The Books of the Shadows III- Silver Tiger

15

The three of them arrived at the castle and followed the long corridors that began to light up with the help of the torches attached to the walls. Serene was impressed by the lights dancing on the walls because the walls were simple and the guards were doing a real ceremonial lighting of the torches.

They arrived in the dining room, which faced the main hall, where the royal family ate. In the middle of the room was a large hearth, in which the embers burned and the meat was put to be made for everyone. The edges of the hearth were wide, and served as tables for everyone. The royal family dined there and seemed quite large. Senere counted about 11 chairs set on the table. It was more than she was used to. She usually dined alone or with her two maids.

Silver and Moon's mother was sitting to the right of their father, who was sitting at the head of the table. Senere frowned a little puzzled, wondering why their father was at the head of the table if their mother was king. I mean, it seemed normal for the man to be above the woman's position, but this woman was still the king. Which would seem incredible again. That is, who had ever heard of a woman being king? She should have been queen, not king...

This switch in the power was all so confusing.

-Welcome children, join us, the king smiled at them all, with a friendly look on her face, waving her hand to show them to take their sits at the table.

-Thank you for inviting me, Senere made a clumsy reverence, not knowing how it would be appropriate for her to behave in front of the king. Her gesture made the little ones smile, but they kept their smiles to themselves, maintaining their postures, as they knew they were royal.

Senere was not only impressed but she also felt their curiosity and she sensed fear because this felt like an important moment for her, and right at this moment, important things could be decided for her.

-Do not worry, little Lady, Silver's mother smiled at her, with a slight sigh, looking at her and as if feeling what was going on in her soul, you are not here to test you, but simply to know you better.

-Yes, mam... aa... My king... she bowed her head blushing as she did not know how to address her.

-My king would be fine, or My Lady will do too, Iris spoke smiling at her.

She did not look mad at her, and she seemed benevolent towards her. Senere started to relax a little and sat down in one of the chairs, right in between Moon and Silver.

-So how do you like it so far, in my lands? The king asked Senere while starting to cut a slice from the meat her husband just took onto her plate.

Senere looked at Silver and Moon as they started to serve themselves right from the meat cooking on the fire in front of them, and she decided to do the same as she did not see anyone coming to serve anyone specifically, as things happened in her house, in her other world.

While cutting a slice of meat in front of her, she struggled but no one intervened, so she took her time and no one seemed to mind.

-I like it here, she said paying attention to what she was doing. Is different from what I am used to, from back home, but is so beautiful. The nature is ama... she lifted her eyes to the king, and pointing the knife towards her without even thinking, and noticing the guards moving behind her and grabbing her wrist and holding it up in the air. She realized they could interpret this as a threatening gesture and her looks moved fast apologetically towards the king's face who was still smiling while the guard behind her took the knife out of her hand, and hand it over to Silver who asked for it.

-Here, take this, Silver took the knife and sliced the meat himself, putting it on her plate and making sure to place the knife in front of her. Ashamed, Senere took the place and put it in front of her and took the knife again, scolding herself in her mind, and looking down, trying to eat.

-The nature, you were saying...? the king asked her again, looking at her as if nothing had happened.

-Amazing, Your Highness.

Do you like nature here? How is it there, where you come from?

-Umm... well... It is not very different I guess, I was not allowed to leave the castle so I am not sure how is it... Maybe is the same and I just do not know...

-What was the reason you were not allowed to go out of the castle, Senere?

-My father always said it was dangerous for me, Your Highness.

-In what way?

-Well, you see that... amm.... she stopped in the middle of her sentence because she did not actually know how much they all knew about her world.

-Do tell...

-Our kingdom is at war with the Shadow Assassins' kingdom. We only have these two houses left out of all five that still exist here. All the others took sides, and they ended up mixing each other and ... is just these two houses left now, the Warchild, and the Assassins. She looked at the Lord Commander who was chewing his food in silence, listening to her with interest. She did not want to offend him, so she was trying to choose her words carefully.

-So, you were not allowed to leave your castle because... it was not safe for you outside of it? Because of the Assassins...? Is that right? The king summarized her words.

-Yes, Your Highness.

-Was your kingdom not secured? The Lord Commander asked her narrowing his eyes.

-It was, I guess, it was just my father trying to control me. He always said that to me, while he was sending Kaion everywhere in the kingdom.

-Why was he making this difference between you two?

-I don't know, maybe because he wanted to keep me safe, I guess...

