Fantastical Mistake

Chapter 8 - Rollercoaster Of Emotions

- Coal! – I yelled on the hallway outside the library I had just been in. – Coal? Coal!

As I was about to give up in my impatience and just start running randomly, when a shadowy figure crossed in front of me and materialized into Coal. He had a concerned expression on his furry face. Which was mostly covered in black fur, making it hard to tell.

- What's wrong, Miss? Are you hurt? Ill?

- No, no – I tranquilized him, shaking my head. – I need to see Emmeric, right now. Where is he?

Coal turned his head to the side, still confused.

- Master is in his chamber. He's been there the last few days, since we went to the Forest – he replied.

- And where is that?

He immediately perked up with dread. His grey eyes grew bigger in terror.

- Oh, no one is allowed on the third floor, Miss. Completely forbidden.

- Ok, got it. Third floor it is.

And with that I started running for the stairs, not noticing Coal right behind me, in a state of panic.

- Miss, you can't! Please, Miss, Master will punish you!

Too preoccupied with my recent discovery, I heard nothing of what he said, and ran up the stairs as quickly as I could. Coal could have stopped me, for I was running out of breath on the last few steps, but he didn't dare come so close to the third floor. At the time that didn't concerned me.

Gasping for air, I looked around the corridors of this floor I had never been in, hoping to see a door that would lead me to where he was. I had a hand above my heart, feeling how hard it was beating, and cleaning the sweat that had formed on my forehead with the other. I kept forgetting that running wasn't really my forte.

My light brown dress wasn't helping either. It was a bit too short for my taste, but the top was beautiful, with two sets of buttons all down my torso, and a ribbon bow pulling in on my waist, falling to the side. It had a white boat neckline and small sleeves, as if I had a white shirt underneath. Because all I had on my wardrobe were dresses, my bulky legs had been rubbing against each other too much, and it was starting to hurt.

I stopped dead on my tracks when I saw a double door at the end of the corridor, tall and white wooden doors that stood out amongst all the others in this castle. This had to be it.

Before I thought about it, I was grabbing the door's handles, expecting them to be locked. But I was actually able to open them, which made me almost fall forward and I gasped as I tripped inside.

Regaining my stability, I was first amazed at the room I had just barged in. I couldn't help but keep my mouth open as I looked around me in awe. Marble like stone covered the floor, partially hidden by a huge cream, yellow and green tapestry at the center of the room. At the far right, against the tall white walls, was a queen sized bed, similar to my own on the guest room, but much bigger and with a lot more intricate details on the wood posts. A ruby colored duvet covered it, standing out amongst everything else. Two tableside heads on either side had lamps to provide light when it got dark.

In front of me, on the wall at the other side of the entrance I had come in from, was a big fireplace, lying dormant. Two windows on either side allowed sunlight to illuminate the large room. By the wall on my left, opposite to the bed, was a big round table with a single chair. Behind it were three bookcases, with glass doors. The books filling them were seemingly old and delicate. I noticed a closed door at the far left corner of the room.

The round table had a bunch of papers and books on top of it, as well as a tray with what I assumed was the leftovers of the lunch of the person I was looking for.