Out of the castle. Olga Zhvan

reason, was especially hot an easy flush on usually pale cheeks was a proof of that.

      – You do not necessarily need this fireplace. You can get on your glade and fill in finding any source of fire. The main thing is to be calm, relaxed and a bit aloof – it seemed Borg continued to feel as if he was her teacher.

      However, Aurelia liked the information itself, because it was good to give power, if you knew where you would be able to get it.

      They silently settled down at a table and started having a dinner. The girl was waiting for new advice, lectures and preventions, but there was not any. She got a thought that, probably, Borg was glad, at last, to get rid of her and return to the comfortable lonely silence. However, that thought unexpectedly upset the girl, and furtively glancing at the castle owner, she started looking for its confirmation. Borg, seemed to direct all the attention to a dish with meal, having slightly inclined the head forward, and color of his eyes remained hidden from Aurelia.

      After dinner, everybody located near the fire, listening to the familiar hiss of fire and plunged in own thoughts. Girl desperately wanted to interrupt long-running silence, talk about their experiences, discuss the future, say some important words before perhaps forever parting. But Borg was sitting with the same stone face, and only his eyes constantly changed its color, though, maybe it was just a reflection of the fire in the fireplace.

      Veres seemed to be not very comfortable, so he soon said goodbye, referred to early rise and went to his room.

      At that moment Aurelia suddenly thought about the hall where they were sitting, it was really large, she was far from Borg and the silence bothered her. Convulsively trying to think up a question, the girl with surprise saw that he rose from a chair and approached the fire. «Won’t he leave now?!» – the girl thought, being confused. Least of all she wanted that moment to stay alone in that gloomy huge hall, there were long corridors with a booming echo behind its closed doors. Without turning to Aurelia Borg asked: «Were you thinking what is waiting for you outside?».

      – I was … – the girl answered quietly after a short pause.

      Actually she was often thinking of it, and her thoughts were generally interrogative. Because there was no matter of time in which she got though some features of life obviously told her that time from which she had arrived was far ahead. She thought that even in 15-16th century people, probably, didn't heal with hands, didn't give the life with a smooth stream, didn't pass through portals, didn't travel through fire to any special places of power, didn't realize so literally the dreams … and didn't change color of the eyes according to emotions …

      – Do you want to stay?

      Aurelia froze, and every single word flew out of her head. Had she ever thought he would offer it to his guest? At some moments, maybe yes… Why now? Why so? As whom? For what period of time? Why does he offer it to her? What will happen if she agrees? And if she refuses? All questions at once returned to her head and made a mess there. All studied and not studied colors and feelings flashed before her eyes: hope, surprise, confusion, doubt, joy, fear, curiosity…

      – Good night – without turning a face to her, Borg left the room, interrupting long pause, and she remained sitting in a deep armchair, feeling stupid and lost.

* * *

      Aurelia went up to her room, sat on the bed, looked around, she had to have a good night's sleep before a long journey, but she didn’t have any desire to go to bed. And she had no forces to undress. It looked like the last night in that castle… The next morning after fast morning meal she would leave and no more return. The girl felt the joy and anticipation, which mingled with some slight sadness with a strange aftertaste of uncertainty and strange desolation. How did it all fit in her at the same time, she didn’t know and she didn’t worry about that. Aurelia did not want to analyze, understand… and think… Fire was burning in her room with the same white flame like downstairs, but it reminded somehow only the silent figure in front of it. What did he mean?

      After some time, there was knock at the door… There was Borg as usually calm and quiet, he came inside. Confused girl was standing in the middle of the room and did not know where to hide trembling with excitement fingers. She did not know what to expect and what to think. Coming closer, he silently took her hands.

      – Take care of him, please, – Borg said, – you are going to have a long and difficult road ahead, but he knows where you have to go. You just be near and do that you consider correct.

      – Why I don't know where I am going and what for? You didn't answer any of my questions. Why?

      – If I answer that you know everything yourself, you will think that I am banal. I know only that you and Veres have the same way. For the present you have the same way. If ever you feel that it is not so … do as you consider correct …

      – Will I be able to return? Or to stay?

      – You're always where you want to be… If you wanted to stay, you would have stayed. – After a brief pause, he continued: – But if you ever want to come back, you should know you are always welcome. Probably, it is not the time yet.

      He leaned slightly forward and gently kissed her cheek. Aurelia even could not imagine how gentle his lips were. Instinctively, she touched his cheek in return. Only now she noticed a thin scar on his cheek. It was going to the temple with almost indistinguishable pattern. Aurelia skimmed gently along it with her lips to the end and stopped. She pulled away. But not because she wanted to pull away, she stopped only to explore her feelings and colors, as he had asked her before. To study.

      – It's almost red – the color of passion. You somehow slipped color of tenderness – his eyes from russet suddenly became pale golden, and as she knew, it meant smile, changed into laughter.

      – And there is scarlet – he kept laughing with eyes. – I'm surprised you do not know it.

      – Probably, I learned it in the place where were not many colors… – Aurelia smiled…

      – Take care of yourself and remember that your dreams are also a gift as a medicine. Do not neglect them. But even better, write travel notes, may be after you will give them for me to read.

      He put on a bed of one more gunny bag of average size.

      – There are coins, note paper, a pen and some herbs. You will determine them by taste. You are able to use them already; you will learn the rest on the way. Good night, – the last he told already in the door, and, without turning back, easily and silently left.

      «Probably, everybody can move silently and live silently here. Everybody but me. Could I live in such silence? – Aurelia tried to distract herself with such thoughts from some vague feeling of disappointment which arose in her. – Perhaps, it is time to sleep!»

* * *

      Early autumn morning greeted travelers with first frost. Winter was coming. Girl thought it was not the best time to start the journey and covered shoulders in the warm heavy woolen cloak. However, her opinion was never asked, and she did not want to say it without need.

      Their company headed by Veres consisted of fresh horses for riders, a couple more for luggage, and a couple of servants. Face of Veres that early morning was absolutely devoid of any emotion, and, after looking at him closely, Aurelia realized that the brothers, despite the 10 years difference in age, were similar much more than she had previously thought, especially when they were silently standing next to each other, watching the final preparations of servants.

      «It is going to be a funny way» – said Aurelia to herself and let horse quiet step. All in all, they seemed to be not in a hurry.

Chapter 3

      … The Reapers see the time and possible options of sequence of events, as a web. They make it in cocoons, in each of them new life is starting– the person who