Chương 2: Ch 2 Is this... Love?
Annabelle awakes in the silence of the morning and smiles as she stretches out. Her mind returning to her as she sits up and remembers the recent events. Sulkily she gets out of bed to be greeted by Trixi's smiling face.
"Good morning Princess." She says happily.
"Good morning Trixie." Annabelle says, testing her ankle gingerly against the floor before putting her whole weight on it. She stumbles slightly, Trixi catches her and helps her back to the bed.
"Careful deary." Trixi says lightly before flying off to the closet. "What would you like to wear today?"
"Just any dress will do..." she says, rubbing her ankle.
"Alright." Trixi smiles and pulls out one of the velvet purple riding dresses. "How about this one?"
"That's fine..." she says softly.
Trixi comes over and helps Annabelle get into the dress, "Shall I retrieve you a walking stick for the day?"
"I suppose..." Trixi smiles and rushes out the door. She's back in mere moments with a long oaken staff.
"Here you are darling." Trixie hands the staff to Annabelle.
"Thank you." Annabelle says, standing up she leans softly on the staff.
"Since you've the stick, where would you like to go, the master asked me to show you around."
"I want to see it all." Annabelle says lightly.
"Very well then Princess Annabelle, if you would follow me." Trixie smiles and leads Annabelle into the hall.
Trixi leads Annabelle out of the room and into the hall, where she points out several other rooms. "This is the detention floor, primarily used to house individuals of stature, such as yourself, in holding."
"The detention floor... so he's done this before?"
"No, well, not in the time I've been here." Trixi smiles, "The floor below this is the actual dungeon."
"That liar," she smiles softly, "he said he was putting me in the dungeon."
Trixi giggles, "Shall we continue to the next floor?"
"Lead the way," Annabelle smiles. Trixi guides her to a staircase and leads her up, stopping on the next floor.
"During the time of the Mountain King, when the Keep was the seat of power over the realm, this was the servants' quarters for both the royal families and the visiting dignitaries staff, now it's left unused."
"So many empty rooms."
"Yes, the Keep was once the biggest castle in the realm, and one of the most populous."
"Perhaps one day it will be again..." Annabelle said softly.
"Perhaps, the next two floors were the suites for the visiting royals and knights."
"And above those?"
"The garrison and training grounds, would you like to see them?"
"Sure."
Trixi smiles and leads her up the stairs, the next two floors visions of the last until they come out into a massive field of sand, a building in the distance the only structure she can see.
"The training grounds?" Annabelle asks in amazement, liking at the height blue sky above, "Are we outside?"
"Quite the opposite, we're in the heart of the mountain almost." Trixi smiles.
"How is that possible?" She asks
"Skystone." Trixi says, a sudden and nearby explosion and cloud of dust disrupting her from further speaking. Ravi flies out of the cloud, his eyes glowing silver and his face screwed up in what Annabelle could only describe as a toothy grin of joy and exhilaration.
Kyle also appears from the cloud of smoke, his body gleaming with sweat, his torso bare but for the glimmering silver ropes around his wrists. She follows the lines of his chest down as he and Ravi mock fight and blushes straight crimson when she realizes that he is similarly dressed on his lower half but for a loin-cloth and ropes like the ones around his arms.
"They do this a lot?" She asks, looking away from Kyle's near nakedness.
"Once a month." Trixi smiles.
"They seem to be enjoying themselves."
"For the most part." Trixi's eyes watch them as they go.
"So what else is there?" Annabelle says, her eyes on the ground.
"Hmm?" Trixi shakes out of her mind.
"The Keep? Is this everything?"
"No," Trixi smiles. "Above us on the next floor is the rookery, and the one above that is the ancient throne room."
"We going to go up and see it or do you want to stare at the rippling muscles of his near nakedness a while longer?" Annabelle asks with a crooked grin.
"Mmm." Trixi glances over and shivers, a big smile on her face. "Let's go on to the building over there."
"That's a yes then?" Annabelle asks softly as they walk across the sandy ground. As they get there Trixi opens the door to reveal several rows of bunk beds.
"Why are there beds in here...?"
"This was the barracks."
"For the soldiers...?"
"Yes, this was where the men-at-arms stayed, the next floor of this building was the knight's quarters," She leads the way to the stairs.
