Chapter Four

My bedroom was at the end of a small hallway, three doors down from the bathroom. Gaelle waited in the hallway while Theodore opened my door, "This is your space."

I gulped as I slowly ventured into the new room.

In the past, I've always had small bedrooms or shared bedrooms. The more bedrooms I got, the smaller and smaller my space became. This room Theodore was giving exceeded any bedroom I've ever had.

It was a large, bland space, ripe for personalisation. The area was very open. Across from the door was a large wooden desk under a window; the office was featureless aside from an empty white pencil tin and some paper. Immediately next to the desk was a tall bookcase that went from ceiling to floor; unlike the everyday aesthetic of the room, it was stocked full of books I hadn't heard of and was curious to look at. A second window on the right wall allowed the most light to stream from how long it was. It was a strange bedroom design. A large double bed was installed under that window, mixing a bayside window and bed to make a cool but odd look. A toy chest sat at the end of the bed but didn't match any of the other wooden features of the room. It seemed like a last-minute addition.

"This is mine?" I was scared to walk in. I felt like I was walking into a dollhouse or a display home.

"Yep. All yours," Theodore assured. He watched me walk further into the room and examine the furniture.

I ran my hand over the desk, feeling the smooth wood under my fingertips, and followed the movement to the bookcase. When I lifted my hand, I hadn't picked up any dust. My shin tapped the side of the bed and stared at it. It looked comfortable, the blankets fluffy, the pillows plump. I thought it I fell against it; I'd sink within its comfort.

I felt safe, I could breathe properly for the first time in years, I wasn't in a state of panic, or fear, or threat. I was comfortable in the house, and that terrified me.

"I spoke to Mr Rachet," Theodore said. I didn't know who Mr Rachet was. "He said you didn't come with any personal effects. That's why the room looks blank. I didn't know what you liked."

"This is more than enough," I said.

Theodore didn't seem convinced as he looked around the room. "Is there anything you want? Are you a house plant person or plushies?"

I shook my head, "No. Not really."

Something tapped on the window over my bed, something blue. I went wide-eyed as I climbed on the bed. As I expected, I sunk slightly into the blankets and crawled to the window. I was given a breathtaking view of the back garden and farmland beyond the property. The bronze window frame was cold to touch as I unlocked the door and pulled the windows in. Aerwyna stood on the windowsill, offering a tired wave as she sat down and peered curiously into the room.

In the distance, I could see other houses. Some clustered together while others stood alone in the centre of their fields, and amongst the patches of the forest, I saw chimney smoke.

"I'll give you some time to collect your thoughts," Theodore said, "We'll begin your training tomorrow."

"Training?" But he closed the door behind him, leaving me to my own thoughts.

I turned to the blue fairy. "Do you know what Theodore means by training?" I asked.

Aerwyna shrugged as she floated into the bedroom, sitting cross-legged on the pillow. "You can never be sure with Theodore. But he'll probably try to teach you magic like the other apprentices."

I faced the little fairy, "He's had other apprentices?"

Aerwyna laid down on the pillow and closed her eyes. "Yeah, what kind of mage doesn't have an apprentice?" she cooed.

"What happened to them?" I asked.

Aerwyna shrugged again. "One day, she was here, and the next, she was gone."

"How long ago was that?" I quizzed.

"About ten years ago." She opened one of her eyes. "Why are you asking me?" she asked, sitting up. "I'm just a fairy. And a young fairy at that. I don't know how many apprentices he's had. I only remember Eloise used to sleep in this room."

"Eloise…?" I breathed.

I didn't find it shocking that Theodore had other apprentices, but it raised a few more questions now. Did he buy all of them at some auction? Were they all twelve years old like me? Did they outgrow his teachings, or did he just let them go?

Amongst all these questions, I also had another pressing one; Ten years? How old is Theodore Doldrum?

*

It was a very cozy evening. I had fallen asleep after talking with Aerwyna, only to wake up at six-thirty by Gaelle, who had come in to close my window and tell me dinner was ready.

When I looked out the window, the sky was purple, not yet nighttime. I was cold from leaving the window open.

Gaelle trailed behind me down the stairs, guiding me silently into the kitchen area where there was a large six-man white dining table with matching cushioned chairs. Unlike the rest of the house, the kitchen had a modernised atmosphere. The fridge was a stainless-steel model with a built-in freezer, the sink and dishwasher had a matching steel athletic, the oven was also a stove stop installed amongst the white countertops. The ground was white-tiled, but the walls maintained the mint green colour of the rest of the household.

