"what!" I flipped back the page to make sure that I didn't skip any previous pages when I can find more details, but I read it just fine I didn't miss any parts. "whaaaat! he can't just end it like that. what's that December!? I don't know any months like that.". " Even if the author wanted to invent some weird words for his calendar he needs to clarify first the system"
I closed the book in a confusion sight when I gave up on finding any details since I can recall the storyline by heart. There was nothing to add. I put it on my desk next to the silver candle holder and the blue ink jar, and leaned back on the chair with my legs up on the desk and my hands behind my neck.
I stared at the decorated roof of my room and zoned out in the enjoyable moments of the journey."Frankly it was a nice story even if it was so long, but it's so confusing I didn't understand why he's now dead, isn't he an immortal!? And dead again! how" "wait! he is an immortal, nearly nothing could kill him. So it must be an extra volume! He sure resurrected after a death that wasn't mentioned" I got hipped up, I swayed a little and lost my balance. I stretched my hands in front of me and adjusted my spin to restore it, but a leg chair slipped suddenly and I fell off to the ground.
"Or so.."
Someone knocked on the door. "Master are you alright!"
"Yes Carle I'm alright!" I told him when he's still behind the door. Carle is the castles butler and he is my father's favorite servant since he is the only servant here remaining. Frankly we didn't have any other servants , I always wondered how he handled all the work around, just look at my chamber it's radiating clean and firmly organized, every corner of the Palas is like that. Those are such great skills for someone as young as him, maybe he's just 10 years older than me.
I rolled to my right quickly and got up, placed my left foot on the back of the chair and lift it up to my hand.
"yeah, what's the matter?"
He opened the right side of the door, stood right in front of it when it's still openm He placed his right hand open on his left side and bowed his head slightly.
"Master, good morning!"
"Yeah good morning" I looked at the window, it was bright outside far from the castle's shadow, it's weird I didn't hear any birds chirping. My room looks at the west,the sunrise beams don't reach it, so I didn't realize it's morning already. (Time really does fly when you are enjoying yourself)
""Are you sure you are fine!" he said kinda worried
"It wasn't much, it's just the chair that fell off"
"I see that you're in your fancy clothes, you must be reading again all night long without getting any proper sleep"
"It's just, I don't want to sleep, It exhausts me mentally"
"The same dream, I'm afraid!!? "
"Yeah, it just comes again every night and then"
"But you have to take care of yourself sir, your mom will be so worried if dark circles appeared under your eyes" he dusted my right shoulder. I didn't feel him approach me at all or hear the door behind me being closed, but it's closed he never leaves it open when entering the room.
"So what did you come here to tell me?"
He backed off two steps and placed again his right hand to his chest."Your father wants you to take breakfast as family"
"Can't I just take it in my room like yesterday!"
"I'm afraid not, he did insist for you to be there today"
"Oh!" I looked towards the book I was reading, maybe it's an opportunity to ask for the next volume since my father was the one who brought it to me. "Yeah, I understand. I will be there in a moment"
"Thank you sir" he was already on the door, he bowed and left the room.
I took the book from the desk, started walking toward the north wall, I grabbed the torch like lump and pull it down. The walls slide open. The stairs that were leading toward the darkness appeared before the lumps light up the way.
I went downstairs in steady steps before I arrived to the open space with an entire view to my favorite place.
I stood there, admiring this magnificent spacious library, and recalling all the wisdom she carries in the pages of multiple hundred books, going from art, science, magic, to being portals to enormous worlds of fiction. This is my secret hideout from reality, it's not really a secret since all the castle's residents know about it.
I continued walking downstairs.
Frankly, I enjoy all sorts of things here. I have a piano to play some symphonies of my creation, a painting white boards to draw some stories flashes, and some science experimenting tools.
There is a patio in the center where I go to read without any disturbance, but I think I don't need to be there to be alone. Anyway I savor the company of the fictional characters, sipping a cup of black tea that Carl prepare every evening.
I arrived to the destined book shelf were I stacked the story books, after going up some steps. 5 stages, each one contain 18 volumes.
Yes they are all full, this is the 90 volume on my hand. I put it in the corner when it belongs, and admired this physical beauty of a nonexistent world.
I'm a bit late I guess, but I have shortcuts for every corner of the castle. I turned to the left, it's the darkest corridor where unknown books are, went beside the wall and grabbed down the torch like lump. The wall slide open and I'm now just a few steps from the entrance to the dining hall.
I tied up my white Doublet and went to meet them.
"Big brotheeeer!" My little sister jumped to my arms as soon as my figure entered the hall, she looks genuinely happy to see me. She stepped back "Why didn't you come yesterday!"
I laughed awkwardly cause I forgot that I had to do some puppet tea party with her.
"Leila, come to the table and leave your brother also take a seat" My mother said when Carl was pouring her some tea.
"Hmph" my sister pout, went quietly to her place and climbed up the chair. I was tailing her with my eyes cause she was so cute.
Mom took a sip from her tea, closed her eyes slowly and nodded slightly. Carl excused himself when he made sure that she liked it. She put the teapot down, looked toward my way and smiled tenderly"Welcome son"
"Good morning mother"
"Did you sleep well?" I kissed her hand when she stretched it toward me. "Never had a better sleep in my life".
