Shining light

Chapter 4

Eleanor had trouble sleeping due to the new environment and the time difference, so she ended up sleeping in late the next day. When she woke up, she found a plate of breakfast on her bedside table. She ate the breakfast and then changed into a new, simpler day dress that had been laid out for her. Eleanor wasn't sure what to do until Adrain would come to show her around, so she ended up on the balcony again.

Just before lunchtime, there was a knock on her door. She hurried to open it and found Adrian standing there with a smile.

"Hey, Eleanor. Are you ready to go on a tour of the castle?" he asked. Eleanor smiled and nodded. "Yes, I have been looking forward to this all day."

They walked down the hallway together, and Eleanor asked, "Where are we going first?" "I was thinking we start at the back of the castle, then work our way to the front door, and then the garden," Adrian replied.

"That sounds good, but are we also gonna go see the kitchen?" Eleanor asked. He looked at her. "Why would you want to go see the kitchen?"

"They made a really delicious cake yesterday. I love cake, but I rarely get it, so I would like to thank them. And it's almost lunchtime, and I haven't eaten anything yet. If you haven't either, maybe we could grab some food and have a picnic in the gardens. I think that would be nice," she explained, not looking at him..

Adrian's eyes lit up. "That sounds wonderful. I must admit, I've always wanted to have a picnic." Eleanor looked at him. "Have you never had a picnic before?"

"No, I haven't really had the time or anyone to do a picnic with," he replied. "Then let's change that today," she said with a smile.

First, they went to the library. The room was filled with tall bookcases, chairs, tables for studying, and even some comfortable sofas. Adrian explained that he spent a lot of time there, both for studying and relaxing, as it was quiet and not many people visited.

"I have never seen so many books before," she said as she looked around.

"I don't think anyone could ever read all the books here in one lifetime. This library holds at least one copy of every book in the kingdom, including some secret texts, or at least that is what I have been told," Adrian said, looking at her.

Eleanor continued to browse the bookshelves and she picked up a book that caught her attention. It was titled "The Ugly Duckling." "I read this as a child," Eleanor whispered, reminiscing.

She looked at Adrian and asked, "Why is this book here? It's by an author from my world."

He took the book from her hand and inspected it. "I have no clue," he admitted.

As they searched through the bookshelves, Eleanor discovered more books from her world. "This is so weird. I should ask my father about this," Adrian suggested. "That's a good idea. He might know why these books are here," Eleanor agreed.

After exploring the library, they visited other rooms in the castle, such as the great hall, the gallery, and guard room.

Then, they made their way to the kitchen, which was located next to the dining room. As they entered, they were greeted by the warmth of the fireplace and the enticing aroma of various delicious foods. The kitchen was bustling with activity, with maids moving back and forth between different stations.

When the door closed behind them, everyone looked up and paused. "Hey, everyone. My name is Eleanor. I'm sorry for coming here and disturbing you while you work. I just wanted to thank you for the delicious cake you made for dinner last night. Also, the prince and I wanted to have a picnic outside in the nice weather, and we were wondering if you could prepare a little picnic basket for us, if it's not too much trouble," Eleanor addressed the room.