THE DRAGON HEALER [COMPLETED]

CHAPTER 10: AMONG THE BOOKS

The rest of the day Alanna was just walking around to the different levels of the catacomb-like structure. Some people watched her with curiosity in their eyes, and to these people she tried to smile—these were the ones with some potential for her to have a more amicable interaction. Some others turned their back as soon they they saw her, or watched her with furrowed brows and suspicious glance. These were the ones she just avoided eye contact altogether and walked away as quiet as she could.

Mom and Dad had set up their little cubicle-like family settlement, a far cry from their apartment in Oakridge, but it would do for now at least.

What amused Alanna was to see her parents' reaction to the simple food, drink, little things here and there that they had missed so much during their time in Oakridge. Their hushed squeals, the excitement in their eyes, all made Alanna feel that maybe it was fine to come here. Though in a strange way, she felt that she understood what it felt like for her parents to just be uprooted from their home on a moment's notice and left without knowing when they could come back to Alathyr, their homeland. She was in the exact same predicament as they had been years ago. They came back here finally, so maybe she could go back to Oakridge somehow someday, without the torturous headaches and maddening murmuring of the dragons.

A childhood friend of Dad came to visit, and he looked somewhat uncomfortable with Alanna there, so Alanna came up with a reason (she wanted to visit the dragons) to leave her family cubicle.

She walked away, and she missed the outside world so much. She needed to know what time it was now. She had been trying to keep track within herself the possible time by noticing how tired she was.

She had spent hours today with Lady Eilin, and hours with her parents. They had some sort of plain bread and watery soup dinner again, then they spoke for hours, before the friend of Dad stopped by. So it should be quite late at night now.

As she sat by the common fireplace, the prophecy of Anthor entered her mind again. Tristan's fate depended on her. What does that mean?What could she do to cause such great influence on a king's life, a king and a dragon rider none less? She wondered while her eyes watched the dance of the flames in fronf of her.

And Tristan had been on her mind a lot. There was a gnawing worry that crept within her heart; would she be a big trouble for Tristan? Would he be hurt because of her? That could not be. She would not want to be the cause of pain for him.

A gentle poke on her waist interrupted her wandering mind. She turned to see the cause of the poke, startled, and smiled.

Filip had come to her, and in her busy mind, she had not noticed it until the old three-legged husky pushed his snout gently onto her waist.

"Hey! What's up, old man!" she ruffled Filip's fur, scratched him behind his ear, and Filip plopped himself on the ground with his belly up. Expecting more ear scratches and belly rubs. Alanna laughed and gave Filip some vigorous belly rubs.

"Thank you for being my friend here, sweet Filip," she whispered to Filip. Filip's blue eyes watched her, one of his ears twitched, head tilted, and he got up.

"Well, now go. Tristan must be waiting for you," she patted Filip's head.

Filip stayed still, did a big stretch, and sat up with his eyes glued on her.

"Go! Go, sweet Filip!" she smiled and waved her hand to tell Filip to go. "Find Tristan!"

Filip moved closer to her as if it was one of those do-the-opposite day, which she knew was quite common among her dog clients.

Then the dog tippy-tappy walked closer to her again, and grabbed her hand with his mouth.

"Filip? What?"