The couple of days passed and the wounds began to feel better. She finally began to feel like leaving her chambers to see if she was welcome at all back out at all. She was finally getting an appetite back too. She finally went to find the kitchen where she was welcome to eat where the Gelfling guards and Podlings got their food from.
When she got there, she asked gently some Podling servants for some food. They were happy to serve it to her. She wasn't so forceful like the Skeksis lords were. At least when they weren't around her. She gladly downed the morsels.
After not eating for many days of her own choice, she was finally getting better. She had had to get over the shock from the injuries inflicted from the punishment, as well as her anger.
While she had been healing, Podlings had been helping the Chamberlain with his hurt arm. He now was wearing his regular sleeve over his arm again. The injuries were declared healed by both Podling healers and the Scientist. There were some nasty scars on his arm from the Rakkida scratches and bites. There was still some scabbing that had to heal yet, but at least the wounds were better than they were.
SkekSil began seeing the girl more and more. Now that she was better, he eventually saw her wandering the castle for something to do. She had been talking to the guards about things that she could do around here, minus bothering the Skeksis.
"So, what is Human up to, hmm?" Sil asked as he approached.
"Just talking to these guys about security matters." She replied, turning to him as he got closer. The guards bowed and left them alone.
"And how's that, hmmm?"
"Nothing to be concerned about. There's no danger going on." She replied.
"Good, good. Now that Human is well enough to be wandering halls again, how about come with Chamberlain to special spot?" He asked of her.
"Uh, sure. I've got no place to be at the moment."
"Come then." He began to lead her away from the spot.
SkekSil led the girl one of the higher towers that had the flower garden on it. It also had a telescope on it. It wasn't quite like Earth's telescopes, but it worked for them well enough.
"This is your favorite place?" She asked curiously.
"Figure Human like flowers." Sil replied.
"Yes, I do. They're pretty with all their different colors and smells."
"Indeed."
"I have something to tell you." She said nervously.
"What's that, hmmm?"
"I never did say thank you for saving my life, despite the creature attacking you."
"Chamberlain glad to be of service, though not of usual way." Sil stated.
"Yeah. And again, I'm still sorry for that."
"And you got over punishment."
"It still needs more time to heal completely." She said and went to sit down on a nearby bench up there. "But can I ask why you brought me up here?"
"Brought up here to talk. Have to say that you never used to pay much attention to Chamberlain until after Rakkida attack. You make trouble for me before. Why now that you decide to be friend?"
"Because I feel like I owe you for saving my life." She replied. "While you were recovering while I was taking care of you before my punishment, I just saw another side of you. And I feel like I'm seeing it now. I have noticed that you don't get angry so much like many of the others. At least you have a much friendlier side, and that many of the others can't seem to want to be around you."
"Hmmm, yes. True. Chamberlain does prefer using friend side of self." Sil grinned. He was figuring he could use this to his advantage, to get her to fully trust him.
"My lord, I am willing to be a friend to you if you'll be mine."
"You choose to be in Chamberlain's service?" Sil asked.
"Yes."
"Good." Sil smiled. "Have been curious about world you come from. Can you tell Chamberlain more?"
"This might take a while. But yes, I can tell you about it. But I wouldn't have a clue as to how I got here." She declared.
"That's fine. Learning is good. Hmmm." He came over to sit down beside her on the bench.
"Yeah. Can I ask why you do that sound all the time? That hum?"
"Not hum. Just like to use my voice to annoy certain others." Sil replied casually.
"Like the General?" She giggled.
"Hm, yes. Like him. He is brainless brute."
"Yeah, even back home, I wasn't crazy for the war parties either, even though they did their duty when called upon."
"Not Chamberlain's ways. More diplomat." Sil said.
"We have those too. Lots of politics. Many senators discuss many types of laws and all to make our country function properly." She explained.
"And did they respect decisions from politics?"
"Leaders did, but probably not always the rest of the population. No matter what, there were always going to be ones who rebelled against the rules."
"True."
"Can you read?"
"Yes, can read. Why?" Sil asked.
"I never see you read."
"Chamberlain reads over Scroll Keeper's work and keep him from falling asleep. Deliver scrolls to Emperor. Just different from Human's time." Sil explained.
"What can you read though?"
"Skeksis and Gelfling words."
"You seem like the type that would adapt to any situation."
"Yes, can learn things well and remember much." Sil stated proudly.
