I continued down the hall but saw no more open doors. I was about to give up my exploration in favor of going fruit picking in the orchard when I caught a whiff of something savory. I really hoped I'd finally located the kitchen so I didn't have to go searching for smells every time I got hungry.
I followed the scent to a closed door in the next hallway over and knocked twice. Cracking it open, I called out, “Hello?”
“Come in, Raynella,” a scratchy male voice answered.
I frowned and pushed the door further open. It didn’t sound like my father or Corym, and I had been told no one else in the castle spoke English.
I stepped into the small room that was definitely not the kitchen. Instead, it resembled an office with a wooden desk against the back wall beside a bookshelf full of neatly organized scrolls. There was a hearth off to the right side with two comfy-looking high back chairs facing the crackling fire.
I crossed the room and found the source of the smell that had captivated me so strongly. A platter of food with steam wafting off it sat on a small table between the chairs. A small elderly male rested comfortably, looking up at me with curiosity. Heappeared to be in his sixties or seventies with thinning gray hair and copious wrinkles. What caught my attention the most, though, were his eyes. I would recognize that shade of pale blue anywhere, and the golden sunburst around the pupil only confirmed it.
He gestured to the chair beside him, and I sat down, eyeing his plate of food with thinly-veiled desire. “Please, help yourself,” he said. “I can have a servant bring me another meal later.”
I didn’t even hesitate. I grabbed a fork and began shoveling the meat and veggies into my mouth.
“Thank you,” I mumbled around a mouthful of food. “I didn’t realize how hungry I was until I smelled this from the next hallway over.”
The elderly male smiled and settled back into the chair. “You are Vitaean, Raynella. Our senses are somewhat heightened when compared to those of humans.”
I took a few more bites. “So how do you know English?” I asked, wiping my mouth on the back of my hand. I saw him cringe slightly at the action and quickly folded my hands in my lap.
“The same way the others do, Corym gave me the knowledge,” he replied, matter-of-factly.
“Oh,” I said, my face wrinkling in confusion. “I was told I already met everyone who could speak English.”
“Ah, yes, well, I took it upon myself to make the request of Corym shortly after you arrived. Naturally, I wanted to be able to speak with my kin. Let us keep this between you and me, though. Your father would be displeased if he knew I learned the language. He worries, you see, that I am too old for such things.” The male gave me a conspiratorial wink, and I grinned.
I liked this guy.
“Yeah, okay,” I agreed. “It’s not like my father doesn’t have his own secrets.” My hand strayed back over to the fork, and Icouldn’t help myself from finishing the rest of the food on the plate.
When I finished, he handed me a cloth, and I gently dabbed at my mouth. Setting the napkin on the table, I settled back into my chair, mirroring his relaxed pose. “So, I’m guessing you’re like my grandpa then? The eyes kind of gave it away before you even said we were related.”
“You are very observant, Raynella,” he replied. “Our eye color tends to be one of our strongest genetic traits. And yes, I am your grandfather. I have been looking forward to meeting you.”
“Yeah, likewise,” I said enthusiastically. “I mean, not that I’ve been looking forward to meeting you because my father didn’t tell me you existed. It is really cool to meet more of my family, though.”
I hated that I was babbling, but I really wanted him to like me. Maybe there was hope that I could still have one good familial relationship. “So what do I call you? Grandpa? Grandfather? Gramps?”
“You may call me Belarius,” he said with a slight wince, as if the idea of me calling him Gramps was painful.
“Belarius it is,” I said quickly, hoping I didn’t offend him. “So how come I haven’t seen you before now?” I asked, changing the subject.
“I spend much of my time resting these days,” he replied. “I am very close to returning my body to Shen’Valla.”
“Oh,” I said awkwardly, unsure how to respond. Shen’Valla was definitely a touchy subject around here. “So if you’re Verren’s father, and he's over a hundred does that mean you're like two hundred or… ?”
“Raynella, are you trying to ask how old I am?” He gave me a knowing smile, and I blushed in embarrassment.
“Yeah, kinda. I know everyone here lives a long time, but I was just wondering exactly how long. So, are you like a thousand years old?”
Belarius let out a low chuckle. “No, Raynella. I am not quite that old.”
I mentally kicked myself for the stupid question. “Sorry, that was rude. I’m just a little nervous.”
He let out a small yawn, and I got to my feet. “I should let you rest. It was really nice meeting you. Hopefully I’ll see you around. I’m going to be here for a bit so it’d be nice to talk to you some more.”
He searched my face for something. “I would like that very much, Raynella.”
