Chapter 5
Talayne didn't appear for another few weeks. When she finally turned up it was while she was talking to Allen.
"I've been called to Palace, a messenger arrived while you were out." What's happening in Palace? "Will you be ready to leave tomorrow morning?"
"Yes."
"That's good."
Dinner was an interesting affair, Talayne didn't seem to feel like eating although she could and spent the dinner getting to know the house. Listening to her brother talk about the day was rather difficult when part of her was constantly trying to see or sense where Talayne was. A few times she thought she heard her but she couldn't be sure and if she leapt up to find out Allen might be suspicious. As soon as it was polite she bid her brother a good night and carried her dishes to the kitchen, washing them quickly before taking the most roundabout way to her room. Talayne was sitting back in the rocking chair with her hands behind her head looking out the window.
"Have a nice dinner?"
"Yes, thank you." She replied out of habit, she had actually rushed through it a little. She crossed to her dresser and began pulling out clothes to pack. "Now where'd I leave my bag." One of Talayne's hands flopped down pointing just behind the door.
"Right." She grabbed the case and began piling folded dresses into it.
"Where are we going?"
We? Yes, it would be better if Talayne came too. There was rarely people she could openly talk to. She was actually very shy, Talayne's openness and vivacity caught her off guard, making her quite a bit more talkative. It was a change she welcomed, although she didn't think she'd be able to repeat it with anyone else.
"Palace." She replied
"Yes I know that (I was there when your brother told us) but what's Palace?"
Oh, she hadn't foreseen this. "Where, and Palace is the capitol of Asturia."
"Oh. Where's Asturia?"
"You're in Asturia."
"Oh." She still didn't know why though, the messenger had left already that was evident. Probably to announce their immediate return to the king, but what was the reason? Allen rarely traveled to Palace; in fact, he was almost never there. He was always at to the edges of the boarders to do one thing or another at the King's request. Something must really be wrong for them to summon him there. She believed the King harbored a dislike for Allen for some reason, she didn't know why yet.
"Talayne?"
"Yes?"
"Could you go into the office. The room with the bookshelves and see if you can find out why we're going to Palace.It's just that my brother is so rarely summoned, I'm afraid there might be something direly wrong there. I don't want to be kept in the dark but it's technically none of my business so I'm not in any position to find out."
"Been there done that."
"Beg your pardon?"
"I was in the office already, while you were enjoying 'roast leg of lamb with peas and potatoes. There's some kind of conspiracy in the city and they fear that the remnants of the Zaiback something empire will try to overthrow the King sometime soon."
"Zaibach." This was very bad news, very bad news indeed. "Do you have anything to pack?"
"Ha ha, no. I travel light."
"That's right. Do you carry anything besides your dress? Doesn't the ground hurt your feet?"
"I can't feel the ground. I don't bring anything else either, the dress is my pajamas and I usually don't wear much else when going to sleep."
"Oh, I guess you're right. I have to get some sleep.can I get you a book or." She opened her hands in a questioning manner.
"Oh, don't worry about me. I'm going out I suppose, before you go to sleep though can you show me where Palace is on a map? Maybe I can meet you there tomorrow then."
She strode over to her bookcase pulling out a piece of paper out of a book. "How will a map help? Palace is hours away, you'd still have to walk."
"When I come here I can choose where I want to appear." She spread the map on the bed.
"That's handy. Okay, here's Asturia, the lines are our boarders, Palace is this dot here, right on the seashore."
"Hm, I think I can find it. Thank you."
"You're welcome."
"Get some sleep then, I'll be back around.what time will you be leaving?"
"Eight."
"Never mind, I'll meet you in Palace then. Where will you be there?"
"Allen is a knight of Caeli, we'll be in the palace."
"The Palace in Palace, alright. See you there. And tomorrow."
"Yes?"
"Try to eat breakfast a little slower, at the rate you ate tonight you're gonna choke sometime and I might not be around to tell you how to cough it up." The girl grinned.
She smiled warmly. "I'll make sure I do."
"Good night then." Talayne stepped through the open window and climbed down the lattice on the side of the house. Celena watched her disappear into the surrounding forest before changing and getting into bed.
