by Morgana Shee
Part 6
"I wonder what he's doing," she thought aloud as she came to the rode to Fell Andred, "I wonder what balls and banquets he's attended. I wonder if he wants to see me at all..." With that, a cloud came over Morgana's happy thoughts. Of course he would want to see her! She was his best friend and most trusted colleague!
Morgana skipped up the stairs of Fell Andred and almost collided with Vulpecula at the door, "Well! Why are so happy, Mistress?" asked Vulpecula.
"I'm going to Florence, Vulpecula," said Morgana, smiling down at the furry creature, "Aurin said he knows where Cadal is staying and he wants me to come with him! Isn't that wonderful?!"
Morgana picked up Vulpecula and cradled her awkwardly in her arms. Vulpecula grunted and squirmed, "Put me down!"
Morgana laid her familiar back down and ran up the stairs. She was feeling quite exhilarated. Vulpecula was close at her heels. When Morgana reached her room she started stuffing her clothes and toiletries in her suitcase.
"When will you be back, Morgana?" asked Vulpecula.
Morgana eyes her, "I don't know. Maybe a month, maybe two, maybe a week! I have no idea. But I will be back. I'm sure you can take care of yourself. If not, go stay with Luna. She'd be happy to have you." She kissed Vulpecula on the top of her head.
Vulpecula stammered, "Wha- you're leaving now?!"
"Of course," said Morgana, "Aurin was going to leave today anyway."
"I don't like this," said Vulpecula, "Cadal did have reasons for leaving Findahl-"
"Are you saying it was because of me he left?" Morgana exclaimed.
Vulpecula stammered a reply, but Morgana was already closing her suitcase, "Mistress, I meant absolutely no harm by that remark. I just want you to be safe from harm and any more grief!"
Morgana apologized and hugged Vulpecula again, "I'll be fine, my friend. I will miss you."
"As will I," said Vulpecula breaking away slowly.
Morgana smiled and said her goodbyes. She looked out the window and saw Aurin waiting for her outside. Morgana hurried down the stairs and out the door.
She and Aurin had left the house only hours before and had gone to the Sicilian Passage. At first Morgana couldn't see where the Passage was. There wasn't any sort of door or anything. Aurin just laughed and told her to look again more closely. Then she saw it. It was like tiny spiderwebs shimmering in the early morning light. Aurin took her hand and together that walked up onto a sheer thread and then Morgana felt nothing. The next thing she knew they were standing in a field just outside of Florence. Morgana had almost forgotten how it felt to pass into Irenahl. She didn't do it that often.
Morgana stepped in a puddle and cried out. Aurin steadied her and laughed, "Ah, yes, spring in Florence! Always a wonderful season."
Morgana glared at him, "Yes, well, tell that to my poor boot. It's soaked! When do we get there anyway?"
Aurin's eyes gleamed at her, "It's right up ahead."
Morgana looked up and saw a gigantic house that even dwarfed Fell Andred. It seemed to be glowing, but Morgana quickly realized some parts of it were gold.
"They must be quite wealthy," said Morgana.
"Oh, yes. The Gallura's have had wealth passed on to them throughout the centuries. Why else do you think Cadal chose to apprentice here?" Aurin said smiling.
Morgana laughed softly. She was nervous about seeing Cadal again. It had been two months. Normally that wasn't a lot of time to Morgana, but this time it had seemed like eternity. She was also worried that Cadal may have found another girl to love. Morgana couldn't bear that.
A guard at the gate of the Gallura estate met the two as they approached, "Bonjourno. Are you a guest of Signor Gallura?"
Aurin stepped forward, "Yes, we are, signor. He is expecting us."
The guard looked at them slowly, "Very well. I shall show you in."
The guard opened the gate and Morgana was amazed at the expanse of the grounds. There were flowers everywhere and many trees. Peacocks even roamed the grounds, crowing every once in a while. Morgana had never seen anything so fantastic.
They finally arrived at the front door. The walk had been very long. The guard walked up to the door leaving Aurin and Morgana at the bottom of the stairs. He knocked lightly on the door. After a few moments, a maid answered.
"Mam'selle, the guests Signor Gallura was expecting have arrived. Will you show them in, please?"
The maid curtsied, "Oui, monsiuer," she said quietly. She was obviously shy.
The guard turned to Aurin and Morgana and said, "This is Suzette. She is French and her English is very limited so don't ask her any questions." With that the guard sauntered off.
Aurin and Morgana looked at each other and then turned to the door. Suzette ushered them in to a grand entryway. The marble floors glistened as if they had just been cleaned. A stairway wound its way up to the second floor in front of them. Off to either side were huge doors leading somewhere. They were not open.
Suzette brushed by them and started quickly for the stairs. When she saw they weren't coming she turned to them and said, "Come."
Aurin and Morgana climbed the stairs slowly. The second floor consisted of long hallways with doors up and down them. At the end of the hallway was a sort of shrine with a statue on a very small table. It took Morgana a few seconds to realize that the statue was of the Virgin Mary, a Stillworld religious figure. If this family was so religious, Morgana hoped that Cadal would be all right.
Suzette stopped at a set of doors, "Wait," she said quickly and entered the room.
Morgana looked at Aurin. He was observing the marble of the door frame, "This must have cost a fortune! Look at this Morgana," he showed her the marble.
"Very nice," said Morgana. She was getting a little impatient. Was Suzette showing them to their rooms? Was she speaking to Signor Gallura? Morgana had no idea.