"Interesting..."
"Yes." Trixi smiles.
"You know," Annabelle stops halfway up the stairs, "I don't have to see the knights' quarters, but I am quite interested in the throne room."
"Then we just continue up the stairs."
"So the stairs connect to the next two floors?"
"Yes they do, now come on," Trixie smiles and continues up the stairs. They pass the knight's floor, a room similar to the last but with fewer bunks and armor stands. They continue up the stairs, and come out into a wide-open room, suddenly Annabelle is sent back to her first night here as she looks around the room.
She sees the same stone walls, and realizes that the room felt so open because of the high windows, this time though she notices the cages set into a nearby stone wall and walks over, the bottoms of them covered in the dust of their last residents. She turns and sees the stone throne glowing in the light of the setting sun, the carvings seeming to dance in the light. She walks up its dais and traces the carvings with trembling fingers.
"Isn't it lovely?" Kyle says from close at hand, the sound of his voice startling her.
"Do you have to do that?" She snaps at him, not turning from the throne.
"Yes." Kyle smiles and lounges in the throne, his loincloth appearing in her field of vision.
Blushing she asks, "Didn't you go change yet?"
"No, I come up here afterwards to view the countryside and air out."
Annabelle rolls her eyes, turning from him, "What was in these cages...? What do you think they kept here?"
"This was both the throne room and the rookery, those cages housed rooks, ravens, and crows."
"Ah." She says softly, Kyle shifts in the throne. "Before I forget again, thank you for escorting me back to my room last night."
Kyle chuckles, "It wasn't a problem, come on, we'd best get ready for dinner."
Annabelle turns on her heel and starts to leave, heading back for her room. Kyle stands at the parapet and stares out at the rough country before him.
"Amazing isn't it?" He asks before Annabelle has left, his voice causing her to stop. "This was once a grand kingdom that ruled the continent..."
"The entire continent...? There hasn't been a kingdom that size in hundreds of years."
"Indeed, and the knowledge and power they had allowed them to rule for several hundreds of years..." He smiles lightly, twisting a small ring upon his pinkie, "Sadly the royal family was feared and envied by one of the nobles who took it upon themselves to end the family's line."
"So the royal family was murdered?" Annabelle asks curiously,
"All but for the youngest daughter who was claimed by one of the servants as her own infant. I believe that your mother was a descendant of that line."
"No, my mother was from across the seas..."
"Not likely, though it would have kept your father from killing her." He says nonchalantly.
"What are you talking about? My father loved my mother."
"His family was the one that started the riot."
"This was hundreds of years ago, why would my father still care?"
"Because that line of rulers his family wiped out could use dragonic magic and the Five Gems of Creation. His family line feared that kind of power."
"Five Gems of Creation? I've never heard of them, what are they?"
Kyle touches the dark green gem hung around her neck and instantly she smells the wilderness, the forest pines and the baking of sweet bread. "You hold the one of the wilds."
"It's... just an emerald..." she says softly, cupping her hand around the gem. "And as for your earlier question, yes... it is very lovely here..."
He chuckles. "Do you want to learn how I did that?"
"Yes... I do..." She says softly, "My mother did that once, but... she died before she could teach me..."
"Then join me for breakfast tomorrow." He smiles as the sun sets and the countryside begins to crawl with the bandits and rogues of the wild places.
"Breakfast as well as supper..." She smirks softly, "You are a lonely kidnapper."
"Lonely or not you need to be there of you wish to learn." He chuckles.
"You sure that's not just an excuse for company?" She asks him, smirking softly.
He smiles and walks away, the gold of his left eye glowing softly. "See you."
Trixi comes in through the door as Kyle leaves. "The master sure seems happier around you."
"He's toying with me, like a cat with a mouse, that's all."
"No, it's more, his aura used to be so dark, now it's wonderful blues and greens."
"You're seeing things..." Annabelle says softly, turning from the window to leave the room.
"No, I see auras, and yours is turning pink."
"Pink? What's that mean? What was it?"
"Love, you're starting to see him as something other than your kidnapper."
"Never!" Annabelle storms out, running along the maze of corridors and back to the room she'd been taken to, the room with no door. She throws herself down on the plush bed, burying her face into the pillows.
