She watched as the women went about their morning chores and Jaren set a blazing fire within the hearth. Perhaps if she explored, she would find answers and maybe a way back to her world. She found she could read some of the books in the library but found them useless. Part of the problem was she didn't know if what they talked about was fiction or reality. Most of it seemed far-fetched. None of them appeared to hold even a smidgen of a clue what happened to her or how to reverse it. She felt positive the doorway in the library connected in some way to how she landed on that world. Too coincidental that both doorways should look alike and hold the same runes on the edges. She couldn't garner results from repeating her same actions from Earth. She found it increasingly difficult to keep her panic at bay with each failure. The time ticked away and for some reason the thought of running into the rightful occupant who they mistook her for left her cold. She didn't know why, but she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt she needed to be gone before the rightful Mistress of the castle returned.
She watched as Jaren and the women finished up their tasks and left her to her peace. She uncurled herself from the window's ledge and glanced up at the sky one last time. She took a measure of comfort from the beauty of the moon/planet. She closed the shutters to the window. She looked to the bathing chamber door stood open. She allowed herself the indulgence of a long, hot soak on each of the mornings, but today she couldn't afford to linger. She failed in her previous attempts to get home. She needed to come up with an alternative plan. She walked over to the table in front of the hearth and tore off a piece of the bread, dipped it into the porridge, and popped it into her mouth. The food didn't taste bad, but neither did she consider it the best eaten. She wasn't hungry, but she needed to eat more than what she'd eaten. She needed her strength if she wanted to find a way out of her current situation.
She forced down a few more porridge dipped pieces of bread and took a long drink of the, well, she didn't know for sure what she drank. It was hot and not so bad she couldn't swallow or stomach it. She threw the blanket on the bed and dressed quick. As quick as she could, all things considered. What she wouldn't give for her jeans. She made do with the dress and hope that soon she would be back in the comfort of her own cottage, in her own bath, and dressing in her own clothes, and putting this nightmare behind her.
She stopped at the door leading to the library. She considered going out the main door but discarded the thought. She didn't want to run into the serving women or Jaren. She took several deep breaths. You can do this! She thought to herself. She had to do this. She no longer resided in her safe little cocoon of the life she made back on Earth. Regardless, of what or how the situation happened. She needed to accept that it happened and find a way to deal with it. Taking her courage in hand, she opened the door. Who could blame her if it took a little bit longer to gather the courage to step through it?
After several attempts, Kaily made it through the doorway and down the stairs. She moved the tapestry aside just enough to walk through the opening. She stared at the door within the stone framework across from her. It was the same arched doorway which brought her to that cursed place. She ignored it on the other occasions she spent in the room. Today, she knew she needed to be courageous. She needed to step through the threshold and beyond, and damn the consequences. She needed to explore if she hoped to find an alternative solution to her current circumstances. She took a deep breath and opened the door.
She shouldn't have been surprised to find Jaren on the other side of the door. She was.
"Mistress," he acknowledged in his calm manner which annoyed her so much. He gave her a slight bow at the waist.
She learned from Jaren's subtle and not so subtle hints that responding in her usual polite manner was not the way she should respond. Although, he didn't tell her what he expected either. It became frustrating. She didn't know if he meant to be less than helpful or not. At times it looked like he helped and other times not so much. So, she did what worked best. She ignored him.
She knew from her time staring out of the alcove window the bedchamber took up one of the three towers she saw from her vantage point. Nothing else helped discern the exact layout of the castle. She didn't know how many rooms the castle contained or where they lay in relation to the rooms she did know. She knew a battlement connected the towers but couldn't find a door in her tower leading to the battlement. To be fair she didn't spend time exploring to find out. She glanced down both directions of the hallway. She didn't know if she should go right or left. She glanced at Jaren. He starred at the wall in front of them. Figures! She thought. No help from that source.
It didn't take her long before she realized Jaren followed her. She stopped and glanced back at him several times. He stopped each time, and each time the same distance remained between them. She glared before she continued further down the hall. Her glare didn't affect on him.
The direction she picked brought them to a busier part of the castle. More people milled about in the hall
