FOURTEEN: Aiyana

As I stepped into Igor's Library, I was met with a sight that took my breath away. It was vast, situated in one of the palace towers, the ceiling seemed to touch the clouds, and the staircases that wrapped around the walls appeared to stretch on forever. The shelves, packed tightly with books of every shape and size, reached upward like a labyrinthine maze, each one overflowing with books arranged in a system I was unsure of.

Igor's boast that he possessed every published literary work was no idle claim, I realized, as I gazed upon the endless rows of volumes that seemed to contain the very sum of human knowledge. Tomes bound in supple leather, adorned with gold filigree, sat alongside paperbacks, their covers creased and worn from countless reading.

As I wandered through the hallowed halls, my footsteps echoing off the stone floors, I couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and reverence for the sheer scope of Igor's literature collection. Though, I must admit my disappointment at his absence in the library.

"Greetings," a voice chimed, and I startled in fear. It was a young boy standing beside me, his presence unnoticed until then. "I apologize if I have startled you."

Pressing a hand to my chest, I waved off his apology. "No, it's quite alright. And who might you be?"

"I am Thalindor, guardian of this chamber of knowledge. And you are Her Majesty, soon-to-be queen of The Nedor Kingdom, Princess Aiyana," he introduced, bowing respectfully.

"Hello, Thalindor," I replied, noting the silver-gray hue of his hair and the depth of his eyes. "Aren't you rather young to be a librarian?"

He chuckled before responding, "But appearances can be deceiving, Your Majesty. I am not as young as I may seem."

Gray hair, silver eyes, a petite frame, and a remark hinting at age beyond his appearance – it was unmistakable. "You're an Elf," I exclaimed, and he tilted his head to the side as if it were an obvious observation.

"Yes, indeed," he affirmed, acknowledging my observation. "Have you never crossed paths with an Elf before?"

Realizing that encountering elves might not be unusual in this Kingdom, I gathered myself, although still taken aback by the confirmation of their existence.

"I may have encountered one previously, during my journey here. Her name is-"

"Sylvanwee," he interjected, surprising me with his familiarity. It appeared that elves were not numerous, and they were quite acquainted with one another.

"She protects the mist boundary between Eldoria and The Shadowrealm. Elysium lies beyond the border, and naturally, the King would use the common portal to reach Elysium, thus encountering Sylvanwee," he elaborated. However, I found myself struggling to fully comprehend the significance of his words.

"Dear me, I must be rambling. My master mentioned your arrival; please feel free to choose whatever you like," he said, starting to walk away. "If you need anything, simply clap, and I will attend to you."

"Wait!" I exclaimed, causing him to turn back. "What you were discussing just now, the realms… I believe I've read about it somewhere."

"It's rather common knowledge," he replied casually.

"Actually, it's not. I'm not well-versed in knowledge of other realms. Is there anything here that could enlighten me?"

His eyes lit up with excitement, and he hurried off, saying, "I shall be right back."

I stood in the midst of the library, listening to the echoing sound of his footsteps as he scuttled from one floor to the next. Suddenly, a loud crash followed by the clattering of objects made me call out in concern, "Are you alright?"

There was no response. Instead, a blonde-haired girl entered the room, looking both distressed and surprised to see me.

"Who are you?" she asked rather rudely. "Only members of the royal family are permitted access to this place."

"You're not a member of the royal family, yet here you are," I responded, noting her lack of recognition of who I was.

"I shall have you know that I am a future princess of this Kingdom," she asserted.

"And I shall have you know that if you persist in this manner, you may never attain that royal title," I replied calmly, maintaining my composure.

She gasped and retorted, "Just wait until I find my betrothed. He shall have his brother, the king, behead you for speaking to me in such a manner."

I chuckled at her threat. "You'd have my husband behead me? How foolish and insolent you are," I remarked with amusement.

Her eyes widened in shock as recognition dawned upon her. "Fiery-haired woman, oh dear!" she whispered in realization, throwing herself to the floor as she cried, "I am terribly sorry, Your Majesty. Please do not have me executed. I have not yet lived long enough to see the prophecy come to pass. Please forgive me."

Confused by her mention of a prophecy, I found her presence increasingly irritating. "You may leave before I reconsider," I stated firmly, not wanting to endure any more of her feigned remorse.

She hastily got up, expressing her gratitude, but then her hand instinctively went to her neck, as if searching for something, perhaps a necklace. Without a second glance, she hurriedly exited the room just before Thalindor descended the stairs, precariously balancing a stack of books in his arms.

He made his way to the nearest table and deposited the books on top of it. "I heard some bickering. Did someone enter the room?" he inquired, his large eyes seeming to peer into my very soul.

"Yes, but they've left now," I replied, relieved to see him return without incident.

He pulled out a chair for me, and as I sat down, he handed me what appeared to be a map. With a gentle breath, he blew off the dust, inadvertently causing us both to cough as some of it filled the air.

Carefully, he laid the map on the table and opened it. I couldn't help but notice its striking resemblance to the one I had discovered back at home.