"Trixi mention her aura thing to you?" Ravi's voice comes to her as he flies in and lands near her pillow.
"She thinks I'm falling in love..." she whispers softly.
"No doubt you are, Kyle has this air about him that you can't help but get attached to, and it gets worse if you've seen his eyes."
"Such beautiful eyes..." She whispers softly.
"Indeed they are," Ravi says, "Such enthralling pools, no mortal man should have the power to, at a glance, unwittingly steal the hearts and minds of unmarried maidens, and yet he does."
"Did he know...? Know the power his eyes hold over others?"
"He suspected, that's why Trixi had yet to see them before you arrived." Annabelle pulls a pillow over her head, crying frustratedly.
~~~~~~_____~~~~~_____~~~~~_____~~~~~
Kyle paces his study, the book in his hands half open to a page about mid-way through. "As you asked my Lord, I have read what I can of her aura and magic, do you care to know what I found?" Trixi asks as she flies into the room.
"Only the magic please." Kyle turns to find Trixi pouting. "I feared as much, you have some news you think will shock me about her aura, spoil it if it will get you to tell me of her magic."
"She has touches of pink in her aura!" Trixi says excitedly, "When you asked if I'd work here with you I gave you two conditions, let me cut your hair and find one you love so I might become your child's fairy godmother, and now it seems at least one of them might actually happen, I mean I figured you'd let me-"
"Trixi." Kyle interrupts,
"Yes...?" She says slyly, smiling brightly.
"Her magic?"
"Oh, yes," Trixi sighs, "I find traces of several types, some of the strongest present being fairy and dragonic, as per what I think she should learn in the subject, based on her two strongest types I might suggest the grey spells."
"Thank you Trixi," Trixi turns to leave, "And Trixi."
"Yes...?" She says slyly, smiling brightly.
"No fortunes or tea until I say otherwise." He smiles.
"Of course." She smiles slyly. Trixi then turns to leave and Kyle turns back to his search. Somewhere between finding the right spell and preparing the components for it he passes out from exhaustion.
~~~~~~_____~~~~~_____~~~~~_____~~~~~
Annabelle awoke the next morning to a bird, chirping in her window as the sun rose outside.
"Morning dear flower." Trixi smiles as she flies in and helps Annabelle up, "Since your starting magic today I've no issue letting you use one of those drab colorless things."
"They're not colorless...." She says softly, picking up a light blue riding dress.
"Well, you can't very well call them colorful."
"No I suppose they aren't..." Annabelle dresses and turns to the fairy.
"Not the most inspiring thing but it'll do, now come along, we've kept the Master waiting long enough."
"Why do you call him that?"
"He and I have a deal that spans to when he was a child, and a fairy always enters into service until the deal is upheld." Trixi smiles.
"What deal would that be?" She asks curiously.
"Oh, none of your business." Trixi winks lightly.
"You're really sneaky..." Annabelle says, smiling softly as they walk through the halls. They come into the hall and to Annabelle's amazement the table is filled with food.
"Welcome." Kyle says from the head of the table.
"Good morning..." She says softly.
"Morning." He smiles, "Will you join me?"
"Alright." She smiles softly back, sitting in a chair near his, not quite beside him but close enough to hold a conversation. "Please eat." He smiles, steepling his fingers.
"You're quite kind for a kidnapper..." She remarks, and not for the first time since she came here, filling her plate with an assortment of fruits. He smiles. She picks up an apple and takes a bite, the fruit disappearing. "It's fake?"
"Most of it is, it's a type of fairy magic, and your first test is to find the real food before Trixi finishes her feast." Trixi lets a massive platter of fruits and meats slam before her and starts eating gluttonously. Annabelle looks to the table, her fingers brushing along the emerald. She sighs and closes her eyes, her hands going through her hair in frustration.
"Open your eyes." A small voice says from deep within her. Taking a deep breath she opens her eyes, concentrating on the tray in front of her. As she looks the food begins to shimmer, fading into nothingness. She smiles slightly and looks to the table, maybe five of the dishes before her having anything actually on them. She reaches out and takes a fruit tart from one of the trays, taking a bite to discover it's a cherry tart.
"And time." Kyle chuckles as Trixi finishes her last slice of ham.
