Chương 62: Book 2; Chapter 61; New place, new start (2)

With all this talk, Anniet completely lost touch with her surroundings and only now realised that they had approached the palace. Not from a front, but from its side, and Rainee let them in through relatively smallish side doors. Small wasn't the correct name, but in comparison to the front doors she saw earlier, it was relatively small. It led to a large beautiful hall rich in decorations with wide stairs on the other end.

They walked up these stairs to reach a wide luxury corridor with brown and golden decorations, with a lavish carpet in the middle and endless lights illuminating it from the sides. Anniet was looking around, thinking that just in this corridor would fit more than one of the houses she used to live in. Further down, the corridor was taking a turn, and it was not possible to see what was behind it. At this end, there was only one door, and Rainee walked straight to it. Anniet was looking around with awe.

"Who lives here?" – She asked.

"You are going to live here," - Rainee said, opening that door and letting her in. They walked into a very spacious room with large windows, superbly decorated, but still nothing close to the luxurious hall and corridor they had just walked through. There was a very large and comfy-looking corner sofa that could easily fit ten or more people, a few armchairs, a large dining table, an area dedicated to the kitchen, another area with bookshelves and a large desk and a door to another room.

"This place is smaller and less extravagant than the one Gilbert has dedicated to you. Still, I think it will suit you much better, as I believe you would be feeling very uncomfortable anywhere more luxurious than this. Also, this place is much closer to all you might need, while it is quiet and no one will come to disturb you, unless you ask." Anniet was looking around this room, a few times larger than the one she had at School.

"Is everyone here living in such premises?" – She asked, thinking that just accommodating newly arrived people would take an extensive area.

"No," - Rainee smiled at her, - "No, most of the people are living in smaller places unless they specifically want something larger."

"Then why was I given something even bigger than this one?"

"Because Gilbert wasn't sure what to offer you. King asked to give you a nice accommodation, and he knew nothing about you, so under such a request, he decided it was better to overdo than underdo."

"I see," - Anniet said, thinking that King must be really thoughtful. – "Gilbert said that this accommodation belongs to someone?"

"Yes and no," - Rainee said. – "It was given to Blake, but don't worry, he never lived here. He doesn't like this place."

"Oh…" - that was all Anniet could say. So this was General Blake's place. Or Anthony's. She looked around with new eyes.

"What's not to like here? Was it too small for him?"

"Why doesn't he like this place?" – She asked aloud.

"He found it suffocating," - Rainee said, and Anniet thought that"yup, too small" to herself, - "this part of the palace is built slightly different from the rest," - Rainee continued, - "you cannot hear or see much what's going on outside while you are here, so he felt too isolated."

"Oh, I see. So that was the reason," - memory of a stormy day came into Anniet's mind when inside Anthony's cottage, there could not be heard either wind or rain. Is that what isolated means? Then Anthony didn't mind being isolated in his cottage. But she chose not to follow that thought. – "So where does he live now?"

"When in Capital, he lives above the gates to the city. It used to be a resting room for grooms as it is close to the stables, but Blake chased them away, saying that they could come and rest in here. They did try a few times, but didn't feel good enough, as it would bring them tension just to be here, so nobody was able to rest.

Also, there came a lot of opposition from ministers claiming that these quarters shouldn't be used for such a purpose, so eventually Blake was just given a second place that he is using until now, and this place was left empty."

"I see," - Anniet said again, - "shame as it is a lovely place. You said you live somewhere close?"

"Come, I will show you," - Rainee said They came out back to the corridor and walked further. After turning the corner, the view didn't change a lot, and there was another door. The corridor itself stretched further with an additional passage to the left.

"If you turn to the left, then you could reach a main palace. If you go further down the corridor, you will reach Ruffus' apartment and then Angus' at the end. I myself live here," - Rainee said, opening the door and letting Anniet in.

"Who is Ruffus?" – Anniet asked"You know him under the name of general Ragnar." To her surprise, Anniet walked into a very similar furnished room. It did have more touch to it as it felt like someone was living here, but just that. Size and planning were very similar to the accommodation she was shown as her own.

"I will not invite you right now," - Rainee said, -"you are tired, so let's go back to your new home, where you can make yourself comfortable and have a good rest. Don't be afraid to walk around or check anything. Anywhere you can walk in, you are allowed to be; anywhere you are not allowed to be, you will not be able to come in. You have to remember only this rule to know where you can go and where you cannot." With that, she led Anniet back to her apartment before leaving. Stolen story; please report.

Anniet stood in the middle of the room, looking around. While boarding the flying machine and on her way here, once again, she was prepared to take the hardship of a new life. She was ready to work hard to earn her place. Once again, things turned out completely different, and no hardship was requested. She got the nicest place she could think of, in fact, the dream place. Her closest neighbour was Rainee. The man who greeted her was very nice too.

No one requested anything from her, and she was free to go and do whatever she wanted. Then why this time the feeling she had is different? Because now it wasn't about a place any more. It was about people. Just now she realised that secretly she was hoping to submerge herself into the work, being commanded over and fulfilling duties that she would be expected to fulfil, so she wouldn't have to think that much, to feel that much.

She was hoping to get somehow distanced from the person she had become in the past year, so she could keep that time safely in her heart and treasure it as the best time of her life while doing something that would require physical effort but wouldn't take much of her inner self. This wish was not granted. Why should it be? She wanted to start from the empty page and open a previous one only on rare occasions when she would see her friends again.

