about that. "Of course not," I muttered aloud. "Why should I be in the same place? For that matter, I wonder if I'm even in the same world." Then I put my hand against my forehead. "Cornelia. What are the odds of there being two worlds that revolve around a guy named Aeon Starshiner?"

I stood there for a few minutes, watching people go by, and began to shiver from the cold. I'd only walked through the streets once, so I couldn't identify any landmarks. It looked like the same place – but that didn't mean it was.

"I wish I could see Grigor or Prince Alvaro again. I'd even take that nasty guard." I muttered aloud as I walked the streets that now held a few people busy with their various tasks. "Well, maybe not the guard."

The sky began to drizzle and people scurried indoors. "Great. Just wonderful."

I decided to just pick a building to go into to wait out the storm. I came to a door that someone had walked in just moments before, sucked in my breath, and turned the handle.
***
"What do you mean you can't find her? Do you know what my grandfather will do to me if I misplace once of his valuable quest items, especially a person?" I meant the question to come out as indignant or possibly a roar, but it sounded more like a squeak. The slightly raised eyebrow of the guard confirmed my suspicion: I sounded like a girl. I coughed to clear my throat and said, "I expect you to search every door until you find her!"

"They're not under your rule here, you know." Elizabeth's voice came through. It sounded for a moment like she was trying to suppress laughter, but I decided not to turn and look at her. Elizabeth always had a difficult time keeping a straight face.

"I know, I know. We have to find Aeon Starshiner. Soldier, would you please continue searching for her?"

"Yes, sir." The soldier said and gave me a dutiful salute. "I'm sure she's just wandered off into one of the hallways, maybe trying to find the genspi again, sir."

"I think, considering listening to it caused her extreme pain, she would most likely be trying to avoid it."

"She can hear it, sir?"

"I think blacking out is pretty hard to fake."

"If you say so, sir." The soldier saluted and turned down another hallway, dutifully opening doors as he went. I stood there for a moment, and rubbed my eyes. Why must this quest be going so horribly, terribly wrong?

"Don't feel so bad. I'm sure she'll turn up again. She's proven remarkably resilient so far." Elizabeth's voice came through my ears.

"I just wonder whether we should go see Aeon Starshiner and see if he'll help us or if we should keep looking for her here. I don't want to take the chance that Aeon Starshiner will feel the need to go underground, cutting off contact, but I don't want her to get lost either which could happen all too easily if she wandered back here."

"It might be that your grandfather only meant her to be a part of the quest."

"You know, there's something he said before I left that made no sense. He said that people usually choose their quests, but that this one chose me."

"That is strange. Maybe it has something to do with you being a prince. In the old stories, if anyone got an odd quest, it was the royal prince."

"Old stories indeed. Not even my grandfather listens to those. What do you think Grigor?"

"I do not think we should leave Cornelia to fend for herself. Even if she's not telling the truth about the quest, she seems very naïve."

Elizabeth chimed in. "I think we really need to track down Aeon Starshiner. We can leave word here with the people who work here to bring Cornelia to us. Aeon Starshiner may not be so easy to find as you think, Alvaro. And if the hunt for him continues, he may go into deep hiding."

"So the choice is mine," I said, closing my eyes for a moment. "How shall I choose?"
***
The door opened into a cozy little room with a fire blazing. Though nobody was inside the room, Cornelia could hear sounds coming from other parts of the building. Cornelia guessed it was probably somebody's home. She wondered if she should go out again when a young man entered the room. He nearly dropped the wood he was carrying for the fire. "Who are you?"

"Please don't be alarmed. My name is Cornelia. I got separated from my friends after I went to the genspi this morning. It was so rainy outside that I just had to take shelter somewhere."

He narrowed his eyes and came close to look at me. "I don't believe you. I think you have come to steal! Or to murder! I shall call for the guards!"

"Please, no!" I said, grabbing onto his sleeve. I could feel tears of frustration filling her eyes. Why does nobody in this world believe anything I say? Why must they always assume the worst or that I'm lying? Then I wondered: Would I do any better if they came to my world?

I said, "Please, listen to me. I don't mean any harm. It's raining out there and I got lost. If you don't believe me, you can tie me to a chair or something. I don't want to steal anything from you and I certainly don't want to kill you. All I really want to do is go home, but I can't do that right now."

He relaxed a little and continued to stare at me. "Why not? Problems with your parents?"

"Nothing like that. I just don't know how to get home from here."

"I might be able to help you with that. What clan are you from?"

I paused for a moment. I wondered if I should tell him the genspi had me in the same clan as this Aeon Starshiner everyone kept talking about. I wondered if he would believe me if I told him that. I decided on a lie that was likely to get me reunited to people I already knew. "I'm from Prince Alvaro's clan."

"Really? Interesting. You must be a recent integratory then. I thought I knew everyone there. Who did you marry?"

"I . . . I married Prince Alvaro." I stared back at him, watching his eyebrows raise and his eyes blink rapidly.

"But you don't know how to get from Fresnia back to his clan. Even though you're his wife."

"I came from . . . far away and we are very recently married."

"He actually let his grandfather arrange his marriage?"

"Well, it was more like nudging than arranging." I babbled, hoping that the guy I was talking to would stop asking questions. I decided it was time to try a different tactic. I smiled at him and said, "He will want to know who to thank for giving me shelter. My name is Cornelia. Who are you?"

He picked up the wood and put it on the fire, arranging it carefully before he answered. "You can call me . . . Ace."