The Tsuki Saga

Night Time Capers

The four remaining travellers were weary after this long day, and so after a bite to eat they retreated to their new rooms, again armed with a golden bell and a candle. This time the rooms were black and gold, much darker and less royal feeling. There were still four-poster beds, but the black drapes made them seem dark and sinister. There was still a large chest at the foot of each bed, this time they were mahogany rather than oak. The deep red-brown of the wood was a startling contrast to the black and gold surroundings. Shalnek looked around his room, in all of the cupboards and under the bed. He searched through all of the nooks and crannies in the whole room, and yet could not find the key to the chest. As strange as this seemed, he just shook his head and began to undress. He was down to his trousers and socks when he heard raised voices from somewhere below. Curious, he walked to the door and listened. He was sure one of the voices was Tsuki. With this in mind, he opened the door and crept down the corridor towards the sound. It appeared to be coming from a room at the bottom of the stairs. He tiptoed to the top of the stairs and waited for a moment. Then he cautiously descended, expecting the stairs to creak or something as he made his way down. There was a light shining from under the door. The door was a large one; it was painted black and was slightly ajar. Staying in the shadows, he sneaked across to the door and peered carefully around it.

The room was a large one, about twenty feet square or more. A crackling log fire warmed the room from the far wall. The windows on the wall opposite the door had thick green swathes of fine material draped across them. The floors were bare stone as were the walls. There was no furniture in the room, but a small rug was on the floor near the fire. On this rug there was a man, he looked like Tsuki's brother, except he was wearing only a long cloak. Tsuki was standing with her back to the door, glaring at the man. He stood, and shouted something at her in a language that Shalnek did not understand. She shook her head, "Speak in my language brother, or that which we share, not your own." She said this in a language that Shalnek did understand. Okami lay back down on the rug growled something else, this time in the language that Tsuki had used when talking to Lienad, after the incident.
"They are my guests brother, I intend to let them stay. Anyway, I can't send them away with one of them so sick."
Okami glared at her. "Why did you want guests here? Father never allowed it."
She sniggered, "Father isn't here now, and never will be. Why do you so often quote his so-called wishes?"
Okami leapt to his feet again "because I wish he still was here, and if it were not for your mother, he still would be!"
"That's not fair! I just wanted to meet my mother; you got to meet yours! All those poor souls in the upper levels got to meet theirs! Why not me? Why?!" Tsuki's voice rose louder as she became angrier. At the same time, her hair changed from its current shade of brown to a fabulous purple black. Okami looked at her, from the doorway Shalnek could see that he looked afraid.
"Tsuki, dearest, you know I don't hold it against you, calm down, please, you'll wake your guests."
As he said this Okami glanced towards the door, and as he did he caught Shalnek's eye. He blinked to check he wasn't seeing things. Shalnek took his chance and vanished silently back up the stairs. Okami decided he was seeing things. Tsuki calmed at this point, she shook her head and sauntered out of the room.

Back in his room, Shalnek tried to decide what to do. His first instinct was to get out, but then he was in no danger, and was very curious. He chose to follow his second instinct, and explore some more the next day.

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