Discoveries

19

The flight took quite some hours; even to Jasmin's incredible speed was a limit. Still, it was fast, as the journey usually could take up to two weeks.

At the edge of my sight I could see the first lights. As we got closer I could make out the main city, and the island on which the castle and the nobles' city mansions lay built. It had cliffs on al sides, and was once a peninsula. Now 'twas connected with land by the Great Bridge. Known as The Bridge in town, it was the absolute mastery of architecture and building. The two century year old bridge had huge stone arcs fixed steadily in the lake bedding. Atop that was a stone wall on either side, with some little windows here and there. The passage that ran between them, was the busiest street in town. Roughly a hundred little shops had nestled there, from spice stores to fine tailors. Horses were forbidden. On top of all the bustle, were light burned even on this late hour, lay a perfectly cobbled road, broad enough for three carriages to ride alongside. The sides were fenced by many little stone pillars and long, flat stone on top.

The castle, my castle, was beautiful and a little spooky in the moonlight. Many round towers of all sized reached to the stars. In some, light still burned. One tower towered right over all the others; the great Donjon of Mir – the royal castle. It was a full fifty meters across, round, and twisted, like all donjons in Lena. Every window held glass, a luxury not many could permit. Behind one of those windows, in the middle of the donjon where the royal family had their quarters, a few candles still burned. I guided Jasmin there. It was my parent's bedroom.

My mother sat in front of a mirror, combing her beautiful, rich, golden honey locks. The royal family had always been blonde, until me. Mom and dad hadn't married for love, but for diplomacy between Lena and Dacontr. Father – Srallard – was the second prince, and so married off to a young queen; Monique. My grandmother, Gerlinde, died in a freak accident, when my mom was only fourteen – which almost lead to a war between us and the suspected Aharians. Until she was of age, an older man could surely help. Even though my mother was the one with the real power, nobody ever dared to defy my father. The war never came, but there was high tension. We didn't sell them anymore Ciaar, they deprived us of their goods, and so on. A few years later I was born, on exact the same day that the Queen of Ahar had a baby girl. A month after that the two mothers met on the Pass, and decided it was a sign from the Gods that we should make peace. The other girl even looked almost the same as me. We were a form of life, so both named after Alyssa, the bringer of life and death.

Mother just sat there, combing her hair even though it was long done. Silent tears crept down her averagely beautiful, broad face. I had kind of inherited it's shape and turned up nose. She had much better lips, though. Her eyes were a beautiful, molten amber, where mine were green. My father had greenish eyes and black hair. Mine was very dark at the top, and years of sun had bleached it downward. Where my few tiny freckles came from, or my curls for that matter, only the gods knew. Oh, and I had my mom's eyebrows.

To her I had been closest. She at least had sometimes made time for me in her busy schedule. At least she'd tried to be there for me – even though she wasn't a good mother – when my dad hadn't even made the effort.

It would be of no use to tap on the window and comfort her; I would have to go again, and the pain would only be fresher. And how to explain everything? No, it was best to leave her. If only I could leave a note...

I couldn't stand watching her pain anymore.

Go. Get we away from here.

Jasmin obliged.

#

We arrived at Fred's just after dawn.

All the way back my wounds had been bitten by merciless frost, and I had to resist the urge to constantly touch them.