The Chronicle Keeper (Formally - Destiny)

CHAPTER FOURTEEN | ailsin

Slowly stepping from the shower, I grabbed the towel Lale had set aside for me to use. It was plush against my bare skin and easily soaked the water drops that clung to me. The water was extremely soft and had suds instantly. I hadn't enjoyed the pleasure of a shower so much, or been so appreciative until now. Even back at Greyson's tavern, the shower had been more mental. But what I had just experienced was like they call it, being born again.

I took my time getting ready, as dinner wasn't quite ready, because I hadn't heard the dinner bell go off. Late and her husband's home consisted of four bedrooms, four full bathrooms, three half bathrooms, two living rooms, one game room, one family room, a den, a bar room, a massive kitchen, two dining rooms, one formal and one non, a sunroom and an office and a library that shared a room. I had asked Lale why share the room between the office and the library, and she told me that neither her nor her husband enjoy either of the rooms, that they would rather be enjoying the outdoors. So, then I asked about all the other rooms, and she said, "we like to hold lots of parties." I couldn't help but smile myself. Even though I was not a social being like Lale and her husband, I understood why they hosted parties. Why wouldn't you want to show off a gorgeous home like this?

I put on some clean clothes that I had been hauling around, as Lale had forbidden me to wear my riding attire without washing them, including my first set of dirty clothes, my dance shorts and tank top I had been wearing when I first bumped into Nolan. I did not make any objections to her protests, as I climbed into my black cargo pants and a clean tank top that I had picked up at the cute boutique back in Korana. Thinking about Croatia made me homesick all over again and I wished I was back at my underground home, by the waterfall. But I had to face the reality that I may never return back there.

I packed my things back into my satchel, but left it on the king bed. It was huge, covered in silk sheets and a duck down feather comforter. There was a fireplace across from the bed, with a beautiful landscape mural hanging above the cream stone mantle. The room made me think of royalty with he creams, golds, and rich dark chocolates. The room was accented with many different pieces, but they all had one color in common, burgundy.

The circular area rug covered much of the enormous room, which was in the shape of a dome, with skylight windows making up the ceiling. As I looked to the bed again, before I exited the magnificent bedroom, I admired the sheer canopy that hung above and draped over solid mahogany wood bedposts. In its own right, the allure of the bed itself was very enticing and almost forbidding. I wondered whom Lale and her husband gave this room to, when they had company over.

Shutting the door behind me, I made my way down the spiraling stone staircase. The whole house was made from natural stone, which must have cost a fortune to build, but then again, Lale had mentioned something about the house being in her husband's family for generations. So who's to say how much the house was really worth? Whatever the answer, not only had the home been remodeled over the years, to keep up appearances and maintenance, it had stayed as true to its original appeal as when it had first been built. Keeping everything as natural as possible, with the original material. I can't remember how Lale had said her and her husband had come across their wealth and fortune, but it almost seemed a sin. And yet, they were the two happiest people I had ever met.

It really confused me, because I had always been under the impression that money does crazy and scary things to people, funny things sometimes too. But clearly, Lale and Kadir were the exceptions to the rule. If I had this wealth, I didn't even have a clue as to what I would do with all of it. I couldn't possibly imagine it, as I contemplated the idea, descending the staircase. The banister was glistening with cleanliness, and my fingers slid over it like it had been freshly oiled with baby oil. So smooth it almost felt fake; Almost.