Chapter Two: Aeriel
After the elevator stopped, I nearly flew out of the still-opening door. I looked around and felt my face go hot as I heard Tab'r chuckling behind. I had no clue where I was or where to go.
I said just that to Tab'r and his laughter increased.
"Little overexcited, are we?" He asked, chortling.
"Just a little," I replied, covering my burning cheeks and smiling weakly.
"Its this way." Tab'r said, pointing a rope-bridge on the left. He walked across it and it groaned terribly. I hesitated and Tab'r gestured impatiently and said, "What's wrong now?"
"Is it, I don't know, safe?" I replied, shaking a little.
"Of course it is. It always groans like that. Just run across and it will be over in a few seconds." Tab'r answered, his sneer mocking me. I ran across the bridge and hurried to his side. He just shook his head and moved forward.
After crossing four creaking bridges, passing under twelve low branches that no one wanted to cut down ("It adds to the theme and decor...") and being applauded and gawked at every time we passed someone, we finally made it to the small, dark-wood doorway that led into my sister's home. I nervously ran my hands through my raven-black hair and smoothed my blood-red gown. Tab'r smiled at my nervousness and knocked on the door knocker in the shape of the Moiety dagger.
After no one answered, Tab'r knocked twice more; each time getting the same result. We were just about to leave when...
"Catherine?!" cried a familiar voice.
I whipped around and came face to face with my sister. She stared at me as if willing herself to believe I was real and then embraced me tightly. A little too tightly: up to point where she forced the air out of my lungs.
"N-n-nice to s-s-see you too, Aer-Aer-Aeriel," I managed to choke out. That was apparently her cue to let me go, for she moved at an arm's length to study me. I almost felt as I was staring into my reflection.
Aeriel had my same dark hair and was about my height. Her eyes were the same shape as mine, but while my eyes were emerald, hers were a midnight blue; almost as dark as velvet. Back in Riven, she had worn simple gray and white kirtles even after joining me and becoming free to wear as she chose.
Now Aeriel wore a long, arctic blue skirt that stopped just above her ivory sandals. Her blouse was a cobalt blue that heavily contrasted her skirt, but yet brought out her eyes magnificently. Her black hair was loose in great shining waves that reached just below her waist.
Aeriel smiled and exclaimed, "Oh Catherine! It has been almost four months since I last saw you! I was beginning to think you had forgotten about me!"
"Never! I would never forget about my own flesh and blood!" I said forcefully. But then for the tiniest of a second, Aeriel's eyes betrayed her and I saw something that looked like disbelief. But then it was gone. Aeriel shook herself.
"What are we doing out here?" she said, forcing a smile, "Let's go inside. I was just out shopping." For the first time, I notice the basket by her feet, filled to the brim with fruits and other oddities. She pulled a key out of her pocket that was curiously in the shape of circle with small, jagged edges protruding from it's sides. Aeriel put the key into a small groove in the door and turned it. There was a creaking sound and the door swung open.
I stepped inside. The room was dark. What little light that came through a small, open window was too dim to allow one to see properly. I heard Aeriel fumbling and then with a small click, the entire room was bathed in a deep, golden glow.
I gasped. The room was beautiful. The wooden and stone walls were painted a bash you in your face red. The floor was completely covered with yellowish rug that was the exact color of the sun at sunrise. The furniture had wooden frames made of hazelnut and the carefully sewn cushions were a deep honeydew yellow. The entire room looked of dawn.
Aeriel stepped beside me and smiled, "It is nice, isn't it? Took me almost six weeks to find all the proper dyes and paints to make everything just the way I wanted it. Took even longer to get furniture that would look good. It seems that everyone here in Tay is going for blues and greens nowadays. Not too many people like gold and red. But hey, wasn't I a rebel?"
I sat down carefully a chair and looked around again, so that I may fix into my mind the scene to describe to Atrus later. The air was sweet and smelled of spring.
"It even smells of dawn," I whispered.
"What was that?" Aeriel inquired, now having moved into the kitchen that was painted in shades of crimson. She had sorted the food and now chopping some and throwing it into a large white pot.
"Nothing. Just admiring the your home."
Aeriel smiled at the comment and built a fire in the fireplace. She placed the pot in the fire and sat down across from me. "Hope you want stew."
"I assume all is well?" I asked.
Aeriel was about to answer, when Tab'r (whom I had forgotten up until this point) interrupted and said, "Very well." Aeriel glared at Tab'r who shook his head and mouthed, No. They both exchanged glances before looking at me suddenly, catching me staring at them. Aeriel forced another smile and said, "All is well"
I stood up and wiped my palms on gown before stating, "What's going on here? You're both hiding something and I want to know what it is."
Aeriel and Tab'r exchanged glances again. Aeriel replied, "Nothing is wrong and nothing is happening. Why do you ask?"
"Because you're both acting very peculiar..." Silence was the only one who replied.
"Very well. I have nothing more to say to you. I'll just be on my way home. I trust that after I have linked from here, you will properly hide my Book somewhere?" I turned towards my bag and began rummaging through it. Suddenly, fear pierced me like a knife. No, this can't be right. I KNOW that I grabbed it. No! It wasn't there! I had forgotten it!