"Since you passed that let's get the food down here." Kyle raises his hands, shimmering golden threads seem to come from his fingertips to the filled platters. He raises his hands and the platters lift, then finishes by closing his fingers, the platters slowly flying to land before him. She smiles, lifting her glass to her 'host' before taking a sip and finishing off her cherry tart. Kyle sets up his plate with meats, cheeses and breads before adding a tart to his plate. Annabelle fills her plate with fruits, smiling softly as she eats.
"What will we be learning?" She asks between bites of the juicy fruit before her.
"You just learned how to 'see' magic which is the first step, next is understanding, so we're going to go to my private study and learn about the two spells you just witnessed."
"Illusions... and conjuring?"
"Summoning really, but either follows the same basic principles." He says between bites of ham. She nods softly, silently nibbling her fruit. He slices the pear and places it upon a piece of bread with meat and cheese.
"Your father has sent clothes for you." He says matter-of-factly. "They are being dropped off at the place I retrieved you as we speak."
"So he is going to comply with your ransom demands..."
"No, he's just sending you clothes."
"He's at least considering something, after all he sent clothes..."
"And a team to track me back or capture me."
"They won't catch you..." She says softly, picking at her fruit, "You'll be perfectly fine..." He chuckles at her mock concern.
~~~~~~_____~~~~~_____~~~~~_____~~~~~
Elise sits in the carriage and stares out the window, "How much further?"
"Not very." The guard beside her says curtly.
"I just find it hard to believe that the guards on horseback got to the castle faster than we're taking to get there."
"We're having to bypass several of the main trails so as to avoid ambush."
"Doesn't mean the horses have to walk constantly." She murmurs.
"Actually it does if we want to make it before nightfall." The guard scolds. Elise sighs dramatically, clutching a small stuffed dragon in her hands.
"I wish I were going to see my mistress... She must be so worried, terrified..."
"Is that hers?" The guard asks.
"Yes, her mother made it for her. I intend to place it in her chest of clothes when we arrive at the drop off point."
"A very touching idea." The guard smiles.
"I would love to be going along myself, I'm sure my mistress would be greatly pleased for my comfort."
"She might would be."
"Do you think... would he let me join him? To take care of my mistress?"
"The man might be a mongrel and take you just for the pleasure of raping and killing you." The guard says stone-faced.
"But what if he isn't? And if he is what if he's done that to my mistress? What if she's pregnant?!"
The guard sighs and shakes his head, "Women and their worrying."
"I'm not wrong..." She says softly. He smiles.
"Whoa!" The driver yells out, the carriage rolling to a stop.
"What's wrong?" The guard asks as he sticks his head out the window.
"The trail ends here sir, from here on we're going to have to use the horses."
"Wait here until we've prepared the horses." The guard says as he opens the door and climbs out, leaving Elise in the carriage.
She sighs as they wrestle the near wild horses out of the carriage yolk and into saddles.
"It's going to be a long day..."
~~~~~~_____~~~~~_____~~~~~_____~~~~~
Kyle sits and smiles as Annabelle tries yet again to mimic the simple illusion he was trying to teach her.
"This is impossible!" Annabelle says frustratedly.
Kyle stands and walks up behind her, "It's not impossible."
"Then why can't I do it?" She asks, her bottom lip puckering slightly as she resists the urge to cry.
"You're thinking too much about the realness of the object." He places his hands on hers. He slowly turns their hands over and grabs an apple. Her heart speeds up a beat at his touch. Slowly he takes their other hands and touches the apple, slowly pulling away a shimmering copy of the real one. "You focus on what it seems to be."
"That is so cool..." Annabelle smiles softly. He chuckles as his hands leave hers, the golden hue around the copy shimmering slightly and changing to a light red. "What's the color mean...? Why did it change?"
"The three basic types of magic each have a different visible hue: fairies are blue, mans is gold, and dragons use red."
"So what? Are you saying I've Dragon magic?"
"In so many words, yes."
"It was gold, now it's red... are you saying you're human and I'm a dragon?"
"No," He chuckles softly, taking her hand in his again, "I'm saying that there's a dragon somewhere along your ancestral tree, most likely some form of curse."
"A curse?"
"Yes," he smiles, "Now if you would excuse me I must go fetch your items."
"Items?" She asks lightly, watching him closely.
