When we arrived at the castle there was no way to tell if we were on time or late. I suspected that with the extra primping that went on this morning it was the latter. Nevertheless, Giselle and Victoria stepped out of the carriage with the help of the waiting servants as if they were something everyone was waiting for. I followed and we were escorted through the large wooden doors. The castle was as I remembered it when Christian had invited me to go and see the hall of pictures. There were less servants dashing about but the same armored guards patrolled the grounds and hallways. The three of us followed the servant silently as he led us through the palace. This time we did not stop in the storage room for cloaks and swords.
It was not long until we arrived at the hall of pictures. Giselle and Victoria were indignant at the fact that they were made to climb a rickety old ladder through a trapdoor and complained that they were ladies and it was improper to climb about in such a way. The servant simply replied that they were free to leave if they wished and not attend the princess's party at the Etvor Cliffs. This statement quickly silenced their complaints and I had to stifle a laugh at the servant's blunt tone.
Once the three of us had ascended the ladder, the servant followed and directed us to one of the golden framed pictures. It depicted a black sand beach running between tall white cliffs and the blue ocean. It was strange to see black sand in the picture. I was not aware that sand came in such a dark color; it made me even more excited to visit the place. Victoria was examining the picture from a few feet away. She was probably wondering why the servant had brought us here. Giselle had barely glanced at the picture before turning to look at the others in the room.
Giselle finished her walk around tower room and stopped beside her sister in front of the Etvor Cliffs frame. "These pictures are quite nice, but we did not come to see old art in some dusty old tower. The invitation said that we were to join Princess Joslynn at some cliffs. That is just a picture. If this is some cruel joke that you are playing on us then let me assure you that your masters will be informed as soon as possible and you will most likely lose your position." Giselle lectured the servant.
Trying to divert her attention from the poor servant I attempted to explain the pictures to Giselle. "These are more than just pictures. You can travel from this tower to the cliffs by just-"
I succeeded in saving the servant from Giselle's scolding because she directed her harsh tone at me instead. "Yes, Ebony, tell us how we can get somewhere miles away from this tower. Since you are so clever all of a sudden, enlighten all of us with your amazing knowledge. Do you want us to jump out of these windows and we will be carried to the cliffs by the wind? Don't be stupid."
"We will never get to the Etvor Cliffs at this rate!" Victoria moaned. "I was so hoping to see Prince Hector today, too. I just have to go and see him. I bet that snake Ojera is probably cuddling up all cozy with him right now since I am not there. Oh, Elle, what are we to do?"
After Giselle's scathing remark and Victoria's moaning I was ready for an argument with the two of them. They were both being silly. If they would just listen we would already be at the cliffs. I would have just walked into the painting instead of trying to explain if both of them were not standing in front of it blocking my path. Giselle had laid a comforting hand on her sister's shoulder and looked about ready to snap at me some more when the servant cleared his throat.
"Ahem, you can arrive promptly at the cliffs and see your friends simply by stepping though the picture. It is a portal of sorts and will take you straightaway to where the princess is having the picnic. Good day," He bowed and went back down the ladder quickly. I did not blame him for wanting to leave the three of us to our argument. I was glad that once we passed though the portal that I would be free of my stepsisters as well.
After hearing how the hall of pictures worked, Victoria was the first to step into the picture. She slowly approached the painting before gently reaching her hand through it. Upon finding that her fingers passed easily into the painting she quickly stepped through. The picture rippled where she had passed through and then calmed to look like a regular picture again. I stepped forward to follow her but was abruptly stopped by Giselle's raised hand. A frown was wrinkling her pretty face as she glared at me.
"I know you think you are just Miss Important today because you were invited to this picnic as well, but let me tell you that you are not special at all. You were only invited out of politeness. If Joslynn weren't such a kind friend then you wouldn't even be here. In fact I very nearly had you stay at the inn instead of bothering the royal family with your presence. You should thank me for my kindness in allowing you to come today, but I want you to remember why you are really here. You are not friends with Princess Joslynn or her fiancée or any of the royal family for that matter. Prince Christian may have shown the tiniest bit of interest in you in the past, but it was me he danced with at the ball and we talked. He told me all about how dull you are and how he sees you as little more than an acquaintance. So don't get any silly ideas about him actually liking you because I can assure you that he doesn't. So stay out of his way and just remember how lucky you are to be here at all."
Giselle turned sharply on her heel towards the picture and followed her sister to the Etvor Cliffs. I could feel the hot pricking of tears that threatened to escape at what Giselle had said. She couldn't possibly be right I told myself. Christian and I had fun when we raced through the liquid alabaster. At the ball he had said that he had been looking for me just as I was looking for him. Maybe I had not spent as much time with him that night as I would have liked, but that did not mean he did not like me. I straightened my back and told myself that Giselle was just being cruel and that there was no truth to her words. Nevertheless, her words stayed in my head and repeated as I stepped through the picture. Maybe if I could just see the prince and talk to him I could prove Giselle wrong.
Doing my best to quiet the new doubt that was running around in my head, I walked through the misty tunnel towards the black sandy beach. Before I had completely exited the tunnel onto the beach, I could hear the laughter and talking from the people there. The other end of the portal came out in a spacious cage. Outside on the beach people were scattered about playing games and talking. A ways down the beach I thought I could see tables and benches. People were seated and eating the food that was piled high on the tables. Between where I stood and the food, there was a game going on. Two teams of men were dashing about after three colorful balls. One man threw one of the balls past another into one of five baskets that were set up in the sand. One of the teams cheered at the point that had been won.
I turned away from their game to see what others were playing. One group was playing at horseshoes. They clapped for a woman when her horseshoe clanged around the metal stake. I knew I would not be playing a game with them today. If I threw something as heavy as a horseshoe it could be very dangerous to anyone near me; better for me to find something less hazardous. I wanted to join in with something quickly to prove that I did belong here despite what Giselle said. Another group of men and women were kicking up the black sand as they danced jovially around. There was no music but that didn't stop the dancers. I thought it odd that they would dance when there was no music playing and I wondered how they all kept time with each other.
"Shall we dance?" A voice said from beside me. It was a man with a thick mustache and very carefully coiffed hair who offered me his hand.
I smiled and tried to be jolly, "But there is no music. I was just wondering at how they all kept from falling about each other in their dance. I do not think I could dance so quickly without ending up flat in the sand.
The man laughed. "It is a very lively jig to be sure, but wait a few moments and it will turn slow and somber."
I started to ask him what he meant when a breeze blew across the water and along the cliffs. The dance did indeed slow down as deep musical notes rippled across the shore and then echoed back. I turned my head quickly around to see where such music was coming from. I had never heard anything like it. The music seemed to rise and fall with the wind. It gave the illusion that it was the music and not the wind that blew my hair. I could feel the notes thrum deep in my chest. While everyone must have heard it, it was only the dancers that seemed to pay any attention as they changed their dance to the music. After looking all around, I turned to ask the man what was making such strange and beautiful music.
"That," he replied, "would be the great Aeolian Harps of Etvor."
So, the whole 'real life' thing wasn't as fun as Pharyss and I just had to write more regardless of the fact that I still have to get up and go to work again in the morning.
So they all went to the Hall of Pictures this time and got to go through a different picture!
(Oh and just a heads up now, the rating might be bumped up eventually because things will get a bit crazy at the end. Nothing inappropriate or gross, don't worry, but there's going to be some tough times for the characters that might kind of smudge the line between K and T. I'll check the rating stipulations to be sure though.)