With a big smile, I sit with them. I continue eating my dessert. This time, the cook has made it tastier than the previous times she has made it, and my parents continue reading.
I sit across from the large window to look out over the beautiful view of our garden. The flowers had begun to sprout and blossom. Same the trees, some had started to produce lush fresh leaves, and some had begun to produce flowers. At such times the garden always smells lovely. Spring is here for good.
I like this season because the day lasts longer than in the winter when the darkness falls early in the afternoon. I do not like the dark at all. I do not know if what I feel is fear, but I know for sure that the darkness repulses me.
Further on, behind the mountains, I can only see the orange-red color of the sunset. The sun is now gone from the horizon. Soon the darkness will begin to fall. Candles will be lit everywhere in the castle, and they will invite us for our dinner, which is almost always something light without a lot of fat and no oily sauces.
Indeed, after a while, Aida appears at the door and invites us to the table.
We get up from our seats and head to the dining room. It fades from my mind that in this dining room that is now empty and we are just using a corner of it, on June 1st, it will be crowded with the guests we will have at the ball.
Did my mother talk to my father about the idea I told her? Mentally, I note to ask her at the first opportunity that we will meet alone.
We have taken our seats, and the servants appear with the plates. First, they serve the father, and from what I see, the cook has prepared fish soup, and it smells gorgeous. A sweet impatience has overwhelmed me to taste it, and I already feel my saliva running.
Soon it was my turn to be served, and I dipped my spoon in the soup and immediately after in my mouth. Mmm… flavorful!
On the table, they also left bread, cheese, and a salad with green vegetables from the vegetable garden that exists here in the castle next to the garden.
After finishing their work here the servants, leave. As soon as the last one passes the door, I hear my father say to me, "Edith, your mother told me about your idea about the ball, and I have no problem being a masquerade."
I'm pleasantly surprised. "Ah, thank you, father! You will see, it will be very nice ".
I hear him laugh softly. "I do not doubt that. And I will also be pleased not to see the faces of some that I do not like." He finishes, and I do not hold back. I giggle while my mother drowns with the soup. My father offers her some water, and she offers him an angry look.
"Lucius, Edith does not need to hear that."
"There is no problem. I understand, "I say, and I continue to giggle.
"Edith!" my mother tells me sternly, and I stop.
"Sorry, mother," I say and continue my food. I empty my plate from the soup and add some white, soft cheese.
"It should be written in the invitations too that it will be a masqueraded ball. I hope they have no objection," the father says to my mother.
"I will arrange it. And do not worry, I'm sure the guests will like it. Especially to the young princesses and princes who will come with their parents."
I'm sure too they will like it, but I'm not saying anything. I finish my cheese and I get up.
"I will go to my room. I feel sleepy. I will go to bed early tonight. "
"Go, my child," my father tells me. "Rest and prepare for tomorrow's defeat in fencing," he tells me, and his eyes are sparkling playfully.
I smile. "We'll see about that," I say stubbornly and leave.
I get into my chamber quickly. My nanny is already there, and I smile at her as I approach her. I take her hands in mine.
"You came!"
"Of course."
"One moment to put on my nightgown. I finally want to feel a little comfortable. "
"Let me help you," she tells me and turns to see my back. It loosens the laces from my tight belt, and I can finally breathe freely.
"How can you stand this, my child?" asks me.
"I'm used to it," I answer, pulling the shirt over my head and taking it off.
"Come on, sit down so I can take off your boots," she tells me and pushes me gently on the bed.
I sit and stretch to her my leg. She has learned the easy way, and it is no longer difficult for her to take them off. I extend the other leg to her, and when she takes it off that too, she places it next to the other. Nice and tidy. On the other hand, if it happens and I have to take them off on my own, apart from the fact that I have a little difficulty, I leave them everywhere in my chamber. No tidy at all.
"Take off your pants until I bring your nightgown," she says to me, and I obey.
She returns with the nightgown in her hands and passes it over my head. I put on my sleeves and get up to make the bed and lie down. I rest my head on the soft pillows, and when I make myself comfortable, I invite her to come and sit next to me on the bed.
"Nanny?"
"I hear you, my dear."
"I want you to tell me the story of the dragons again. I know it's a legend now, but I like to call it a story."
I see her smiling.
"It has been years since you asked me for it," she states.