"You forgot already that you've been here for a month? Your father was to send a chest of your clothes to give him time to prepare your ransom."
"Oh..."
"Now if you want you can stay in here or you can go back to your room. I'll leave Trixie and Ravi here to watch over you."
"I'll stay here and practice, who knows maybe when you get back I'll trick you into thinking I'm gone." She smiles, winking softly. He shakes his head and chuckles softly as he leaves the room.
~~~~~~_____~~~~~_____~~~~~_____~~~~~
Elise touches the small golden amulet hanging around her neck as she watches the soldiers making up the camp. "Do you think there will be a raid?" She asks softly.
"There might be." The guard smiles, "If there is it might be a chance to redeem myself."
"I thought you were ambushed, it's not your fault right?"
"Our king is not so forgiving, I've known since the start of this trip that I was likely to meet my end somewhere on the road..."
"Well if we are ambushed and you save us you should be fine."
"Maybe." Just as Elise begins to relax against the tree a yell goes out, loud and primitive, the war cry of the Khander bandits.
~~~~~~_____~~~~~_____~~~~~_____~~~~~
Kyle sits in the tree he had sat on that fateful night and sighs as again not a single guard sees him or even notices the bandits that are following them. He looks around at the six poor fools one of which he had seen the last time.
Then he sees the woman who seems to be taking care of the chest. He smiles as she takes the chest and sits beneath him, leaning against the tree. And then the bandits attack, their near monstrous war cry a terror upon his nerves, sighing he watches as the guards and bandits face off, the bandit leader quickly stalking towards the woman. Kyle sighs, trying to distance himself mentally from the situation.
~~~~~~_____~~~~~_____~~~~~_____~~~~~
James heard the cry and cursed, Khander Bandits, just the type of situation he'd hoped to avoid, what's more, based on the sound of their horses there were seven of them. Where was Elise, he hoped she was in the tent out of site.
He quickly raises the alarm and draws his sword, meeting the first of the bandits as he jumps off his horse, managing to cut the poor bastards hamstring, the fight quickly going in his favor as one by one everyone else kills or is killed until he's standing before the last bandit, both James and the man before him battered and bloody.
As their swords clash James counts the number of bodies, slowly working their duel in a circle until he counts eleven bodies, counting himself and the man before him made twelve, where was the seventh and Elise, in a panic he rushes the kill of the last bandit before him, earning a long slash across the side of his stomach and breaking his sword. He falls to his knees and struggles to breathe until a long shrill scream splits the air.
~~~~~~_____~~~~~_____~~~~~_____~~~~~
Elise shakes in fear at the horrible site of the fight before her as nearly every guard and bandit fall by each other's hands. Finally she sees the guard who had accompanied her mistress out here facing off against what seems to be the last bandit. Sighing happily she falls to her knees as the two enter a deadly duel that spans the entire field while spinning the duelists in circles.
As she watches the guard rushes his attack, catching a blow to his stomach whilst ramming his sword through the bandits heart, the blade breaking as he thrusts and falls to his knees. Suddenly a hand reaches around and grabs her by the throat and all she can think to do is scream as the man picks her up and slams her into the tree.
"Mmm. You smell like a desert rose." The bandit breathes heavily on her, taking in the scent of her perfume, his breath smelling of booze and rot.
"Get off me." She struggles, trying to kick and punch him. Her efforts make him laugh loudly and she closes her eyes as she feels him rip off her shirt, opening them as tears fall she sees the guard leaning on the sword of one of the others as the bandit licks her tears.
"So sweet, the tears of a fine lady."
"Help me..." She barely whispers, the words more a prayer as a dark angel falls from the tree above, his wings like cloth, his eyes glowing with power and might.
"Ess Tye Al Ma." The man pressing himself to her suddenly explodes into ash as she falls through him, the last things she sees the guard falling from his wounds and the angel's wings surrounding her.
~~~~~~_____~~~~~_____~~~~~_____~~~~~
Annabelle smiles softly at her small feast of chicken, fruits, and vegetables. She smiles happily as she wonders if he'll be proud of her or not. She stops herself as the thoughts enter her mind and the enchantment fades. What was she thinking, she didn't want his praise, she didn't want to be near him, he'd taken her and been holding her here for a month, why, why was she starting to think like this?
