Book 1, Chapter 2: The orphanage director

As they parted their fingers, the two of them started talking, they were so immersed in their conversation that none of them saw the person at the door.

"Ember, I want to speak with you. Are you busy?". The woman was elderly, she had white hair and slightly tanned skin, and sky blue eyes, one could consider she was a tall woman. She wore a long gray robe. She was calm and cheerful, and she spoke with a warm, comforting voice.

"Sure Madame Ithil". Ember said a little nervously.

"I will be right back Raphael". Said Ember as the two of them left the room  

 Raphael, now alone, closed his eyes and fell asleep.

When he opened his eyes he wasn't in his bedroom, he was in a dark endless place , he saw fire and water circling around the landscape. Raphael was amazed by the scenery it was forming around him, when suddenly Raphael started to see the two elements closing the distance until it started to enter his body, it never stopped. The fire and water were infinite between, the two of them,he could also see a lot of ice and lightning entering inside him.

He didn't know how long did this process last, but it was stopped abruptly when Ember woke him up.

"Hello, is Raphael there?". She said jokingly while poking his cheek.

"No, he is not, come back in a few hours".

Raphael decided to not tell Ember about his dream, because he didn't think it meant anything important. In fact he was more curious about her talk with Madame Ithil.

"What did the director tell you?". The boy was now on his feet, trying to get an answer from the elf. 

"You will know, just wait a little longer". She said, refusing to say anything else, leaving Raphael in an unstable state of anxiety, so intense that when a maid that worked in the orphanage said that Ithil called him, he tripped and fell on the ground, so hard that his face turned red from the fall and embarrassment. Halfway to the director's room, Raphael could still hear Ember laughing from their room.

He was in front of a wooden door with some golden engravings in the shape of clouds. If anybody saw him they could tell that he was nervous. He knocked on the door and said. 

"You…You". Raphael tried to calm himself down with a breathing exercise, he took 3 big breaths and tried again.

"You called me Madame Ithil?". He said that phrase so fast he almost couldn't understand what he said, that breathing exercise didn't work at all.

"Yes, come in". That was what the director said, and after another futile breathing exercise, he entered.

The director's room was renovated,the director herself paid for it and now is a magnificent room, in a circular shape with a view to the river that was near the city. The bed of the resident of that room was beside the window, the center of the room was a table with a candlestick and some organized paper and a feather with paint on it. Madame Ithil was sitting in the chair looking at the child that just appeared in her room.

"Ah Raphael, come sit here". she said while pointing at the couch.

 "You wanted to see me?".

"Yes!".

"Did I do something bad, Madame Ithil?" 

"I've already told you to drop the formalities with me". She said, with a smile.

"And no, you didn't do anything wrong". That last remark made Raphael sigh with relief. 

"I just called you to let you know that, in three days, there will be a wagon bringing a few thousand gold coins for the orphanage. They were given by an unknown benefactor, and I also want to tell you that with…with that, let's say with that help you don't need to continue working to help the orphanage". She dropped the news and he was thrilled to hear.

"That's great, but I will continue to work, because that gold will end eventually, and I don't want to see the other orphans in bad condition at home Madame Ithil". He said with an innocent smile, that made the director sigh.

"Again with the formalities just call me Ithil, but if you wish to work I can't forbid you, so you have permission to continue". Raphael was ready to leave after that, but he felt a hand grabbing his arm and pulling him closer into a hug. It was Ithil who hugged him. When he looked at her face the boy could see tears starting to fall from eyes like a beautiful cascade.

"I'm so sorry that my incompetence affected you, miss Ember, you and every other child here".

"But the orphanage was in a worse state before you arrived, four years ago, you made this orphanage go from a place where we didn't feel safe to the exact opposite".

"Raphael, you are such a sweet child, never change that ok?". She said letting him free from her embrace.

"Ok I promise".

"Great, now you can go to your room, but rest before going to work ok".

"Yes!, Yes! I have to do that, thank you for your concern, rest of a good day Madame Ithil". Raphael said before closing the door, leaving her alone in her room.

Ithil walk towards a painting she had of a family: a man, a woman and child. She took the object from the wall, behind it was a rectangular hole in the stone wall, and in there was placed a one handed sword. The sword was a beautiful work of art. The pommel and grip were black, the guard was white and the blade itself was black with three white clouds on the lower end and in the upper closer to the point was green.

"He will never stop calling me Madame". She said while looking at the sword.

"Reminds of you". Ithil was now with a sad look on her face, reminiscing about past events.

Back at his room, Raphael was talking with his roommate and decided to follow the director's advice, and went to the bed.