[Bonus chapter]Chapter 20

"Maybe, my dear, you'd like for us to talk now about those 'rules' you dislike so much." Suindara said, with a smile that did not reach his eyes and Delina noticed that.

"Ah, thank you, Mr. Suindara, but I'd like to go to the library with Petrus." She said and entangled her arm on Petrus. She felt him tensing up instantly.

"I can go to the library with you. I'm sure Patrus has many obligations waiting for him." Suindara said, still smiling.

"Thank you. I must say I want to go with Petrus. As you can see, we were chatting a bit. I want to know more people who work here, especially if they are old enough to have known my parents." Delina answered and, this time, Suindara had no option than to let her go. He just bowed at her and stepped aside, so she and Petrus could pass through.

Petrus and Delina walked out of her bedroom and Suindara kept his gaze on Petrus. He was going to talk to the guard later. A very serious talk.

"Did you see his face?" She asked, smiling and giggling. Petrus wanted to scold her, but her laugh was amazing.

"It is quite hard to be mad with you for long, do you know that?" He asked.

Delina raised her brows.

"Not everybody would agree with you." She said.

"What, is there anyone capable of resisting the charms of our Princess?" He asked and Delina knew he was being jolly. Something rare.

"Ah, believe me. Someone did reject me without a second thought." She said and Petrus raised his eyebrow. As Delina soon realized, he could not understand what she meant. "We can talk about this later. It happened in another world."

"Ah, then it is explained already."

"How so?" She asked, curious.

"This world you have lived the last years must be full of crazy people. Someone with it's right mind, unless the person is an idiot or too dumb, or, or course, terribly evil, could never dislike you. You, Princess, have the same charisma as the Queen."

Delina smiled. No one, except Nora or Elinor, had ever said she was lovable. And Petrus, knowing her mother, made it all so much more special.

"Thank you for being so supportive." she said. "And… I'm sorry if I was too… you know… if I made you too uncomfortable."

They were walking through the corridors, full of tapestry, until Petrus stopped and Delina saw they were in front of an enormous wooden door.

"I am loyal to the crown, Princess. I have always been. I'll always be. And it is okay, don't worry about my emotions." Petrus said. "And here we are. The Library."

Petrus let go of her arm and opened the double doors.

Delina looked at what was in front of her. It was majestic!

The walls were at least ten feet high and covered with books. Delina counted five corridors, all of them filled with columns the same height as the ceiling.

The bookshelves were reddish wood, and as many copies as there were, Delina could see that the place was by no means dusty.

Petrus took Delina's arm and led her to the back of the library, through one of the corridors. Delina noticed that the books in that session were about botany and biology.

"I think you'll like this place, Princess." He said in a kind tone.

"Yes..." She replied, still gawking, looking around.

When they got to the back, there were some tables there. Each table had approximately four chairs.

"Do many people come here?" she asked.

"No."

"But there are so many chairs and tables. It even looks like a public library." She said.

"Your mother allowed the people of the castle to enter more freely here. But after Master Suindara took control..." Petrus went silent.

Delina frowned.

"Master Suindara changed too many things, as I can see." She said, displeased.

"Shh." Petrus made. "Don't, Princess."

"What? I won't stop talking, Petrus. And I'll let him know how unhappy I am with those arrangements." She said, pretty serious.

"Just… mind the way you're going to talk to him. Remember he has magic and, so, he is powerful."

"But…"

"No 'but's', miss. Be careful." Petrus got near her. "He has ears and eyes everywhere." he whispered.

Delina understood what Petrus meant. Suindara was not someone she should mess with. She was the rightful Queen, but yet, he held the control over the kingdom and she had not yet been presented.

"I will mind my tongue, thank you." She said and nodded at Petrus. "

Now, my Princess, enjoy your time here. Will you need me to come and fetchy you?" he asked.

"Yes. Please. I just don't know how I can know the time here."

Petrus pointed at an hourglass on the table.

"That is how. How many turns?" he asked. Delina looked at the small object.

"Three?" She answered.

"Okay, three it is then." He said and bowed, before starting to walk away.

"And Petrus!" Delina said out loud. "Thank you for everything. If Suindara gives you a hard time after today, let me know. It is not a request, but an order."

"As you wish, my lady. And you don't have to thank me." He left after that, so.

Delina looked around and smiled. She was finally going to have some time doing normal things, like reading a book, picked by herself, not by Suindara or anyone else.

She knew her mother liked botany, so she went to that corridor and started to look at the titles there. One got her attention: 'The many uses of Love'.

"Love?" She asked herself. She got that book and a few others. She wanted to sit and read.

She started with 'Flowers of Einfreut: History through a leaf'.

Delina didn't see time passing by, so, when Petrus was back, she was still in the first book.

"Did you have a good time, Princess?" Ha asked and it made her jump.

"Oh, my…" She said, with her hand on her chest.

"I'm very sorry, my Princess, I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay, Petrus. I was just too concentrated here and didn't see you coming." She smiled at him and he knew she was being sincere. She was bothered by his helmet, but she didn't have the courage to ask him to take it out, after she knew he had a scar on his face.

"Are you ready to go?" He asked and she nodded.

"Can I borrow any book?"

Petrus looked at her, as if she had said something funny.

"This is your library. No, I'm sorry, my mistake." Petrus said and smiled. "This is your castle."

"Oh…"

"You can take as many books as you want, my Princess."

Delina smiled and got the book she was interested in.

"Do you like to read, Petrus?" She asked during their way back. PEtrus remained silent.

"I…"

"What is it?" She asked after seeing how weird he was acting. She could not see his entire face, but his body was tense and his eyes were with some kind of.. sorrow?

"I cannot read." He said. "Only my name and a few other words that I memorized."