Fantastical Mistake

Chapter 21 - I'm Here

I allowed myself one last tear as I went through the small gate the Shadows took me to, one last thought of the life and people I was leaving behind. But as I stepped to the other side of the magical door, finding myself back in the Forest I grew accustomed to, all I felt was a sense of relief and mellow.

- Are you ready, Miss? – Coal asked me.

- Yes. Take me to the castle, please – I asked, smiling softly at them.

Their Shadow forms surrounded me in a twirl of darkness and lifted me from the ground, moving me through the Forest and only dropping me back inside the familiar walls of the throne room.

- It's the girl! – one Shadow pointed flabbergasted at me.

- Human is back! Valentina is back! – another yelled, jumping up and down.

- Lady, lady, you're back! – Skip hugged my legs tightly as he chuckled.

I laughed as all the Shadows came and started surrounding me, a commotion starting in the room at my arrival. I hugged them all as best I could, having missed all of them. Through the loud exclamations and happy squeals in celebration, some Shadows jumping around, others dancing, I noticed how dirty and messy the throne room looked. There were chairs spread all around, plates and silverware thrown everywhere, food spilled on the floor. It was worse than the kitchen when I first arrived here.

- Okay, now can someone tell me why is this room so... dirty? – I questioned, hands on my hips and looking disapprovingly at all the Shadows surrounding me.

The Shadows adopted a shameful expression on their furry faces.

- No orders! Nothing to do! – one of them started explaining.

- Just protecting castle, keeping guard of doors – another continued.

- No one supervising. No one to clean for.

- Well, you shouldn't need someone else to make you clean. You should clean after yourselves always, to keep things from reaching this stage – I clarify, looking around and shaking my head at the mess.

- Is that an order? – Raven asked, with bright expecting eyes.

- Hum... It's more like a favor? Like you did before – I elucidated.

- Will there be chocolate? – Skip tugged on my pajama pants and inquired.

- I guess I could arrange that – I agreed, smiling knowingly at them.

- LET'S CLEAN! – Skip commanded in a strong yell.

Somehow invigorated, all the Shadows started to move around and cleaning the throne room from days if not weeks of filth. I chuckled at how, once again, they were so easily persuaded. But my heart and mind were quickly distracted by the longing of the one who was missing.

- Coal, is Emmeric on the third floor? – I asked for confirmation.

The Shadows slowed down and looked sad at the mention of their Master's name.

- Yes, Miss. Locked in his room. But I should tell you that... Miss!

Driven by my desperation to see him, I darted from the throne room in direction of the stairs, knowing exactly where to go. Gasping for air as I ran up the staircases, but forcing myself not to slow down, I got to the third floor and made a bee-line towards the big white doors at the end of a corridor, the one that lead to his room.

Immediately I tried turning the handle, but it was locked. I then started banging on the door, remembering all the other times I did the same months ago.