EMBER

TALES

Snores are what wake me.

Thoren is sleeping so soundly next to me. His head buried deep into my red mane, his arm hanging loosely around my waist. He is wearing black linen pants and a matching button up shirt. He looks so peaceful. I have never taken a good look at him asleep.

His hair is tousled mostly covering one eye. His tan skin glows softly against the golden soft rays of sunshine filling the room making his cherubic pink lips more inviting. I sweep his hair gently giving him a chaste kiss on the forehead. He sighs turning over softly letting me go in the process.

I sit up and scoot off the bed gently unwrapping my legs from linen sheets as my feet touch the stone cold floor. I yelp raising my hand to cover my mouth. So cold. I don't want to wake the snoring cherub. I gingerly take a few steps on my tippy toes mercifully spotting a pair of slippers that I gratefully wear.

I stretch my arms over my head yawning and for the first time I notice I have a bandaged arm from my wrist to my elbow. I look back at Thoren and I see one of his palms is entirely bandaged. I examine myself and surroundings further.

Am in the same fabric of a halter neck black dress that flows effortlessly to my feet. I twirl around and surprisingly I have easy mobility. I love this dress. I even love how it feels on my skin. simple yet elegant in a way. And it's defying all laws of fabric by not wrinkling.

The room is airy. There is the huge bed I just crawled from facing huge windows that could easily pass for doors that are letting in a soft breeze and beautiful lighting. Somehow I feel nostalgic. Deep down I know this place like I have been here before.

The floor is polished black stone. A desk in one corner and a silver platted wadrope with a suspicious looking pot in the corner but that's about it. I take my eyes off what am hoping is not the chamber pot and pull the handle of the door.

Noise immediately assaults my ears startling me. Squeals, loud laughter, arguments, loud booms and so many more harassing me. I quickly close the door behind me and take a huge breath leaning against it.

I stand there taking rapid breaths with closed eyes. After I calm down I open them with determination and pull open the door open stepping into the stone hallway letting the noise wash over me this time.

A huge force crashes into me sending me flying on to my butt a few feet away.

"Am so sorry I did not see you there. I should have been more careful." A small gentle hand touches my shoulder. I look up and am met with black eyes on a very concerned gentle face of a little girl around thirteen with black hair framing her face. How did she manage to knock me that hard? Am literally bigger.

"Am alright" I get up and close the bedroom door not wanting to wake Thoren who is still happily snoring away. She gives me a wide smile that immediately disappears as she remembers something.

"Am late. The mistress is going to be yet again displeased with me." She squeaks immediately bending down and starts gathering the books and papers scattered on the floor. I bend down to help her. I stand up and hand her my arranged pile that she places on top of her messy one.

"Thea and you?" I introduce myself. She peeks up at me her black eyes shinning with impossible kindness. She is about a head shorter than me.

"Soia. Nice to meet you Thea" And with that she takes off down the hall until she disappears leaving stunned. I follow her trail regardless. I want to know where I am besides I need to find my so too.

Everything here is ancient. Well not exactly ancient but about medieval or middle age? am not sure. But it is almost like technology is forbidden here. Everything is mostly stone. It almost looks like the inside of a castle. I continue moving and notice it is surprisingly warm given the fact it should be cold with all the stone.