The Ether Walker

Chapter 6

I could feel the soft mattress and warm blankets enveloping me in comfort as I slowly started to awake. I turned over and pushed my face into the pillow, trying to fall back asleep. If no one was going to forcefully, with resistance, drag my ass out of bed, I wasn't going to get out. Well, unless my stomach was gnawing a giant hole and grumbled loud enough for me to hear it buried under the copious amount of pillows and blankets. This was the nicest bed I have ever slept in, immediately becoming my favorite. I kept tossing and turning until I finally gave into my hunger and sat up.

I was sitting on a king sized four-poster bed with sleek black sheets and matching pillows. I slid my feet off the bed and my toes sunk through the plush, chocolate carpet that covered the entire floor of the large room. All of the furniture was either mahogany or black stained wood with hand carved designs. A fireplace was to my left with a comfy armchair that looked perfect to curl up in with a book. In the center of the room was a black coffee table with navy chairs and a love seat around it. On the right wall was a large, heavy mahogany wardrobe next to a door. There was also another door directly across from the bed. Behind me were two giant windows that opened up into balconies with navy curtains pulled off on either side.

I slipped off the bed and headed towards the door on the right, coming into what could only be a bathroom. But it was like no other bathroom I had ever seen before, at least ten times bigger. The tiles and marble counters were both an off-white. A large, built in bathtub was set in the floor and could hold ten people comfortably. There was also a tower of shelves that held what looked like every scent possible in the world. There were scents that I recognized and then there were exotic names that I had never heard of.

I decided that my stomach could wait and started to undress. The water was surprisingly warm and it soothed all of the sore muscles that I had been neglecting the past few days. I sunk down until my chin touched the water and closed my eyes, letting all of the tension flow out of my body. All of the past days had caused a lot of stress that I was accustomed to.

After soaking for a bit, I sat up and browsed the wide choices of soaps from the shelf, which was easily accessed from the side of the bath. I finally settled on a mixture of apples and pomegranate that I quickly lathered into my hair and scrubbed my skin till it was red. Once my skin had passed the point of wrinkly and my stomach would not leave me alone, I reluctantly left the warm water in search of food. The towel I used to dry off was so soft, I wondered if I would ever be able to go back to the occasional wash in a tin tub and the dips in the cold river. Putting on my clothes, I walked back into the bedroom and towards the other door. Grasping the silver knob, I pulled open the door to see a mass of white fur laying in the center of a foyer.

 

Khagan! I leapt onto the moving mass, giving him a hug.

 

Mira! You are well! I could hear and feel the relief in his voice.

 

I'm sorry, I forgot your advice, I said sheepishly.

 

It is alright. I was just worried.

 

Well I am now perfectly fine! Though a bit hungry, to which my stomach growled again. Maybe a little more than a bit... I felt Khagan's amusement and his body shook in what must have been laughter.

 

Then we shall go find some food. I walked around Khagan to the door on the other side of the room. I had to pass a table and two navy couches that matched the decor in the bedroom. I opened the other door. On the other side was a large round room with a hallway to my right. It looked to be a sort of lounge area with comfy seats with side tables and a card table to one side. There were a few other doors that I assumed lead to other dorms like the one I was just in. I looked directly to the left of the door I came out of.