But Rainee has already told her that no adult human is an empty page and all new can be built only by either improving what is already there, using it for one's own advantage or dismantling and letting it go. When put that way, the choice was clear and there was no room for doubt. She is not dismantling and letting go of anything that happened to her so far. Or at least what happened in the past year. With that, things got slightly brighter. Maybe not about the future but about herself.

She thinks she doesn't know what to do? Well, she was just told what to do: customise with the place and make herself comfortable. And have some rest. Why does everyone keep telling her to get rest? Is she really that fragile that she needs more rest than anyone else?" I must be …" Anniet thought, leaving a spot in the middle of the room where she had been rooted for the past several minutes. She walked to the door, on the other side of the room, and opened it.

It led to another spacious light room with an enormously large bed. Never before had Anniet seen a bed of such a large size. Do the generals need so much space to sleep? They must do. She touched the bed just to find out that the cover was very smooth and the mattress was super soft.

To sleep in it probably feels like sleeping on a cloud covered with another cloud. But somehow she didn't want to try it. There were also a few armchairs and a couple of lounging chairs by the window. Nicely carved drawers and wardrobes matched the décor of the room and added a very friendly touch. She opened one wardrobe, wondering how much space was in there, then another and nearly stepped back, feeling her heart being squeezed by some unknown feeling. This wardrobe wasn't empty.

It had a few black jackets and black trousers hanging in it, and also a row of silky shirts. Mainly black, some plain, some embroidered, some with pressed patterns. There were also a few white shirts as a contrast to all this black clothing. All new, all untouched and never worn, as if completely ignored by the owner. Someone had shown proper care to provide the true owner of this place with things he might need, but this gift-giver was brutally ignored.

Anniet ran her hand over the row of shirts, thinking to herself that they are the most beautiful she has seen. Some were decorated with golden tiny threads, most of them with black, so delicate that they didn't even look like embroidery. There must have been hours of work from proper craftsmen put into it. Shame, she thought, closing the wardrobe, Anthony would look outstanding wearing them.

This discovery made her feel somehow more at ease, and this place didn't look any more like a museum or a gallery but more like a home. May it be that these clothes have never been touched, but still, the intention of the place was to make someone feel comfortable and at home. She had a peek through one more door she found in the bedroom, just to find a nice-sized bathroom with a shower and a bath. Anniet got back to the living room, brought her bag to the bedroom and unpacked her things.

She did feel now much more comfortable in this place than at the beginning." One part of the assignment is done!" – She thought happily to herself. Two left: to rest and to look around. She looked through the window, and it was already late evening and getting dark, all she could see was just many lights. Maybe looking around will have to wait. So let's do resting. She wasn't feeling tired, but hey, what does she know...

Every time she thinks this way, it turns out that she falls asleep as soon as she touches the bed. So she got in a shower and then climbed into bed. Yep, just as she thought, the bed was so soft that it didn't even feel like lying on anything. So she closed her eyes and went to sleep. At least she thought she would go to sleep. But sleep didn't happen. She tried over and over again with no success. After half an hour or so, she finally gave up on this exercise and got dressed again.

OK, second part of the assignment failed, well, at least she tried. So then, investigating is left. Anniet bravely looked all over the apartment but didn't find anything catching her attention, so she walked to the front door and opened it. After walking out, she didn't feel that brave any more. This corridor was really so luxurious! Same as a hall downstairs. Luckily, her apartment wasn't like this. Rainee was right, she would feel very uncomfortable in such surroundings.

She walked down the stairs and, after marvelling around for a bit, peeked her nose outside. The evening was dark, and Anniet didn't dare to venture out in case she wouldn't be able to find her way back. So she crossed this large hall again and came up the stairs. She walked down the corridor, passing her own room, passing by Rainee's room and came to the crossing. Rainee said that if she turns left, she will reach the main palace. Does she want to go there? No, not really.

She doesn't know anyone and wouldn't know how to explain herself walking around a place she wasn't invited to. The carpet under her feet was so soft! No one would ever hear anyone walking on it. She felt an extreme urge to lie down on it as it must be very, very soft. Anniet restrained herself from doing so. Rainee said that two princes were living just further down the corridor. There is no way she would allow herself to lie around. What if one of them would be coming home and stumbled over her…

And she definitely isn't going to investigate that side of the corridor, as she didn't want to be caught sneaking around somebody else's living premises, never mind their personalities. So her little adventure was kind of over. Didn't even really start… Then what should she do? Anniet found herself standing by Rainee's door. Would Rainee mind her coming in? Rainee, she knew, wouldn't mind. And as there was only one Rainee, the rules might be the same here, too.

Headmaster's voice echoed in her head, saying that if she wants to find out, she has to try. With that, she knocked on the door. No one answered. She probably is not at home. After a bit of contemplation, Anniet pushed the door, and it opened easily. As expected, there was no one inside. Anniet still walked in. She looked around. Her eyes were drawn to the paintings on the wall, and she was wondering if Rainee had drawn them. One captivated her attention more than others.

It was a painting of the silver glitter dragon scales and a small child's hand touching or stroking it. Just by looking at the painting, Anniet had a feeling of these scales captivating and calling her. When the word "dragon scales" is used, it automatically brings an image of the strong, hard scales. But this wasn't the case. It felt more like blades of grass dancing in the wind. And to this child's hand, it felt so soft. Anniet didn't know how she knew it, but she simply did.

While still looking at the painting, Anniet sat down on a sofa, deep in her thoughts.