Talayne didn't appear for another few weeks. When she finally turned up it was while she was talking to Allen.
"I've been called to Palace, a messenger arrived while you were out." What's happening in Palace? "Will you be ready to leave tomorrow morning?"
"Yes."
"That's good."
Dinner was an interesting affair, Talayne didn't seem to feel like eating although she could and spent the dinner getting to know the house. Listening to her brother talk about the day was rather difficult when part of her was constantly trying to see or sense where Talayne was. A few times she thought she heard her but she couldn't be sure and if she leapt up to find out Allen might be suspicious. As soon as it was polite she bid her brother a good night and carried her dishes to the kitchen, washing them quickly before taking the most roundabout way to her room. Talayne was sitting back in the rocking chair with her hands behind her head looking out the window.
"Have a nice dinner?"
"Yes, thank you." She replied out of habit, she had actually rushed through it a little. She crossed to her dresser and began pulling out clothes to pack. "Now where'd I leave my bag." One of Talayne's hands flopped down pointing just behind the door.
"Right." She grabbed the case and began piling folded dresses into it.
"Where are we going?"
We? Yes, it would be better if Talayne came too. There was rarely people she could openly talk to. She was actually very shy, Talayne's openness and vivacity caught her off guard, making her quite a bit more talkative. It was a change she welcomed, although she didn't think she'd be able to repeat it with anyone else.
"Palace." She replied
"Yes I know that (I was there when your brother told us) but what's Palace?"
Oh, she hadn't foreseen this. "Where, and Palace is the capitol of Asturia."
"Oh. Where's Asturia?"
"You're in Asturia."
"Oh." She still didn't know why though, the messenger had left already that was evident. Probably to announce their immediate return to the king, but what was the reason? Allen rarely traveled to Palace; in fact, he was almost never there. He was always at to the edges of the boarders to do one thing or another at the King's request. Something must really be wrong for them to summon him there. She believed the King harbored a dislike for Allen for some reason, she didn't know why yet.
"Talayne?"
"Yes?"
"Could you go into the office. The room with the bookshelves and see if you can find out why we're going to Palace.It's just that my brother is so rarely summoned, I'm afraid there might be something direly wrong there. I don't want to be kept in the dark but it's technically none of my business so I'm not in any position to find out."
"Been there done that."
"Beg your pardon?"
"I was in the office already, while you were enjoying 'roast leg of lamb with peas and potatoes. There's some kind of conspiracy in the city and they fear that the remnants of the Zaiback something empire will try to overthrow the King sometime soon."
"Zaibach." This was very bad news, very bad news indeed. "Do you have anything to pack?"
"Ha ha, no. I travel light."
"That's right. Do you carry anything besides your dress? Doesn't the ground hurt your feet?"
"I can't feel the ground. I don't bring anything else either, the dress is my pajamas and I usually don't wear much else when going to sleep."
"Oh, I guess you're right. I have to get some sleep.can I get you a book or." She opened her hands in a questioning manner.
"Oh, don't worry about me. I'm going out I suppose, before you go to sleep though can you show me where Palace is on a map? Maybe I can meet you there tomorrow then."
She strode over to her bookcase pulling out a piece of paper out of a book. "How will a map help? Palace is hours away, you'd still have to walk."
"When I come here I can choose where I want to appear." She spread the map on the bed.
"That's handy. Okay, here's Asturia, the lines are our boarders, Palace is this dot here, right on the seashore."
"Hm, I think I can find it. Thank you."
"You're welcome."
"Get some sleep then, I'll be back around.what time will you be leaving?"
"Eight."
"Never mind, I'll meet you in Palace then. Where will you be there?"
"Allen is a knight of Caeli, we'll be in the palace."
"The Palace in Palace, alright. See you there. And tomorrow."
"Yes?"
"Try to eat breakfast a little slower, at the rate you ate tonight you're gonna choke sometime and I might not be around to tell you how to cough it up." The girl grinned.
She smiled warmly. "I'll make sure I do."
"Good night then." Talayne stepped through the open window and climbed down the lattice on the side of the house. Celena watched her disappear into the surrounding forest before changing and getting into bed.