The Chronicles of Guertanna: The Sword of Light and Shadow

Chapter XV

The two carriers, Dia and Alice went to the Dinner Hall. There was a large table, where some servants and a couple Gulders had breakfast as well. Ms. Dragonia explained to Rinna that it was an idea from the Empress to have breakfast and dinner together. She never knew Dia's reason for such thing, but suspected it was because she wanted to be accompanied rather to eat alone. Trish was there also, across the table next to Kenor. Rinna was sitting in front of him, next to Alice, and next to Alice was Dia in the head chair.

There was oat for breakfast, next to some bread and all types of fruit. She was served milk and a glass of orange juice. Not even in her house they had so much food in morning. She ate slowly, taking a taste in everything. In the other hand, Kenor looked at the food a little puzzled. He never had oat before, and for him it just looked like smashed grains on yogurt. When he tasted it, he found out he was close, but instead of yogurt it was more likely to be milk. The fruits were unknown by him back in home, so he enjoyed having eating them, finding to be grapes his favorite.

Without too much to discuss over breakfast, except that for the small body of Dia she ate like big man, and even at the end had space for cheesecake, which was obviously her favorite part, Rinna went on to explore the palace. There was a beautiful hallway with more creepers hanging from the top, and there were no windows. It was an open hallway that gave to the back yard. Rinna found peace there, and rested her elbows on the bar, next to a column, almost feeling the tip of the creeper touching her hair. Without any doubt the Palace was so much bigger than any house Rinna remembered.

Down at the garden she discovered Dia running around with a sketch book. The girl finally had some shoes on and a coat. She sat on one of the stoned bench and started drawing, looking around to the leafless trees and flowers on the ground. Rinna watched her and took out from her pocket her Dandelion. She looked at it, stared at it, imagining Shadow staring at her back.

Did you know we were going to meet him? She asked, not even bothering to define who she meant by him.

There was a deep silence, but then he answered: Yes...

Rinna sighed and pressed her forehead on her arms. Of course you did...

She felt a hand resting on her shoulder, "The gardens are beautiful, aren't they?" She could listen perfectly to the voice of Alice.

Rinna looked up from her arms and down to the gardens. Even in cold winter she could still see butterflies flying, "It is..." She said, her voice sounding off and disgusted, "Why you didn't tell me about Kenor?"

Alice sighed heavily, "Well, would you still come if I told you Kenor was going to be your partner?" Rinna stayed silent and grimaced, she didn't want to sound that she was afraid of Kenor or anything, she just couldn't be with him without arguing, or fighting, or getting themselves killed. "Besides, Dia wanted it to be that way; she wanted to let it be a 'surprise' for the three of you."

"Well, it was quite a surprise." She replied looking again to her Dandelion. "So, now what?"

"Oh, that's why I came to talk to you," She said patting her shoulder, "Dia forgot to tell you that you both are going to have some...er, practice before entering the first portal."

"She forgets a lot of things, doesn't she?" Rinna said, resting her gaze down to Dia, who left her sketch book on the table and went to clean some leaves from the ground.

"Well, she is two hundred and fifteen years old," Alice smiled, "she has such a bright mind that is hard for her to keep track of it."

Rinna watched how Dia used the leaves from the ground to arrange them in the table, down the bench and some in the air. She probably used magic for the last one. "How long have you been working for her?"