The return of the Dark

2

I opened the door of my old room. I had to stoop to get trough the door. I breathed in the air deeply.
    It was nothing changed.
    The stars on my ceiling were shining bright and beautifully. There was a fire burning in the hearthstone and a nice warmth was spreading in the room.
    I made a few steps and looked around me. I smiled in myself when I thought about all the memories I had of this bedroom. Serena, a Moonacre rabbit that I once saved, always slept on the corner of my bed.
    My bed.
    I walked towards it and let my hand slip over the soft sheets. I frowned. Wasn't I a little bit too big for the bed, I was asking myself. I was biting my lip while I sat down on the comfy bed.
    I sighed as I was laying down. My feet almost toughed the end of the bed. I bit on my under lip as I thought about my attitude. Had I been too cool? Or maybe a bit too fierce? I didn't know. I pushed myself up and wanted to apologise, but when I looked on the clock I saw that it was too late in the evening.
Uncle Benjamin must got into his bed already. It was such a long day.
I got up the bed and started to unbuckle to little buttons on my back. It was a horrible job, but no one could help me now. I had to do it on my own. When the dress finally fell around my feet and I stepped out, I looked in the mirror.
How in Heavens name would I unbuckle the corset? It almost looked impossible. But I couldn't go down in this situation. I already saw myself going down and knocking on Mrs. Heliotrope's door. She would get a heart attack. She never saw me in so few clothes.
One time I came home in my underwear, but that had been more than I was wearing now - like I said before today, fashion changed and I was completely into it.
I shook my head and started to get out of the corset. It took me almost half an hour, because the maids always helped me with getting in and out.
When I finally got out of the killing thing I could finally breathe. I opened my hut suitcase and pulled a white nightgown. I putted it on and pulled back the sheets.
I got into bed and ignored compressed toes. I turned onto m my side and tried to shut down all my thoughts. Easier said than done.
I was home, but it geeked strange lie here. In this bed. In this room. It felt like I was gone for ages. I closed my eyes once again and this time, the thoughts were shutting up.

* * *

When I woke up, the sun was stroking down on my face. I opened my eyes a little.
    The first thing I saw was a small, decorated plate with cookies and a glass of milk. I smiled in my pillow - Marmaduke Scarlet must've done that.
    Mr. Scarlet! I totally forgot on him! I jumped out of the bed and pulled out a proper dress from one of my suitcases - a green one with golden embroidery. After almost three quarters I was ready for the day. I raised my hair with green ribbons.
I opened the door and walked down the stairs, making sure I wouldn't trip. When I came down in the sitting room, I suddenly stopped and looked at the white, big dog with blue eyes.
Uncle Benjamin was sitting in his regular chair. He looked up at me with a cool, calculating look in his dark eyes.
'Good morning, Uncle,' I said nicely. He gave a nod.
'Good morning.'
I looked at the strange dog again. I never saw him before. !Who is this?' I asked to break the uncomfortable silence.
The dog looked up, like he knew I was taking about him. Uncle Benjamin looked at the dog, than to me again.
'This is Odin. The new guard dog,' told Uncle Benjamin. I nodded. He looked like Wrolf, in the size and form. But his hairs were shorter and he was more muscular.
'New guard dog?' I asked as I came closer.
'Yes.'
I looked at Odin again, who was looking at me with his intelligent, blue eyes. 'And what about Wrolf? Where is he?'
Uncle Benjamin took another drink. I frowned - I forgot that he also drank in the morning, sometimes.
'Wrolf isn't a dog anymore, as you know. And I can't keep a black lion in my house. So I needed a new dog.'
I nodded again. 'Where did you bought him?'
Uncle Benjamin took another sip from his topaz coloured drink. 'I didn't.'
My eyebrows crawled together in a frown. 'What?' I asked. 'Than how did you get him?' Uncle Benjamin took a deep breath, like he already got tired of my questions. It wouldn't surprise me.
'When you left to go to college, weeks passed. One day in the evening, something was scratching against my front door. When I opened, Odin was sitting there, completely wet and smelling like the sea.' I looked at Odin again. He blinked at me.
'So I took him inside and trained him, now he is just like Wrolf - very dangerous and he can also kill you in no time. He will protect you when you go out sometimes.'
'Protect me?'
'Yes, indeed.' Another sip. Slowly I walked towards Odin and stroked his head - I was a Merryweather, he would not hurt me. He would protect me.
'From what, if I may ask?' I asked him. Uncle Benjamin got up from his chair and Odin was alert immediately.
'Bandits, plunderers, rapids. Bad people.' Uncle Benjamin looked at me with a strict look. I felt like the twelve year old girl again that just got here for the first time. 'I don't know where they come from, but the lands are full of them. You should be prepared when you go out.'
Something shot into me. First I almost didn't dare to ask, but I had to know. 'You're not talking about the De Noirs, are you?'
When Uncle Benjamin took Mrs. Heliotrope and me in his house, he warned me about them, saying the almost exact same things.
He looked almost offended. 'Of course not. The De Noirs are our friends now, despite the fact that I don't like the way they live.'
I frowned again. 'Why not? What is wrong with that?'
He sighed. 'Can we do this later? Go eat your breakfast. We will talk another time about... everything.'