Once we entered the kitchen, Gaelle gestured to the dining table and returned to the kitchen counters. Theodore had already taken his place at the top of the table, same clothes and the same expressive red eyes. "You look like you just woke up," he commented.

I nodded as I went to sit opposite him, "I had a nap."

"Hey, don't sit so far away. Sit next to me," Theodore requested, motioning to his nearby chair. I had already started pulling the chair out for myself. I was taken aback by his want to sit next to me.

"Oh. Okay." I pushed it back and approached him, the chair pulling itself out before I had the chance to.

"It's been so long since I've had talking company," he said as I sat down. "Gaelle is lovely but isn't much of a conversationalist." Gaelle leaned over between us and started setting the table. "Isn't that right, Gaelle?" She gave him a sideways glance as she placed the cutlery down. Before going back to the kitchen, she flicked him on the nose. He grimaced as he rubbed away the flick and smirked.

I closed my eyes and sniffed the air, my mouth salivating at the smell of beef and potatoes. The scent made my body tingly and reawakened a strange sense of hunger I didn't even know I had.

Gaelle placed plate after plate of food between the two of us. I didn't know where she got half of the hot food from, there were only three saucepans on the stovetop, and once I saw Gaelle take three different things out of one pot. Gaelle grabbed a tea set on the table when everything had been placed and poured Theodore a cup; cinnamon.

She didn't pour me a cup; however, she pulled a white mug from the cupboard and placed it next to me. She hadn't poured anything into the cup, but by the time it reached me, there was steaming liquid in it. I took a curious sip, happily surprised it was hot chocolate.

"It's been a long day," Theodore stated as he started serving himself, "I suggest you eat. We've got a long day tomorrow."

I sat on my legs to be taller and reach over to certain foods. "What're we doing tomorrow?" I asked.

"It's a surprise," he tutted, fitting some broccoli in his mouth as he grabbed some corn.

I always felt strange grabbing food from the centre of a table and felt more awkward with Gaelle watching the table and my only other company being Theodore. I found that I didn't want him to think weirdly of me. I ate a mouthful of beef with what little food I had on my plate and was immediately overwhelmed by how amazing it tasted. It was juicy in my mouth and enveloped my chilled body in warmth immediately. I no longer cared if I looked strange in front of Theodore. I just wanted more of Gaelle's cooking.

"Hungry?" Theodore asked.

I couldn't suppress my smile as I continued placing bits of meat on my plate, "This is delicious!"

"I think she likes your food, Gaelle," Theodore informed. I looked up to Gaelle, whose face had turned red out of flattery.

"It's great!" I beamed. Gaelle offered a mirrored smile as she clapped her hands.

"I'd be careful, though," Theodore warned, "Everyone else's cooking will seem inferior now." In response to the flattery, Gaelle flicked a handtowel in his direction before returning to the kitchen.

"You have a very nice smile, Anya," Theodore complimented.

At the mention of my smile, I dropped it, becoming bashful as I played with the food on my plate. While Theodore seemed somewhat disappointed, he didn't mention it again, sending the room in silence.

I was curious. "Umm… Theodore?"

He stopped serving himself to look to me, "Yes?"

"Have you had an apprentice before?" I asked.

He nodded, "Yes. It's not uncommon for mages to have apprentices."

"Well… how many have you had?" I scooped up some peas and other green vegetables, focusing more on what he was saying than what I was serving myself.

Theodore shrugged, placing his hands together in thought, "Perhaps… ten," he informed.

"Were they all human?" I asked.

There was the smallest of shifts in Theodore's demeanour, a shadow of a saddened reaction that I could've easily imagined as he said, "Yes. One of them."

I took in a deep breath, my eyes staring at my plate. "Was it Eloise?" I lifted my eyes to see his reaction.

He's so stony-faced. He isn't giving anything away.

Theodore didn't physically react to the name. His face became a blank slate, his hands didn't twitch, his eyes remained locked on the bowl of potatoes, and his breathing didn't vary. But his movements became slower as he moved his hand to rest it against his cheek, his eyes losing their sparkle as he seemed to disappear into deep thought. I gained more of a reaction from Gaelle, who was at the sink in the kitchen, turning her head with concerned eyes at Theodore at the mention of the name. "Yes. It was Eloise."

His tone had shifted, as it was a sad thing to mention her name like there was an entire backstory to Eloise that I didn't know about. I persisted, "What happened to her?"

His eyes glowed for a second, perhaps in anger, a moment of passion, but I couldn't be sure. But he gave something away. "She died," he said simply.

