Chapter 3
Alana sat on her balcony later that day, not knowing quite what else to do. She definitely did not want to go wandering, since she knew she would get lost. And so she sat there, thinking of her situation. And for some reason, she was quite happy with it.
She hadn't seemed to realize just how horrible living in the palace with her mother and sister had been until she was gone. Here, they actually noticed her, said hello to her, asked her about herself. Sure, it wasn't quite the same thing as being 'loved', per say, but she thought she would be quite willing to live here. Even the master hadn't seemed quite as bad as she would have thought. She could see why other people would fear him, and this place, but given her life before, she felt as though her living situation was quite improved.
She did wonder why the castle was cursed…but she knew enough not to ask. People don't like those who pry, her grandmother had always said. Although her grandmother had been a tad batty. Alana laughed at the memory.
"Do you need anything miss?"
Alana gave a yelp and turned around to find yet another fairy. This one was completely in glittering, sparkling green.
"Miss?"
"Who are you?" Alana asked.
"Oh, Hope, miss. I am sorry if I have frightened you."
"That's alright."
"I was wondering if you would like a tour," Hope said with a smile. "Maybe you will not get lost."
"Of course, that would be wonderful!" Alana said, getting out of her chair.
Hope gasped. "My dear! What are you wearing?"
Alana had realized this morning that she had only brought with her her most basic dresses.
"Well, this is all I had," she said. Hope clicked her tongue reproachfully.
"Did you not look in the wardrobe, miss?" she said, fluttering to the large, beautiful wooden wardrobe.
"No, I didn't think anything was in there," Alana said truthfully.
Hope sighed. "Well, we would like you to be at least a little better dressed," she said, obviously as kindly as she thought possible. She opened the doors with a flourish, and Alana gasped.
There gorgeous dresses in every color and fashion. They seemed to be sorted by season, as the autumn ones, (as it was autumn), were in the front. There were blues and purples and greens and even coppers.
"Here, I think this one will do today," Hope said, pulling out a deep green one. It had long, tight sleeves and a wide, scooped neck. The skirt of it was small, but Alana saw intricate embroidery along the bottom.
"Now, put it on, and I will come back to do your hair," Hope said, and fluttered out of the room.
Alana put the dress on carefully and stood in front of the full-length mirror that stood on the wall opposite the balcony. The dress fit perfectly; Alana was wondering how it was possible when Hope fluttered back in, and she was reminded of the magic.
"There, now, does not that look lovely?" Hope asked, more to herself than to Alana. "Now, sit down, and I will put your hair up."
Alana sat down at the vanity next to her bed. Again, she heard Hope click her tongue as she picked up the brush and began to attempt to smooth out Alana's hair. It had gotten rough during the journey, and Alana had not bothered to brush it since she came. She looked at herself in the mirror…is that how she had met the master of the castle? She groaned inwardly. She had looked a fright! No wonder he had looked at her so oddly; she would have looked at herself oddly, too.
"There we are now," she heard Hope say, and pulled herself out of her reverie. Hope had pulled her hair into a kind of twist, leaving some of her golden blonde hair down to frame her face.
"Now just a little of this," Hope murmured, swinging Alana's chair around and dabbing some rouge to her face and lips.
"There now, do you not look so much lovelier?" Hope asked, and Alana swung her chair back to face the mirror. Her eyes widened a bit, but she smiled at herself; there was no Davina to tell her that she looked horrible. And she didn't look horrible; quite the contrary.
"So, now you are suitable to go on a tour," Hope said. "Come now, follow me." She flew out of the room, and Alana hurried to stay with her.
"These rooms are never used," Hope began, waving her arms at the doors that lined the hall. "So there is no point in going in them." They reached the grand staircase that Alana had climbed up last night. The hall looked much better in the sunlight, but the castle still had a dark feel. They did not walk down the stairs, however, but continued down another hallway, which was open so that Alana could continue to stare down at the great hall.
"Again, useless rooms," Hope said. "Ah, here we go." She opened a door on her right, and beckoned to Alana. Instead of a room, however, Alana faced a narrow, spiraling set of stairs. Hope had already begun to flutter up, so Alana took a deep breath and followed her at a quick pace. The steps went on forever, it seemed, but finally Hope said, "Here we are."
