Infinity

Chapter 5

So I left the infirmary about 20 minutes ago and I can say that I’m officially lost. It is a really beautiful castle where everything is made of pure white marble speckled with gold, but this place has more halls and corridors than the main castle in Affinity, but then again most people wouldn’t go through every secret passageway that they find like I have so far.  Although I have found some useful rooms; like the weapons room where I exchanged the overly jeweled hilt that was on the dagger to a plainer cowhide hilt (I kept the old one just in case I ever get the chance to put the dagger back) and a study where I borrowed a candle lamp, some paper and a pencil so I could start sketching a map of the corridors.

Looking around the hall that I am in now, where the white marble is now a musty off white/brown, I don’t think anyone has been here for years. Most of the engraved squares containing intricate designs that were on the walls were in the marble but the ones that contained secret passageways looked like marble but were really made of wood.  I marked it on my map and put it in a sash I made with a ribbon that was on my dress. I squeezed my way back into the dusty old passageway in the hall that I was holding open with my foot and closed the door behind me. I looked back at my map and decided it was time to stop doing this and make my way back to the guest rooms were. I already skipped lunch because one of the passageways led right in to a kitchen cupboard, so people are probably looking for me right about now.

I slowly opened the wall door and looked both ways before crawling out. I brushed off my dress causing dust clouds to engulfing my breath sending me in to a coughing fit. I shut the door as my scar on my chest started to sting; I guess it was time for some more medicine. I jogged around the corner while my focus was behind me I ran into someone in front of me.

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry,” I said while quickly backpedaling from the person.

“I know I’m attractive but you don’t have to fling yourself at me.” A sarcastic male voice said.

I recognized that voice, I looked up to meet those playfully green eyes again. Keir was smiling at me and leaning against the wall with arms crossed, it looked completely posed. But I decided to be polite and act princess-y anyway, might as well not start off on the wrong foot. Knowing me my opinion might leak out anyway.

“Oh, you were the guy who was at my bedside when I first woke up.” I bowed my head, “Thank you for keeping me company. Your name was Keir if I remember correctly.”

“I’m flattered that you remember my name Princess Astraea,” he said, never breaking eye contact with me. He pushed himself off the wall and walked towards me so that he was barely a step away from me. I looked up at him realizing how tall he was; I mean I’m not that short so he had to be 6ft or taller. “So where have you been all day? Everyone, including me, has been looking for you.”

“Um… you know here and there,” I said shifting my weight back and forth starting to feel uncomfortable with the now closing space between us.

He raised his eyebrows, “here and there? I suppose I can believe that…” Keir closed the space between us causing me to lean away from him. He raised his hand and gently placed it on my face sending tingles across my face then rubbed his thumb back and forth on my cheek. He pulled his hand away and turned it so his palm would face me. “Seeing how much dust is on your face and in your hair.”

I felt my face start to burn as I wiped my hands all over my face then I looked down at my side pony to see my hair was now a dirty blond color.

“Um…I…uh…” I tried to form an excuse but my embarrassment covered up all thoughts I tried to make.

Wiping his hand on his black pants and stepping back so we weren’t so close all the while amusement danced across his eyes, he said, “Would you like me to show you where your room is so you can wash up?”