The Portal

III 3.4 Protocol

Hannah walked slowly away and headed for the balcony. The quieter and more distant she was, the easier it would be to go unnoticed. After she missed the End of Summer Ball, whispers of her absence filled the fortress. So, Serena had instructed her to spend more time outside the bedroom. According to her, the more reclusive she became, the more curiosity she would arouse. So, how about getting along more and showing that there was no reason to be curious? Well, that was the plan now. She leaned slightly on the counter. It was liberating to leave the room. She had spent the day answering letters, looking at maps and forecasts. She missed her training on the Island. As exhausting as it was, it was a way of channeling her energy. In Shailaja, she felt bored.

The night was beautiful. The temperature, however, was much lower than what she was used to. In fact, she was always feeling cold. It was her weakness, no doubt about it. Over her dark blue dress, she wore a thick and warm coat. She had borrowed it from Chris, as she couldn't own anything so refined. A light breeze ruffled the curtains in the main hall. Serena and Chris went in for another game of cards and she was left alone on the balcony.

She shivered. Hannah hated how the cold bothered her. Taking a deep breath, she let the coat slide down her arms. The breeze found her shoulders and she felt a shiver. She wasn't going to be overcome by the cold. On the Island, it was no secret how much she trained to become more and more resistant to it. The ghayas had already issued the warning: their enemies knew this weakness and would use it. She ran her fingers over the counter, trying not to shiver. The texture of the stone reminded her of her childhood. It was jagged and sandy like the place where she had slept until she was found.

- Miss Maël - called a deep voice.

Hannah turned and saw Noa Rariff in the porch entrance. Behind him, the curtains followed the wind and hid the hall.

- I'm grateful that you decided to join us. - Noa walked towards her and stopped beside a small table in the left corner of the balcony. He had a bottle of wine and two glasses.

Hannah moved a little closer to the balcony, intending to increase the space between them.

- There is nothing to be thankful for, Mr. Rariff - she replied. Keep your voice down. You must show shyness,tranquility and modesty. You will be the shadow of yourself. Gaetana's instructions echoed in her mind whenever she was forced to deal directly with Noa. No matter how much she watched him, she still couldn't decipher his character.

He set the glasses down and bent over as he poured the wine. Was he pouring the wine? What for?

- Miss Maël, I feel like we started out in a turbulent way. But I want you to know that it is my intention that our relationship remain peaceful - Noa said in his listless tone. Rarely did Noa Rariff express any emotion. It was like if he was on a diplomatic mission. He always spoke in a lower voice than the others. His intonation was profoundly bored. But even so, she had to admit that his presence there was disconcerting. Why bother? She clearly wasn't a threat.

Noa ran a hand through his short hair. It was an impatient gesture. He expected an answer.

- Uh... Of course, Mr. Rariff. It's my wish too - she replied. A truce. That's exactly what she wanted.

He stared at her for a brief moment, then picked up the wine glasses and offered one to her.

- How about we toast to this deal? - offered.

Oh no. Hannah took the cup carefully as her mind sought a solution. She couldn't drink that wine. It was against all regulations and safety measures on the Island. All their food went through a scheme carefully put together by Raoul. The food and drink that reached Hannah came from the same cook, who was trusted by Enzo Yezekael. Berta, her maid, could only make her requests to him. Apart from that source, Island protocol allowed her to eat whatever food was shared at the same table as Rariff, but she would never be the first to taste it. She always had to wait. Like any heiress, she was forbidden to drink anything offered directly by strangers, especially by an open enemy. Noa should have known that. However, he thought so little of her that he must have felt that these safety rules did not apply. That thought made Hannah angry.