Irina and Marthe were sitting in the carriage on their way back home. But all of the sudden Irina decided to take another route home. She told the coach to stop by the market.
Although the market situated in opposite direction from the mansion, Marthe didn’t voice her opinion as she knew the young miss must feel exhausted from the never stop hard training and needed some break time. There they were strolling in the market with Marthe walked behind Irina.
The market was quiet, Irina and Marthe were the only people who leisurely walked in there. Apparently
Shortly they arrived in the living room at Artie’s manor. Many young women at her age were there, each of them held a cup in their hand and the saucer on the other hand. Some of them occupied the large couch, some were standing while talking and some sat on the comfortable wooden stool. Around them were tables with fruits and cakes. They turned silent when Nora shows before them followed by Irina. They turned their head looking at each other.“Nora… Finally, you arrive!” Said one of them. She stood to greet Nora and Irina. “Irina thank you for coming.”
“I didn’t tell your father, you know.” Diaz said.Irina and Diaz were at Scholar-Dome. Her father took her there first thing in the morning, they left right after breakfast. And here Irina walking with Diaz on white sand, they headed to the lines of trees in the Scholar-Dome area.“I know it wasn’t you.” Said Irina, she covered a yawn with her hand. “It was Nieal.” She added.“How?”“I was in Lord Arthur’s manor and Nieal happens to be there. So—”“You interfere with his politics—” Diaz said accusingly.“I’m not interfering anything.” Retorting sharply, Irina glared at Diaz. “And Nieal was fine with me going there. He knew I can’t be easily manipulated. My father on the other hand, I never seen him mad at me like that before.”The memory after she left Arthur’s manor started, she was sitting i
Roman ‘s hand was holding the knob when he opened Irina’s bedroom door. It was breakfast time, but she was fast asleep. He closed the door then walked down the stairs to the kitchen. Her lack of sleep was because of his tight and hard training, hence he let her sleep longer.Entering the kitchen, Nieal was listening to Marthe’s talking. His look of question made Roman shrugged. Nieal understood that Roman didn’t want to wake Irina up. Then Roman took a seat and started to eat, while Nieal and Marthe were still talking.The Elder’s house was far from town’s crowdedness. Perfect place for arranging plans and having secret meeting. This morning, there were Roman, Nieal, and Elder Mory himself as the master of the house.They were sitting around a table in his secret library. Piles of parchments were on the other side of the table. Lying in front of them was the new map of Poor Land. The map was from Scholar Benjamin whom assigned
Knock… knock…“It’s open.” Said Irina.Nieal came bringing a neat paper wrap. Irina sat on the only chair in the room.“I just made the—”Nieal sat and wore his innocent look.“—bed. Don’t mind it.” Irina gave him the look.Grinning, Nieal put the wrap next to him. He said. “For you.” Pushing it a little, he added. “Congratulation on becoming who you are supposed to be”Smiling brilliantly, Irina pulled the chair closer to the bed.“I heard your eyes didn’t even blink when you saw it.”CRAAACKKFrowning, she saw a folded dress. The dress was gray, short sleeves, embroidered with pale red rose in the waist line.“Thank you Nieal, it’s beautiful.” She said while holding the dress, fitting it in front of the mirror. “But I don’t remember seeing this dress before.&rdq
The trip to the Common-House Village was through the downtown. Irina noticed that the town had more crowded than it used to be. New faces added more color to the boring town, thought Irina. Irina was looking out the carriage glass window, her smile showed. She was thinking, with the increasing number of people in town, Nieal also built new school building, there should be more students in town then library would have an elevated activity. Maybe they need more employee, maybe her dream job could come true.Construction of Common-House completed. People that supposed to be moved to town were there, most of them were at the village, attending the gathering while the other part were wandering in town.The gathering was hosted by Nieal on purpose. He provided everything, various foods and drinks were served. Cheerful music played as an entertaining. And to end the event, he had prepared fireworks to add more light in the summer night sky.Irina set her foot on the vi
Lucas walked in to the village. He was half wishing to see Irina there, also wishing to see the elder too. These past few days, he was running around between library and scholar-dome hoping he could see the elder, and yet the elder was like I’m going to see you when I want to. Although he knew the chance of meeting the elder in the gathering like this was very thin, he still wanted to go. He felt the need to witness a history.The town now was colorful. But not the same colorful as the time when he came from. He knew this was a beginning.A servant came with tray of flute of white wine. Lucas took one. He was standing alone watching people dancing, he noticed some teenagers near him steal a glance at him whenever they talked to each other. He didn’t feel want to be nice today.Sipping the wine, his mind suddenly flew to the moment when Irina mixed her drink, the thought made him smile a little. He walked again, wandering around with no particular dir
“Are you sure it was pleasant to hear?” Asked the blonde.Irina recognized her from the previous occasion in Artie’s manor. She couldn’t remember her name though. From the moment they started to gather together as a group and listened to Timothy telling his tale, Irina’s attention divided. She kept following Lucas and Dee with her eyes every few minutes.“Yes.” Said Timothy. “What do you think, Irina?”“Eh?” Irina startled when the question came, she was watching Lucas, he was moving and standing behind Dee.“Are you even listening?” Snapped the blonde.Now Irina staring straight to her. “Yes, crystal.” She said. Then she turned her attention to Timothy. “Pleasant voice of little girl speaking rubbish.”Timothy nodded confirming it.“I think you have to be patient and do what you have to do while in there.” Advised Irina.
