The water in the canal flowed as if it didn't notice what was going on around it. Its dark surface didn't change even now that the towers of the cathedral in the Old Quarter weren't blocking the path of sunlight. A fisherman nestled comfortably right on the edge of the rays that fell into the canal, to remain invisible to prying eyes, but also not to miss an opportunity to warm himself. A mouse was pregnant again, its brood rustling in the old shoe, no longer fitting into it at all. And the current was bringing more and more surprises to those who could wait.
It began to get darker. The light disappeared. The fisherman shuddered, and the mice instinctively froze in their shoes. A rumbling and scraping sound was heard in the high ground between the houses. The fisherman rushed into the nearest alley, and the dragon that had folded its wings landed in the water with a splash that rose to the third floor. Behind it, rags, ropes, and laundry hung out of the windows by the surrounding residents to dry began to fall to the surface of the canal.
Milo could hardly unclench her hands, which were flushed with tension.
"The landing was hard," she said through gritted teeth.
The dragon puffed black smoke and lowered its head to the embankment. The girl rubbed the back of her head, bruised on her chair, unhooked the straps, and staggering in shoes uncomfortable for such travel, stepped down to the once-red door at the intersection of the canal and the Alley of the Blind. The dragon raised its head and looked intently at Milo.
"Don't worry, nothing will happen to me here," said the girl, turning to the monster.
The dragon let out black smoke again and defiantly turned its head away from her, staring into the distance, at the curve of the canal. Milo sighed, walked to the door, and yanked on the handle. The door was unlocked, and she stepped inside.
The room smelled of broth. The girl walked down the small hallway and stopped, stepping on a creaky board. A nice young man was looking at her from the kitchen, but his clothes were terribly dirty. He smiled and immediately dropped the pot from the pole. The same broth that Milo had smelled when she entered was spilling onto the floor. The young man's face changed dramatically, and he backed away and pressed himself against the wall. Milo was surprised, but then she looked back and saw the dragon's eye in the doorway, studying him. She turned and wagged her finger at the beast angrily.
"Don't peek," she hissed and slammed the door right in front of the monster's face.
When the girl turned around, Zara was coming down the stairs from the second floor. She was exhausted, barely able to drag her feet. Milo rushed to her and hugged her sister.
"My darling, I missed you so much," she exclaimed.
"Careful, careful, you'll ftain your exfenfife dreff," Zara replied, taking her hands off and pushing her sister away from her dirty clothes.
"Hi, I'm Ethel," the young man interjected, "I'm sorry, I can't invite you to our dinner, it's all gone."
Tearing off his sleeve, he wiped the floor with it. Zara walked past and sat on the floor across from Milo, with her back against the wall.
"Fo, fif, how'f if going?"
Milo looked at her sister in mute surprise.
"Don'f mind me, I'm juff fo damn fired, and I really feel forry for your dfeff... dreff... dress," Zara said with her head thrown back.
Milo walked over to her sister and squatted down next to her.
"What happened?" she asked excitedly.
"We were rescuing Magister Wolfie," Ethel answered for Zara, he had finished picking up the broth from the floor and was off to the bath.
YOU ARE READING
Heart's tale
FantasyA long time ago, there was a planet on the surface of which a real living Heart was beating. Each of its beat gave life to many wonderful creatures, and humans were no exception. Once, during a mountain collapse, they became afraid that something m...