He was back at the dining table with a single blink but looked down at his food with a mild sense of disgust. "Forgive me, Gaelle. But I'm not hungry anymore." He lifted his gaze to me and said, almost cheerily, "If you'll please excuse me, Anya."

When he left the kitchen, he disappeared into the shadows of the hallway, his footsteps eerily silent.

I felt like I was going to be sick, a moment of panic sitting in the pit of my stomach as I looked to Gaelle. "Did I say something wrong?" I asked.

Gaelle stared at where Theodore once was and shook her head, displaying a deeply saddened face, only to immediately replace it with a small smile.

"Will he be okay?" I wondered.

Gaelle dipped her head once before picking up Theodore's plate and taking it to the sink to clean. I bit the inside of my cheeks as I looked down at my plate. I had piled a lot of food on my plate and didn't want to insult Gaelle by not eating it. Theodore didn't come back to the table, and I ate in silence.

When I went back to my room, a white nightgown had been placed out for me. When I got changed, Gaelle came in, packed away my clothes and tucked me in. Her touch was delicate and gentle as she took the hairclip from my hair and brushed aside some of my hair.

"Is Theodore going to be okay?" I asked, looking at the door.

Gaelle nodded as she reached over to the bookcase, her fingertips flying over the spines in indecision. She picked one with a blue hardcover. She showed off the cover. "'1001 Bedtime Stories,'" I read. The cover depicted a little boy in blue pyjamas sitting on the moon with a blanket scrunched in his hand. The title was decorated with nighttime stars. I was confused by this gesture. Is Gaelle going to read to me?

Gaelle appeared excited about this story as she opened it to the first page. The pictures on the pages came to life, floating off the page and turning the flat image into a 3-D hologram. I gasped as I sat up, reaching a hand to the pictures, but went straight through them. "How is it doing that?" I asked.

Gaelle smiled at my surprise as she turned the page, the image disappearing like a pop-up book. The book suddenly started talking, the narrator a calm toned woman. "'When one sleeps, one has dreams, and when one has dreams, one flies.'" As she spoke, the picture morphed into relevant images, telling the story of a boy who made different dreams for different people every night.

Gaelle placed the book against my window sill as she re-tucked me in and sat at the end of my bed, as engaged as me with the story the book was narrating. It was oddly relaxing.

My eyes started drooping, my blinks becoming heavier and heavier as I began to nod off. With each flutter, Gaelle looked different. One blink - she looked at me - two blinks - she had reached across the bed to grab the book - three blinks - she held the book to her chest - four blinks - she put the book away - five blinks - she was nothing more than a shadow in the doorway as she left the room.

Despite the lights being off, I could see every outline in the bedroom from the nighttime cast's natural glow. I rolled my head from one side of my pillow to the other, trying to find a spot that would help my slumber. I almost got out of bed to open that book again, but I found that I didn't want to go to sleep just yet. I nuzzled into the pillow and clutched the blankets around me, half staring at the white light reflecting on the wall opposite me.

Whenever I got a place to sleep, it always smelt funny, like going to the Grandparent's house for the weekend and you were forced to sleep in their spare bedroom. Not necessarily bad, but you were always aware it wasn't your room.

What would your room smell like, though, An? I found myself asking.

The sheets were warm to the touch and smelt like they had just come out of a washing machine.

"You're family to me now, Anya. It will be my job to care for and protect you now. You can depend on me."

I wondered if Theodore still felt that way after dinner. I didn't know the mention of Eloise would upset him. I didn't know who she was. If I had known she died, I wouldn't have mentioned it. I wouldn't want anyone to talk about someone I cared about who passed away.

Just when even my thoughts became tired, there was a slight tapping. In my drowsy state, I saw colourful blurs outside the window. I blinked the fogginess away as I rubbed my eyes; when I looked again, I saw the fairies. Aine was tapping against the glass.

I was tempted to ignore them but didn't want to be rude as I sat up and opened the window. The four fairies looked around the room, the green ones being adventurous enough to twinkle around and look around.

"Good evening, little human," Aine greeted.

"Nap-buddy," Aerwyna added as she sat on the windowsill again.

"I'm tired," I confessed, sitting on my legs.

Aine offered me a smile as she floated to my eyes. "We know, sweetie. But we were curious, are you from the city?" she asked.

I rubbed my eyes again and nodded, "Yes."

"Have you looked out your window this evening?" Her smile seemed gleeful as she pointed out the window. Odina and Rodella zipped past my ears and waited meters from my window. I noticed it looked very bright outside, despite the later hour. I shuffled closer to the window and peered out, my drowsiness disappearing as I stared in awe at the outside.