THE following day, Eleand woke up early because Lifa was already busy cleaning around. He just saw her out from the bathroom with illuminating flowers at hand. Lifa paused when she witnessed him already awake.
"I already prepared your bath. You need to look presentable because you will eat breakfast along with the Lady."
He got up and immediately went inside the bathroom. This palace never ceased to amaze him. He was startled to see the bathroom, spacious enough for its use. There was this pool-sized jacuzzi! He couldn't care less what kind of magic was used here, but he needed to refresh himself to catch the breakfast with Aserah.
Eleand swiftly moved as he could straight to the walk-in closet. He pondered for a moment about the proper clothes to wear. He chose the light blue tunic and black pants. He couldn't help himself to smile to see various footwear in a row. He picked the black leather boots. He did not wear a cloak because the morning temperature was not that cold.
Eleand was nearly out of the room when he saw the amulet from Aserah, lying close to the flower base on the small table beside the door. He should wear it for his protection.
All his hesitation disappeared when he didn't feel anything weird upon wearing it. Until he noticed every tiny detail from afar that he knew his mortal eye could not see. Maybe this was the amulet's power. It will bestow her the gift of faerie eyes.
He wondered once more because there were so many weird creatures around the enormous hallway outside his room. Or maybe there might be a special occasion today that these faeries wandering around the palace?
He had to step back a few times because of these peculiar things he could not identify. Some of them had wings like a bird, some like bats and butterflies.
Eleand breathed out to get used to them. He should normalize seeing them anytime because he would be staying here.
He raised his head, cleared his throat, and went walking down the stairs.
Amidst the stairs, he bumped into another weird being—a male faerie with a wolf mask. He scrutinized him and shook his head.
What is your problem? He shrugged off and continue to walk towards the grand dining hall.
Now he could see vividly every intricate detail of the palace outside the council room. Giant gold chandeliers were flaunting in the ceiling. The interior design was nearly the same on every side. The green and gold were the most prominent in their color palette. Maybe it was the color of Noyuh, judging some of the hanging green flags with the gold insignia.
Ancient symbols and carvings were visible in every corner. Surely, magic lurked around these symbols perfectly chiseled and designed in these walls.
His curiosity went far as various groups of faeries seemed busy around.
Why were they not here yesterday? He couldn't be so sure that faeries must have day-offs and holidays.
Interesting.
Winzi's teasing voice covered his head. But she could not see her around.
You see them because you're wearing Aserah's amulet, Moron!
Eleand paused upon hearing those words. Does this mean these faeries were just here, and he couldn't see them because of his mortal eye?
Exactly!
He heard Winzi's evil laugh. The little witch was making fun of him again. Maybe she was just bored, and she chose to toy around him. She got to be kidding about him unseeing these creatures before.
You can take a look outside. I'm serious.
Eleand hurriedly walked towards the main door of the palace. He saw four guards standing there, and they wore gold armor with a long sword on their hips.
The guards looked at him and crazily grinned as if they remembered his stupidity last night.
He looked around outside. Countless faeries were there. There were a group of pixies playing in the sprawling garden. But the faerie warriors were more in numbers than his estimate count. They were busy sparring on the ground.
In the waterfall nearby, he witnessed a group of male faeries similar to Ahldrin. Only the wings were ivory white. It seemed like they were practicing aerial combat.
If these creatures were just here all along, then they must be his audience last night! He suddenly felt the rising temperature in his face, especially when he heard the sinister laugh of Winzi.
"Darn!" he cussed. Murmuring it over and over. He never felt this kind of embarrassment in his life. He could imagine them laughing at him last night while he thought he was all alone.
Eleand went back to the dining hall. It took him a while to gain back his confidence, and he walked back inside level-headed. The faeries he met along the way smiled at him in amusement.
"SO, how's the effect of the amulet?" Winzi immediately asked with unconcealed excitement when Eleand finally reached the dining hall. The faeries belong in Noyuh's High Corps, sitting comfortably there.
"It's fine," he lowered his eyes. Of course, they knew about the stupidity he did last night.
"Have a seat," Nahil said, smiling.
