You Are Made of Iron

Chapter VII pt. 1

Three minutes before they arrived, Maeron woke the girl with a nudge. She shot up as if caught napping on the job, which she probably did think she was.
"What... where am I?" Zeilla asked, groggily looking up. She had been sleeping with her head rested against his shoulder and when she looked at Maeron she started, most likely because she realized that she had been lying on him the whole time. "Oh!" She gulped, "So sorry, sir."
​Maeron chuckled, "Don't worry Zeilla, if I had minded then I would've told you earlier. But I woke you up because we're here now. Look out your window girl." Zeilla obeyed, and when she did, she gasped. Odd, Maeron thought, she's seen a big city before. Why is she so surprised? The girl was now pressing her nose to the window as if the vivid colors would fade away if she didn't.
​"Amazing," she whispered, "this is completely different from Muqiel."
​"How so?" he asked. Zeilla blinked, seeming to realize that she had just spoken aloud. "Oh never mind that, here we are." The carriage had just pulled up and stopped. The two of them had driven all night and now the sun had filled yet another day, casting its beams down on all of the earth's inhabitants and warming the city that Maeron Viljast had called home for so long now. It was a Saturday now, so the streets were filled with the sales day vendors that frequented the city this time of the week.
​Maeron opened the car door and stepped out. Then being a true gentleman, he offered his hand to Zeilla. The girl blushed with embarrassment before taking his hand and attempting to casually step out of the carriage as he had done, which would have resulted in a humiliating tumble had he not helped her out. Once she was out of the car door safely, Maeron went to pay the driver and to his great relief the man did not stay and talk, but rather drove off as soon as he was paid.
​Viljast turned back to look at Zeilla, she was staring at him as if he was some sort of alien species. She realized that he was staring back at her and she lowered her eyes.
​"Come on girl, follow me." Maeron waved her towards him and walked away from the road and into one of the larger buildings, not even looking back; it was obvious that that he expected her to follow him. She considered just running away now, it would be easy enough, but this man interested her. She had never seen someone like him. He seemed kind, yet powerful. It was a combination she had never come across before. And he had stopped Silas from beating her. She wanted to know why. Of course she hurried after him like a well-trained dog.
​The building in particular that Maeron was leading her into was tall, gray, and dull. That's to say like every other building in this neighborhood.
​"These buildings are the most expensive structures in the whole city." Maeron explained, but even as he said this he had to admit that they didn't look like much. "The real show is all inside," Maeron clarified, seeing her confusion, "the architect was on a budget, so although none of these places look like much on the outside the most beautiful unnatural things you will probably ever see are on the inside."
​Zeilla looked interested, "Really? How did you know about the architect?"
​Maeron raised his eyebrows at the girl, and she looked away. "I know people." He replied cryptically. Zeilla didn't want to push her luck any further by questioning him.
​Inside the building there was a guard, not a guard really –he was far too small and squeaky for him to successfully prevent anyone from going inside if they really wanted to– but more of a man that Zeilla had a feeling would get very angry and loud if you passed without his permission, and his permission required payment. Like a bribe, she supposed. Maeron paid him and they both went in.
​Zeilla looked to around; it was fairly narrow for a room. On second thought though, it was more of a hallway than a room. It was shaped like a long rectangle, with a staircase down the hallway and paintings lining the walls. All of the paintings seemed to just be splashes of bright color, as if it was just paint flung straight off of someone's brush. Next to the stairs was a map of the buildings many rooms, and it looked curiously colorful to Zeilla.
​Maeron saw her staring at the map, "Oh forget about that Zeilla. I know this place like the back of my own hand." He walked up the stairs and she again followed.
​This place is amazing. Zeilla thought.
​It truly is, Skersha said.
​Zeilla walked through level two which, instead of having a row of paintings had a cluster of sculptures. All abstract. Level three had all sculptures as well, only these were not abstract. They instead were some of the most vivid colors placed on the most beautiful people and places Zeilla had ever seen. There, a princess crying as she waved a knight goodbye. There, a man on a horse running through the streets, sword in hand. There, a lady in long plain blue clothing standing on the head of a snake. Zeilla wondered about that as they walked up the stairs to floor four, but when the reached the top of the stairs Zeilla gasped for the second time that day and the sculpture was forgotten. The reason being that the room was filled –literally filled– with books. There were books upon books wherever they could fit, and the ceiling was conveniently just as tall as the shelves, probably to fit just as much books as there was space.
​In, next to the stairway there was a door, the only door in fact and it was the door that her new master, Maeron Viljast went into. Zeilla attempted to follow.
​"Stay here Zeilla." Maeron said holding his arm out to prevent her from going into the room. "There is someone I need to talk to."
​"Y-yes sir, I am sorry sir."
​"No need to apologize." Maeron said, "Just take a seat around here." He motioned towards a row of chairs by the door. "I'll be right out." Zeilla nodded and waited for him to close the door. Then she sat down.