The Chronicles of Guertanna: The Sword of Light and Shadow

Chapter XIV

The lighting morning was reflected in the mirror. Rinna was finishing knotting the dark purple tie around her white shirt neck. Meeting the Empress wasn't something happening every day, and something her father had taught her was to look presentable when doing so. She had a variety of clothes when she came to the Palace, including a purple dress. It was more like a skirt with long straps along her chest and crossing at her back. The skirt started from her waist and ended a bit before her knees. She used long white socks and some brownish combat booties.

She finished with the tie and looked at her in the mirror, turning around, back and forth, looking for perfection. She left her hair undone, she liked it when it was long and free, covering her back. She brushed one last time, just to make sure every tiny hair was in its position. She looked at her eyes and her face in general for any detail to be fixed. Nope, it was perfect. She stared into her eyes and saw her emerald eyes shaking. Fear? Nervousness? Intimidation? No, it was excitement. She breathed deep and drew a smile.

Someone knocked and opened the door; Trish appeared in the door frame, perfectly still, using the same long black dress as uniform. "Are you ready?" She asked.

Rinna took a last glance through the mirror and nodded, "Yes, I am." She took the Dandelion from the table next to the large mirror. Let's get through this, she thought.

Let's make our best, Shadow responded.

Rinna smiled, silently thanking that she could talk to Shadow telepathically. After hanging it as a pocked watch across her dress and then putting on her pocket, she followed Trish to meet the Empress.

The Palace was most of the time silent, with just the maids doing their job, with just Royal Gulders walking from side to other. Some passed right next to them and bowed their heads. Rinna bowed respectfully, wondering if any of them recognized her. All wore black suits as the one her brother wears, she felt glad that she wasn't so lost concerning how the Gulders worked in here. Even that they all are in the palace, none of them had met the Empress.

Trish and Rinna walked into another room, a hall with a lot of windows up next to the ceiling that made all the room brighter and beautiful. She noticed a creeper entering from one of the windows and falling carelessly inside the room, filled with tiny pink flowers. Rinna was still impressed from all the beauty the Empress created in her Palace. She breathed deeply, inhaling all the lighting in the room, as if there was fresh air through the sunshine.

"You must wait here," Trish said stopping in front of a few stair steps that gave to another wide corridor. "The Empress must come in any minute." She added and left the room.

Rinna gulped, feeling again alone in the room. It almost surprised her that she haven't seen Alice since last night, she wondered if she was still around. The room was silent, but she could listen to the birds outside the window. She looked back to the creeper falling and saw a hummingbird buzzing around the tiny pink flowers. The hummingbird stopped in a few flowers and then flew out again.

A door opened.

She turned to the other side of the room, were a man with black coat walked in. Looking at his black coat reminded her she didn't feel cold even if the window was open. The man approached and Rinna was finally able to recognize him.

She gritted her teeth, and almost went on to stab him, "What are you doing here?" She demanded.

Kenor stopped in halt, not noticing Rinna until then, "What are you doing here?" He said and approached her.

She stood up straight crossing her arms in her chest, "The Empress called me to see her." She answered, feeling those words as fire in his face, feeling that over superiority on him.