"Well I think it's because you love him." Trixie says, smiling from the doorway.
"What are you talking about?" She says angrily.
"You were wondering why you want so badly to please him, why you want desperately to see his crooked little grin when he gets back and sees how you've improved."
"You don't know what you're talking about."
"Want me to look and find out?" Trixi says as she flies into the room. "I could you know, look into your future that is."
"Kyle says that my groom is in darkness..."
"Well, I wouldn't know, he told me not to look, but it's your future, so you've the right to overthrow his ruling on it." She smiles sweetly, a look that she's seen in her father when he was baiting his poor guards to their doom.
"Thank you, but I'd prefer not knowing. The future can always change..."
"Not the way that I tell it. What I see is the true future as your soul sees it, much like Kyle does."
"That doesn't change my mind."
"Fine..." Trixie throws her hands up in defeat, smiling, Annabelle scowls darkly. "I'm back." Kyle calls out into the castle.
"He's back!" Annabelle says softly, her face lighting up as she runs out to meet him. She reaches the entrance to find him carrying two bodies, one breathing lightly, the other doing so barely.
"What happened? Are you hurt? Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, they got attacked by bandits."
"Bandits? Let me help." She says, pulling the smaller body from his grasp. She pulls the woman's arm over her shoulders and, struggling slightly, manages to take her into a bedroom off the hall.
"Thanks, they were with the team bringing your chest."
"Did... Did anyone else make it...?"
"No, I stayed out of the fight mostly due to the numbers of soldiers."
"The only two to survive... my father must have sent his personal guard." She smiles as she lays the mystery woman in the bed.
"She had your chest and this." He hands her the small dragon.
"Only Elise knew of my dragon..." Annabelle says softly, taking the toy. She turns to the woman and moves her arm and hair out of her face, gasping. "Elise!"
"You know her?"
"She's my best friend, my hand maiden... she's been with me for years..."
"And the man?" He sets the man on the ground, the wound in his stomach bleeding some.
"He's from my own guard. Can you heal him?"
"Yes I can."
"Would you please? His name is James, and he's really quite nice..."
"Only because it's you asking."
"Thank you..." She smiles softly.
"Mmm..." Elise stretches softly, rubbing at her eyes, "What happened...? Where am I...?"
"It's okay Elise, it's me, Annabelle." Annabelle smiles, taking her hand.
"Annabelle...? Where are we?"
"The Keep." Kyle says from his work.
"You were sort of rescued by my daring kidnapper." She says, smiling somewhat fondly at him.
"My lady, are you ok?"
"I'm fine Elise, I'm sure you've been worried sick, but I'm perfectly okay."
"But, your wording, and that look on your face...?"
"What look? I don't have a look." She says quickly, still smiling.
"You do too." She says lightly, giggling.
"When you two are done, I'd like my jacket back." Kyle says as he leaves, "And the guard will sleep for the next few days." He turns and smiles at the two women. "I'll be back post haste for my jacket so have her ready for dinner Annabelle."
"Thank you for protecting her Kyle..." Annabelle says as he closes the door. She then gets up and opens her chest, taking out a clean pale yellow dress.
"Is he a fallen angel?" Elise asks breathlessly.
"He's a man Elise, he's kind and gentle... but he's also very powerful."
"I saw him, before I passed out, he came from above after I asked for help... I thought it was a miracle..." She shivers, "And the words he spoke... they did something to the man who had me and to my soul..."
"Forgetting already that he's a kidnapper?" Annabelle smiles.
"No." She shakes her head and shudders violently as she takes off the jacket to reveal her torn and tattered dress.
"Oh... the bandit?"
She nods soberly, "I doubt any man will want me if he knew... I wish never to tell anyone of this disgrace..." She sighs, "Though I'm glad he did not get farther..."
"Oh Elise!" Annabelle wraps her friend in a tight hug. "Well we can't keep him waiting all night, that would be quite rude."
Annabelle smiles as she helps Elise out of her torn dress. She then puts her into the pale yellow dress, brushing her friend's hair before tying a ribbon in it. A soft knock on the door brings them out of their quiet moment of staring into each other's eyes for answers.
"Are you ready ladies?"
"Yes Kyle," Annabelle answers, taking his jacket and Elise's hand before going and opening the door.
