A series of light knocks could be heard coming from the door. My visitor seemed hesitant as if he or she wasn't sure whether it was acceptable to disturb me or not, but soon enough the sound gained strength. So much that I could no longer ignore it even if I wanted to.
"Please enter!"
I already knew who it was. The way he had knocked was more than enough to tell me. The fairytale guy was the only one in this whole castle who would not only think twice but several times more before finally deciding to enter my private rooms.
Contrary to him, the servants just entered whenever they wished to, be it while I was sleeping, bathing or drowning myself in memories of a more colorful past. This was how things were handled in this palace, with servants being treated as if they were invisible as long as they weren't needed.
When the door finally swung open, it was indeed Laurin that appeared in between its frames. He was wearing the same red and black uniform-like attire he had on when I first saw him but compared to his father he obviously looked far better in it. Not only was the king rather fat, but he was also far lazier than his son.
Contrary to him Laurin trained his swordplay to exhaustion almost daily and only ever ate too much when it was the sole possible way of avoiding the awkward silence that filled this room way too often.
Even though we sometimes had trouble keeping our conversations going, I had grown fond of him by now. Not because I saw him as a man, I would never, but because he helped me escape the boredom that drove me crazy whenever there was nobody around. It was a friendship of some sort, though nobody ever had asked me whether I wanted it or not.
"How was your day," Laurin asked while I was still lost in thoughts.
And there it was again, this stupid question. How could it possibly have been? I was trapped in this room all day long! Sure, there were neither locks nor bars hindering me from opening that door, but there were armed man "guarding" me right outside in the hallway. The few times I had been outside, Laurin had been by my side.
"It was exciting," I couldn't help but joke.
"Sorry about that."
"There is no reason for you to feel sorry. It was your father who had decided on it..."
"I will talk to him!"
"He will never let me go..."
"But he can at least allow you to go outside!"
"Outside? Where to?"
"I could show you the gardens."
"That would be nice..."
"He will surely allow you to accompany me to my sword training, too!"
"You really think he will allow me to touch swords?"
"... you could watch me."
I could only look at him in disbelief. Laurin seemed to love to stare at me, as he visited my rooms more often than his own, but for him to think I would feel the same about him? As if!
Naturally, I couldn't tell him. By hurting his feelings I might end up hurting myself in the long turn, as he was the sole relief I had from my otherwise monotone days. And watching him wave around his sword might end up helping me, too, as I had little to no idea on how to fight without using magic.
"I would be glad to."
A faint red appeared on his face. He had misunderstood me, again.
"I- I wanted to ask if you want to eat with me."
"With you?"
"Eh- us! I meant us! I wanted to invite you to dinner. Did you eat yet?"
"No, I have waited for you to come and collect me."
"You did? Ah- yes, I told you yesterday!"
"Yes..."
«He totally likes me, doesn't he? And not the good kind of like...»
A faint sigh slipped my lips as I lifted the fox up from my lap and placed it on one of the soft pillows lying next to me. Despite weighing about as much as a small cat, she sunk in deeply. All of this happened without her even realizing it.
«Will this thing ever wake up?»
"Have you finally picked a name for her?"
I shook my head. "I wanted to wait until she wakes up."
"But she is your summon, isn't she? Can't you just send her back and call her again? Maybe it will help..."
"Do you think she is a PC?!"
"Pe Ci?"
"It's nothing..."
Laurin looked at me confused, but I didn't give him a chance to ask his question again. I had already raised up to make my way towards him or rather the door he was still blocking.
"What are we waiting for?"
⊱————- Extra ————-⊰
Petronus: Aren't they beautiful?
Ofris: They do not look like her at all.
Petronus: Of course they look like her! I have seen the saint myself!
Ofris: She doesn't have blonde hair!
Petronus: You surely are joking. Her hair is golden like the sun! Her lips are red like cherries and her eyes are blue like the sky.
Ofris: Her eye-color is red, though...
Sahria: Look at this one!
Ofris: So huge!
Petronus: The saint is the epitome of feminity! The mother of us all!
Ofris: She isn't even old enough to be a mother! I would never allow her!
Petronus: What nonsense are you saying?!
Ofris: Not a single one of these figures look like her! I don't know who you have seen but it wasn't Rika! Just look at them! They do not even have a tail!
Petronus: A tail? Why a tail?! The saint has no tail! Everybody knows that!
Ofris: ARGH!!
Petronus: Are you buying one or not?! You are chasing away paying customers!
Sahria: Give me this one.
Ofris: WHY?!
Sahria: Doesn't it look cute?
Petronus: At least the young lady has an eye for art. That would be three large silvers for the-
Sahria: It is ugly.
Petronus: What?!