Alomina or The Book of Many Journeys

Chapter One: An Autumn Morn

It was a beautiful day. Or at least to Alomina it was. It was one of those picturesque days, that looked sunny, but was cool, and had a slight crispen breeze. Alomina liked these days in particular because her brother, Percy, usually took her riding on days like these early autumn beauties, and she loved it so! And she also suspected Percy had something special to show or tell her, because the night before, he had hinted about a 'surprise'.

Although, come to think of it, she enjoyed any time alone with Percy, she was exceedingly fond of him, as any sister to a brother could be. He was equally fond of her, for, they were almost the only family they for each other. This was because their mother, the Countess Regina de Blyrwen, had died of an illness not three years after Alomina's birth, and their father had died in a battle when Percy was eight, and Alomina was six. Since then, their only other family, their father's younger sister, Dricynnia, had raised them.

Aunt Dricynnia was out currently, visiting the queen. She was a very often called guest at the palace, and a close friend of the queen's. Percy was probably his room, preparing to come to breakfast. Breakfast!, thought Mina, I had completely forgotten!

Alomina quickly dressed, and rushed downstairs to the hall. When she got down there, Percy was there, waiting to pull her chair out for her. Alomina smiled. Percy always wanted to be the one to do everything for her. He was mostly very sweet to her, and Alomina wondered if there could ever be anyone else in either of their lives, but she then chided herself for thinking such a silly and unlikely thing.

As they dined, Percy asked Mina where Aunt Dricynnia was.

"She is breakfasting at the palace", answered Alomina.

"I see...", said Percy. "Then no one would miss us if we went out riding", he said, and he smiled charmingly, getting that most mischievous twinkle in his deep-brown eyes. "Oh, I do know you don't really care for riding, but I would be honored if you would grant me your company"

"I'll be glad to lend you my company", she said in an equally mischievous manner.

"I had hoped so", said Percy, still smiling, eyes twinkling bedazzlingly.

He knew her so well, every fragment of her, from her long, dark-brown, tousled hair and blue-green eyes, to her miniscule fairy-like feet. No thought or action of hers was unnoticed or unaccredited by him.

After they had finished breakfast, Alomina and Percy went down to the stable. Percy saddled his black-maned bay horse, Gartrius, and Alomina saddled her white mare, Alexandria.

"Mina, dear, you look lovely today", he said as he mounted his steed, in a manner that was sincere, but jovial.

"Thank you, Percy! You never forget to tell me, do you? You are also so consistent in it, I almost think you practice them at night before you go to bed", said Mina.

He laughed. "I should hope that if I ever do forget, I shall travel twice round the world without a horse as punishment"

"Well, if you do, just be home on a day like this, so that we may go riding"

"That I promise to do, only for you, Mina", said Percy smilingly. "Shall we go now, Madam?"

"Only if you shall lead, my lord", said she.

"I will", he said, grinning widely.

"What might my dear brother be smiling about, I wonder?", she queried smilingly.

"Oh, I'm always happy when I'm with you, sis", he said.

"Then there isn't anything you want to show me later?", she asked slyly.

"Perhaps", he said mysteriously. "How's about for now though, we be off?"

"Of course", she said.

Percy and Alomina rode to the forests on the grounds. Percy sped ahead, and Alomina caught up with him. The leaves on the trees that had slowly fallen flurried in the breeze behind them, crunching beneath the horses' swiftly falling feet, and Alomina enjoyed it so much she could not use words to describe it.

Percy was now riding right ahead of her, his dark-brown hair blowing about in a way that made it seem possibly even more handsome than when it was still. He looked very dramatically happy, and yet serious, like a gallant knight who had just rescued a princess, and was riding away with her.

The wind blew amiably through Alomina's hair, sifting through it as though through the trees. She felt like she was flying, the wind her fairy wings, bearing her swiftly through a forest of scarlet and gold, through eternities that passed in a moment.

The sun shone through the lacey leaf canopy above them, creating a brilliant golden glow in the forest, like a most beautiful enchantment. Alomina wondered if it would ever end, hoping it wouldn't.

Then Percy began to slow the pace a bit, and Alomina realized that they were getting near the glade, which was Percy's favorite place to stop and water the horses. It had wild-rose bushes which Percy would always pluck a single rose from, and give to her, as one of their traditions from long ago.

Then they were there, the beauteous little glen in the woods. It had tiny, sparkling stream running through it, and was surrounded by scarlet, crimson, and gold-clad trees. It had three wild-rose bushes right by the stream, one red, and two white. When Percy was very happy, he would pick only the red for her. When he was upset or disturbed in mind, he would distractedly pick the white.

Today, he picked the most blossomed and fragrant red rose, and nestled it in Alomina's long, wind-blown, loosely flowing hair smilingly. The glen also had a small variety of wildflowers, which Alomina started to collect, while Percy absent-mindedly discarded the petals of a daisy.

Alomina sat down by the quant, picturesque little babbling brook, and began to weave her little wildflowers together. Percy came over, and she put her now-finished wildflower chain round his neck. It was most unmanly, but he didn't mind it at all (in fact, many times had he been laughed at by his friends when he forgot to take them off). And he never threw them off, or refused to wear them, because he and Alomina used to come here with their father (before the war that killed him had started), and Alomina even then, had always made him these chains (though then, exceedingly untidy ones).

She wondered whether he would bring up that surprise soon, but she somehow had a feeling he was going to.

"There will be a surprise when we get back, Mina", Percy said softly, as though in synchronized time with her most recent thought, and he started to absently stroke her hair.

"Will I like it?", she asked slyly, hoping to get a clue of what it was.

"Trust me, you will", said Percy.

"What is it?", she queried jokingly.

"You'll find out soon enough, Mina", he said laughingly.

"Oh, alright", said Alomina, laying her head on Percy's shoulder.

"Shall we go then, that you may see your little surprise, my lady?", he said after a small while, standing up.

"I suppose, if we must leave"

"Yes, I'm afraid we must, Mina, it's nearly nigh unto midday, Aunt Dricynnia will be back soon"

"Then let's go", she said, mounting Alexandria.

"Ladies first", said Percy, having already mounted his horse, and gesturing towards the path back.

"Of course, my lord", she said, and she rode on out of the glen, Percy following.