THE WIZARD AND THE SYLPH
Chapter Ten
In The Great Tower Of Lund
By late morning, after allowing herself to be treated to an extended, luxurious bath and an entertaining breakfast with Julina, young Rhia found herself alone and discovering the utter boredom that came with utter freedom. She would gladly have lent a hand at some task if it were allowed, but the old guard named Kender whose job it was to watch over her explained that she was to be treated as a guest until he received instructions telling him otherwise.
For her part, she was oblivious to the pleasure the guard took in observing her antics. Barefoot, her raven-black hair well-brushed but in such disarray as would be a child's who had just done a tumble while wearing her best dress, a slim, restless slip of a girl in a peasant dress, the old guard had several times to suppress laughter as she, walking as though balanced on a beam, picked her way along the narrow, angular, artistic patterns of a tiled floor that had been trodden for hundreds of years by humourless, solemn dignitaries.
She came at last to the centre, a dazzling mosaic that made her stop and turn about until she was facing it right-side up.
"What an odd depiction. Is it a sunrise or a sunset?"