The chateau was near empty, the earthquake had scared everyone away and no new visitors had come for a week. Drasna was unable to return to the monastery due to the state of the mountain path. Not being able to help rebuild made her feel guilty, but she did her best to make herself useful at the chateau in the meantime. She’d taken a liking to carpentry under the tutelage of Tristan and began to build a bridge over one of the new gaps in the mountain.

  Drasna and Isobella sat in the dining room, with Drasna’s new second favorite food for breakfast, pancakes. Drasna had already put away ten of them with an entire bottle of blackberry syrup. Isobella watched with amusement, having only just finished her third and final flapjack.

  “I’d be dreadfully tired if I ate that many pancakes.”

  Drasna swallowed a mouthful of food, “I can’t help it! Nicola is such a good cook! Besides, have you seen my workout routine?”

  “Are you asking if I spend a lot of time watching you sweat and exercise?”

  “It was a rhetorical question, I know you watch me, you could always join me if you wanted.”

  “Someone has to run the chateau.”

  “Don’t act like you’ve had any guests this week.”

  Isobella slowly placed her hand over Drasna’s “That just means I get to spend more time with you. I actually wanted to ask you something. Will you return to the monastery once the roads have been fixed?”

  “I don’t know, I’d feel a bit guilty if I didn’t help maintain the place, but I guess I could help in other ways…are you asking what I think you’re asking?”

  Isobella turned pink and stared at the monk with hopeful eyes, “Would you like to live with me here at the chateau?”

  Drasna smirked, “If I say no, are you gonna chain me up in your basement?”

  Isobella returned the smirk, “It wouldn’t be the first thing I’d try, but if that’s what it took, I have a nice set of golden chains.”

  Drasna laughed and rolled her eyes, “I would love to move in with you Izzy!”

  The two stood up from the dining table and hugged, as Nicola entered to clear away the dishes. The maid looked at the two and smiled.

  “Did she say yes? That means Ruby has to do all of my chores this weekend.”

  Drasna frowned, “Aw but you’re the best cook in the manor, I’ll be so sad if I can’t have your cooking.”

  Isobella sighed and pouted, “If that’s the case, I’ll have to have Selene do Ruby’s chores while you do Selene’s.”

  Nicola’s eyes widened, “Please no, Selene is a monster, I could never do what she does, please forgive me lady Isobella!”

  Isobella giggled, “Very well, I’m in an especially good mood, but I expect a wonderful soup for lunch today, Nicola”

  Nicola nodded and rushed out of the room with the dishes in tow, determined to plan an award winning lunch for her boss. Drasna smiled, she used to feel bad for the chateau’s maids, Isobella often spoke sternly to them or with disappointment. Her attitude had shifted noticeably in the last week, however. Drasna considered them all friends and was pleased Isobella seemed to feel the same, or was at least beginning to.

  Drasna and Isobella moved towards the garden to work off their breakfast. On the way Drasna noticed there was a lot more green in the manor, be it pillows or curtains. There was also a new pewter dragon statue with butterfly wings which held the puzzle box from Vulcarose. Then she noticed a familiar purple vase, except it was covered with gold cracks. She cocked her head and looked at Isobella.

  “Is that the vase I made you a few months ago? What happened to it?”

  Isobella took to staring at her toes, “I…dropped it and felt really bad about it. Tristan suggested I fix it with a method called kintsugi, it uses gold dust as a type of grout to fill the cracks.”

  The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  Drasna grinned, “That’s so cool! I didn’t know people did that, it looks even better than it did when I gave it to you! Why is it hidden back here?”

  “I originally wanted to place it where everyone could see it, but I grew too ashamed that I broke it to begin with and hid it.”

  Drasna pulled the noble into a side hug and rested her head on her shoulder, “Aw, I wouldn’t be upset, it was an accident after all right? Besides, it looks cool now anyway.”

