Stained in red

Battle Plans

I started off by going to the library I had seen earlier. I had never been a fan of books, but library's always held secrets. I wandered around the bookshelves, it seemed to go on forever, I was lost from five minutes in. Maybe I had to trigger a book? I wasn't sure, but I started pulling books of the shelves. I gave up, there were too many but finding a secret passage, maybe a room had become an obsession. I looked down, any trapdoors? No. I was getting frustrated. Then all of a sudden I heard people talking outside. I hurried to the exit, getting lost several times. The voices were nowhere to be seen by the time I'd left the library. My curiosity was peaked, I followed in the direction I thought they went.
"The yellow... closer..." YES! I found them! I moved closer, quietly.
"We'll set up defences on the west coast, then they'll be rounded by the guards over here where we can finish them off." The man finished. Battle plans. A meeting.
"Let's do it then, the quicker the better, they are going to come anytime now."
"Of course Prince Serta." A prince. Wait what!? Did I miss something? Of course he's a prince. I should've guessed. Then I recognised Jax's voice, totally fresh, she wasn't panting anymore.
"I've still got to train up a triple, should I let them go to? They know the basics."
"Only your best, we shouldn't risk valuable lives." Serta commanded. Someone was stepping closer to the door, I hid.
"Jax," called the prince, "Make sure they're ready." I could see her, she nodded. Then left, she didn't see me. So Jax trained soldiers, no wonder she was such a good teacher! I sighed, I still had time to explore so I started my trip, turning left. I let my feet carry me, I drifted through the rooms, one by one. I came across a kitchen, I saw a chef showing how to 'magic up' Demna. To me it still looked horrible, but the taste of it made my mouth water. After I watched the chef for a while I carried on, I found a garden. I'm sure it was the same woods, but it was so magical, it almost felt like heaven. A breeze wafted my blond hair, and floated around my face. It was crisp and fresh. I was drawn further in, getting deeper, and deeper. The strange noise sounded again, what was that creature? Who made a noise like that? It sounded almost like a birds tune, but deeper, and thick with a soft growling. It hummed and glided in my ears. I saw a wisp of white, a feather? A tail? I followed it, it was fast, and made no sound. Finally I reached a stream, mini waterfalls rolled of the damp mossy rocks in every direction.I saw it. It was as big as a parrot, maybe bigger, with a white feathery tail twice as long as it's body. It had a white and pale blue body which was beautifully feathered, they curled and stretched around in spirals. It's eye was black, though it had no hind of evil or emptiness about it. In fact, it looked the opposite. Calling it a bird would be arguable, but nothing else described it.
"It's a feathered spirit, well that's what we call it. It's amazing you've seen it, although we have many here, they only show themselves to few." I couldn't take my eyes of the amazing animal to look at him, I wanted to savour the amazing creature it felt warm through my eyes.
"It's beautiful!" I smiled, whispering , I didn't want to scare it.
"She is," he agreed, "the males are white with green and dark emerald colours." He told me. I could feel him watching me...scanning my face. "What's your name?" He asked. That's the question of the week isn't it. But I didn't mind telling him.
"Kassa, but I really don't think that matters, I always believed that it's who you are that counts."
"Rubbish." He laughed. I smiled, the spirit bowed its head and then took off. I felt heavy, like air had been sucked out of me and now I was just stone. "Feeling bad?"
"Yes, how did you know?"
"The spirit Gives power and energy, when it leaves your brain is tricked that so does it's gifts. But that is all a lie, they are stronger after the encounter."
"I don't understand..." I trailed off, still staring into the spot where it took off.
"It's hard to explain... blink." He instructed. As an instinct I did. Ouch! My eyes stung, had I not blinked that entire time?!
"How come you know so much?" I asked now looking at him through watery eyes, I made out a blurry figure.
"I'm a... gardener, I guess you could say. I count the animals to check their numbers, I also look after the forest and study herbs and medicine, if something happens to the forest it's my duty to stop it."
"That's cool..." I replied, it sounded a bit dull.
"It does get boring sometimes, but I get to see the spirits and lots of other beautiful creatures." He smiled at me, my Vision was clearing. " Who are you? Kassa." He added.
"Does it matter? I'm no one you'll know, just a simple teenage girl." I snapped a bit to harsh than I meant.
"It's dark, you should go." He shot at me.
"Wait-why?" He pulled me through the forest to a path, then he was gone.