-If he wanted you safe, he should have just taught you how to fight, Moon spoke beside her, moving her fork in the air.

-Oh, no way, Senere started laughing. No woman fights in our world.

-None?? Woau... I would get bored to death there, for sure, Moon grimaced making everyone laugh at her words.

-No, no woman fights there. It was forbidden, a very long time ago. They were fighting there too, but at some point, they became so few, and there were more men than women, that the kings passed the laws that women are not allowed to touch the weapons anymore. They are just the complement of the house they live in, just like a statue or a vase that gives the heirs, and that is all they are reduced to.

-Bummer, Moon said. You could use some new laws there...

-Yes, we could use some new laws there but as no woman is allowed to fight anymore, they can not make their voice heard either so... Who is to fight for our rights?

-You, of course, who else has the right motivation to do so and also win?

Senere looked down on her plate trying to choose another piece of meat, playing with her food.

-I do not want to go back there, she said. I like it here, where I am free to do anything I can do and I have learned so much already! I can do things all by myself! I really can! She lifted her eyes looking at the king, asking her without any words not to change her mind about letting her stay here, on her lands.

-What did you learn so far? She asked Senere.

-Well for starters, I can fish... and I can cook the fish... And I could learn how to float in the water and not to drown. I can find fruits in the forest, up in the trees or in the bushes... I won't starve. I also want to thank you for allowing us to stay in the guest's house, we appreciate it, is very cozy, is warm there, is nice. My maids found some work in town, and we can provide for ourselves right now.

-Yes, apparently you can, the king smiled at her, watching her closely while she was speaking. And your brother?

-I am not sure, Senere looked down playing with her food again. We did not talk much after the council... He thinks I am making a mistake in wanting to stay here.

-He is searching for a way to go home, and he is determined to leave this place as soon as he will find the way to leave.

-I know. He said so.

-And how bout you? If he leaves, and leaves you all alone here, you will lose the only family you have left.

-I know, Senere looked sad. But I want to stay. I will not leave with him to be caged again in the castle. I will not be the little useless girl that needs to be taken care of, not anymore. I will take care of myself, and I am not allowed to do that there.

-That is precisely where you can prove yourself your point there, the King told her in a serious tone.

-I understand that, but what you are saying... Senere sighted. What I won here in so little time, I will lose there in less time than I won it here. I need to own these things here if I am ever to prove them anywhere.

-That is good thinking, the Lord Commander backed her up, nodding his head, just as Silver.

Silver was quiet, just like his father, but they were paying attention to the conversation, gathering information then making decisions. They did not hurry, they weighed things well before they spoke.

-So, how did you grow up, back home, Senere? They asked her, interested.

-It was ... I don't know... Well, my mother died when I was born, so my father was really hurt, I guess he blamed me for her death somehow, even if he did not say the words. He tried to keep away from me, I always thought he does not want to speak to me because I had done something terrible, or he was just avoiding me most of the time. I think that when I grew up a little and started to be more mobile, I was following him everywhere so he took a wife in order to keep me busy. Just that, his wife did not like me much, and when she could not have her own children, she just... I don't know... tried to live her own life somehow? You know?

We were on our own, until Kaion grew into a knit and father started sending him to the borders, where they were always fighting the Assassins who were trying to push through. We kinda drift apart, Kaion and I, ever since. We did not talk much anymore, and when he was coming back home, after months of absence, Father would take him aside and keep him all for himself? We are not that close anymore; we have become strangers... almost.

-Not that strange... he still wants to take you home with him...

-I do not feel at home there, Your Highness.

-Home is where You make it, with Who you make it, the Lord Commander said looking at her, then at the king, and she nodded in approvement.

-True, but sometimes... home is where memories are made in your entire life, or most of your life, even if they hurt... All they do is build you up, stronger. It is up to you to make it a home for yourself, your way, the king added to the Lord Commander's words, and it was his turn to nod in approvement, as if he knew exactly what she was referring to.

-I think you are right, in a way. But I do not feel they made me stronger, I feel hurt. I do not want to go back there, it hurts. I want to stay and that is what I have told Kaion too. I am sorry, but I will not go back with him.

-And if he tries to take you, using force?

-I told him that he would not stop me ever, they would never stop me from trying to run away from there, I would never stop trying to run away from home, and if they try to stop me, and they don't want to understand, I told him I would give up my life. I don't want it; I don't want to live like this, for me this is not life, especially after what I saw I can learn and how I can live here. I don't want to leave here. I'm not going back there. Please, help me! I will not get back there.