Nadia left Rio's room and entered the dark cold corridor of the castle. She took a deep breath, put her hands on her face, and clenched her teeth in intense anger. Tears gathered in her eyes like a rebellious river, but with trembling resolve, she pushed them back. Her anger and emotions swirled within her like a storm, but she composed herself and walked with heavy steps toward the lower floor of the castle.
The castle, like an ancient and ruined fortress, had a cold and militaristic atmosphere. There was no trace of decorative paintings, soft carpets, or comfortable furnishings. The stone walls, worn columns, and broken windows through which the cold wind howled seemed to scream the story of forgotten wars. Nadia walked through the narrow, dark corridors, as if every corner of the castle hid a sinister secret. For a while, she wandered in silence until a soft, mournful song filled her ears. A gentle and sad voice, like a lullaby from the heart of a storm, came from the kitchen.
Nadia followed the sound and entered the kitchen. It was a small, stone space with a furnace burning an unnatural blue fire. Valentina, with her white and black hair shining like a stormy cloud in the fire's light, was cooking. Meat and vegetables sizzled in a pan over the blue fire, and as she hummed, she sang a song about storms and travelers lost within them. Upon Nadia's entrance, Valentina raised her head, her turquoise eyes gleaming, and said in a warm tone:
"You came! Sit, the food will be ready soon."
Nadia stared at her for a moment, her eyes full of doubt and turmoil. In a soft and tense voice, she said:
"I'm sorry. It's true that I first said it didn't matter whether you're Valentina or not, but now that I think about it, I can't accept it in any way."
Valentina looked at her with surprise, then a mysterious smile settled on her lips. As she continued cooking, she turned her head.
"Why? What did you expect the legendary Valentina to look like? Terrifying? Harsh?"
Nadia walked toward the wooden table in the middle of the kitchen, sat on a chair, and said in a voice trembling with anger and confusion:
"I don't know. You're just not what I imagined."
Valentina, while adding salt to the food with her hands, said in a calm tone:
"Expectations raise our hopes, while reality is always different."
Valentina continued cooking for a few minutes, then served the food on two plates and placed them on the table. She sat across from Nadia and began eating. Nadia stared at her for a moment until Valentina, with her mouth full, said:
"My cooking isn't as good as Maria's, but it's not that bad either."
Nadia hesitantly picked up a fork and started eating. The food was pleasant, but for Nadia, whose mind was consumed with her family, nothing could distract her. She lowered her head and said in a voice full of anxiety:
"Do you know that man? The one who attacked us."
Valentina waved her fork and, with a calm and mysterious voice while her mouth was full, said:
"Yeah, his name is Valdis. A complicated and strange man. I couldn't understand him before, and I can't now. I don't know what he's after, but whatever it is, it's apparently worth killing millions for."
Nadia shook her head, her eyes flashing with anger.
"They're going to attack us again."
Then she told Valentina the story of the black letters, her words full of fear and helplessness. But after hearing everything, Valentina only shrugged her shoulders and said in a strange and indifferent tone:
"So that's how it is."
This reaction was so calm and unexpected that Nadia quickly spoke up:
"You're not going to do anything about it? You're the most powerful dragon in the world!"
Valentina paused for a moment, her eyes fixed on Nadia's empty plate. Then, with a mysterious and terrifying smile that seemed to hide a dark secret, she said:
"I'm sure you're tired. All the rooms upstairs are empty. You can sleep in any one you want."
Nadia, shocked and anxious from this indifference, said:
"What? What are you saying?"
Valentina merely repeated that terrifying smile and said:
"Good night."
Nadia, not even fully satisfied, stood up. Anxiety overwhelmed her like a wave. She left the kitchen, her heart pounding from her inability to understand Valentina. The only thing she knew about her was her legendary name, but this woman, with her ordinary behavior and mysterious smiles, seemed like a being from another world.
Some time later, Nadia returned to the upper floor with heavy steps. Halfway, she saw Ayhan standing in front of Rio's room, about to enter. Nadia said in a sharp tone:
"Leave him alone, let him rest. I don't want him to be a burden during the journey."
Ayhan slightly anxious from seeing Nadia, nodded. Nadia passed by him, but as she walked toward the end of the corridor, she said loudly:
"You sleep too. We need to talk tomorrow."
Ayhan, whose eyes now sparkled with excitement and eagerness, clenched his fists.
"Finally."
But downstairs, Valentina finished her dinner and washed the dishes. Then she slowly walked to the castle's large hall and stood by the massive window. The snowy storm outside roared like an angry monster, and the wind was so fierce that the castle's stone windows trembled. Valentina's turquoise eyes, now full of turmoil and contemplation, stared at the frozen plain. She clenched her fists, not from anger, but from a burden that seemed to weigh on her shoulders for centuries. She slowly reached into her clothes and pulled out a black, iron necklace shaped like a dragon's skull, gleaming faintly in the dim light. Her fingers slid over it, and with a voice only she could hear, she whispered:
"Great Setrog please guide me. What should I do?"
Her gaze was fixed on the storm, as if searching for answers in the howling wind and dancing snow. Centuries of experience, wars, and decisions that had shaped the world swirled in her eyes.
But suddenly, from the darkness and storm, a tall, dark shadow appeared. A tall figure, cloaked in a black woolen cape that covered their entire body, carried a black boar on the shoulder and approached the castle. Their steps sank into the deep snow, But she moved forward with silent strength. Valentina upon seeing them, let out a deep sigh and whispered:
"Especially with this fool!"