Bereft: Demise

35 | Of Moments Kept in Glass

I woke the next morning tired and bleary-eyed, groaning at the weight sitting on my chest. I blinked, and after shoving my hair from my face, I met the coppery gaze of the calico Druid. Realizing I was awake, his tail thumped against my middle and his paw rose to rap my nose as if in reprimand. 

Reprimand? Why on earth would a cat reprimand me? My groggy mind was unwilling to wake. After being stitched and bandaged within an inch of my life the night prior, I was in no mood to face the living world. I tried to roll over and ignore the Druid, but Lionel persisted until I sat up and seriously considered chucking the cat out the door by the scruff of his neck.

I didn't. My better judgement won out, and I scratched beneath his chin as I sighed. "Where've you been, hmm?" The Druid had been mostly absent the past few days, his presence and silent companionship oddly missed. I had wondered if he'd finally gotten bored of following me about, but I guessed I was mistaken.

Lionel purred, enjoying the attention, then leapt off the bed to let me get ready.

As was typical, the parlor was empty when I entered it after showering, dressing, and gathering my construct books. The candles were dark and the window sealed to the encroaching winter outside. I sighed, but didn't waste the energy to fret over Darius's absence. I wondered if he ever slept.

I went out in search of a quiet room where I could read and think without interruption. Lionel followed at my heels, running into my ankles whenever I paused to consider the way. He gave an indignant yowl when I left the main stairwell and pointed downstairs with a very un-feline gesture.

"What?" I asked, adjusting my grip on my primers. "Are you hungry?"

Lionel bobbed his head, prancing about in a small circle with ecstatic meows.

"I'm not fooled by the cute-kitty routine," I warned him, though I did abandon the side hall so I could head downstairs. "I'm well-aware you're capable of getting your own food from Mattie. Don't think you're turning me into your errand girl." 

His backtalk consisted of a few yowls and grumpy purrs, but Lionel appeared happy to be getting his way. We descended to the foyer, but I took a circumventive route to the kitchens, avoiding the dining room and any familiar faces who may be inside eating their breakfast. I hadn't fully recovered from my run-in with Balthier the day prior. I didn't know what I was going to say to Anzel when I saw him, but I was troubled.

We entered the slim corridor branching away from the main foyer and I knocked upon the kitchen door. It took a minute, but Mattie finally popped it open, appearing red-faced and harangued from the kitchen's interior. Lionel squeezed between her legs, giving the aging witch a fright.

"Sorry," I said with a simper. "He's hungry, I guess." 

"Och, you lout!" Mattie scolded the Druid as she waved me off. "Don't you worry, Sara. I'll take care of the beastie."

"Are you sure?" I asked, trying to peer around the door to see what mischief Lionel was getting into. "If you're busy, I could always—."

"No, no!" Mattie said. "I'll see to it. Out, out you get!"

The door snapped shut an inch before my nose. Grimacing, I decided there was nothing for it, and turned my attention to my plans for the day.

I was almost back in the foyer when someone came out of the dining room as if they'd been waiting for my appearance.

"Sara."