The Missing Enchantress (English Version)

Chapter 4

KIERA’S POV

The warm touch of this steamy pool’s water is like a massage to ease my tensed muscles. What a great bath, perfect for what my body really needs now, a warm relaxing sauna. Or is it’s like a hot spring or something like that. Mr. Romulos, that nice old man, brought me here so that I can freshen up.

Because of its natural spaciousness, I tried swimming around to check and marvel the place’s set up. Even though the place is almost in blur because of all the steam… I can tell, the wall designs and all the ornaments of this place are meticulously designed in which I couldn’t help myself but be amazed.

After some time, I finally decided to get out of the bath when somebody suddenly wrapped my body with a cloth. They were the two maids, who were assigned and left by Mr. Romulos. They were here patiently standing and waiting for me. They were left because they were instructed to assist me anytime. Well, Mr. Romulos really insisted on leaving assistants to help me, even if I don’t really need one, let alone two of them.

The two maids, bowed at the same time to me before gesturing and leading me back to my room. My body is only covered in what seemed to me, a very pretty bath robe.

Even if I say not to, they just insisted on helping me out in dressing myself up. It’s kind of awkward, someone being there, helping you dressed up like a kid. I could only let the two maids be, or we’ll get stuck here debating about this thing.

After dressing me up, they let me sit in front of a giant oval shaped mirror where I can see half of my body. They started fixing my hair and do some hair styles. Then put some kind of powder to my face. After they finished what they were doing, I opened my eyes to see how did it result. I was surprised to myself, I never thought I could be this gorgeous really. It seems like there’s no cure to my beauty. I laughed internally.

I stood up from the chair and turned around, making the lower part of my dress to sway gracefully, then said some words of gratitude to the two maids who helped me out.

I wonder what am I going to do now… that’s right! I must somehow find a way to get home. Yet, Sigurd’s words saying that I am already home flashed in my mind. I could only sigh. I guess, I really must talk to them again.

I headed out from my room and started wandering around the castle. Whenever I meet someone in this place, they would always bow to me before they continue heading to wherever they may want to go.

When I turned around, I found out that the two maids were still tailing me. I sighed. As much as I want, I just want to be alone in which they would really disagree. I really get uncomfortable or awkward when I know that someone is following me.

“um… can I um… just be alone for now? I really get very uncomfortable whenever there are people who keep on tailing me around… um, can I just call you whenever I really need your help? Would that be alright?” I couldn’t really hold it any longer and just said it.

They only look at each other, seemingly in doubt whether they would agree or not.

“Can I ask what are your names?” I asked them.

They collected their gaze at me and made a bow before introducing themselves.

“My name is Kristina, milady,” the girl in the left said.

“Dianna, at your service milady,” said the other one.

“Kristina, Dianna… please? Can you do that favor to me? I promise I will not be causing any trouble around,” I pleaded.

Even if they were still in doubt about this, they just agreed after I pleaded them. I couldn’t help myself and hugged to the two of them in which they were really surprised about that. Then, I ran as if I met my freedom away from them.

I stumbled across another maid in this castle and called her to ask something. I just asked about where is Theron and Sigurd now. Unfortunately, she said that the two went out of the castle earlier.

“Is that so? May I ask, when will they return here?” I threw another question.

“Maybe, at twilight or possibly at night, milady Kiera,” she replied.

I paused to think about it. “Okay, thank you very much,” I beamed at her.

“You’re welcome, milady,” she bowed first, before taking her leave.

What should I do now? Does this mean, I can’t go home yet today? But when I think about it, they really won’t believe at me that I went inside a book. How could that be? When that official fantasy thing like magic do exist here, why won’t they believe my story?

I sighed, “I guess nothing could be done if keep whining about it, maybe I should stroll more around this place so I get familiar with it and not get lost again.”

Then I started doing so, I noticed some huge paintings on the wall as I walked around the hall. I just wonder, why Theron is also included in those paintings.

“Maybe Theron and Sigurd were just real close friends, that’s why he also has paintings around here?” I wondered.

Well, I just shrugged the idea off, maybe there will be some explanations to that. I kept walking around almost randomly when I reached some end, and a giant door is again standing in front of me.

Well, I guess there’s no harm peeking what’s inside. So, I opened the door and get amazed to what I saw again. It’s a giant library, where even walls were shelves covered with thousands of books. This is cool! There was a time where I loved reading at the bottom of my heart but when things changed starting when I lost my parents I ceased to love reading as well. Maybe because, it brings back those memories that would probably make me sad or maybe I just really don’t believe in such fantasy things anymore.

I went closer to one of the shelves which is full of books. I just scanned the books around, too bad if I saw this when I was younger back then, I would have been so excited seeing this haven of books and started collecting a lot to read them one by one.

There are too giant windows open on the other side of them library with tables and chairs where you probably read. As I peek outside the window, the seemingly endless blue skies stretching towards the horizon caught my attention. The towns and the territory the kingdom govern completed the scenery. A view that is seemingly filled with a never-ending solace.

