Riddle Of The Owl - YA Fantasy

Chapter Nineteen

   The sleek black car sped towards Imperia, the emperor's city. They were driving along the same road by the side of which Alleria and Cassel had shared their first kiss. She somehow tried to find that spot where they had stopped — she didn't know why or what finding it would help her.

Alleria fingered the high collar of her light blue dress.

It hid her injured throat well. When Mr. Malluri's beautician had prepared her for the event, there was no discussion over Alleria's image. The main goal at hand had been to make her look more presentable and less like a walking corpse.

The dress that was chosen reached below her knees, had a high waist and featured sharp, straight lines. The shoulders were padded, the sleeves long and the collar was high yet the skirt sat snugly on her hips. It was closed by a long line of star-shaped pearly buttons that ran along the front-left side from the top of the collar all the way to her thigh ending in a slit that exposed most of her left leg and thankfully allowed her to walk within the tight pencil skirt. On the other hand, the blue satin pumps she wore had heels so high she could only walk like a fidgeting bird. Her hair had been straightened, parted diagonally and twisted into a tight knot, effectively flattening the front against her forehead to hide a particularly nasty bruise that hadn't faded yet.

She looked severe, sharp yet feminine.

And had a heart filled with constant pain.

Failure, fear, grief, despair — and then success beyond imagining. Alleria had fallen into a whirlwind of emotions so extreme that when she finally emerged she thought she didn't know how to feel subtle emotions anymore. She longed for nothing more than to take a step out of her own life and gather her wits. She wanted to open up her own head and heart, and spread their contents out against black velvet to be examined like a jeweller examines diamonds.

Then she'd understand how one continued living with this pain that wouldn't leave.

"You'll be fine, baby Bellecreek" said Zalee who was sitting next to her. She was allowed one attendant of her own gender to bring along to the emperor. Everyone had been strongly opposed to this attendant being Mam. Alleria needed help also because her legs were still wobbly and the high heels only made it worse. Zalee's hair was made into an identical style as Alleria's and she wore a dress similar to the one Alleria wore, but instead of light blue, hers was a rusty mustard colour.

Several moments later there was a flash of lightning in the sky, the afternoon grew dim as heavy, dark clouds gathered overhead. "A summer storm," Alleria said quietly.

"They say Emperor Tarris likes the rain, he'll be in a good mood, then."

"I heard Emperor Tarris is always in a good mood and loves all weather." Alleria realised that that was the longest sentence she had said in three days, her voice sounded unusual — too small and too thin. Or maybe that was just how she felt about all of herself. She was too small a bird flying into too large a sky.

*

Sometimes, when there were so many details to take it and so many things to see, it was hard to notice anything at all. Of the journey through the gates to the inner sanctum of Imperia and then to the world-famous Hall of Feathers — the grandest of the imperial audience chambers — Alleria could only remember the security check-ups. She was questioned, poked, prodded and searched so many times it was a surprise that her dress was still in order and her hair hadn't fallen out of place.

Only when she finally entered the Hall of Feathers was she able to see the jaw-dropped grandeur. This audience hall had gotten its name in the time of Emperor Jarvius III who had, as a boy, begun a collection of feathers from all manner of birds. As Jarvius III grew in age, so did his collection and in year 22.Jarvius.III the collection had been placed on display in this hall.