Moongrace

Part 30

When the birds started their morning songs and some rays of sun found their way onto her, the castle inhabitants seemed to wake up. Someone walked down a corridor, someone washed himself and after some time there seemed to be someone cooking. Being tuned to the sounds, she knew exactly when the men stood in front of her door.

The key turned in the lock and three pair of feet stepped inside. Eleeza didn't even try to sit up. Over the long hours of the night she had given up moving with the rope so tightly around her.

"Good morning, Eleeza'renria. I bet you slept well!", one of them greeted. She guessed it was Lenrio, if she remembered their voices right.

"Oh, it was a wonderful night. So very comfortable and relaxing. Being bound up like a worm!" she replied sarcastically.

"Well, how good you can adapt so well to your situation. It will be of much use for you.", he mocked, "But I guess, we don't need you so bound up. Meino, will you?"

Steps approached her and shrank back. A cold something touched her and suddenly her bonds fell away.

Eleeza rubbed her skin, she bet it was flaming red.

"Lenrio, see what you have done to her pretty skin!" Meino said.

"Don't be such a fool by her beauty. Let us get to business." Lenrio put a tray with, what she supposed to be her breakfast on the bed: "Eat and listen!"

Carefully Eleeza touched the tray and felt for the things placed on it. There was a plate, a knife and a cup. She took the cup and sniffed at its content. It was a tea of herbs, peppermint and lemon balm, greedily she took a sip. She hadn't realised just how thirsty she was. After another sip, she felt for the plate and dipped her fingers in something creamy. Only then she found the bred, she wiped her finger on the loaf. Suddenly she realised that the others hadn't spoken for the past minute. They must be watching her. She sat up straight and put her face in their direction. Knowing from Evan about the effects of her silver eyes.

"What? Never seen a blind one eat?" She heard on of them take a nervous step back.

"Anyway, be happy that we share our breakfast with you." That was Nioru. Eleeza had already registered that he didn't speak much and that he could stand very quietly. It seemed he didn't like to be questioned or confronted.

Meanwhile she wondered whether she should put the creamy stuff on her bread. If she just knew what it was!

"Well, can you tell me in that case what that creamy stuff on my plate is?" she asked annoyed, that she couldn't tell it herself. She didn't want to be that much dependent on them.

"It's a kind of cheese you spread on your bread. You'll like it!" Meino answered kindly.

"Thank you." Eleeza mumbled and tried to spread the cheese with the knife on the bread. Lenrio chuckled.

"It's too funny to watch. But, let's get to business! We want you to create wealthy things for us. Gold, gems and whatever you have been able to do back in Alarana!"

Eleeza took a bite from the bread and answered carefully: "I might have been once able to do that. But now I don't even remember to do one of the things you just said."

"Oh come on! They just erased your memories, not your talents!" Nioru exclaimed.

Interested Eleeza intervened: "Who is 'they' actually?"

"That's none of your concern. It's strictly forbidden to tell banished persons of Alarana. We will teach you just enough of the science of magic that you can conjure pretty things. Nothing more! And don't you ever dare ask it of us – there is a reason why your memories were erased to that extent which we should never forget." Eleeza had a feeling that those words were rather supposed for the other men than for her. But what had been that reason? If she could only just remember!