” I wouldn’t reccommend it, hon,” came a voice from behind her.  Carly jumped and nearly screamed.  The woman was beautiful.  She had soflty flowing gray hair, a willowy figure and a kind face.

  ” Who are you?”  She asked.

  ” I’ve wondered when you would come to visit me.  I am Maybelle and I live here in these woods.” She said. ” I felt you and your mom as soon as you arrived here and have been waiting for you ever since then.  Why do you come now and alone?”

  ” My, my father found us again.  He is in the house with my mom and I think he killed her,” and she began to sob.  ” I only just got away and now I don’t know where to go.  Wait a minute, you said you felt us, does that mean you are magic as well?”

  Maybelle ran a comforting hand down Carly’s arm and said, ” I am.  Please come into my home and I will see what I can do to help. We are not alone here in these woods.  You picked a good place to hide.”

   Carly followed Maybelle through a hidden door in the tree and her jaw dropped at what she saw.  What she first had mistaken for a hollowed out tree was, in fact, a home.  There was a fire burning warmly in the corner, a white owl stood solemnly on the back of a cozy looking chair blinking at her.  There were books everywhere, some very old and most written in a language she was unfamiliar with.  Carly as still staring in awe when Maybelle held out a steaming cup.  ”Drink this, it’s tea and it will make you feel better.” At Carly’s worried look she said ” Don’t worry, I wouldn’t hurt you, you are too important to lose.”

  ” What do you mean by that? How long have you lived here? Can you find out if my mom’s okay?”

  ” Calm down.  All questions will be answered in time.  First you need to get some rest, you’ve had a rough day.”

    A couple of hours later Carly was curled up on one of the cozy chairs and drifting off to sleep.  Maybelle went into another room to alert the others and send someone to check on Carly’s mother.  It was time, she was sure of it.  She still couldn’t believe that the future queen of Kevania had stumbled on her doorstep.