Chapter 6

With a big smile, I sit with them. I continue eating my dessert. This time, the cook has made it tastier than the previous times she has made it, and my parents continue reading.

I sit across from the large window to look out over the beautiful view of our garden. The flowers had begun to sprout and blossom. Same the trees, some had started to produce lush fresh leaves, and some had begun to produce flowers. At such times the garden always smells lovely. Spring is here for good.

I like this season because the day lasts longer than in the winter when the darkness falls early in the afternoon. I do not like the dark at all. I do not know if what I feel is fear, but I know for sure that the darkness repulses me.

Further on, behind the mountains, I can only see the orange-red color of the sunset. The sun is now gone from the horizon. Soon the darkness will begin to fall. Candles will be lit everywhere in the castle, and they will invite us for our dinner, which is almost always something light without a lot of fat and no oily sauces.

Indeed, after a while, Aida appears at the door and invites us to the table.

We get up from our seats and head to the dining room. It fades from my mind that in this dining room that is now empty and we are just using a corner of it, on June 1st, it will be crowded with the guests we will have at the ball.

Did my mother talk to my father about the idea I told her? Mentally, I note to ask her at the first opportunity that we will meet alone.

We have taken our seats, and the servants appear with the plates. First, they serve the father, and from what I see, the cook has prepared fish soup, and it smells gorgeous. A sweet impatience has overwhelmed me to taste it, and I already feel my saliva running.

Soon it was my turn to be served, and I dipped my spoon in the soup and immediately after in my mouth. Mmm… flavorful!

On the table, they also left bread, cheese, and a salad with green vegetables from the vegetable garden that exists here in the castle next to the garden.

After finishing their work here the servants, leave. As soon as the last one passes the door, I hear my father say to me, "Edith, your mother told me about your idea about the ball, and I have no problem being a masquerade."

I'm pleasantly surprised. "Ah, thank you, father! You will see, it will be very nice ".

I hear him laugh softly. "I do not doubt that. And I will also be pleased not to see the faces of some that I do not like." He finishes, and I do not hold back. I giggle while my mother drowns with the soup. My father offers her some water, and she offers him an angry look.

"Lucius, Edith does not need to hear that."

"There is no problem. I understand, "I say, and I continue to giggle.

"Edith!" my mother tells me sternly, and I stop.

"Sorry, mother," I say and continue my food. I empty my plate from the soup and add some white, soft cheese.

"It should be written in the invitations too that it will be a masqueraded ball. I hope they have no objection," the father says to my mother.

"I will arrange it. And do not worry, I'm sure the guests will like it. Especially to the young princesses and princes who will come with their parents."

I'm sure too they will like it, but I'm not saying anything. I finish my cheese and I get up.

"I will go to my room. I feel sleepy. I will go to bed early tonight. "

"Go, my child," my father tells me. "Rest and prepare for tomorrow's defeat in fencing," he tells me, and his eyes are sparkling playfully.

I smile. "We'll see about that," I say stubbornly and leave.

I get into my chamber quickly. My nanny is already there, and I smile at her as I approach her. I take her hands in mine.

"You came!"

"Of course."

"One moment to put on my nightgown. I finally want to feel a little comfortable. "

"Let me help you," she tells me and turns to see my back. It loosens the laces from my tight belt, and I can finally breathe freely.

"How can you stand this, my child?" asks me.

"I'm used to it," I answer, pulling the shirt over my head and taking it off.

"Come on, sit down so I can take off your boots," she tells me and pushes me gently on the bed.

I sit and stretch to her my leg. She has learned the easy way, and it is no longer difficult for her to take them off. I extend the other leg to her, and when she takes it off that too, she places it next to the other. Nice and tidy. On the other hand, if it happens and I have to take them off on my own, apart from the fact that I have a little difficulty, I leave them everywhere in my chamber. No tidy at all.

"Take off your pants until I bring your nightgown," she says to me, and I obey.

She returns with the nightgown in her hands and passes it over my head. I put on my sleeves and get up to make the bed and lie down. I rest my head on the soft pillows, and when I make myself comfortable, I invite her to come and sit next to me on the bed.

"Nanny?"

"I hear you, my dear."

"I want you to tell me the story of the dragons again. I know it's a legend now, but I like to call it a story."

I see her smiling.

"It has been years since you asked me for it," she states.

"I thought I grew up enough for stories."

"And now what has changed?"

"I have started to forget it, and I want to refresh it in my memory again. There is a point that I have entirely forgotten, and I want to recover it ".

 "Fine then. Here it comes. Many years ago, dragons discovered the supreme good that the Earth could offer to any of its creatures. A red gem, which the king of dragons named "The Heart of Magic" because of its shape, resembled a heart.

The magic gem fulfilled their greatest desires. And as I have heard, these were the breath made by fire, to be able to swim underwater, to speak like humans, because you see they were madly jealous of our ability, and the dragon asked to take human form whenever they wish.

All the dragons in the world also obtained a necklace with a small piece of the red gem that shone. All the dragons born afterward also carried the same necklace.

Then, when the gem was stolen, this light went out of every necklace, and the dragons lost these magical abilities that the gem had given them.

But before this could happen, after fulfilling these desires, the dragons used them against the people, enslaving them. When the gem was stolen, it was all over. Dragons are still looking for it, and humans wish never to be found so that they do not go through the same thing again."

"Is it wrong for humans not to want to be found?" I ask her.

I see her slightly surprised, but she replies, "No, of course not. They are not wrong. "

"Why could the gem not continue to offer magical abilities to the dragons even after it was stolen? What did that matter? "

"Hmm… Nice question, but unfortunately, I do not know the answer. I do not remember the legend mentioning this ".

"Anyway, I remember the story a little bigger," I tell her right after, a little confused.

"Really? Well, then maybe I forgot to tell you something. But now I cannot remember what that is. If I remember, I will say to you next time ".

"Okay. Can I ask you another question? I remembered what I had forgotten from history ".

"Of course. I hear you".

"Did Libelle have her necklace when you found her?"

"No, she did not."

"And do you give any explanation for that?"

"The only logical explanation I can think of is that she was born after the gem was lost, and since the magic was no longer valid, she did not also have the necklace."

"Yes," I say thoughtfully. "It's a logical explanation."

"If you do not need me something else, I will let you sleep," she tells me.

"Yes, you can leave, and thank you very much."

She bends down and kisses me on the forehead. "Have a good night's sleep," she tells me and leaves.

I close my eyes and soon fall asleep.

______________________________________

Aida came out of Edith's room and closed the door behind her. She headed to her chamber, which was on the lower floor away from the royal rooms.

She walked in and locked the door. She approached the fireplace, carefully pulled out one of its stones, and took in her hands a small linen bag. She turned it over in her hand, and a necklace with a small piece of red gemstone tied on it rolled in her palm. She caressed the little gem with tenderness for a few moments, and after, carefully put it back in the bag and returned it to its hiding place.