<div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote"><a href="https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=96676.msg4222720#msg4222720">Quote from: Narianna on 05-02-2011, 09:20:51</a></div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote"><div align="center">Phaedra (http://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=96661.msg4199680#msg4199680)</div><br/>Once Phaedra was back in her bedroom, she heard a soft tapping on her windowsill. Curious, she walked over and didn’t notice anything at first. Then she noticed a tree that hadn’t been there yesterday. All of a sudden, the tree shook! It trembled, leaves shaking, and then its roots took a step forward. Thought to be a myth, Tree Saplings were the oldest known race in existence. Very very slowly, the Tree Sapling made its way to the window. Impaled on a branch was a piece of parchment paper. A closer look showed that it was a map.</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/>Phaedra was overwhelmed with gratitude when the Goddess answered her prayer, and with awe when she realised she was seeing one of the rarest beings on the planet.  The girl reached out, and plucked the map from its branch, and then wasn’t quite sure what to do.  What was the protocol for dealings with such an ancient race?  Good manners dictated that she should say thank you, so she thought she had better start there.<br/><br/>“Thank you so much, for bringing this to me.  It is such a great honour to meet you.”<br/><br/>The  Tree Sapling made a very soft rustling noise, its leaves and branches moving gracefully.  Gradually a word emerged from the clicking of twigs and movement of leaves.<br/><br/>“Wellllccommmme”<br/><br/>He rustling came to a stop and she saw the roots begin to withdraw, so she knew the visit was over.<br/><br/>“Be safe, in your journey.”  It was all she could think of to bid the creature farewell.<br/><br/>She looked at the map in her hands.  It was nowhere near she was sure, and it was a land she didn’t know.  She would need the Goddess to guide her path, until she began to recognise the landmarks drawn upon the intricate map.<br/><br/>She packed clothes into a large backsack, and started to make her plans.  The garden would have to fend for itself, at least everything had been planted as it was springtime, and hopefully there would be something to harvest when she returned, if she returned in the autumn.  She certainly hoped she would be back by the autumn, she would find it difficult to be journeying towards the end of the year, and as for the thought of being away from home in the winter, that was just a dreadful thought, but she would do whatever Persephone required.<br/><br/>She would need to take the cat to her neighbour, who would happily look after the friendly creature, and perhaps the neighbour would keep an eye on the place, if she offered produce when it was ready.<br/><br/>She set some bread to bake, found a small wheel of cheese, some cured ham, and placed them ready for the morning.  Whilst the bread was baking, she cleaned her cottage, as she didn’t want to leave it in an untidy, unclean state.  When everything was how she liked it, she prepared for bed.  She would be up early in the morning, finish her preparations for the journey, and then she would be on her way, not long after the sun rose.<br/><br/>Before she slept she prayed again to her Goddess.  “Please Great Goddess Persephone, guide me to the place you need me to be, show me the task you need me to perform, and give me the strength and endurance that I will need to complete your wishes.”  She asked the Goddess to care for her garden, and to guide her back safely when the task was complete.  When her prayer was finished she wondered how long she would be away, and what adventures were to befall her.  She wasn’t scared but she was apprehensive.  She trusted the Goddess to help her, but she felt that anyone would feel the fear she was feeling, not knowing what was ahead.<br/><br/>