Pendragon

Chapter 3: The Book

Chapter 3: The Book

Alice showed us the way to our rooms and gave us some fresh new clothes. I closed the door and laid a blue dress my godmother lend to me. I took a bath and quickly dressed up. As the silk of the dress slid to my knees, I ran my fingers to its slippery ends. Its texture as delicate as a petal, leaving enough warmth to my body.

"Crane! Fisher! Dinner's ready!" yelled Alice from the first floor of the mansion.

I ran downstairs excitedly and the sight of the table put away the sadness from my face.

"When did you prepared all this?" I asked while I take a slice of strawberry cake with my bare hands. My eyes can't stop roaming along the long table filled with foods and delicacies that can fill my stomach for years.

"Just a while ago.." Alice answered and looked at me with disgust from her face. Well, i can't help myself from taking away my ma... Ow! Jane hit my arm with her elbow.

"What?!" I complained, rubbing the spot where she hit me.

"What what? Mind your manners."

I frowned, put down the cake on a plate and washed my hands.

We settled down on the chairs and looked at each other, waiting for someone to make the first move.

"What are you staring at? Eat." Alice scared us with her glare and handed us the serving spoon for the soup.

I narrowed my eyes on the dish and asked, "Does it contain..."

I was about to finish my question when she cut it out. "Olive oil? Of course not. I was informed that you are allergic to olives and peanuts."

"Who told you?"

"Your locket." she muttered and her answer shocked me.

"My what, exactly?"

She rolled her eyes away from me and continued eating her salisbury steak. "Nevermind." she said.

I picked up my locket from my chest. I tried to open it but i can't. It's locked with some magical super glue, i think? I can't do anything to it so i just stared at it as i remember every moment i spent with my dad. I looked at Jane, who looked so innocent when we first met and is now as brave as my father, protecting me at all costs. I swallowed the lump forming in my throat to prevent my eyes from crying. I smiled and laughed so hard. They both looked at me but i didn't mind. I laughed away the pain my fate is giving me. "I'm done eating." I rose from my seat and proceeded to the living room. It is more than half of the first floor. Only a tranlucent glass wall separate it from the dining room. In the middle of the room, there's a large circle and around it are stairs, two steps high. It leads to the couch which looks so antique yet very elegant. The floor inside the circle is a glass. A transparent one. Beneath it is an aquarium with schools of different kinds of fish in it.

I looked around and studied the room. There's a large chandelier just above the place where i was standing. A bookshelf beside the door to the dining room. Different paintings on the walls. Tables. Vases. And a lot of stuffs fit for this kind of room. But there's one thing that caught most of my attention. A wall clock. It's very large and is hanging on the wall in front of the couch. I touched its edge and it opened. The clock, itself, opened. A book as large as the bible in our church is inside it. I grabbed it and turned the cover... Butterflies flew from the pages to the room... The humming of the birds echoed around my ears and... And my... A picture of my father smiling in front of me. He looked very happy. I can't do anything but smile. This maybe the last time i'm going to see his face filled with peace and happiness because that damn explosion burned and killed him. I closed my eyes and embraced the book. Then, a piece of paper fell to the floor. I picked it up and read it:

"My beloved Alexandria,

I may or may not be there with you when you read this letter. I'm sorry for putting so much responsibilities on your shoulders. But i believe you can do it. I trust you but promise me you'll trust them, too. Your godmother, Alice. Jane. And most importantly, Arkeia. You'll know her in the future if you finish everything. Your mother and I used this book when we were on your age. Use it wisely. I love you so much and you will always be my sweet girl.

Your father,

Dean"

I stood there, stunned. There's only one person in my mind right now. My father. I can't believe i never knew my father's first name until now. Dean. Most of his friends call him DL. I only knew that the 'L' means Louis. It's his middle name.

The remaining sense in me escaped my head. I lost control of my own hands and dropped the book. I closed my eyes waiting for the sound of the book and the floor to echo around the room. I opened my eyes and looked down. The book is floating a few inches from the floor. I tucked it in my arms and gazed behind me. Alice, with a frown on her face, is standing beside the door. She raised her right hand to my direction, closed her fist and pulled the air inward. My feet slid towards her and we are now facing each other. She grasped my arm so hard I felt like my bones are going to be broken by her metal hands. Her eyes were focused on mine. "What are you doing with MY things?" she said, taking no glare away from my face. I felt really mad at the way she specified the word 'my'.

"YOUR things? You see this?" I raised the letter for her to see it. "This book is given to me by my father. This is mine!"

"No. Dean gave it to me so i can hand it over to you when i know you're ready. So it's technically mine. Now, go to bed."

My eyes widened. The book disappeared from my arms. She hid it. It will now be impossible for me to find it. Drops of tears fell from my eyes. "You're worse than a witch." I muttered before walking out of the room.

I ran to random corridors, not knowing where to go, until I found an open room. I sneaked in and sat on the floor and leaned my back on the bed. Tears flow from my eyes without stopping. I grabbed a pillow from the bed and hug it on my face.

Then, i heard footsteps walking to my direction. Jane. Maybe she wants to comfort me after hearing my argument with Alice.

The person i assumed Jane kicked me. Well, that's great. She kic... Oh no! She's a 'he'. I was planning to punch him on the nose but he pulled the pillow from my face, making me stumble. "Get out!" , his deep, gentle voice told me. "Don't stare at me. Get. Out. Now!

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