"It's good to see you both." He smiles, "Now follow me closely, this castle is a bit like a maze."
"Right behind you." Annabelle smiles. As they walk through the Keep Elise watches the halls and gets lost. Soon they enter the hall and Elise drops her jaw. "My lady, if you've been eating this royally then I can see why you're starting to like it here."
"It's an illusion dear Elise." Annabelle smiles softly.
"An illusion? What do you mean?"
"Half of the food is here only because magic allows it." Kyle smiles as he goes to the head of the table and indicates the two chairs in either side of him.
"Please sit." Annabelle smiles and sits on Kyle's left, leaving the right for Elise. "Now, Annabelle, would you please help your friend find food?"
"Of course." Annabelle smiles brightly, reaching for a platter of tarts three trays to her left. She takes three golden crisp tarts, leaving the rest before placing them on Elise's plate. She then reaches for an ordinary looking wooden pitcher and pours her a glass of water.
"Thank you, my lady." The dinner goes on in much the same fashion, somewhere in the midst of it Annabelle notices that Kyle's hair is covering his eyes again.
"Kyle, why'd you change your hairstyle?" She pouts.
"Don't need your hand maiden fawning do we?" He says so softly that Elise doesn't hear. "Besides, another's eyes wish to catch her."
"Oh? Who do you mean?"
"The guard, even whilst bleeding out all he could think of was her."
"Ah, that makes sense."
"What are you two whispering about?" Elise asks with a smile.
"What to get you for your birthday." Annabelle answers with a smile, "It's coming up isn't it?"
"Yes my lady." Elise smiles.
"That's what I thought." Annabelle smiles brightly, she fiddles with her food for a moment before looking to Kyle, "When James is ready for travel I'd like to send them home, if that's alright?"
"No, only death awaits them in that path." Kyle says morosely.
"What do you mean?"
"I don't think anyone other than your father's spies were supposed to return from the trip."
"My father wouldn't kill them..." Annabelle says softly, trying not to remember his murderous stare when the scullery maid knocked over a crystal vase that he had bought for her mother. The vase had shattered into small pieces that the maid couldn't piece together. Annabelle hadn't seen the maid since.
"He would, and he'd do it with a smile..."
"Well... can they stay here...? I know you said water was scarce, but I'm sure that James would help or work or something..."
"I will help so long as they continue to ask for it."
"Thank you," She says, smiling, "Thank you very much..." He smiles back, reaching for a bright green pear, the aura around it red.
"That one is fake," Annabelle says softly, smiling as she presses a real pear into his hand.
"Oh it is?" He smiles broadly, winking his golden eye at her as the purple one starts to glow, the red aura around the pear vanishing, he takes a bite out of both, each crunching lightly, each dripping small trails of juice down his chin.
"You tricked me?" She smiles and wipes a napkin across his chin, "That's not very nice..."
"It wasn't a trick, you really should read some of the books in the library." He winks again as the one fake pear vanishes and he gets up to leave, taking another bite of his remaining pear.
"I haven't been shown the library," She says, quickly getting up and following him. He leads her through the castle, Elise close on her heels. In what seems like second they come to a massive set of thick iron doors.
"Behold," He says as he pushes the doors open. "The Library."
As the doors open a massive circular room greets them. He moves to a banister and lands against it, their eyes going to the massive hole lined with levels of bookshelves. Annabelle gasps, kneeling at the opening to stare down the large chasm at the millions of books.
"Do you want to read my favorite one?" He asks smiling.
"Which one is it?" She asks softly, almost afraid to break the moment as if it were a dream.
"Library, please bring me The Chronicles of the Gods." The sounds of ruffling and whirling fills the room as a panel of the flooring in front of him opens, a thick book in faded red leather binding raises before him in a dais.
"Magic?" She asks softly in amazement.
"Yes." He smiles, lightly picking up the book and handing it to her. She gently runs her hand over the soft cover of the book.
"Be careful, that book has power and the illumination line of the text matches the status of the being it's talking about." He smiles as he starts for the door.
"Wait, Kyle!" Annabelle stands, holding the book tightly, "Accompany us back? If we go alone we'll be lost."
"Of course." He turns slightly and holds out his arm. She smiles and takes it, gesturing to Elise to follow them.
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