The castle was lit in warm yellow lights, it seemed somewhat abandoned - most of the servants were resting in their rooms - but the library contained some life. It was raining heavily outside, you could hear raindrops bombarding the walls and windows, trying to get inside. The King looked through the window - nothing, pitch black:
"I feel uneasy..."
"Under the weather?" I asked still having my eyes drawn to the book I was reading.
"Precisely." He cupped his chin in thought. "What are you reading?"
"A book about a girl no one loves."
"Oh... Is it sad?"
"It is boring."
"Why read then?"
"I near the end."
"Huh. Why do you consider it boring?"
"Well... She has her love now..."
"And...? Is that boring?"
"Yes, they always have everything they want at the end. Life doesn't work like this."
"But... It is the purpose of fiction."
"The author could've made it believable though. I mean, the stupid farmer girl and the fancy smartass princess? And they fell in love at the first site? While the farm girl was covered in some pig excrement?! No, it is way too fictional." I turned the page.
"Oh... Yes, you may be right on this one."
The howling wind joined the rain in this symphony of nature. The King looked out the window one more time peering into the scenery, sighing.
"Is something wrong, my lord?" I moved my head from the book. "Are you... Feeling something?"
"Yes... I do... I've told you, I feel uneasy... Like..."
His words were cut off by a loud banging at the main door.
"My lord...?"
The King moved off quickly towards the main hall shouting something about me putting down the book and joining him. I did all that and in a minute we were standing before the castle door. The banging persisted.
"Should I open it, my lord?" I glanced at him and then at the door.
"You definitely should."
I came up to the door and pulled a big metal ring on it. The door opened letting the wind and the rain inside.
"Oh..." I heard the King sighing befuddled. So I looked out from behind the door:
"I don't feel good..." Said the woman in a soaked wet cape.
It was the ambassador Ha-na of The Starlink Diplomatic Delegation, the Green Star of the Rift.