  Isobella frowned, “The only reason I dropped it was because Cala-..., nevermind. Do you think it would make a nice center piece on the dining room table?”

  “Totally!”

  Isobella quickly picked up the vase and walked it to the dining room. While the noble was away, Tristan walked over to Drasna.

  “Miss Drasna, while I have a moment, I was able to find a bard willing to record that record for you.”

  “Really? That’s great!”

  “Yes, they were most excited to learn about the belly dancing music of Vulcarose. You need not worry about the price. The maids and myself will pay as our own gift to lady Isobella.”

  “Are you sure? I could pay for it, I don’t mind.”

  Tristan chuckled, “I mean no disrespect, but I don’t believe you could afford it. As I said, we really don’t mind at all. I’ve noticed a positive change in lady Isobella since your visits began, and it has only continued to improve. I’m pleased to know you will be a more permanent resident of the Gloomdusk Chateau."

  Drasna felt her cheeks warm up, “Thank you Tristan, I feel the same way.”

  Isobella returned from the dining room, curious what Tristan and Drasna were talking about. The two turned to her as her polished mary janes did a poor job of sneaking around.

  Isobella spoke up, “Is there something wrong?”

  Drasna panicked, “Wah-no, nothing at all...we.”

  Tristan stepped in, “Miss Drasna was curious about the basement, I informed her that it is for storage, but that it's also where the ball room is.”

  Isobella shook her head, “I was only kidding about the chains Drasna, don’t worry.”

  Drasna rubbed the back of her neck, “I know, but it’s pretty wild you have a ball room down there, aren’t they usually big and tall?”

  “Perhaps you should show her, lady Isobella.” Tristan suggested, before returning to his duties.

  Isobella took Drasna’s hand, “It really is quite interesting, I never had a need to show you, but if you’re so interested, I don’t see why not.”

  Isobella led Drasna down into the basement. There was a short hall with three doors, one to the left and right, with a heavy metal door at the end of the hall. Isobella opened the right door first, the room inside was surprisingly large with a stone floor. It had several shelves and crates of provisions on one side, and boxes of seasonal decorations and bedsheets on the other. The room was lit with magic candles that extinguished themselves when the door closed.

  The heavy door at the end of the hall was a freezer, a marvel of magic and creativity, courtesy of the artificer that installed the manors plumbing. Isobella opened the door, releasing a frigid blast of cold air that made even Drasna cover and rub her arms. The chamber glowed and shimmered with cyan light as fog crept out of the room. The walls were coated in ice and snow, with shelves each holding fruits, vegetables, meat, or sweets.

  Drasna shuttered, “Has anyone gotten stuck in there?”

  Isobella shook her head, “The door opens from the inside as well, there is no risk of that, I promise you.”

  Drasna sigh, “That makes me feel a little better.”

  Isobella opened the final door to the ball room, the room was massive, easily able to fit a hundred guests at once. The room was illuminated by large glowing bars on the ceiling, with walls of polished gray brick, and a herringbone rosewood floor. A long bar with many luxurious stools sat at the left and right of the room. A maid with long green hair was inside tidying up. She looked at her visitors and curtsied.

  Isobella stepped inside, “The ballroom looks pristine, excellent work Selene, please feel free to take extra breaks for your consistent hard work.”

  Selene nodded and smiled, “Thank you lady Isobella, I think I will help myself to some berries in the garden.”

  Isobella stepped aside, allowing Selene to exit the room, her hair smelt of mint as she walked past them. The Monk and noble entered the ball room, which also had a pleasant scent of mint.

  “So why is the ball room in the basement?”

  “It’s a touch unorthodox, but if you recall my father was rather obsessed with the occult. I believe he requested his manor be built with many rooms to house sacrifices or visitors from other planes. He still wanted to host parties however and since there was no room left, he went down.”

  Drasna crossed her arms and looked around, “You nobles are crazy.”

  Isobella giggled, as she couldn’t find a way to deny the statement.