Wingless [Complete]

Chapter 7: The Red Room

Mother lead us to my favorite room in the palace. It was almost strictly used for family purposes and was, therefore, one of the most private rooms in the palace. It was also the room which I had last seen my parents in, before they left. It was called the Red Room.

It's name was quite fitting, as the walls, drapes, chairs, door etc. were all a shade of red or a pattern that used mainly red. But the floor was still wooden and brown. The room mainly consisted of chairs, a sofa and tables. The chairs and sofa were all facing each other in a circle and in the center there was a table that was quite low down and meant for refreshments only. There were also little tables between chairs.

The room itself could only be gotten to if you went to the end of the hallway at the back of the great hall, up those stairs all the way to the top (passing many other floors for guests and meetings) until you get to another hallway. This hallway is called the Red Hall, and at the end, the Red Room stands.

The whole hallway is decorated in only gold and red, our kingdom's colours. In fact, the whole hallway is dedicated to our kingdom. On either side of the hallway there were galleries dedicated to Fyria history. The walls cutting off the galleries were only glass, giving you the ability to see all the paintings. Some were brutal, some were peaceful, but all were amazingly beautiful.

The red room has a balcony attached to it, on which the king or queen can observe his or her kingdom below. It is, after all, the highest point of the castle you can reach, excluding the roof. When it was first built, it was supposed to be used to speak to the people below, but father thought that was silly and abandoned the custom.

Carolina and sit on the two-person sofa with the back to the door and facing the big windows and balcony. Mother and father sit facing us, each on one of the chairs that have their backs to the window and facing the door.

"Now," Mother smiles. "What was it that you wanted to talk about, girls?"

"I . . . " I was suddenly at a loss for words. I didn't quite know how to explain it. "I don't know where to start."

"Well, how about the beginning?" Mother suggests.

"The question is . . . when's that?"

Lina pipes up from behind. "How about when you found the book?"

"Alright." I agree. "So, after I ran out, two weeks ago when we were talking, I went into the library and accidentally into father section." At this, father drew his eyebrows together in disapproval. "Yes, I know, I'm sorry." I say apologetically. Then I start up again. "I saw a book that looked out of place because of it's state. It was dusty and it's pages yellowing and moldy looking." Now father's confusion wasn't directed at me. "I looked inside." I stop, father's attention whips back to me, and he looks mad.

Mother lays a hand on his arm. "Now dear, let her finish. I'm sure there will be a good reason for this all."

Lina speaks up again. "Actually, there is." She says excitedly. "I found a spell interwoven with the text of the first Last-Message."

Mother looks at me, wide eyed and startled. She seems at at a loss for words. Father on the other hand seems to be thinking this through. I look over at Lina, and she looks at me expectantly, waiting for me to go on.

"When I looked inside, the content of the book was two poems. I didn't understand them, so I took them to Carolina, because of her developing . . . talent." At this my mother nodded. "She read them over . . ."

Lina excitedly cut me off. "Yes, and I saw that both poems were last messages. The first one also had a spell interwoven, which is why you, sir, probably didn't know about the book. Rowena managed to find it, and somehow break the spell. With the description, I think that either one or both of the Last-Messages were meant for her."

Mother and father were each portraying a range of emotion. Mother mostly worried, and father uncomfortable. He was only uncomfortable because he didn't like secrets in his household, especially not hidden books. He liked to know most of the going-on's.

"It might be a bit hard to explain without the book." I tell Lina.

"Oh no worries." She get something out from her messenger bag she always carries around. "I've got it." She holds up the book. "Here, look." She offers it to mother.

Father leans to the side to read over mother's shoulder. "I have never seen that book before." He confirms.

As mother and father read over the Last-Messages, Lina explains all that we know. She tells them about the spirit fey and the mysterious warning Phora gives and that now, it seems to have come true. She goes on to tell them that I must leave and try to help them (as was described in the Last-Messages of both Phora ad Anina), and take along 'one of each of the elements.

"What does that mean?" My mother asked.

Finally my father spoke. "Dear, I believe that it means that Rowena should take a representative from each element." He looks around the room at each one of us. "To best protect you, you shall take along a guard as protection and as a means of flying. Then, you should go to each of the kingdoms, by yourself of course, and ask if one of the members from the royal families can come along with you."

"Why a royal family member?" I ask father.

"Because we don't want to have any casualties, and royals are the strongest of fey." He tells me.

"Alright," I agree, seeing the point he has. "But can I take Carolina along?"

"I wouldn't see why not." Mother agrees. "Besides, the way this adventure seems to be looking, it seems that you will need her."

Father stands up. "Alright, if this all has been cleared, I shall now inform your assigned guard."

"Who do you have in mind?" I ask.

He turns around. "I have not decided."

"What about Lucas?" I suggest.

"Lucas Dalton." He muses. "Alright."

As soon as father leaves, Lina groans. "I'm going to be stuck with him for the duration of this trip?" She turns to me. "Why did you do that to me?"

Mother laughs.

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Ha! Stuck with her sibling (kind of). I so know that feeling . . .

Anyway, what did you think of this chapter?

Please leave a comment (and vote too!),

~Julica💖