Cataindar

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Alright - so we left last time as the contrevention alarm had been rung, Thorne and her catains had been attacked at the hidden gates of cataindar... and now we will get back to Luisa and Clearwater :-) 

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Luisa sat on her bed in Cataindar cross-legged. Her arms and legs ached a little, she had kept up with all of Finn's exercises, and even the abbot's mind-clearing program. It had definitely started to make a difference. 

She thought back to what had happened; seeing the catains so hurt and wounded. Her stomach rolled as she thought of the pungent metallic smell that had filled the air of that room. Thorne lying there, goodness, she was desperate to see how she was.

But for now she was trapped in her quarters. During the contravention Cataindar ceased to operate, everything went quiet, there were no bustling corridors, no steam from the kitchens, no burning torches to light the corridors. Cataindar was plunged into darkness and completely handed over to the scougers, as they did everything to hide the existence of Cataindar from the world above.

Everyone was to stay quarantined inside their quarters. Including their royalty apparently as Luisa was to spend her time confined inside.

Luisa tried to imagine a ratain, a living, breathing, murderous creature the size of the huge dummy in the training room stalking the corridors.

Fear coiled like a snake in her stomach at the thought. She couldn’t believe the scougers had to take those things on.

Clearwater was confined to Luisa’s quarters too, so at least she wasn’t by herself. To take their minds off the contravention, Luisa and Clearwater explored Luisa’s dressing chamber. Luisa found a hefty box of what she guessed was costume jewellery, and they loaded up; wearing lovely gem encrusted tiaras, rings and diamond necklaces.

Lighting a few more candles than allowed, they tried on some of the ancient costumes inside. Clearwater walked about in some chainmail topped off with a flamboyant buccaneer hat. She helped Luisa put on the heavy blue dress that Luisa had seen on her first day in Cataindar.

Clearwater was enjoying finally utilising her handmaiden training, and after pulling the strings at the back of the bodice, they found out it fitted Luisa, actually, it fitted Luisa really well.

Clearwater clasped her paws together and bit her bottom lip.

“Princess, I’ve never seen you look so beautiful.”

Luisa was thankful for the candlelight so Clearwater wouldn’t see how much her cheeks were burning.

“Please Princess,” Clearwater gestured for Luisa to step in front of the mirror. Luisa did so and looked at her reflection,

Wow. It was very… complimentary.

Although she had been shopping a few times with Stacey, Luisa had never had someone dress her up like this. She was trying not to cringe having all of Clearwater’s attention so entirely devoted to her. It just felt, so wrong.  The tiara shimmered in the mirror, as if to say to Luisa it knew it was too good for her.

Clearwater however, was loving every second.

“Princess, please, do a twirl! You absolutely have to!”

Oh no.

Luisa took a deep breath, and, trying not to grimace, did her best twirl in front of the mirror. The inlaid stones of the dress combined with the tiara came alive and flashed in the candlelight, kicking little glints of light around the chamber. Clearwater let out a gasp,