of what happened or if she was avoiding him. In order to take up time while he waited for her to wake, he started to pull the rugs up from the floor in Elizabeth ’s rooms, so that he could put them down in Mira’s rooms. He was reluctant to enter the dust covered hall. There are so many ghostly memories hidden behind those doors .
Rillan stared at the rugs on the floor. It might actually be easier to clean the mess off of Mira’s rugs , he thought wryly. He looked over the layer of dust and tried to guesstimate how many times he would have to beat the damn things to knock the time from them, versus how much water and soap it would take to clean the bile and urine off the others. He smiled to himself. I can just imagine what the druids would think, if I left them outside with a note asking them to be cleaned.
Glancing around the room, Rillan’s eye lingered on a waded up dress at the foot of the disused wardrobe. He realized that he actually remembered the last time he saw Elizabeth wearing it. Suddenly sadness descended on him like a tidal wave. He looked up and ran his eyes over all the things in the room. He couldn’t take Elizabeth ’s rugs out of here. They belonged here. Leaving the room, he closed the door quietly, wishing he had never gone back in there, and went to find the soiled rugs to clean them.
Mira lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling. She hadn’t left the bed, except to eat and use the chamber pot. A couple times, she heard her door open. She would lay still and keep her eyes closed. She didn’t think he ever came all the way into the room. As far as she could tell, he looked in and left again. Mira wasn’t really sure why he kept coming back. I hope he’s not still hungry. I don’t think I could handle it again already .
The tired feeling finally left her, and Mira was becoming restless. She memorized every crevice in the ceiling. It was the only part of the room that looked like cave. What she really wanted was to see the stars, her friends, grass, rain, birds, and so many other things. She thought back to the shaft that she saw in Rillan’s room. It must be the only view of the sky in these caves . She was starting to really feel the loneliness here. It was one of the things that made her feel bad for Rillan. Mira had always been very logical. She knew, no matter how lonely she might feel, Rillan had been dealing with this awful place a lot longer.
The sigh escaping her lips almost startled her. Mira didn’t even realize how long it had been since she last said something. Even the sound of a sigh seemed loud and inappropriate. By all the Gods I can’t live like this, she thought. I need to see the sky and to feel the breeze and the rain. I need to speak and sing. I need someone. Tears started to form in her eyes.
Throwing the blankets back, Mira sat on the edge of the bed. She braced herself for the jolting cold of the stone floor beneath her feet. The chill that ran through her was exceedingly unpleasant after she spent so much time in her nice warm bed. Throwing open her closet doors, she found a simple dress and pulled it on. Then she slid her feet into a soft pair of shoes, deciding to leave them near the bed in the future. Maybe I can ask Rillan to get me some slippers, if he’ll even talk with me.
Mira found herself thinking that she may be wrong. At first she believed Rillan wanted girls around because he was lonely and wanted a friend as well as food. The more he growled and glared, the more Mira found herself doubting that original conclusion. He was mean and unpleasant no matter what she said.
She forced herself to stop thinking about Rillan.
Rillan stared at the rugs on the floor. It might actually be easier to clean the mess off of Mira’s rugs , he thought wryly. He looked over the layer of dust and tried to guesstimate how many times he would have to beat the damn things to knock the time from them, versus how much water and soap it would take to clean the bile and urine off the others. He smiled to himself. I can just imagine what the druids would think, if I left them outside with a note asking them to be cleaned.
Glancing around the room, Rillan’s eye lingered on a waded up dress at the foot of the disused wardrobe. He realized that he actually remembered the last time he saw Elizabeth wearing it. Suddenly sadness descended on him like a tidal wave. He looked up and ran his eyes over all the things in the room. He couldn’t take Elizabeth ’s rugs out of here. They belonged here. Leaving the room, he closed the door quietly, wishing he had never gone back in there, and went to find the soiled rugs to clean them.
Mira lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling. She hadn’t left the bed, except to eat and use the chamber pot. A couple times, she heard her door open. She would lay still and keep her eyes closed. She didn’t think he ever came all the way into the room. As far as she could tell, he looked in and left again. Mira wasn’t really sure why he kept coming back. I hope he’s not still hungry. I don’t think I could handle it again already .
The tired feeling finally left her, and Mira was becoming restless. She memorized every crevice in the ceiling. It was the only part of the room that looked like cave. What she really wanted was to see the stars, her friends, grass, rain, birds, and so many other things. She thought back to the shaft that she saw in Rillan’s room. It must be the only view of the sky in these caves . She was starting to really feel the loneliness here. It was one of the things that made her feel bad for Rillan. Mira had always been very logical. She knew, no matter how lonely she might feel, Rillan had been dealing with this awful place a lot longer.
The sigh escaping her lips almost startled her. Mira didn’t even realize how long it had been since she last said something. Even the sound of a sigh seemed loud and inappropriate. By all the Gods I can’t live like this, she thought. I need to see the sky and to feel the breeze and the rain. I need to speak and sing. I need someone. Tears started to form in her eyes.
Throwing the blankets back, Mira sat on the edge of the bed. She braced herself for the jolting cold of the stone floor beneath her feet. The chill that ran through her was exceedingly unpleasant after she spent so much time in her nice warm bed. Throwing open her closet doors, she found a simple dress and pulled it on. Then she slid her feet into a soft pair of shoes, deciding to leave them near the bed in the future. Maybe I can ask Rillan to get me some slippers, if he’ll even talk with me.
Mira found herself thinking that she may be wrong. At first she believed Rillan wanted girls around because he was lonely and wanted a friend as well as food. The more he growled and glared, the more Mira found herself doubting that original conclusion. He was mean and unpleasant no matter what she said.
She forced herself to stop thinking about Rillan.
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