It was still dark outside, with a blurry tinge of a moon light. Lucas was looking up to Irina’s bedroom window. He threw a pebble that coming back to him in an instant before it reached the window. Then he sensed the house was protected by some powerful spell that could detect evil soul, even an evil thing could also be detected.Frowning, Lucas wondered why this kind of spell could be here, in this particular time? Who casted it? Roman? Hard to think it’s him. Maybe the Elder, yes it must’ve been him!Stepping back, Lucas jumped up. Thankfully the window sill was large enough to sit on. So, when his hands held the sill, he pulled his body and managed to sit in front of the glass window.First, Irina saw his hand, then the swing of his body appeared until he sits securely on the window sill. Shaking her head lightly, she held a piece of paper up. Lucas grinned when he saw Irina write ‘don’t talk nor whisper’ in the paper that
“Come in.” Said Julian. Irina stepped in to his study inside his castle. He was reading some book, then he stood after put a mark between the pages. “Hey, I hope I don’t disturb you.” “It’s a pleasure to have you here. What can I do for you?” Julian motioned her to take a seat. She pulled a chair behind the clean polished round table, before Julian could do it for her. Julian took a seat across her right after she was settles in her seat. “I want to see how are you doing. You were not there, in the cottage, when we were saying goodbye to Deandra this morning. Lucas taking her back.” That look again, thought Irina. The miserable mixed with sorrowful in blank look. It was just too sad to see. Irina could sense the hurt that he felt in his heart. It seemed he truly love Deandra. “I know.” He said. “I’m so sorry.” Julian wanted to look alright, that’s why he smiled at her as he couldn’t mutter any good respond.
Two days had passed since Lady Cotts’s stiff body dropped dead on to the floor the same time as the last grain of sand in the hourglass. They hadn’t burry her lifeless body yet, she was placed in the glass coffin. Her eyes were cannot be closed, they were wide open and black, with the trace of suppressed fire on them. Roman put his arm around Irina’s shoulder. They both were staring at the glass coffin. “I made her dead.” Said Irina blankly. “She asked for it.” Roman calmed her. He was back as soon as he sensed the energy that he had been avoided for over twenty years had faded and gone. His comeback arrival was welcomed by his daughter enthusiastically. “You did the right thing.” He squeezed her shoulder lightly. “You’re right.” Irina nodded. They heard foot step drew closer, but they didn’t turn to look who it was. “Mr. Roman, may I have a moment?” By then both father and daughter took a look. He was standing next to Roman. “
Irina looked to her side. A strong muscular big black jaguar stood firmly next to her. Little companion? She thought inside, this Iolomb surely had a real bad vision. She gave the Iolomb a sly grin. How to make the Iolomb dead was the only thing on her mind. Ro nudged her as if he could read her mind. He wanted her to go on, leaving the Iolomb with him. Irina shook her head harshly. Ro nudged again. This time, Irina heard disgusting chuckle from the Iolomb. She hated it. She hated being looked down by the creature. So, she turned to face Ro then nodded. That was all she had to do. In the blink of an eye, Ro launched with incredible speed that normal eyes wouldn’t be able to follow. Soon, he was towering in front of the Iolomb. The look of surprise on the creature’s face was only lasted for a moment. Ro made its face down onto the cold floor. What had happened next to the Iolomb, Irina would never know as she took herself upstairs. The map of t
Irina was climbing back through the transparent hole. She put firmly her foot one by one in Deandra’s bedroom. Her face was sour and she was sulking. She was never be in this worse of mood. Deandra stepped back. As the hole diminished, her conscious came. She blinked, then her eyes normal again. “Miss Irina?” Narrowing her eyes for a second at Deandra, making sure that she was free from any form of her mother’s influence. Irina closed her eyes, she forced herself to stay in control. The door swung open. Lucas was still able to see the diminishing of the hole as he came in before Julian and Hilda. “Good. You’re back.” Irina didn’t mean to sound harsh, but she sounded like one and startled Deandra. “Where are you from?” Lucas snapped. His eyes drilled into Irina’s. Hilda and Julian exchanged a look, then threw Lucas a questioning look which ignored by the later. At the same time, Deandra became more and more uneasy. Irina
