Like A Fairytale

Chapter 40

Icy

The bizarre cry of a bird echoed muffled through the garden. Shortly afterwards, an eerie, winged beast flew over the dome. The monster was not interested in the people in the garden.

"Miss?" Number 100 looked at the daughter of the mayor of Burgstadt with raised eyebrows. His face, of course, was hidden from her under the sinister mask. She couldn't see his unusual expression.

The faces of the Shadows always remained neutral. In every situation.

It was not the mutated bird that had surprised him, but Lena Goldbird. The girl had waved at someone. But in the direction she was looking, there were only the employees' quarters, and the girl was instructed to talk to the staff of the headquarters only if necessary. As the niece of the ruler, it was not appropriate for her to hold friendships with the staff.

The girl was startled when he spoke to her and took a step back, closer to her bodyguard. "Can I help you?" she replied, perplexed.

Icy looked for the person Lena had waved to and spotted Flo in one of the windows.

Number 100 averted his gaze from the purple curly head and shook his head. "No, Miss. Can I help you? Do you know the boy?"

"The boy?" the girl asked uncertainly. With one hand, she held on to the sleeve of her bodyguard. The young man tried to appear calm, but Icy's sensors picked up the suppressed tremor and his racing heartbeat. Lena's heartbeat was racing all the more, almost stumbling.

Icy knew she was considered beautiful. He couldn't understand it. She was too curvy, her hair too light, almost dazzling in the light of the setting sun. "To whom you waved."

"Oh." She smiled briefly and looked at the bodyguard, who kept an eye on her with now slightly reddened cheeks. "No."

"Then why did you wave to him?" Icy bit his lower lip. Why? He didn't understand. His sensors showed him that the girl was more attracted to her bodyguard, even if her fear prevailed. The bodyguard was no different. So what did she want from Flo?

"Do you know him?" the girl replied.

Lena

Did the Shadow know him? "Do you know him?"

Number 100 did not answer her at first. His red eyes just looked at her emotionlessly. Unfazed. The rest of his face was hidden under this horrible, blood-red mask.

Lena often wondered what the Shadows looked like under their masks.

Did they all look the same?

Physique and height were always as good as identical. There were only small differences. Was this also the case with the faces?

She looked at Samuel. He had suddenly distanced himself from her. For a bodyguard, he now stood unusually far away from her and kept an eye on her surroundings. Was he also afraid of the shadow? She wanted to roll her eyes.

Who is protecting whom here?

Or am I just imagining it?

Is it something else?

What?

But the Shadows would never pose a danger to Lena. They were loyal robots. She didn't need to be protected from Number 100. She knew that as well as her bodyguard. If only they weren't so scary... "I'm trying to meet him. This boy", she told the Shadow hesitantly. "Well, if you know him..."

"Why do they want to meet him?" the Shadow asked. "Friendships with the staff are forbidden to you."

"Unwanted, not forbidden", Lena objected quietly.

Samuel cleared his throat. "The young lady asked you something!" he grumbled in an attempted stern tone. "I don't know why you would need to know her reasons!"

Lena suppressed an amused smile. Samuel was right. But to oppose a Shadow like that... Perhaps he is less afraid of the Shadow than I am. Or he was simply an excellent choice as a bodyguard. He looked resolutely at the robot. Lena averted her gaze before her red cheeks told him how attractive she found him.

Number 100 lowered his head briefly. "Excuse me", he said curtly to Samuel. "Miss?" His blood-red gaze wandered back to her. "I've already met the boy. Nothing more."

"You've met him?" Out of excitement, Lena briefly forgot her fear. She stepped closer to the shadow. Samuel followed her, but still kept his distance.

"Do you know his name? Where does he work?"

"What?" The Shadow blinked. An atypical reaction. Shadows never blinked.

"Please. Do you know his name? I asked Mina, but she wouldn't say anything! And other employees were also no help. Either they didn't know anything or... As if they had been asked to remain silent! I always got the same answer: He was not assigned to us."

"That's strange", the Shadow admitted. "His name is Flo. He comes from Level 3. A scrap dealer. I don't know exactly where he works now. But... I saw him together with an employee. He may be found among the kitchen staff. Both wore an apron. Please take this information as an apology for scaring you. However, I have to point out to you that you are forbidden to have friendships..."

"Thank you!" Lena turned around, grabbed Samuel's hand and hurried away before the Shadow could finish his sentence. Her bodyguard hastily withdrew his hand from her and followed her out of the garden.

Flo. And he probably works in the kitchen...

But she had never been so deep in the staff's premises. She had never visited the kitchen before.

There will be a map somewhere. The other corridors here are also mapped, and some are even signposted! Or I camp between the staff's rooms? But...

I can't get into the corridors without a good reason...

As a child, she had made it her mission to know every corner of the seat of government. But the building construction resembled a maze. A well-signposted maze with many areas closed to her.

(c: sasi)