In the evening, the castle was lit by countless candles in chandeliers and sconces. Who lights them all when there are no servants around? There was something like a low whisper from the flames:
«It is danger!»
Did he hear the warning or was he imagining it? It wasnt Rebecca who was dangerous! Brendan even glanced around, wondering if some monster was following them down the corridor, but it was quiet and comfortable and unoccupied. Only the candles flickered like the Milky Way.
The feast-room was as opulent as could be. She could have held a whole army, but the princess sat proudly alone at the head of the long table. The usual opaque veil covered her face.
«Take your seat anywhere you like!» She politely offered.
It seemed to Brendan that the velvet covered chairs were occupied. But they were all empty. He thought for a moment and decided to sit at the farthest end of the table. He put the lute beside him and was greatly surprised when the strings jerked. The music began to flow. Didnt he even have to work? It all worked itself out.
Rebecca walked noiselessly away. Why cant she stay for dinner? Or does she have some urgent business to attend to? Is it at bedtime? Brendans mind was once again filled with thoughts of the werewolf with whom the beautiful girl goes on dates.
«Here you are.» The princess suggested it. She hadnt touched anything herself. Or had she already eaten?
Contrary to Brendans expectations, there were only meat dishes on the table, and not much fruit only one small vase. And they grow in abundance in the garden. Why save them so much? Grapes, of course, can also be used to make wine. But pears, peaches, plums, if theyre too ripe, theyll just rot. Maybe theyre used to make juices here.
A mouse sniffed across the table. Brendan shuddered, and suddenly claws peeked out from under the ladys wide sleeve and clawed at the mouse quite catlike. Was he dreaming? Brendan even pinched himself. Couldnt a finely dressed lady have slipped a mouse under her veil and eaten it, could she? Thats absurd! The veil was opaque, but there seemed to be blood flowing from underneath. Or was it wine?
«Would you care to show your face?» He asked.
«Why should I?» The princess had a beautiful voice. A pure soprano!
«Well, it would be much more comfortable to eat and drink without the veil.»
«I am comfortable as it is.»
There was an awkward pause. Brendan himself fidgeted in his chair like a frying pan. He felt uncomfortable here for some reason.
«Ive heard of hot eastern countries where women arent supposed to reveal their faces. Your ancestors are probably from such a country.»
«No, Im from here. I am from this castle.»
«Is it a cats castle?»
«Do you say a cats castle?» She was astonished.
«Are there many cats here? I havent noticed any.»
«There arent even many mice.»
«Are they considered a delicacy?» Brendan bit his tongue as the awkward pause lingered again.
«Its a wilderness,» the princess finally said. «But were in the castle, the center of civilization. So youre lucky not to spend the night in the fields.»
«Does anyone live in the fields? You cant see the settlements from the tower.»
«Theyre camouflaged.»
«Why is that?»
«There are raids from the mountains. Wild tribes live there.»
«And the castle can withstand the onslaughts?»
«We have a treaty with the savages. They dont come here.»
«I havent embarrassed you too much. I have noticed that the castle is not very fond of receiving guests,» was a subtle hint of Rebeccas unkindness.
«I am glad to have guests,» the princess protested.
«So why dont you show your face?»
«Why is it so important to you? Do you think you can judge a lady by her beauty alone?»
«I prefer intelligence,» Brendan admitted honestly. «Ive already met empty-headed beauties.»
«Good! So it doesnt matter what I look like to you.»
«Youre not pretty, are you? Or is your face covered with a rash? Or is it smallpox?»
«Are you a healer, too?»
«It is not at all.»
«Then dont ask.»
«Forgive me for not being delicate.»
Her tone overwhelmed him, so playful and yet so commanding. She was about to put him on a leash like a tame cat.
«Youre good-looking,» the princess remarked playfully. «Handsome fellows usually prefer the ugly ones. Opposites, as we all know, mutually attract.»
«Honesty is for honesty! I liked your companion Rebecca, though she was not amiable.»
«Yes, she cant give hospitality.»
«But at least she set the table.»
«Thats not her.»
«Who is it?»
«They are the servants.»
«But I havent seen any servants here.»
«You dont have to.»
«Are they all covering their faces, too?»
Have they got some kind of epidemic here? Its time to run away! But Rebecca doesnt seem to have leprosy.
«Its embarrassing that I still dont even know your name.»
«I am Rashelina,» said the princess.
«Are you Rashelina?» Brendan almost fell out of his chair. The same name as the fairytale beauty in his dream! Could he be so lucky to see her in real life, too? His heart fluttered. He was so in love with the girl from the dream that it was time to call him insane and put him on a chain. Barely had the chance to look at her again, he himself was ready to violate etiquette and violently rip the veil from the mistress of the castle.
«Ill play you on the condition that you show me your face,» he delivered his ultimatum, as if he were the castles invader, not a beggar.
«But tonight is not a moonlit night.»
What has a moonlit night to do with it?
Thats absurd! What does a moonlit night have to do with her veil?
«I usually only take my veil off on a moonlit night.»
«Why do you say that?»
Rashelina hesitated.
«Daylight, like candlelight, is not friendly to me.»
That sounds like a riddle. Brendan didnt like riddles because he didnt know how to solve them.
«I thought youd taken some stupid vow, like a vow of silence or a vow of celibacy.»
But is there any vow that requires one to cover ones face with a veil?
The lute played itself. Brendan was taken aback by the sight of the strings, as if they were being plucked by invisible fingers.
I want to dance,» said Rachelina, fretting. And there is no one to dance with but you.
«Take off your veil and Ill dance with you!»
«It is very well!» Rashelina gave in and threw back the sliding piece of opaque silk from her face. Brendan was stunned.
Well, there you have it! Such a face was worth seeing. Or was it better not to see it?
And he brought up the subject of beauty. Rashelina was the prettiest she had ever been. But she was a cat! Who could have a cuter face than a pretty, fluffy cat? Except that he had expected to see the girl from his dream, not a human-sized cat dressed in a lavish ball gown.
«Would you prefer an ordinary lady?? Rashelina guessed.
«It is not at all,» Brendan mumbled. «I love cats!»
He would not have insulted the lady of the castle by dreaming that he had seen in her place the beauty of the dream. She was also called Rachelina. Alas, he was faced with a very different Rashelina. Perhaps the first was just a dream spirit, a moon fairy or something like that. Anyway, one could only meet her again in a dream. And now it is not a dream. Rashelina, impatiently waiting for him in reality, is just a regal cat. There is nowhere to go. He led her in a dance.
Invisible guests
The cats paw lay on top of his palm very gently, trying not to run her claws over his skin. And lace cuffs froth over the cats paw. Brendan had never before in his life seen precious rings even on the paws of a well-groomed Bastard. But the feline princess was wearing many rings: rubies, sapphires, and topazes. The cats kingdom is obviously very rich.
Stop! Why did he think it was a cats kingdom? After all, Rebecca is not a cat. And he hadnt noticed any other feline subjects here yet, either. The creepy monsters in the fields were definitely not of feline stock. Which meant the cat was only a princess. Was her pretty, fluffy face a mask? Brendan dismissed the notion at once. The cat lady in front of him was definitely a natural, not a masquerade. Even the tone of her voice reverberated with a purr or a rumbling.