Aria walked through the hallways heading nowhere in particular. Her mind was whirling with feelings of confusion and curiosity at the same time. She had just been informed by her father that she would be assigned a personal knight to her, but she couldn't help but wonder if this was his way of showing that he cared for her or if it was just another way to control her. As she walked through the palace's hallways, she couldn't shake off the feeling of unease.
She came to a halt in front of a large old door with the word "library" written over it. She did not like reading books but she thought it might be a good way to kill time. It was still mid-morning and she had nothing to do at all. The old door creaked as it flew open revealing old dusty shelves with books stacked in them. It seemed no one liked visiting the library at all.
Aria surveyed her surroundings and seemed confused for a while. There was this particular shelf that caught her attention. The books in it were arranged in a regular pattern forming a sequence of symbols that looked like numerics. The writings were ancient Avonian, but luckily her mother had taught her.She came closer and touched each of the symbols while reading it in a whisper. When she touched the final symbol of the last book on the shelf, she heard a creaking sound and jumped back startled by the sudden noise.
The whole shelf moved away bringing into view a door. A secret passage! But what was in beyond that door? All these questions ran through Aria,s mind. But there was only one way to get an answer. She approached the door with care, fear evident in her wobbling legs and heavy breathing. She turned the knob and opened the door. The inside was pitch black. She contemplated on whether to go back but due to curiosity, she found her legs taking her forward. Her mind screamed at her to turn back but curiosity got the better of her and she found herself deep inside the room.
Fortunately, she found a lamp placed on a table near a window that brought in some light. She lighted it bringing light to the place. It was a library too. A secret one at that. But the books in this place were different. Aria could tell it. It was as if they were calling to her to pick them. At the center of the room, there was a large book placed on a stone table. It looked new and untouched. There was something off with this place. It was as if there was a person taking care of these books.
Putting aside her thoughts, Aria went to check what the book was all about. The book cover was made of leather and it had some weird text. The title of the book was also written in ancient Avonian."The Art Of Magic".She whispered the title and it dawned on her that it was a book of magic. She had been looking for sources that would help her understand magic in deeper meaning recently but found none. It seems lady luck was on her side today.
She decided to carry the book and read it tonight when everybody was asleep. Maybe this was the answer she was looking for all along. She left everything in place as it was and placed a replica of the book on the stone table.They looked alike anyways, she thought. Luckily, no one saw her exit the library carrying the book. She hid it under her bed and went out.
In the afternoon, she was expected to attend a swords class with Sir Gareth. Sir Gareth was a demanding teacher and he pushed her to her limits. She liked this part of his personality as he did not take her as a princess but as a student like any other. She remembered that she had failed miserably in her previous class and she knew that she had to improve this time. Wielding a sword was not in her nature but she knew she had to. Who knows what the future holds?
The class was intense and Aria found herself struggling to keep up. Sir Gareth was a demanding teacher and he pushed her to her limits. But Aria was determined to improve, and she pushed herself harder than she ever had before. As the class came to an end, Sir Gareth approached her.
"I see improvement in you, my lady," Sir Gareth said, nodding his head. "Keep up the good work."
Aria was surprised but also pleased with the comment. She knew that she still had a long way to go, but she was determined to become a skilled swordswoman. The day ended well so far with no dramas from both her father and would to be husband. But she knew it won't last long.
After the class, Aria retired to her chambers for a bath. She had always found that a warm bath helped her to relax and clear her mind. She took her time, letting the warm water soothe her tired muscles. When she was done she retired to her bed and was about to sleep but remembered about the magic book.Yes.This was the right time to read it. She pulled the book from under the bed and placed it on top of the table. She was curious to know what was in this book.