A Crown of Clouds

Chapter 13

Cole never came to fetch me. I didn't have a clock to tell how much time had passed, but I assumed it was at least two hours. The sounds of tambourines, violins and stringed instruments started playing far off in the distance, my empty stomach ached and yelled like the music reverberating through the air. I chucked my simple small black dress back on, it smelt of sweat from the day I'd arrived, but I refused to put Jazminda's dress back on, whoever she was, she was bound to be at the party, if only Cole had left the other two blue dresses here from this morning.

I tiptoed down the eerily quiet hallway, the house was empty, I really could go snooping around here if I wanted. I decided I'd better gain some validity and trust before I did any snooping, it was after all only my second day here, they truly mustn't have seen me as a threat if they left me alone in their royal house. That or my guard was terribly arrogant and complacent. Besides, my stomach outvoted my brain this time. The music wasn't hard to follow, the banjos and Gaelic tunes getting louder with each step.

The festivity was set in the outside courtyard, with stone pillars of white marble concrete surrounding the area like an arena. The sight of long, rustic wooden tables filled with food, fruit, meat and cheeses could have sent me to my knees begging. The laughter and merriment were unlike anything I'd ever seen on Earth, it was...somehow more pure, more joyful.

"Is this what you dress like on Earth for parties?" the voice came from behind me. I spun around to see Tessanda leaning against a pillar, wearing a cream silk dress and holding a detailed crystal glass of sparkling white wine in her hand, with such poise and elegance I straightened my slouch. Had I not seen what she could do and how she spoke when threatened, I'd have thought she was an angel. "Oh, I...um," I stuttered to get any sort of reply out. Tessanda just laughed, "I believe we got off on the wrong foot, I'm Tessanda, and this is Tarata," she looked out at the festivity, food and people with such pride in her smile as though she'd made them all herself. "You look like you've just come from prison, come girl, let's get you dressed, if you have to be here tonight, I don't want you ruining the tastefulness with your sackcloth dress." I looked down at my dress, I never thought of it as a sackcloth, but now compared with the elegance and shine of Tessanda's and the beautiful gowns and dresses of the people, it was truly a dishcloth. By the time I looked up, Tessanda was ten metres away, without looking back she spoke, "are you coming Harriet?"

I quickly caught up with Tessanda, admiring the swish of her dress across the marble floors as I walked next to her. "Do you know what tonight is?" she asked. "No Ma'am, I..I figure it's important, a celebration of sorts?" I wished Cole had told me more now, I could only imagine what a strong, fierce, independent woman like Tessanda would be thinking of me right now. "Smart girl," she said as she turned a corner, I couldn't tell if she was being condescending or complimentary. "This is the thirtieth year of safety for these lands, it wasn't always that way." She glared at me as she turned another corner. Suddenly there was a thick wall of pure white clouds, Tessanda walked straight into it without hesitation, I stood in front of it, it looked like a plain white wall from a distance, yet this close I could see the wispy movement of the clouds. "The wall won't bite, come through," I heard from the other side.

The clouds felt cold as they swirled around for a small moment, and just like that, it cleared and I was in the most exquisite room I'd ever seen. "Wow, your room is beautiful." I was sure my face must have been gawking at the velvet curtains draped to the side by two huge arched windows leading onto an oval balcony. The last glimpses of twilight were keeping the view from the balcony alive, lighting up the silhouette of the mountain. "Oh, it's not my room," she laughed, "my room is far more... tasteful, and secure... this is my daughter's room," she said as she walked into a giant arched closet. "She won't mind me being in here?" I said. "Oh she's a darling, she won't mind at all," Tessanda said as she picked up a silky red dress. "This will do... put this on won't you!" I got the feeling she wanted me to hurry, no doubt to get back to her party.