Song Playing: rises the moon by Liana Flores
Looking at the sun outside, Naira breathed a sigh of relief. She had finally escaped Lilith and managed to make an excuse to leave. However, Naira did ask Lilith to come to tea tomorrow at her manor/mansion/big house/whatever it was ("I get to visit the duchess at her manor?! How could I refuse!").
Naira walked to the outside gate. She thought of the long walk. That was not an idea she particularly liked.
It occurred to her that maybe, just maybe, a carriage could appear that would take her to the thing she called "her manor". That was an idea she particularly liked. Well, if it worked that is.
She stood tall, or as tall as her 5'4 body could be. Phrasing it briefly in her mind, she commanded under her breath, "I want a carriage to take me home." She closed her eyes too for some reason. After a few seconds, she peeked through one eye.
There was nothing.
She opened both eyes and looked up and down the street. People around her were watching her but aside from that she saw no carriage.
Groaning at the thought of the walk, she started to head the way she came.
She only made 5 steps when the sound of horses galloping could be heard.
Naira turned around at the sound. A carriage appeared around the bend. Naira's heart soared. She had done it!
Her happiness didn't last long as the carriage turned around into the gate of another manor.
Groaning at the thought of the long walk, she started walking. She was convinced though that she may have worded the command wrong. As she walked the dreaded walk, she kept rephrasing her command to see if the magic would listen to her.
Dear reader, I would love to tell you that eventually the command worked but sadly, that is not the case here. She suffered walked home and gave up on a magical carriage as she reached the edge of town. She consoled herself with the idea that it's only 20 more minutes to reach the manor.
She eventually walked through the front doors and entered the first room she saw. It looked like a sitting room similar to the one she was seated in at Lilith's manor but bigger and more extravagant. Duly, in her mind, it made sense to her since apparently she's a duchess.
She plopped on the couch, face down and exhausted beyond any exhaustion she had felt in her life. She was also married to a "Duke Amias" as Lilith had been kind enough to mention and probably the only black woman here. But no. Wait. Lilith did mention that there are other races. So maybe not the only black women but the only interracial marriage? Naira's brain hurt at the overdose of information.
She also hated that others knew her character in this book more then she did. Half awake, she made a mental note to get info about her character. Maybe even learn how to use the stupid magic that refuses to cooperate.
With all of this churning duly in her mind's abyss, she fell asleep deeply. She didn't notice how the evening light shifted to inky black.
Or when a bat swooped by the window clutching something.
She didn't even notice that the owl silently watched Naira's sleeping figure on the couch from its tree.
The owl saw another figure enter the room, walking slowly towards her. Mr. Owl saw this new human bend their back a little bit towards her face. He tilted his head as this human lifted Naira from the couch and carried her out of the parlor that was bigger than Lilith's. Mr. Owl hooted once before flying away.