They had come to a small, outdoor room that was half-covered in a glass, domed roof. Standing in front of the ledge was a telescope, and on the wall was a very old looking map of a constellation.
"Does he like astronomy?" Alana asked, putting her eye to the telescope.
"Who, miss?" Hope asked, as if hoping she had misconstrued Alana's words.
"The master of the castle," Alana answered, still with her eye to the telescope.
"Oh, well…he used to," Hope said sadly, with a finality that made Alana know not to ask anymore.
"Alright then, down we go," Hope said, brightening her voice again. Alana sighed, and followed her down the steps, but at a much slower pace this time. By the time she got down, Hope had her arms crossed.
"Sorry," Alana said, out of breath. Hope shrugged and continued on. She stopped again a lavish door.
"Now, mind you, this is the back entrance, so it will not be quite as glamorous," Hope told her. Alana was going to ask her what she meant when Hope opened the door.
It was the ballroom. An enormous, magnificent ballroom. It was gold and crimson, with a shining white marble floor. They were in the balcony, looking down at the floor. At the other end of the room was a staircase almost as big as the one in the great hall. It had golden railings and crimson steps. Hope was watching Alana with a smile on her face.
"This is wonderful," Alana said.
"Yes, well, you need to see it when it is prepared for a ball. Then, it is truly wonderful," Hope said with a hint of sadness. Alana gazed at her for a moment, but Hope shook her head as if to get rid of something, and sent a sparkly dust showering onto the floor.
"Well, then, on we go."
They continued to walk down the hall, Hope pointing out a few rooms here and there, and sometimes telling her which ones were just closets and which were rooms. They finally reached the end of the hall, where two extravagant doors met them.
"Now this," Hope said, "I think you will like."
She opened the doors, and Alana's mouth dropped open. It was a library, but not just any library. It was two stories high, and the first half was covered in the normal roof, but the second half was enclosed in glass, and beyond it were the remarkable gardens. There were books as far as the eye could see, with steps and ladders just so one could reach them. There was a fireplace and two chairs in the first half, but Alana continued to stare up the books. She heard someone clear their throat, but didn't bother to look, her neck craned up to stare.
"I am sorry, sir, I did not know you would be here," she heard Hope say, but it didn't sink in.
"It is alright, Hope," the same deep, rough voice from yesterday came. Alana knew she should probably look down, but couldn't stop staring at the shelves upon shelves of books. "Leave us."
A book caught Alana's eye, and she hurried to it. It was a book her grandfather used to read to her when she was young. She took it carefully from the shelf.
"Find something you like?" she heard the voice behind her.
"My grandfather used to read this book to me," she said, slightly nervous at being alone with him again. She turned around and showed it to him. She saw a hint of a smile pass through his eyes, the only human part of him. They were a vivid green, a soothing chartreuse. They looked into each other's eyes for a moment. She felt drawn to his eyes, but his voice broke through.
"A fine book to read when one is young," he said. She nodded, a little disappointed for some reason. His cloak swept as he walked back to the chair. She placed the book back on its shelf, not knowing whether she was supposed to stay or go. She thought that maybe she was to stay, so she wandered around, looking at the myriad of books. She climbed some steps to another level, and found a book that seemed more worn than the others. She pulled it out; it was titled The Good King.
"Oh," she said softly. She had always wanted to read this book. She eagerly opened it. Thinking she wasn't supposed to go and sit in the chair opposite him, she sat down on the steps and began to read.
After a few minutes, she heard, "Why are you sitting there?"
He was standing at the bottom of the steps, looking up at her, his expression unreadable.
"Well, I…" she didn't know what to say.
"Come and read by the fire, it is cold up there," he said, but it was not so much an invitation as it was an order.
She got up and went down the steps, then trotted alongside him to the chair. One of his strides equaled about three of hers, so she hurried to keep up. Once there, he sat down and began to read; she curled up in the chair and also began to read. She found it hard to concentrate, however. Her eyes kept flickering up to him, watching him read.
"Do you have a question, Alana?" he said, still looking at his book.
"Sorry," she said. "I was just wondering…" she racked her brain for a legitimate question. "What I am supposed to call you? Should I call you sir, or master, or…?"
He seemed to think for a moment.
"The servants call me Thomas," he said. "I suppose you may call me that."
She nodded. "Thomas it is, then."
