Okay. Should I go looking for him first thing?

The rules about what people should do are strange and I don't really know. I'm not supposed to run off to cry but you might allowed since you're from faraway and it won't make Ata sad. You could go look for him so he can fix things.

...Why aren't you supposed to run off to cry?

Makes Ata worry, he thinks I'll be eaten by orcs. That's what happened to children who ran off to cry when he was little, and even though there aren't any orcs here he's always scared.

Oh. Well, where will I find your Ata?

He highlights a room in the palace floorplan he'd sent her, then stands there, warily watching.

Do you mind if I move the things so I can get out?

I'll move them back.

Okay. So she sets aside the things enough to let the door open and steps out, waving at the tiny articulate child.

He starts dragging them back into place.

And she heads for the room he pointed out, walking slowly and warily.

Someone heads down the hall in the other direction, does a double-take at the sight of her, says something in the language she doesn't speak.

Wince. I'm sorry, I don't speak your language.

The stranger takes this reasonably well. I see. Are you an Ainu of a distant land?

I don't know what an Ainu is. I'm from a country called the Imperium and I arrived here in a magical accident.

I see. And you are here to ask the aid of our King?

I'm trying to figure out where I am and what I should do next, and if your King will not be angry that I landed in his palace, that sounds like a reasonable thing to do next is ask his aid.

Of course he won't be angry, you poor thing. This way. An encouraging smile.

So she follows the person.

Into a marvelous and architecturally impossible atrium with soaring ceilings, lit again by an extremely bright gold light shining directly through all the rock. There are people crowded at the front of it, speaking. Her escort calls something, gets their attention, and then presumably explains the situation, as all eyes turn curiously to her.

Um. Hello, she says, shuffling awkwardly. She's still wearing her backpack in the presence of Apparently A King, how ridiculous.

The man who is apparently the King (his robes are most elaborate, he's wearing an elaborate headpiece and everyone steps aside for him, though he's not sitting on any kind of throne) sweeps toward her. Welcome to the Blessed Realm, child!

Thank you. I apologize for the, um, unannounced arrival.

But it is certainly not to me that you'd owe an announcement, and we wouldn't have known what to do with it anyway, save welcome you better. Are you well? Was your journey tedious?

It was instantaneous but disorienting; I think I'm all right though.