I watched her go, Para leaving and shutting the door softly behind her, most likely heading for the kitchens, a habit evidenced by her increasingly round body. I didn't hear a click, so I knew it could easily be pawed open. I considered trying to open the notebook to see what she had written, but although I may be intelligent, I haven't completely grasped the meanings of those little squiggly lines. Who am I? Why, the cat of course. Or rather, the kitten. I am Ashkyla's kitten, 9 months old. On her 15th birthday she was promised the most beautiful kitten from my litter by the Duke of Loring, who breeds cats. I was chosen at 3 months and given as a half birthday present to my mistress.
That is my simple history. I have learned much in my six months of palace life. I am the Princess's confidante. She tells me things she would never tell anyone else, even Para. At night I'll curl up on her bed and she'll whisper to me about what she said that day and what she really wanted to say, tell me all the terrible gossip about people, and who was truly terrible but never talked about. During the day I wait until she is gone, then go downstairs to the kitchens to chase mice or go into the garden and run around, batting at the flowers. Things my princess would love to do, but can't. Some times I join her in what ever she's doing – usually either walking around the palace gardens, smiling for a group of commoners or having lessons in music and dance. Most often I find Ashkyla with her tutor. I learned early not to jump on the table, because that tends to upset the ink which makes her tutor angry and causes big black blotches to appear on my perfect fur, so I mainly stay under her chair.
What do I look like? I have velvety white fur on my head, with matching petite paws, and much of my back. One of my ears is iridescently orange, as well as many spots and stripes wherever I'm not brilliantly white along my back and tail. This is how I was presented to the Princess and the only way I am ever described. Everyone seems only to care about looks and outward things, instead of personality and the little things everyone does every day that really make the difference. Nobles. I'm forever glad I'm not the princess.
Then again, my fur is beautiful, and it has every right to be remembered for its fantastic shininess. But I supposed it would bother me if Ashkyla never noticed my attentiveness, or my cleverness, or my all around wonderfulness. Well, she's never actually mentioned my all-around-wonderfulness, but I'm sure she meant to.
I jumped off the bed and out of the cozy nest I'd made which would surely be gone when I came back. Maids are pesky little things. I ran lightly to the door, batted it open, and left the room. Well, obviously I left the room, what else would I have done with the open door? The hall outside is always uninviting. It is long and engraved, mostly marble and gold, cold things to walk on. The bedrooms had carpets, but very few other places did. The hall is also long, although the King and Queen's quarters are at the very end and Ashkyla's room is in the middle, leaving only half the hall between me and the stairs.
Stairs are tricky. The best way is to walk along the slanted bit on the side connected to the stair rail, but it's so easy to slide, and falling down stairs is not fun. Of course, we cats always land on our feet, being very graceful, but I almost pulled a claw out once.
Once I got to the bottom, fully clawed, I traversed down another, much larger, hallway until I reached a door. It wasn't just any door. It had been carved out of the Tall Woods of Kimarine Forest, one of the five enchanted forests. The door is covered with swirls and mysterious patterns and symbols which may just be for decoration, but which some say are ancient spells. Normally the doors are closed, as the Hall is only used when there are guests. I really do know too many random facts.
Today, however, they were wide open, a stream of people pouring in from down the other hall which led toward the outside door. I didn't feel like going outside today; although it would be easy, all those people would most likely be taking up all the space with their noise and smell. So instead I followed the line to its end: My princess.
Well, not specifically her. It stopped approximately ten feet in front of her, where she sat in the smallest of the three thrones on the dais, to the left of her father who was in the largest throne, who was next to her mother. One by one, the visitors came up, gave their name to a scribe, and gave Ashkyla a gift or wished her birthday sentiments. She smiled at each one, promising to open the gift as soon as she had time or returning pleasantries.
She had her mask on, the smiling, welcoming one she'd most likely be wearing all day. I jumped lightly past the guards, who glared at me disapprovingly, but didn't dare stop me. I am the princess's cat, after all. I paraded up to her and curled up beside her chair. I have a lot of practice putting up a good show, just like a princess. She had learned how to be a lady at the age most children were still learning that fancy china and cat tails are not toys, and now I was learning from her. Being a princess wasn't that easy. She continued talking to the man in front of her, but I knew she had noticed me. I looked out at the line of people, all excited to meet her, and felt sorry for the girl beneath the gracious royal, knowing the line extended far outside. And although she had only begun a few minutes ago, she was most likely already tired of the whole affair.
The Royal Encyclopedia of Canderon, Volume K
Kimarine Forest is the last known location of Enchanted trees. Although no one has seen one in over a hundred years, according to ancient legend there is an immortal grove in the very center of the forest. It is said that the spot is one of the last sources of Great Magic. The other four enchanted forests are located outside of the kingdom of Canderon. According to ancient myths, they have protected the portals to the Fairy World since the birth of time, and were considered places of great mystique. As magic has become rare, these areas have become lost in legend and fables…