The castles were enhanced by a soft golden glow as if they had been liberally soaked in the hot provencal sunshine.
We arrived at a particular gigantic castle and she walked past the door.
I saw so many guards and armies stationed at the east wing and south sides of the castle.
And all they did each time she walk past them is kneel and chorus the usual chant.
"MAINE-HAN-SHALAL!"
The wonder of that place blew me off completely, I had never seen such all my life.
Her invite cut my attention, As I stood afar off.
"Come inside." She hollared.
I moved slightly to the side window,
I knew a day wouldn't pass without her catching her breath in surprise and delight at one thing or the other as an infinite number of grand pinnacles, grand ways, houses, castles and nature in all it's glory are constantly revealing themselves to her in the southern corner of the castle.
"This is the province, Do you like what you see?" She asked from behind
"Oh" I was a little bit startled.
"Yes...yes, mainashal, sorry mainashahal," I stuttered and slapped my forehead lightly.
She chuckled and gulped,
"My name is Ustra, Tanya. You can call me Ustra. How old are you?" She asked.
"I'm twenty.." I quietly responded.
"Oh well! I'm twenty two! Come, have your sit" She said,
I was taken aback, I wondered how someone as young as that could be in such a position. And why she looks a lot better.
My suffering must have made me shrunk. I never looked anywhere near twenty.
She pulled off her hood and looked straight into my eyes.
"Where are you from Tan?" She asked.
"From the Blue Moon Park, The Northinburges." I replied, trying to shift my gaze from her fixed eyes.
"It's no surprise you could stare into my eyes Tanya, would you pretend now? Right from the moment our eyes met I knew something was strange about you and I'm super curious about what it really is." She nodded
I figured she used to be all by herself.
"My mother too is from Northinburges, and the ancestors before her's was from the Werewolf clan too" she paused.
"You said Brianna was your stepmother right?" She asked.
"Yes.." I flinched my head slightly.
"Who or would I say where is your mother?"
I clinged my fist together tightly as though I was about to explode. I never uttered a word.
She moved closer to me,
"I think I asked a good question at the wrong time, but I'd say your mother... Your stepmother sorry, she is rude!.
She is difficult and I wouldn't know how you managed to scale through but you're strong." She said as she got up.
"Okay, let me tell you a little about myself, since I get the chance or would I say the privilege of being around someone who could possibly look into my eyes and feel nothing, and at my face while I talk and see my expressions and all" she smiled.
A call from behind interrupted her.
She instantly turned her face away and backed Him.
"Nyvnne?" She asked.
"No my lord, your faithful servant Bashann" He replied.
"He must have been a royal palace guard" I Muttered to myself.
His attire could tell.
He bowed and turned towards the direction He was coming from.
"The queen requested for a general meeting, You are particularly summoned to be present My Lord."
"You are dismissed" Ustra retorted.
"MAINE-HAN-SHALAL!" He dashed out immediately.
Ustra turned toward my direction,
"Oh well, I'd have to pause for a while. I have to attend the court meeting, I'll have to present myself in a better regalia." she headed for the inner chambers.
"Make yourself comfortable, This is my home! " She added as she hollared from the passageway.
I strained a bit at the walls and tried figuring what type of room would be as large as that, as I observed.
The room, very large was painted white and had dark wood beams on the tall ceiling, terracotta tiles on the floor.
A massive stone fireplace took up an end wall to the side of this stood.
A little beacon oven and several marble-topped counters for baking and food preparation were set under the windows.
Placed on these were flat woven baskets brimming with local produce.
I could perceive from afar the fresh apples, oranges, apricots, plums beans rope of onions and garlic and branches of herbs the provence swung from a ceiling beam.
My stomach grew weary and I was beginning to salivate as I perceived a stronger scent of Freshly stacked porks In the basket on the chopping board in the kitchen.
I could see past the walls, And I just discovered that, just when I strained a little bit harder.
Two rooms flowed into each other, linked through the use of the same terracotta floor tiles.
On either side of this were the library and another living room.
Both were painted white and had soaring fireplaces, pale wood floors and flat woven rugs from the old times.
I tried straining harder to see what particular chamber Ustra had gone to when she interrupted my curiosity out of the blues.
"Here,. Put this on?" She said as she tried handling a loosed pink colored robe to me.
I knelt down before her,
"Please Us..tra, I know nothing of you, or this place, or whatsoever. I'm scared and I don't want to die" I said.
She sighed and dabbed at her chin.
"Rise up please, you seem pale" she said.
"You looked positively ill,even harggard, Here.." she pointed to my eyes
"You have dark rings and your hair seem lifeless" she added
Much to my alarm, My eyes, always so clear and vividly greyish even on my worst days as I looked into the mirror adjacent me, had seemed dull, faded almost, as if loosing their colors, if such thing were possible.
"Put this on, when we get back, you'd have something to eat. Fyren that son of a gun! I know had incited the queen to summon me. I have to see for myself what this is about!" she said with so much fury and with a stronger tone.