Atlantis 3: Opening the Door

Chapter 19

Lorna entered Merriam's study quietly closing the door behind her.  The candles had not been lit so she knew she had gotten there before Grena. "Flamon" Lorna said out into the darkness of the room. With a wave of her hand the candles situated around the room lit up brightly. Their flames illuminating the entire room. There was an old oak table in the middle of the room with carvings along it's edges. The carvings had been painted a shimmering Atlantean Blue. The wood of the table had been stained to a dark obsidian kind of color. She recognized the table from long ago when it sat in their fathers study. 0nly four of the 6 chairs that had once sat around the table were present here. The chairs had ornate markings on them that seemed to consider with the ones of the table. The table top had markings that went all the way around the edge of the table. Lorna knew that the markings were from an ancient language but what the language was she didn't know. She suspected Tural would know but she also knew if she asked him to read it for her he would not. He would tell her if she were meant to know what it said she would know the language. He was just like that about other languages. She thought at one point that the markings might have been runes but then decided against it when she ran her fingers across them and didn't feel any runic powers. "Maybe Alexandria would be able to read it." Lorna thought to herself. Just then the door opened and Grena slipped inside closing the door softly. She hadn't noticed Lorna in the room yet. She was to busy watching to see if anyone had saw her come in. She turned around to find herself nose to nose with Lorna. "Ahhh!" She screamed jumping backward. She collided with her back against the door. Thudding against it pretty hard. Lorna just smiled victoriously. "You just about scared the life

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from my existence I hope you know." Grena said trying to catch her breath while rubbing the back of her head where a small knot was forming from her head impacting the door. "That's funny. You seemed very lively for someone on the brink of death. Were this room not sound proof all of Atlantis would have heard you scream like a frightened little girl." Lorna boasted. "I did not scream." Grena said defendingly. "Yes you did." Lorna said with a triumphant look on her face. "Did not." Grena said. "Yep. Pretty sure you did. Jumped out your skin to." Lorna said with a giggle. "Let's just get to work on whatever your up to shall we." Grena said sourly. Lorna just giggled.
  Lorna was again eyeing the markings on the table and chairs. She was seeing what looked like a pattern of some sort but it was missing pieces. "What is it sister? What do you see?" Grena asked. "I'm not quite sure just yet." Lorna replied. "Isn't this Papa's old table from home?" Grena asked.  "It is. Merriam had it brought here once she became queen." Lorna replied. "He used to sit at this table for hours on end with her telling her what to do and how to act to become a proper queen. What to expect and what would be expected as the peoples leading female and when she should and shouldn't speak, eat, drink, or even allow he bodily functions to release internal pressures. It had to be exhausting. Honestly I don't blame her for escaping this place when she had the chance." Said Grena. Lorna seemed lost in thought as she was looking up and down at the table's markings. "Hello." Grena said but Lorna didn't hear her. "LORNA!" Grena said a bit louder than she had expected. "Who, what, huh?" Lorna said as she realized she had zoned out. "I'm sorry Grena. I wasn't ignoring you I promise." Lorna said. "Are you going to tell me what's going on or not?" Grena asked impatiently.

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"Yes of course. Do you remember the stories about the keeper of the true magical library?" Lorna asked. "I think so. Why? I heard the keeper died a long time ago." Grena replied. "That's correct. She did. It was thought that the library had been lost forever because it was thought that she didn't or had not chosen or trained anyone to take her place upon her passing." Lorna explained.  "Why do you seem a bit overly excited about this topic? Did you get the new keepers position? Boy that would drive Tural right off his icy rocker." Grena giggled out her words. "No. I didn't get the position nor do I want it." Lorna replied.  "Then out with it. What's got you so giddy?" Grena pressed. "I'm pretty sure that I know who the rightful new keeper is and she has already been mostly trained by the previous keeper. Which was her grandmother before she passed away. And she's right here in the castle." Lorna said excitedly.  "Really? Who are you thinking it is?" Grena asked. "Alexandria." Lorna replied. Grena stepped back and looked at Lorna like she was nuts. "Ali? Couldn't possibly be her. I doubt she even knows how to read." Grena said sarcastically. "Well I've the perfect test in mind to know for sure." Lorna said defensibly. "And that would be?" Grena urged. When Ranist looks at this table he does not see the markings & symbols. He only sees a bare table." Lorna began. "He has no magical abilities. So naturally he won't see them." Grena responded. "You are correct. However, Alexandria also has no magical abilities but she can see the writing and she can read it to. I can almost guarantee that she will not only be able to see the markings but I'm betting she can read them to." Lorna said. "Does she know this yet?" Grena asked.  "Not yet. I was going to test her 1st." Lorna said a little worry showing in her eyes.

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"How are you going to test her without her knowing?" Grena asked. "Simple. You see she has been organizing the books in the magical library here and doesn't know it's just a magical library only so once she's finished I will simply ask her a few questions about where this book is or that scroll and how many books in total make up the whole of the library. If she can answer the questions just randomly then I will know." Lorna explained. Grena looked at her like she had lost her mind. "Did you fall and hit your head by chance?" Grena asked cautiously. "No why? Is there something wrong with my hair?" Lorna asked attempting to correct herself. "Your going to base your ability to know her abilities off of a question being answered correctly? Really? Tural would even say that you've lost your ability to think and he is as crazy as crazy gets." Grena said exaggeratedly. "When you were in school and were given tests were there not questions asked?" Lorna asked. "Well yes. But that was school. She is hardly in school." Grena replied. "Doesn't anyone who is going to apply to school have to do an assessment?" Lorna asked. "Yes. That's the only way to.......I think I see where your going with this. Your question is her assessment." Said Grena. "Exactly." Replied Lorna. "But still, How in the world are you going to get Tural interested in her?" Grena asked. "If she can read the markings on the table then she will do something not even Tural has been able to do." Replied Lorna. "I hope you're right. I'd love nothing more than to see that old dragons butt get shown up by a woman" Grena said giggling slightly. Lorna cocked her eyebrow up and pressed her lips to show a disapproving look at Grena's humor.

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   (End of chapter 19)