She looked at me coldly, maybe menacingly, then pull my cheeks.
"Ooh! My little handsome boy joined us for breakfast todaaay! Mom was sad when you didn't show up at any meal two days now"
"Mom, I'm not a little boy anymore. I had things to do no need to worry" I reassured her.
"EHEm!" my dad was taking his breakfast in the other end of the table.
"Excuse me mother" she readjusted her seating pose and I went to take my place.
"Good afternoon... morning father!"
He just nodded at me when he then proceeded to cut the bacon and chew quietly enjoying the moment.
He will not say a single word until he had ate it all.
Carl came and put my meal plate in front of me. It's some smocked herring with honey on top,some grilled tomatoes and scrambled eggs white sauce on the side. It's a great meal to start a day, just to my liking.
He started pouring me a glass of orange juice. I looked toward my sister, she hardly touched her cheese, she likes cheese. Maybe she's down cause she's feeling lonely, I totally forgot to play with her.
"Aaah maaan, I want some green tea so badly."
"You want me to prepare some for you sir!" Carle answered worried.
"No, your tea is somehow bitter . I like my little sister's better"
My sister looked up to me.
"Young man, aren't you satisfied with your breakfast!" My mom said in a scolding way.
"No, no, not at all, this looks delicious." I gave mom a look of I'm trying to pull something here. I leaned forward, looked to my sister and smiled "So Leila, what about you make some and we throw a party!"
"I don't wanna" she said frustrated.
"But what if I said that you will have a guest!"
"Who?"
"The talking puppy maaan!"
"Really!" her eyes lighted up.
"ahemmm!" I nodded when leaning back slowly.
"He will come?"
"Yeah, he is looking up for it"
"Yeeeeah, puppy maaan! I will also bake him some little bone cookies!"
"That would be great! So we will be there this evening, wait for us"
"Count on me big brother." she started balancing her legs in joy. She turned to Carl "Can I use the kitchen?"
"Of course my little girl" My mom responded.
"Yeah, it's my pleasure to help you out little miss" Carl added politely.
They proceeded talking in chuckles, when she looked a Little more energetic taking her breakfast.
I heard the sound of a fork put down in the table.
"Arata! tell me.." it was my dad, he just finished his egg and bacon. He took the napkin and wipe his mouth. "Is there any progress in your practices?" He looked up to me.
I stood silent and took a sip from my orange juice.
"I'm sorry father, but it seems whatever I learn from magic spells, I just can't cast them"
"Hmmm" he is still looking at me.
"I know that I have to excell at magic since we are nobles, it has to be normal to be the best out there, but I can just do witchcraft. I know it's inconvenient to have a failure as the heir of the family" I was totally ashamed.
"I will never see you as a disappointment, you are my son after all, You will surely get there. And witchcraft is totally fine, me myself I can't pull of witchcraft, you are special"
"What your father wants to say, is just, try to put your soul in what you are good at, be the best at what you can do" My mom also reassured me.
"Thanks, and I'm sorry, I will work harder"
"So I just wanted to tell you that I got a letter from the royal palace, They want me to do my work thesis"
"So they finally acknowledged your researches!"
"The king himself wants to launch the project"
"That's great news! So it's finally happening" I was happy for my father, it's his life work, and it's finally recognized. Although I don't know what he was working on since he told me he will reveal it when it will be finished.
Carl removed the dishes in front of him, put them in the cart, and pour him a glass of orange jus.
"So the palace will be in your care, your mom and sister are also going with me." "It will be like a week, more or less."
"It will be in warm hands since Carl is with me" This is why he wanted me to come breakfast maybe, to tell me this great news head on.
He said no more word, he grabbed the news paper and started reading sipping some of the juice. He never leave the table before we leave it first, and I didn't touch my smocked fish at all.
I started gobbling the dish but calmly to not look unmannered. It was good, the harmony between the dry tomatoes and the sour fluffy cream, the salty smoked flavor topped by the sweetness of the sticky honey. It was perfect, to the last bit.
I just remembered that Deril can't taste anything other than legendary monsters, like he described how awful the flavor was but he wants to feel something.
That's right, I have to ask my father about the other volume.
"Father, do you remember those books you brought me"
He looked at me, behind the news paper, in the top corner of his eyes. "What books exactly? I brought you so many"
"You know, those book series of this boy fighting monsters. The 999 ways to kill an immortal!"
He folded the papers "Yeah, I remember that you liked it"
"Yeah, it's awesome"
"So what about it?"
"I just wanted to ask if I have all the volumes, cause the ending was a bit odd"
"Hmmmm, I don't really remember. But you can ask the librarian from whome I bought them, it's just down town. Carl know the place, just accompany him in his grocery shopping then pass by and if he have another one just buy it."
"Thank you father"
"No worries" he put the news paper on the table, grabbed his glasses from the pocket and wore them.
I already finished the breakfast.
"He will leave now son, if you want to catch up to him" mom said.
"Yeah!" I drunk the orange juice and stood up to leave.
"Thanks for the meal" I added to politely quit the table.
Dad grabbed the papers, it was a pub of his upcoming ceremony at the royal castle in that page. I went out the door while he started talking about some preparations for their travel, after they expressed their excitement as he first read the content of that page in audible voice.