I decided to sail south from Annan’s Port and check out the capital.  The trip was easy and peaceful. The most exciting thing that happened was a pod of Erde’s dolphins surrounded the ship and escorted us for most of a day.  The crew seemed very happy with this, and we had a small feast on deck that evening.  After that they called me Lucky Lady, and treated me as a treasured possession.

I usually avoid the large cities.  They’re the same everywhere: overcrowded, noisy, and dirty.  I’m glad I made an exception, for Koenigsburg was magnificent.  The city’s architecture was a blend of human, Duerfar, and Alfar construction, with squat, solid homes and shops beneath soaring arches and towers.  In the middle of the city was the Heart Grove.  I had heard that the Alfar begin new communities by planting the seed of a giant oak and making a sacrifice but nothing prepares you for the sight.  This massive tree towered over even the walls, and was visible from every part of the city.  Most people believe the spirit of the Alfar who was sacrificed has disappeared, but I’m certain I saw her, leaning against the trunk of the great Heart tree.  I left a bowl of milk and honey for her.

Click this link to read a little more about Koenigsburg.

This work by Jean Headley is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.