“Get… Up…” Said Lady Cotts coldly. Shaking her way up, Deandra managed to stand. She stepped back. Didn’t want to be too close. “Speak!” “The king and his group are still alive.” The Iolomb stepped forward. ”I wouldn’t worry about them, Milady. They have been damaged.” “I don’t care about them.” Lady Cotts looked straight into Deandra’s eyes. Blaming her. “I want my daughter to join us.” She tore her haze, shifted to the tall glass window behind her. No one dared to respond. The Iolomb made a side glace at Deandra, while Deandra seemed more interested in her shoes. “Well?” Asked Lady Cotts. Her voice sounded gentle and sweet but somehow send shiver to the Iolomb and Deandra. “I will gather an army, Milady.” The Iolomb bowed and left the room hurriedly. From a far, Deandra saw tiny black dot moving between the treetops through the tall glass
Plakk… Deandra felt burning on her face as the tickle sound and smell of flesh burning filled the air. She fell down the floor, on one side of her body with her hand supporting her weight. Knowing that tear only made the burning felt more painful, she held in as hard as she could. “Now I have to deal with this stupid war.” Lady Cotts looked down at Deandra with loathe in her red eyes. “Milady, I have nothing to do with the war. They hate me. Especially Miss Irina, she AAAAAAAHH…” The palm that marked in her face burnt deeper into her flesh. “Don’t you dare talking about my daughter with your filthy tongue, useless human.” Right, Deandra was an ordinary human before she met the lady whose look bear a resemblance to someone she missed very much, she used to address her dearly with Miss Irina. The one who left right after her wedding. Leaving her father, Master Danieal, and Deandra. It was then in a middl
Deandra walked back and forth in circle in her bedroom. She was locked up in her bedroom, and she didn’t know why. Anxiety crawled into her heart and her head started to tell her things. ‘What did I do?’ Was the first question in her head. ‘Did I do a bad thing?’, ‘What kind of bad thing? Last time I remembered I was being pinned on the floor’, ‘Did they find out who am I?’ ‘Who am I?’ the last question echoed in her head. Her stomach growled as she didn’t touch her food since she had woken up this late afternoon and it was already dark outside. She had no appetite. She was hungry but had no intention to eat. The kind of feeling she acknowledged as a sign. Something had wiring in her vein, running with her blood through her heard then send signal to her brain. She could see but her vision was not hers, she went blank inside. She screamed. Screaming a name that she used to say it dearly. The door opened with a loud bang. “Miss I
Squeaking slowly, an older scholar two seat from Master Tobias pushed his chair back as he stood. Master Z, Lucas said inwardly. Then he turned to Julian who gave him a shrugged as he too didn’t understand. “Antony, don’t give me further reason to regret my decision of letting you pass the final assignment.” Master Z scolded the young scholar. He turned gracefully to face all the royal members in the room. “His highness is not done talking. Please continue, Your Highness. We all are listening.” Lucas nodded. “Thank you, Master Z.” He directed his stare to Antony and all of the younger scholars at the back sit. Antony got up then bowed. “My apology, Your Highness. I was wrong, jump into unreasonable conclusion.” Second later all the younger scholars raised then bowed, murmuring their apology. Taken aback by the sudden bows. What is this? New tradition to become a scholar? Thought Lucas. He swiftly shook the thoughts away. Absurd. Pullin
The sky outside almost dusked. Lucas and Irina hadn’t show themselves at the cottage. Making the atmosphere in the common room tense and anxious. Common room was full, chairs were set pushed against the wall. The large table in the middle of the room was circled by the older scholars, younger scholars were sat on chair by the wall. “Why they aren’t here yet?” Julian heard Hilda whispered softly through his ear. “It’s getting dark soon.” They were standing by the open door of the common room along with Sebastian, Darren and Captain H, waiting for Lucas and Irina. “You’re right.” Julian agreed in low voice. He turned to his best friend. “Sebastian, let’s find them.” Sebastian raised one of his brows, then without any word he followed Julian out. At the front yard, they met with the rest members of Julian’s castle. They saw Julian and Sebastian walked toward them. Julian dismissed their bow instantly as he wanted to asked them questions.