Conrad slowly opens his eyes to the the glow of the sunrise leaking through a small gap in the curtain.  The walls glowed orange and yellow reminding him of...fire.  He sits straight up as panic sets in.  His chest felt tight making it difficult to breathe.  Xander was nowhere to be found.  He tries to call put but no sound comes out.  He was completely alone.

Xander opens the door and walks in to see Conrad in the midst of a panic attack.  He rushes over to the smaller boy, placing his hands on his shoulders.  "Conrad!  It's Xander.  Can you hear me?  You need to calm down."

Conrad's chocolate brown eyes find the older knight.  Xander remains calm so as not to make things worse.  "Good.  Now,  follow me.  Take a deep breath in, count to three then slowly breathe out."  The two of them do it together.  Conrad felt himself slowly relax, hus breathing returning to normal.  Tears burn the corners of his eyes.  Xander gives the boy's shoulders a reassuring squeeze.  "It's OK.  It's a perfectly normal reaction to have after such a traumatic event but I promise you are safe now."

At that moment a head with long blond hair peeks out from behind Xander.  Conrad turns to look as a girl about the same age as him slowly emerged from behind the knight.  The yellow in her hair made him think of sunflowers.  The green in her eyes like the green glow of the grass when the sunlight reflects off of it.  Her green dress hung down to just above her knees and looked like it was well made out of the finest material.  Her green eyes met his.  Xander looks at her then back at Conrad.  "This is Princess Wysterya."  The girl grabs each side of her skirt and gives Conrad him a little curtsy.  Conrad quickly jumps out of bed, making him mildly dizzy, and bows to the princess.  When he stood up straight he saw a smile on the princess's face.

"Pleased to meet you" she greets in her sing song voice.  "Xander has told mother, father and I everything."

Conrad looks at Xander with a slightly puzzled expression.  Xander smiles.  "She asked to come with us while I show you around the castle.  I couldn't say no."  He took the hand of each child before they left the room.

He takes Conrad and Wysterya through the castle introducing each room as they went through.  Conrad looks around amazed.  This place was as big as a small village.  The last place to see was the biggest glass building he had ever seen.  Xander stops at the door.  "I saved the best for last." He opens the door and inside was a beautiful garden which seemed to have every flower Conrad had ever known and then some.  The center piece of this garden was a huge tree covered entirely in pink flowers he had never seen before.  In his amazement Conrad let go of Xander's hand and ran toward the tree stopping just before the trunk.  Something about this tree stirred something deep in his heart.  He didn't understand it but he felt drawn to this tree.  It doesn't take Xander long to catch up to the boy placing a hand on his shoulder.  "Our job as Knights is not only the protection of the royal family and the people but also to protect the last tree in the world.  This will become your responsibility as well, if you accept it."

Conrad looks up at Xander who was looking down at him.  They stare at each other for a few moments while Conrad processes the offer made to him.  Conrad looks at Wysterya then back to Xander.  He nods his head.