Chapter 2669Please respect copyright.PENANAJtDnMkaNLj
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I was right. Narella thought as she downed the last of her third bowl. Dunkan and Jasbear were already done. They had left the table at least half an hour before.669Please respect copyright.PENANAc0t4UGGWoq
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“More soup?” the waiter asked.669Please respect copyright.PENANAOA9vj2iiGl
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“No, thanks.” Narella replied. “I'm going out to the garden” She got up and wandered down the paths. Only when she was fully hidden by green leaves and sweet flowers did she stop. Kneeling to the ground as her legs gave in Narella began to cry. She cried for what seemed like hours. Her eyes a bottomless sea.669Please respect copyright.PENANAq0HdxCIicR
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By the time she was done her dress and the ground around her was soaked. Her hair had slipped from its pins. Narella stood slowly. As she did she looked into the crystal clear pond at her feet. The reflection staring back at her made her start crying all over again.669Please respect copyright.PENANAYsXEU9AE8v
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This time she wandered to her special spot. The old building was hidden, burred deep in rose vines. No one was allowed in side. Taking the key from around her neck she unlocked the door. Narella walked in. The love seat under the window directly across from her was a deep red. White pillows were neatly propped on each arm book shelves lined the walls on both sides. Reading was her second passion.669Please respect copyright.PENANAvs3dvoOfot
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The memories flooded back. The only other person to be in this room since Narella was a teenager was Jasabear. When he was a baby she took him here to escape the troubles of her life. To have a few moments alone with her baby. As Jasabear got older she had taught him to read. He loved it nearly more then she did.669Please respect copyright.PENANAhBuxWFmKnm
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The tears still falling Narella sat slowly onto the velvet red love seat. Sinking in deep she looked out the window. There was the kingdom. She was barley visible but the small old house was. What did the people call this building? She thought. Did they know how important it was to her? Did they know she was sitting here now? Narella laughs softly to her self. No one knew what this place was or why it was important.669Please respect copyright.PENANAklGomd5pMQ
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Lost in thought she played the memory so burned into her mind. The day she witnessed her father burning books. The books she was reading. She had taught her self to read and had been hiding books in her room. “reading is for the man and the man only.” her father had said.669Please respect copyright.PENANACVXnQQutf6
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She had quickly fallen in love with the prince of the neighboring kingdom. Well first she fell in love with their encouragement for everyone to read. The prince's loveliness was just a bonus. Although that was just her little secret. But her fear that her love of books would be taken from her still stayed with her. Slowly she began to 'steal' books from her own library. Hiding them In this little one room house. It was her space.669Please respect copyright.PENANAMHaiTYOqvs
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After going through this she began to wonder. Do I regret bringing Jasabear here? After a long pause she decided no. glancing out the window she saw the sky turning pink. The sun was setting. The dinner bell would ring soon. How can I go into the castle looking like this? Frantically she tried to think of a cover story. Finally deciding to say that she tripped and fell. Her clothes were mostly dry. I just hope I don't get one of the gardeners in trouble. Standing up she headed up the path making sure the door was locked.669Please respect copyright.PENANAy7df73U997
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She slowly approached one of the gardeners. “Ma'am what happened?” the gardener asked.669Please respect copyright.PENANAGcl3lILmuy
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Thinking fast Narella said “I knelt down to get a better view of those lovely yellow flowers and got tangled on my skirt and fell.”669Please respect copyright.PENANAOG9rmJDm5Z
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“Oh, Ma'am I'm sorry! What can I do to make things safer for you?” the gardener asked failing to hide his fear of being fired in his voice.669Please respect copyright.PENANArof6GBHvT4
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“It's not the gardeners fault.” Narella said quickly. “I just need to have my dress hemmed a bit.” she could see his whole body relax. “I think I will eat before I clean up. I am very hungry. Thank you for your concern”669Please respect copyright.PENANAESUIqDocVu
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“You're most welcome Ma'am, And please let me know if I can do anything to help.” the gardener said.669Please respect copyright.PENANAtXtQEhKRcb
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“Of course.” Narella said. “Have a good night.” With that she hurried on to dinner.669Please respect copyright.PENANAiNIImCyRdo
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When she got to the house she looked back at the gardens. The sun setting behind them was almost out of sight. How beautiful it looks in the dusk. She thought. Then she turned to the door. Taking a deep breath she rehearsed her story in her head. Dunkan and Jasbear should both be in there. You got this. She told her self. With one last breath she stepped out of the fading light and into the brightly lit kitchen.
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