Chapter Twenty-One

I closed the magic book. I didn't care if the book still had contents for me; I wasn't in the mood to read. It was still eight thirty, and I wasn't sleepy. At Frell, I often slept at nine or ten. Mandy says that the cure to sleep early was a glass of hot milk. I suppose I could go down and get one. It wouldn't take long to boil a small amount. 

As I went down the stairs, I thought about the magic book. What was the significance of the picture of Apple and Char? To make me cry? Certainly not. Maybe tomorrow, something would come up. Vanessa. What was wrong with her? And Larissa…who was this person she was talking about?

I reached the bottom of the stairs. It was dark even if I was carrying a candle. The kitchen was even darker. I was careful of my steps so then I wouldn't step on the tail of the tabby cat who has no name and lives here just to keep the mice and rats out of the food. I looked at the pantry for a jug of milk. I found it next to cheeses and creams. It wasn't heavy; it was almost empty. I placed some on a kettle, lighted the stove, and drowsily waited for it to boil. The kettle whistled and I stood up. I turned off the stove but before I got to lift the kettle, insistent knocking came to the door. The inn was closed, and certainly, as I have said before, almost all the people were asleep. Who could it be? Maybe a tenant who got locked out? I cautiously opened the door and peered through the crack. It was Cedric. I opened the door.

"You got locked out." I said.

"Obviously. How should I know that this bloody inn closes at eight?" he grumbled.

"Looking at the sign outside saying that this inn would close at eight. You didn't see it infront the door? You must be blind. " I replied mockingly.

"Right." He looked at me. Then he looked at the kettle. "What are you doing? If this inn is closed, you shouldn't be cooking."

"I'm not cooking. I'm just boiling milk. I'm letting it cool for a moment. It might be too hot."

"Why?"

"To sleep early, you must drink a glass of hot milk, Mandy says."

"Can you give me some? I'm in serious need of sleep."

"Sure. I suppose you're not yet used to the sleeping early habit in Bast. Me too."

"Why do you think they do?"

"Maybe Bastens are always sleepy. That's the probable reason. In Frell I sleep at nine or ten."

"You're from Frell? I thought you're a Basten. But then, if you were, you must have been used to this."

"Cedric, where are you from? You're obviously not from Ayortha. When you say Kyrrian, you don't pronounce your l's as y's."

"Good observation. I'm from Erima. It's near Ayortha."

Erima? The place struck me. "Do you know Lady Larissa?" I inquired.

"Sure. Sister to Lady Vanessa. Who wouldn't know? Her sister, her name is known everywhere because of her beauty." He replied nonchalantly.

"I mean, do you know her as a friend." I pressed.

"Yeah, she's my friend. We're close friends." He looked at me amusedly. "Why do you want to know? Do you know Larissa?"

"Well, I've heard of her." I said quickly. "Not that I've met her. But I've known her."

"I didn't know Larissa would be known. She lived by the shadow of her arrogant sister."

"Vanessa is arrogant?" I said stupidly. He should think I have never read anything on Vanessa's journal. And think that I'm the common person who would look at her beauty rather than her personality. "But she's beautiful."

"You really shouldn't judge people by their looks."

"I don't." I replied indignantly. "People just say she is nice."

"Well she is a long, long way from nice, Ella. Vanessa, even if she is the same age as I am, she treats me like a seven-year old." 

I think you are, I was about to say but I bit my tongue. Suddenly I remembered the milk. I have put out the stove before Cedric came

"Can you get me a mug? Because if you don't I might have to pour it directly to your mouth." Cedric laughed and got two. I clumsily poured the milk. My hands trembled.

"Really? Should I say this? Pour milk on me." Oh no. He did it. An order. Now I have to pour the milk on him. Somehow, I should make it look like I "accidentally" poured it on him. I made my hands tremble and ended up pouring the milk on him. He yelled.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean too! Is it hot?" I apologized.

"When I said 'Pour the milk on me,' I didn't tell you to do it!" He did it again! He said the order again! I "accidentally" poured it on him again.

"You did it again!" he angrily yelled at me. 

"Is it hot?" I said sheepishly.

"Do you think it's cold!" he said exasperatedly. 

"I'm so sorry!"

"You clumsy oaf!"

That was the second time I was called that. And the effect was the same as before. "I'm not an oaf!"

"Only oafs do," he gestured at his wet clothes, "this!"

"Alright, I'm sorry." I went to the pantry. I got ice and wrapped it with cloth I found.

"Here." I gave him the ice. "I suppose it's not worse."

"It's not. But the point is, Ella, it's hot."

"It's my fault. I'm a hopeless blunderer."

"Good thing you know."

It was a good thing I decided to let the milk cool down. If it were boiling hot…

Cedric kept saying all night that I was clumsy. Even as I climbed up the stairs. His room was next to mine and so he got all the joy of complaining behind me as I walked. I wished I could snap at him but I knew it was my fault. Or rather, the curse's fault. Cedric and I proceeded to our rooms, without any milk to help us overcome a possible insomnia. I was sitting on my bed, recalling the recent incident. Then I remembered Cedric's words, "Yeah, she's my friend. We're close friends." Friend? Could it be? Could Cedric be the boy Larissa secretly liked? It was possible. Close friends. That gave the hint. But I might have mistaken. Larissa could have a lot of friends aside from Cedric. But then…these thoughts stuck to me. I was expecting my mind not to sleep because of just pondering on this matter! Even if it wasn't my business!

I got to sleep anyway. I fell asleep imagining the day when my curse would be out of my life. I imagined my freedom. I imagined myself reclaiming my necklace from that odious Hattie. I imagined myself not telling Olive stories. But mostly, I imagined myself, with Char, loving him without ever lying and deceiving him again.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Didn't I mention before that I didn't want to read The Queen Of The Damned? I did. And I just finished it yesterday. Then I despaired for a moment because I don't have anything to read. Then suddenly, I saw The Vampire Armand at the bookstore! Happy, happy, joy, joy! I am reading it now and I found out it was way out of my sensibility. One word: Morality. Just read it to understand. I might have been overreacting…but it really is!!!

Anyway, this chapter is not one of the important ones. Heehee. I just wrote this so then there would be…how could I say this…"interaction" with Ella and Cedric. I guess it is important because it would be part of something really, REALLY, BIG. Is the milk hot? I wonder…

But it's true about hot milk being the cure to insomnia. I drink milk every night!!! But I stopped because I often forget. It does work. I guarantee it. Proof? Ever since I stopped drinking milk every night, I cannot sleep. I read books, listen to music, do crazy things, and basically being hyper. Then I would look at the watch. It says TWO o'clock. Then I would stop, tell myself I MUST sleep. I would then lie down on my bed and shut my eyes. But it would be of no use because it would open again. Then I would think of crazy imaginings, then fall asleep at…between three or four o'clock. Then I would wake up very, very late. Eleven. ELEVEN! Insomnia suck.

Thanks to the reviewers!!!

Ironic Paradise

zumamoonlight

Faeriegurl

=^.^=_Kitty_=^.^= 

(To =^.^=_Kitty_=^.^= :I have read Just Ella! It's such a nice story! The Ella there is soo daring. I couldn't even imagine myself crawling out of a dungeon through a crap hole!)