Eleand chose to sit far from them since the table was huge and so many vacant chairs. But there was a warning from Asera's eyes. He stood up and seated beside Ahldrin and Winzi. While Zanti was in his front, and Aserah was in the middle of the huge dining table.
"Starting today, you will join us at breakfast time," Aserah said.
Eleand agreed. He surveyed the foods on the table— fruits, meats, and vegetables. Lifa was in sight, busy preparing for drinks along with the other two faeries.
"So, you're Eleand. We are not properly introduced. I'm Zanti," said the trouble-looking faerie in front of him. He wore a black tunic with gray linings—good thing that he was not wearing the black hood that he saw yesterday. His eyes didn't miss the intricate tattoo on his left arms down to his fingers.
He tried to smile and acknowledge his deathly presence. Among the faeries sitting around him, Zanti had a frightening aura. Even if he smiled often compared to others. It made him curious about the magic he could wield.
A moment of silence passed, and Eleand didn't hesitate to eat. Even he was not used to eating breakfast. The foods were perfect in his appetite. He could not just properly express it. He had not seen the need to compliment them since they could easily read his mind.
Zanti asked him again. "What is the thing you like the most in the mortal world?"
"Nothing special," he simply answered. Most of his time was spent running their business and more on family time. Too bad that his marriage failed.
Zanti clicked his tongue, "I see. I'm inviting you for a hunt. I heard you'll stay here for a while."
"Hunt?" His eyes broadened. He despised hunting back in the mortal world because he believed animals should not suffer a cruel death for fun.
"Can you wield a sword?" he asked again in between chewing a ripe grape.
"Sorry, I can't." He swallowed the berry before he continued, "I'm not good at using swords, but I can say that I'm quite better in archery."
Zanti nodded in approval. "That's awesome."
Winzi's skeptical look reached his sight. Her one brow raised and appeared doubtful upon hearing his words.
"We'll go hunting today. I'm bored. We'll need to wait for a few days to attend the council meeting in Argia." Zanti just finished eating.
"Okay," he clasped the glass and drank some water. He instantly regretted that he flaunted his archery skills. What if something has gone wrong? Worse, what if Zanti was planning something sinister because he was a human?
But on the second thought, it was for his own good. He trusted Aserah, and Zanti was trying to be friendly. Besides, it was better if he could look around Noyuh, and hopefully, he could find some clues where Elida went.
THE hierarchy of the Aserah's Inner High Corps was discussed to Eleand while they were eating. Ahldrin was the Army's General, Nahil was the Second-in-Command, Winzi the Seer, and Zanti was the Spy-Assassin.
He was right about Zanti's murderous presence. The thought of being with an assassin in a hunt made his body shiver. But surprisingly, Zanti made him feel at ease compared to Ahldrin that looked uninterested as usual.
The High Corps was given an individual task this day, while Eleand was assigned to be with Zanti for a hunt. A golden bow was handed to him as a weapon.
"Where would you like to hunt? Do you want to try the Winter Region?" Zanti asked when they were nearly out from the palace.
"I'm not ready to freeze," he smiled. He simply hated winter because he could not stand in the cold for long.
"Okay, then we'll try the forest of Aderawiel, that's the Autumn Region. Then tomorrow, we'll explore the other regions so you could go around Noyuh."
"Thanks."
They glided to the stairs. They bumped into two guards and bowed to Zanti. The Assassin nodded in return. But Zanti paused when he saw Nahil talking with a pixie.
"Hey, Nana!" Zanti called her.
"Why?" Nahil raised her brow when she turned in their direction.
"Would you like to come with us?" Zanti winked.
Nahil rolled her eyes in return, "I'm in-charged guarding the palace. You better be back here early because I need to go somewhere tonight."
Zanti went serious, "Going where?"
"I'll be attending a ball in Alsache."
Zanti shrugged and looked at him. At the same time, he was amazed watching Zanti and Nahil. He could feel that something was going on between them. But he couldn't ask.
"All right, let's move." Zanti held his shoulder, and a black mist surrounded them.
Eleand felt dizzy again. They were covered in a dark haze at his consciousness was on the verge of collapsing.