Chapter 41

The ceremony room was dark, and Ilyin could barely make out a round table, from the faint light coming from the corridor. The elders from the three families sat behind them and now stood up as the couple entered, bowing their heads.

“Raise your heads,” Aden spoke curtly, and the room became darker as the door closed. Ilyin saw a soft light glowing on the round black table, which was placed in the middle of the room, and it took her a few seconds to realize that it was a mirror.

“The succession ceremony will now begin,” one of the elders said.

Lidan, of the Blue North, approached the table and spoke something that resembled a magician’s spell. Ilyin couldn’t understand a word. She had received a comprehensive education in languages but wondered what Lidan was saying.

“Raise your hand after he finishes the enchantment.” Ilyin’s grip on the Mille’s item tightened as Aden whispered to her. She was unsure which to raise. Aden held her empty hand to support her and said reassuringly, “You have nothing to worry about.” Aden consoled her as Lidan finished his spell, and he guided Ilyin’s hand onto the round table. The surface was surprisingly ice-cold, and suddenly a bright light filled the room. She covered her eyes with the hand holding the Mille’s flower, instinctively.

She could see only the hand’s shadow amidst the bright white light, and Ilyin realized that she was no longer holding the flower. Also, she no longer felt Aden’s hand. She looked around to see that she was alone in the sunny lands. Then, she looked down and saw that she was wearing a white dress and summer shoes. Green grass gently rustled in the breeze, as Ilyin stared far ahead. She saw wide plains and a hill in the distance. Ilyin was standing in the middle of a dirt road that continued far ahead of her, with grass and wildflowers on either side of it.

It was spring and the sky was a clear blue with soft clouds floating by. Then, in an instant, everything around her began to grow rapidly. Ilyin stepped back as she felt the ground move, and a tree grew miraculously where she’d been standing. Jolted by its sudden appearance, she took a few more steps back and watched in awe as it grew several times taller than her. The healthy tree provided Ilyin with shade from the bright sunlight but she could still feel the wind. Looking up at the leaves, the sun seemed to be directly above her and she squinted.

When she lowered her gaze again, she saw the colorful wildflowers but also noticed something else. Ilyin thought she had seen incorrectly, but as she looked more closely, she saw the Biflten Estate shining under the sunlight. The pale vines covering the mansion were now a bright green, and full of life! She seemed to glide towards the mansion; she was now seeing Biflten in the summer.

Ilyin saw the four seasons pass her by as she walked. The scenes were like someone was placing different landscapes next to her with each step she took. Ilyin stopped when it was summer again and she heard massive waves crashing on the shore from the sea that had frozen in Biflten. The white sands turned dark as waves came rushing in. She felt the waves around her ankles as the tide receded to form another wave and she absorbed the wonderful sights as she touched the soft wet sand with her hand.

The sun was hot against her face and the water pleasantly cool at her feet and she delighted in the different sensations. Looking at her shadow, it revealed to her that she was wearing a straw hat that she’d never seen before. Removing it in disbelief, the sun penetrated her eyes the moment she did so, and she had no choice but to wear it again.

As she waded through the cool water, she saw a cliff, adorned with green grass, on the horizon. While the scenery was strange, she knew that this was Biflten. Calmly, she walked around observing the far sights and the leafy trees and also scrutinized the cliffs in the distance, but didn’t discover what she had been searching for. There was so much to take in.

While she still saw winter, it was not as harsh as the current winter in Biflten. The snow was deep enough to play in but not deep enough to bury anyone, and children ran happily about, wearing light clothing. The wind was not enough to freeze people either; it was a winter warm enough to bring a smile to Ilyin’s face.