"Back home, I did like to read. I had asked the Scroll Keeper if I could help him in the library, but he was reluctant to let me in." she said.
"Hmmm, not even let Gelflings in there to read his writing. Strictly Skeksis business." Sil replied.
"I like to learn new things too. Would you be able to teach me the Skeksis writing?"
Sil was a little surprised at that. It had been a long time for anyone to ask him that. "Well, since you ask, might be able to teach Human basic Skeksis writing, how to read messages when have time. Chamberlain often busy in daytime."
"You weren't busy now."
"Had time today."
"Compared to at home on Earth, this is the kind of life that I see that everyone can only live in the moment and don't plan too far ahead because we don't know what's going to happen so many days ahead." She proclaimed.
"How could Human plan so many days ahead? Hmmm?"
"With the jobs that humans all had, no matter what it was, we had time clocks and calendars that ran our lives mostly. Being places at specific times. Planning events accordingly. Big plans and meetings were planned many days in advance." she explained.
Sil gave her an odd look. "Time clocks? Cal-en-dars?"
"Yeah, they were pieces of round things that had numbers on them from one to twelve, and we had twenty-four hours in a day's time. With calendars, what you all call trines, we call years. There were twelve months in a year. Each month consists of thirty or thirty-one days. Though our second month of the year only had twenty-eight for four years. Then for one year, it had twenty-nine. Then went back to twenty-eight the next year. And so on. But of course, I see you all just tell time by how the suns move in the sky throughout the day." She explained.
"Much knowledge." Sil declared.
"Yes. Earth has much more advanced ways of technology that probably even the Scientist would want to know about."
"Scientist has different ways than other Skeksis that we not always understand."
"On Earth, people have to learn how to adapt. I mean like back over a century ago, our technology was basically nothing. We lived a lot more like you guys do. I mean a mainly simple life. There were animals that helped us with transportation, wagons, we plowed our own fields, and yes, did plan things one day at a time."
"That's all one can do. Never know what happen next day." Sil agreed.
"Well, if you teach me Skeksis writing, I could also teach you my alphabet too. How to use it." she offered.
Sil thought on that one. It would be useful information probably one day. "Hmm, yes. Would be equal way of returning favor."
"What about as being friends?" She inquired.
"Hmmm, yes. Human friend." Sil smiled. "But only real time to talk of this is in evenings, when all work done for the day."
"But can it be our secret?" she asked.
"Hmm, yes. Chamberlain good at keeping secrets. And also from bringing you here to talk, since you are well to walk halls again, Emperor also wants you to report to him in morning to start job up again."
"Yes, my lord. Thank you. But where would we meet to do our teaching each other?"
"I show you to new chambers." Sil replied.
"Okay."
They both finally got up and went inside again and Sil led her through the halls to an empty bed chamber that was much more luxurious than her current quarters, down in the Gelfling barracks. This room was right near the Skeksis rooms. This room had once been SkekGra's quarters. He was now banished, but she didn't know that.
"So, what Human think of new quarters?" Sil asked. He saw that she had a surprised look on her face as she walked past him to inspect it some more.
"This is quite a surprise, my Lord. Has the Emperor approved this?" she asked.
"Yes, he has. He has forgiven Human. He think you be here long enough to have earned it, punishment included, and what you do for Chamberlain." Sil declared.
"I think it's a really nice room. Far better than what I have been sleeping in. Is it really mine?"
"Yes."
"Because I don't need something backfiring on me again."
"Promise to friend Human. Emperor approve it not long ago. Was also surprise." Sil smiled.
"Uh, thanks. I love it. I just need to get my things out of my old quarters."
"You not need them anymore. They just rags now. You going to get new robes from Ornamentalist tomorrow too."
"Okay."
"Well, Chamberlain has more work to do before dinner. I come see you later tonight. We begin lessons. Hmmmmm." He whimpered again on his way out.
"Okay."
After he left, the girl couldn't believe that this marvelous room was all hers now. But she still felt that she wanted her things, minus the clothes. She went to go sit and lie on the bed to see if it was comfortable.
The bed was really soft and squishy. It definitely would make it easier to fall asleep that night. After she was done on the bed, she left the chamber to go pack up her belongings from the other sleeping quarters. She brought them back to her new room. She had been looking around for the other lords and saw nothing of them. Maybe Sil was right.
The girl unpacked her stuff and started getting some writing of her alphabet done to show SkekSil later on. She really hoped he was going to keep his word on this if he truly was her 'friend.'