“I guess, it will really take time before Sigurd and Theron returns in the castle… maybe, I should read something here, even just one book. So, I wouldn’t feel really bored waiting for them to return home.” I thought to myself.

I went back to where the books are lined up in the shelves. There is a ladder around the corner so that one can reach the books on the upper sections of the shelves. I went up and started scanning around checking if something catches my attention.

History of Ornothpopia

I wondered; my eyes glued on the book. Well, I am really curious as to what is this world really and what happened around here. I grabbed the book and went to the tables and started reading.

THERON’S POV

We are riding now in our horses, heading to the neighboring town. Well, it’s not that far that would really take a day to travel to the place.

“Theron, do you really think it’s a good idea we left Kiera in the castle,” Sigurd asked in doubt.

“She’ll be alright, what do you think of her? A kid?” I replied.

“But, didn’t you said earlier that we won’t trust her completely yet?” Sigurd pondered.

“Yeah I know… but do you really think I let her alone freely? I entrusted Mr. Romulos and the two maids to guard her and watch her all the time.”

“Two of them? In her strength, I guess that wouldn’t be really enough even if we say that the two maids are not ordinary… or should I say, pretending to be maids,” he said.

“I don’t think so… I guess, it was only an accident that she was able to harness her power when she threw you earlier… maybe it’s only because of her sudden burst of anger since you slapped her suddenly… why would you slap a girl so suddenly?” I said, looking at his direction.

He just scratched the back of his head, “So, I guess… I made a mistake as well earlier…”

I just smirked at him. Sigurd and I are brothers, yes, we are siblings. He is two years older than me but, I guess he’s just older at numbers since I think I am more mature than him.

We lost our parents a bit early since that day… they passed away in that dreadful moment. And I don’t want to think further about that since those memories are like nightmares for me. Some are wondering why I don’t address him properly as my elder brother, well, he didn’t like that as he said he would look like old if I do that.

When we arrived in the town, we immediately headed towards a familiar diner. As what the letter instructed, we will somebody there.

We left our horses at the entrance at the edge of the town since, we cannot bring them inside the narrow pathways of the town cluttered with bunch of people around.

When we found the diner, we immediately entered it and looked for the person who sent us the letter. The one who sent it is someone we know and very familiar with, our uncle. He is on the quest of travelling around the world for some reason, and this would be the first time seeing him again since our parents passed away.

When we found him, he waved at us and we immediately approached him. We sat directly across him, at that time the waitress approached our table and asked our order. I just let Sigurd to take care of what to order.

“Look how far my nephews have grown now,” uncle beamed at us.

“How are you uncle?” Sigurd asked.

“Well, as you see… I’m here alive and kicking well,” he laughed.

Uncle peered at me, “hmm… it looks like, Theron hasn’t changes yet since then…”

I just clicked my tongue at his remark, in which Sigurd found it funny.

“I remembered those days when both of you were still little, Theron was the noisiest and the cheekiest kid in the two of you,” Uncle reminisced, and looked at me at the same time.

I only looked away from him, “I was still a kid back then, a kid who was very naïve and didn’t know anything about the world.”

“But, does it need for the old cheerful Theron to be gone?”

“There’s nothing to be happy about these days really,” I retorted.

I heard the both of them sighed at the same time, as if they’re saying… they give up.

“Sigurd, what are feeding to your brother for him to be this worse now?” Uncle asked.

Sigurd laughed at uncle’s question, “Maybe he’s just stressed because of Kiera.”

Uncle pierced Sigurd with a curious look, “Kiera? Is that a girl?”

Sigurd just nodded at uncle’s question. At this moment, our order arrived and the waitress placed down our food to the table and we started eating.

“So, a girl… is that the one, whom they are saying… the priestess?” Uncle pondered.

We fixed our gaze to our uncle in front of us when we heard what he said. Does he already know this? Did he already know Kiera? Did he already saw her?

“You knew, uncle?” Sigurd asked.

Uncle shook his head, “Nah, I just overheard it. It’s a hot talk around here, that the priestess was already found by the two Prince of the kingdom.”

“So, the people already know it, stories do really run like fire.”

“We didn’t announce it yet, since we are not so sure yet if she is the real deal. We just saw her in the street when the parade took place for the town celebration.”

“Is that so? I heard they said, that the lady is not from here that’s why there’s a lot suspicion to her.”

Sigurd was about to answer but was cut off, when I answered first.

“Yes, she said that she’s lost and she wants to return to her home… well, I do think the girl is crazy since she said that, she apparently entered a book and then arrived here. Yet she insisted that we were the crazy ones since we have powers.”

Uncle erupted into laughter, “I guess, she’s the real deal.”

We just continued on talking about random things after that, then later on we bid farewell to each other since we will now be returning home. And we know, that uncle will continue on his travels. Before we head to our own ways, uncle left a reminder to us.

“Take care of that lady… don’t let her to be fallen into the hands of the evil ones… you already know that, right?” said uncle.

We looked at him with a very serious look and nodded to him. After that, we mounted our respective horses.

“Take care my nephews,” uncle smiled at us.

“You take care as well uncle.” we replied.

He turned around and started heading towards his own way, and we did the same.