"I thought I grew up enough for stories."
"And now what has changed?"
"I have started to forget it, and I want to refresh it in my memory again. There is a point that I have entirely forgotten, and I want to recover it ".
"Fine then. Here it comes. Many years ago, dragons discovered the supreme good that the Earth could offer to any of its creatures. A red gem, which the king of dragons named "The Heart of Magic" because of its shape, resembled a heart.
The magic gem fulfilled their greatest desires. And as I have heard, these were the breath made by fire, to be able to swim underwater, to speak like humans, because you see they were madly jealous of our ability, and the dragon asked to take human form whenever they wish.
All the dragons in the world also obtained a necklace with a small piece of the red gem that shone. All the dragons born afterward also carried the same necklace.
Then, when the gem was stolen, this light went out of every necklace, and the dragons lost these magical abilities that the gem had given them.
But before this could happen, after fulfilling these desires, the dragons used them against the people, enslaving them. When the gem was stolen, it was all over. Dragons are still looking for it, and humans wish never to be found so that they do not go through the same thing again."
"Is it wrong for humans not to want to be found?" I ask her.
I see her slightly surprised, but she replies, "No, of course not. They are not wrong. "
"Why could the gem not continue to offer magical abilities to the dragons even after it was stolen? What did that matter? "
"Hmm… Nice question, but unfortunately, I do not know the answer. I do not remember the legend mentioning this ".
"Anyway, I remember the story a little bigger," I tell her right after, a little confused.
"Really? Well, then maybe I forgot to tell you something. But now I cannot remember what that is. If I remember, I will say to you next time ".
"Okay. Can I ask you another question? I remembered what I had forgotten from history ".
"Of course. I hear you".
"Did Libelle have her necklace when you found her?"
"No, she did not."
"And do you give any explanation for that?"
"The only logical explanation I can think of is that she was born after the gem was lost, and since the magic was no longer valid, she did not also have the necklace."
"Yes," I say thoughtfully. "It's a logical explanation."
"If you do not need me something else, I will let you sleep," she tells me.
"Yes, you can leave, and thank you very much."
She bends down and kisses me on the forehead. "Have a good night's sleep," she tells me and leaves.
I close my eyes and soon fall asleep.
______________________________________
Aida came out of Edith's room and closed the door behind her. She headed to her chamber, which was on the lower floor away from the royal rooms.
She walked in and locked the door. She approached the fireplace, carefully pulled out one of its stones, and took in her hands a small linen bag. She turned it over in her hand, and a necklace with a small piece of red gemstone tied on it rolled in her palm. She caressed the little gem with tenderness for a few moments, and after, carefully put it back in the bag and returned it to its hiding place.
The following day when I wake up, the sun has just begun to rise. It makes sense to wake up so early since I had fallen asleep very early the night before.I do not know if this is the reason. However, I feel completely refreshed and very cheerful. I feel a little different today. I sense that something exciting will happen today, hmm… and I think I know what that is. I will beat my father in fencing. Of course! This is it!I get out of bed in good spirits and go to the closet to find clean clothes to wear.Luckily for me, Una has them completely orderly by color and type. So I take a blue shirt and black leather pants and wear them. I put on my boots, but not the belt, I will need some help with it, and I put it aside. When Una comes, I will ask her for help.I approached the window, next to it, there is an armchair. I moved it so that it could see the window, and I sit down. It is so beautiful outside. I do not remember getting up so early to wat
EdithI follow my father with my heart beating loudly in my chest out of impatience. At some point, he turns and tells me."In order for the fight to be fair, we will go through the arsenal to get two new swords, so we will not have the same comfort with them as we would have if we were fighting with our own."I do not object, but I do not think it has anything to do with it. A sword is a sword."I hear him laugh softly. "But it does. You will see it for yourself ".We cross the backyard and enter one of the extreme towers. I know that the arsenal is on the top floor.The closer we get, the more deafening the noise from the construction of the weapons becomes. Especially the sound of the hammer on the iron pierces my ears.We enter the arsenal area, and all the heads turn towards us. Immediately their faces take on a surprising look. They give up what they are doing and bow down deeply."Your majesty."I he
