Crescent (Old Version)

+ Part 39 +

I skipped breakfast the next day, against my better judgement. I hoped it wouldn't draw too much attention that I wasn't there, but I knew I wasn't in the mood to face them today. 

At least not until later this evening. 

I went straight down to the muddy path before the glen where I knew Saren would be waiting in the dark. In the dim blue light that came from beneath the door, I saw her breath, a frosted cloud in front of her, as I came to a stop. 

"Morning, Princess," her voice was flat, as it always was, but I still winced at the usual nickname as she pulled the skeleton keys from her pants. I heard Saren fumble to find the lock before it slid home with a click. There was a breath, a hiss, and the door began to creak open into the wilderness.

"How does this room work anyway? One minute, it leads outside. The next- it's a prison cell for a witch. Is there more than just these two rooms?"

In the dark, I could practically feel the way her eyes narrowed. "Awfully curious today, aren't you?" She stepped out into the snow, and I followed close behind. 

"It's just a question," I countered.

She didn't so much as throw a glance over her shoulder as we crossed to the tunnel in the rock side. "And if I answered it, I'd have to kill you."

I gave a dry laugh as we passed through the arching rock door and into the dark tunnel. "To think, all your time and preparation would be wasted for a few words."

It was meant to be a challenge, a way to mildly test her limits even though I knew it would likely be fruitless, but I was surprised when she actually responded back with more than her usual dead-pan banter. "It's incredible the things that amaze you. Snapping your finger and having food appear, cleaning cupboards in less than a second. 

Portaling places, doors with more than one room to open into." After a few more paces, I reached upward and felt the familiar spiral of the rock walls turning downwards, and I knew we were at the end of the tunnel. I felt for the handle, a simple smooth opening where the rock divided into two small notches. I pulled on the bottom one, and the door flung open, snow piling in at our feet. "Making things disappear in the blink of an eye, doors with more than one room to open to..." Her teeth flashed as she have her best attempt at a smile. "Just wait until you learn about Portaling."

My curiosity peaked.

The glen wasn't much further, and I dreaded what lesson might be awaiting us today, but I found myself cataloguing the small details of what she said as we walked. It was the door that was magical, and somehow the skeleton keys were in control of it. 

If I lingered too long one one detail though, she would catch on. 

We came upon the familiar hill, the hut a lifeless crumbling beacon at the top, and just at the bottom, I reached into the log where I kept my usual gear hidden. My hands found the hilt of my knives, and I instantly settled. Saren hadn't moved them. That meant we would be practicing with them again today. "Portaling?" I pressed instead, though genuinely curious. "Should I be frightened?"

"Only if you're not stupid, princess."

I rolled my eyes in answer, knowing as we made it to the top of the hill and she grabbed her sparring blades that today, she definitely wouldn't go easy on me. 

I prepared for her worst.

||||||||||

Until the gala, the ambassadors had two random days a week to themselves. This week, the arranged days were Monday and Friday. But, it was during breakfast Thursday morning that a scout appeared at the doors.