Suddenly, the doors swung open and Suzette waved them in. The room was lavishly decorated with great red velvet curtains and rich mahogany furniture, but the order of the room was entirely different. Papers were strewn everywhere. Quills dotted the floor. Books were hanging off the shelves. And sitting amidst all the clutter at a large desk was a handsome middle-aged man. He had glossy dark hair and bright gold eyes. He was at the moment smoking a pipe. He looked up as Suzette entered again.
"Ah! My guests!" the man said without pulling the pipe from his mouth, "How wonderful to see you!" He got up from the desk, laying his pipe on the desk. Suzette quickly ran over and retrieved it. She scoffed at the man. The man only laughed at her, "Suzette, you are a very silly girl." Suzette frowned and left the room.
The man laughed after her again, "Ah, Suzette. That silly little French girl. I don't know what possessed me when I hired her."
Morgana resisted the urge to comment on that remark, "How kind of you to let us be your guests, Signor Gallura. You are really too kind."
"Nonsense," Gallura said warmly, "Everyone is a guest in my house. After we have a little chat, Suzette will show you to your rooms. Umm...I trust they will be separate. Correct?"
Morgana blushed and she heard Aurin resituate himself in his chair uncomfortably, "Yes, Signor, they will be," said Morgana shyly. After what had gone on between Aurin and herself only the day before, Morgana was quite touchy on the subject of her relationship with Aurin. Frankly, she didn't know what that relationship was.
"So," said Gallura, "where are the two of you from?"
Morgana was not ready for that question. What would she say? Since Aurin was not answering either (he was obviously waiting for her to answer) she said, "I am from Germany."
Gallura's eyebrows raised, "Ah, yes, I should have noticed. Morgana means "morning" does it not?"
Morgana didn't care what it meant as long as he got off the subject. She nodded vigorously.
Gallura went on, "And you, signor?" He motioned towards Aurin.
Aurin shifted in his seat again, "Scotland."
Morgana wanted to smack his for that. What did *he* know about Scotland?
"Highland?" asked Gallura, "I've never heard of the Silvereye clan."
"*Very* Highland," said Aurin quickly.
Signor Gallura rose from his chair and went to a small bar on the side of the large desk. He poured himself a glass of what Morgana supposed was brandy, "Do you care for any?" he asked the two of them. They shook their heads. Gallura took his seat again, "Well, you two must be exhausted from such a long journey. I'm sure Suzette has your rooms ready for you. Suzette!" Gallura bellowed.
The petite girl crept in the door. Gallura smiled at her, "Suzette, vous les prenez à leurs salles, s'il vous plaît."
Suzette curtsied, "Oui, monsieur," She nodded at the two. They rose.
"Dinner will be served in your rooms tonight I'm sorry to say," added Gallura as they were leaving, "I have a mountain of work that I must attend to. If you would like to make use of the dining room, it is no problem."
"Thank you, signor," said Aurin courtiously. He bowed.
"You are too kind, signor," said Morgana upon leaving. She also curtsied. Gallura beamed at her brightly as she left.
"Buoa notte. Pozzo di sonno," said the signor.
Suzette sighed heavily and Morgana realized she was becoming impatient. Morgana hurriedly left the room. As soon as they were out in the hall, Suzette pointed at Aurin and then down a short hallway off to their left. Aurin took it as his cue to leave. He looked at Morgana soberly and gently took her hand. Morgana looked up into his silver eyes and saw sparks.
"Good night, Morgana," said Aurin as he lightly kissed her hand, "Sleep well."
Morgana looked at his dumbly. Realizing she was being rude, she quickly kissed him on the cheek. His eyes blazed, "Sleep well, Aurin."
Aurin, still looking at her, turned and made his way toward his room. Suzette snorted behind Morgana. Morgana turned around and looked at her.
Suzette was a very pretty girl, Morgana noticed for the first time. I wonder how she ended up here, she thought. Morgana quickly followed Suzette as the girl turned in the other direction. Suzette took Morgana in the opposite direction of Aurin's room. The hallways were indeed very elaborately decorated. Wooden tables at each ends of the hallway had fresh flowers and various kinds of artwork on them and the designs in the marble on the walls was fascinating.
Suzette stopped Morgana outside of a large set of double doors, "My room?" asked Morgana, knowing perfectly well that Suzette didn't understand English. But Suzette nodded anyway, inferring what Morgana had asked. Suzette opened the double doors wide.
The room was even more elaborate than the hallways! A large canopy bed, several couches and chairs, and fine wood furniture greeted Morgana as she walked into the room. The room smelled of lavender. Morgana was so consumed by the room that she didn't notice a girl sitting on the canopy bed.
The girl had soft flowing blonde hair and blue, hardly Italian looking, but from the girl's poise Morgana knew she was Italian. The girl had on a tight fitting red dress with a huge flowing skirt. Morgana felt horribly out of place in her free flowing grey shift. She would have to go to a tailor quite soon or she would be found out.
The girl was smiling at Morgana warmly, "Ah, Morgana Shee. How wonderful to meet you!," the girl took both of her hands, "I'm Celeste Gallura, Signor Gallura's daughter."
Morgana looked into the girls bright eyes as she shook her hands gently. Her eyes were *very* blue to say the least and flecked with gold...but there was something in them that Morgana recognized. It was in every Finderlais' eyes and anyone who had ever come in contact with a Wildworlder even if they didn't know what they were. A sort of knowing look, an intelligence, and Morgana realized underneath all that was a look she knew was in her own eyes. Love.
Celeste Gallura had already come in contact with Cadal Forge.
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