Troubled days

Next morning Renna felt like sulking. Just like that. She understood there was no real reason for hating The Dragon, after all he could not help being what he was, but her mood demanded a little sulking. Besides, if he did not eat them, what had happened to the other girls? She sat on her bed and brooded like that for an hour. She was interrupted by steps approaching the door. He knocked on the door and with a worried voice asked,

“Are you alright?”

“Go away, monster! I don’t want to talk to you!” said Renna really harshly. She expected him to be angered and come barging in but that did not happen, instead a deep silence followed and then steps went away.

She continued sulking. Suddenly the door was opened. She had heard no steps. One of those fiery ladies had walked in with her breakfast. It was not Maria. Her body was most solid looking compared to the fireladies she had seen so far. Instead of leaving after putting down the tray she walked over to Rennas bed. She seemed angry.

“You really have no reason to be mean to him! You really hurt my master. He can’t help it you know.”

This one had a strong voice, sounds if fire were far in the background. Her voice had a ring to them Renna thought she had heard before. Firelady came closer and commanded her out of bed.

“Time to rise and shine! Get dressed and go talk to him. Now!” Her fiery face was right in front of Rennas when she said that. It was whole, all lines in place, so unlike from Marias vague face. Rennas mind shivered when she remembered where she knew this face and the voice that came with it.

“Margarite!” The exclamation had escaped Renna without thought.

“Don’t you go blaming him for what has happened to us. We made the choice. Remember it.” Margarites fires seemed brighter as she told her that. After those words she just turned her back to Renna walked way. Now she was sad. Mood to sulk was gone, but her latest discovery made her worried. Would this happen to her? But Margarite had said they had chosen it. Why would anyone make a choice like that? She was confused and homesick. She did not want to be in this hostile place where nothing was what it seemed. She missed her parents and her home farm, even working hard seemed fun now. Food was not attractive at all to Renna as the depression settled in. World was dark and no light seemed to be anywhere.

Day went by. Maria had brought her lunch, taken away the cold breakfast and now she came again with her dinner. Renna had not even moved. She walked over to Renna and tried to comfort her.

“Don’t be so sad… It will turn out just fine.”

But for Renna seeing Maria made things even worse and she just closed her eyes with a sigh.

Two days passed and there was no change in her mood. Her soul was away. The Dragon grew worried, and on the third day he decided to intervene. He came barging into her room and pulled her out of the bed.

“Enough doing nothing, come, I need your help with something.”

Renna slowly came out of her lethargy.

“What do you want me to do?”

“You’ll see! Now get up, get dressed and have your breakfast, I’ll be waiting for you in the living room.”

With those words he marched out. For a second Renna considered going back to bed, but decided not to. She was not used to doing nothing and the prospect of some work actually attracted her. She walked over to the wardrobe and rummaged it for decent work clothes. They were all too good for anything she actually thought of as work. Finally she found her own old outfit stashed in to a box in the bottom of the wardrobe. She dressed herself, ate fast what Maria had brought and stepped out.

Next…