Dragons Are Demanding (Book 1)Complete

63.) Wondering

I had gotten lost behind the walls and by accident broken all the rules my new home had required.

1.) Dont leave the den.
2.) Do not enter another males area.
3.) Stay as far as possible from my family members.

But of course that's not how the day started.
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(Earlier that morning)

"I'll be back this evening." My husband said dressing quickly his tail flicked anxiously. Careful hands tying and buttoning black fabric into place. "Your food should be ready now, if you want something to eat pull the lever in the kitchen the caretaker will give you food."

"Is that the same person who does the laundry?" I asked.

"The caretaker manages the den." He replied absentmindedly.

"Why havent I seen him?" I asked yawning.

"Why do you need to see him? He asked pupils narrowing.

"Well if he lives here shouldnt I have seen him?" I asked combing my hair with my fingers. I had shed alot of hair lately, it just kept comming

"What's to see he cleans, he cooks, he leaves."

"Hmm, I am a bit suprized that you'd leave with another man being here." I began rolling the dark mass of hair into a ball between my hands.

"Hes a cast off from Talon, there isnt anything left of his manhood for him to be called a male." Cerastes said dryly.

"I dont understand." The phrase was becoming a habit.

"Its not something you need to understand, I'll be back by morning. Stay here." He said, patting my head before leaving.

"What am I going to do today?" I sighed to the empty room.

I climbed out of the bed and stretched.
I put on the uniform since I had yet to make clothes from the fabric Cerastes brought in. We had sparsely worn clothes around the house but now that I knew we werent completely alone, clothes felt necessary again.

The house was quiet and dark. We lived on Cerastes schedule, which was to sleep all day and be up at night. When I arrived in the dinning area the meal hadnt been layed out yet.

Surely the caretaker is very busy. I looked at the lever, trying to decide if I should wait or pull it down. It was high up on the wall. Maybe if I pulled a chair up I could stand on it and -

I thought I heard a soft tap to my right and my head snapped to see where the noise had come from. I hadnt even seen him come in. The man was on the shorter side but what was more eye catching was his skin.

Is this what age did to people outside the valley?

He was grey haired and slightly wrinkled. This was the first time I had seen wrinkles on a person. He seemed to lack both muscle and height. The only fat he had, had accumulated around his stomach.

"Hello." I greeted the older man.

He offered me a slight nod but no verbal greeting. He transferred my already prepared meal up to the table.

I didnt know how to interact with him but I wanted to make a good first impression.

"Thank you for the meal." I bobbed my head slightly to show respect. The man's shoulders stiffened, and the atmosphere became more awkward.
I hadn't realized how conversation starved I was and how much I wanted to see other faces.

"I'm Rowan." I gestered to my self. "What's your name?"

The caretakers brown eyes swept the room. "This caretaker doesnt want any trouble miss."

"I'm sorry I dont mean to trouble you, I was told I could ask you if I needed anything.. is there a different caretaker that I dont know about?" I rambled.

"Does the miss need anything?" He asked trying to stand up straighter.

"No I'm sure your busy, you already brought my meal." I waved my open hands akwardly.

"Then this caretaker will be away then." He replied quickly. He walked to the wall and moved the wall blanket before disappearing into the small dark tunnel behind it.
I looked suspiciously at the other wall hangings, are all of them tunnels? When I first came to this place didnt we use tunnels to sneak in?

I thought I had seen every inch of where I was allowed to be, but was there more? As long as i dont go up the stairs or leave the house then it should be fine for me to do a little exploring. I wasnt used to being cooped up, this discovery was a much needed distraction.

After eating, I looked behind every covering but only found the one tunnel in the eating area that had been used by the caretaker. It looks really dark in there and colder than the dinning area. If I was going to explore I'd need to take a light. I looked through Cerastes desk for a candle, but only found very small ones. No larger than a pinkie finger.

It might be enough.

The logs in the fireplace wouldnt work. To big. To smoky.

I have no Idea how the light works but trying to reach the stones or even prying them out of the wall seems like a bad idea.

After lighting my candle I went off on my adventure. The candle was brighter than expected but it might be because there was not very much space at all.

After walking some ways I came to a room that could only be the caretakers. There was no door only an open space a bed and a few artifacts. I didnt go further in to pry but kept going along the path to see where els it went. I kept one hand against the wall as I walked and felt the texture as a changed under my finger tips. The air was stuffy and dank. It smelled of rock and cold.

The path twisted and turned it split once, then twice, but I always picked the most furthest to the left as not to lose my way. When I eventually came to what I thought was a dead end. I saw light at the end. A silhouette of a door, framed with light. I put my ear to the door lightly and heard voices.

I thought my touch had been delicate and yet I fell through the entrance.
The room was filled with such a stong smell I had to cover my nose. Smoke filled the room like a haze. Pillows were on every surface. Fabrics draped every wall. Some of the fabric was used as partitions like in a tent. Some partitions were made of fabric that was nearly transparent. The light was dim but the room was bright compared to Cerastes room.

Crouching on the floor, I went unnoticed by the women in the room. I looked behind myself to see that the door I had fallen through was in fact a painting.

Realization flooded me. I had left the room and I needed to get back right now.

I stood up and started looking to see how I might open the door. Theres got to be a handle! A lever! Something!

I pushed against the painting and fell something release. Yes!

"How did I miss this one?" I heard a voice say behind me. Or maybe above me would have been more accurate.