DrakeFortunately, I have taken the necklace off me, and I have it somewhere very well kept, so I do not have to worry about that.All the way, I think about what to do. Where can I hide the papyrus so that they do not find it? I do not know what is written on it, but they will surely understand a lot from it if it falls into the wrong hands. There is a big chance everything will be revealed, and I'm sure it will cost me my life. But I have no other choice. I am forced to take the risk, and whatever is to be done will be done.For a start, I have to find a way out.I leave the village and slow down a bit, looking around seeking a solution. I do not know what I am looking for either myself.Suddenly I see a small clump of pine trees, and I come up with an idea.Before I go there, I look around and fortunately no one is coming. I make my way to the clump with quick steps. I go deeper into the trees and start looking for trunks th
DrakeI get up to my feet and see her running towards me in panic, shouting, "Are you okay? I am so sorry; I did not mean to. You scared me."I get even more furious and yelling at her back:"And does that mean whoever scares you his life is in danger? Are you crazy, lassie? What do you want for that devil thing you are holding?"I feel my blood boiling with anger, and I clench my hands in fists. I am so angry that I think I could grab that girl by the neck.I see her approaching me more and more. But now, her treatment has changed, and she gets close to me in an aggressive mood.When she arrives in front of me, and I see her clearly; her beauty overwhelms me, and especially her green eyes. Her cheeks have turned red, and she is also clenching her fists. But my fists have loosened up as soon as I saw her beautiful face.I am no longer in the mood to argue with her, but she has the opposite opinion because she
DrakeI make a move to pick the papyrus up from the floor without intending to read it, but my mother bends down and grabs it first."Nooo!" she cries fearfully."I just wanted to pick it up. I did not intend to read it. You are pale, mother. What is wrong? Why do not you tell me?""Please, son, do not make it more difficult. I cannot tell you. Forgive me," she tells me, wrapping the papyrus tightly and hiding it in her bosom, muttering that at the first opportunity, she will throw it into the fire."Okay, mother, it does not matter. Will you give me the meat now? David is waiting for it.""Who is David?" my mother asks me."He is the villager who owns the meat. I heard him saying that he will not have the time to come to the castle and exchange the wheat. I took the opportunity and offered myself to go instead of him. "I see her smiling. "My smart boy!" she tells me and caresses my hair on the top of my head.
EdithEnraged, I turn my back to the rude slob who dared to treat me this way, and with significant hasty steps, I move away from him.When I get far enough, I hide behind a thick trunk of one of the trees scattered in the garden. I take a deep breath and try to peek as discreetly as possible so that he does not see me.I watch him take his wheelbarrow and head towards the kitchen, which, as I suddenly remember in horror, is a little further than where I was standing.The path which leads to the kitchen passes next to the tree in which I am hiding. I swallow dry and cold sweat starts to bathe me. I behaved recklessly hiding here, and now if he catches me hiding here, it will be an absolute humiliation for me. This should definitely not be done.I keep overseeing his every move to be sure that he will not spot me. I must not lose sight of him. He is getting closer and closer. I can hear his puffs as he struggles with the weight o
EdithWhen his shape disappears entirely from my field of vision, I get up and hurry to the exit of the large living room, closing the door as I had found it.I do not want to see anyone, I do not want to talk to anyone, so I head to my room to be alone. Completely alone. This is what I need now. I enter my room and lock my door.Tears have already begun to flow down my eyes... How can this happen to me?I do not want this to happen to me. I deny it.But it is not enough for only the mind but also the heart to deny it. But the heart is stubborn, it does not want to give up on what it started to feel, but that makes me suffer.But how can something like this happens so soon? So sudden? How is that possible? Is it possible?I fall face down on the bed and tuck my face into the pillow. I allow myself to cry in the safety of my loneliness.Without realizing it, I fall asleep and know it only when I he
Aida stood indecisively at the secret passage's opening, searching around for some movement from any creature of the night. The moon was in its fullness, and full of light was hanging in the sky, generously scattering its silver light. She strained her ears for a while to the darkness, and all she could hear were the sounds of the night. An owl on a branch, annoyed by the human presence, flew away. After careful research, she decided she could continue her way, and she did. She started walking fast, carefully, and with steps as quietly as possible. Only tonight's purpose prevailed in her mind, and that she had to succeed. The route she had to cover was quite long, and she had to go and return to the castle before dawn. They should not realize her absence. How would she justify it? For so many years, she had managed to hide her true identity. It is impossible now to discover her so simply, and especially now that all she wants is to help.