Excited at the thought of perhaps at last finding a way out of her
prison, Astra ignored the clothes for the moment and walked into the
wardrobe (it was big enough for that). Once she had discovered where the
light was coming from, she would put on some clothes.
But there seemed to be something wrong with the perspective, so that
the light was much closer than it had seemed. Without any warning, she
emerged from the back of the wardrobe and found herself standing in a
wood. Facing her was:
-
A group of four children. "That lady's got no clothes on," the youngest observed in a very audible whisper. "Ssh, Lucy," the elder of the two girls said, her cheeks reddening with embarrassment.
-
A very beautiful and grand woman, who rather reminded Astra of her own mother, though somewhat younger. The woman was warmly dressed, for the wood was deep in snow. "If you don't want to freeze to death, then pledge youself as my slave," she said.
-
A lion, who somehow did not seem at all threatening and who managed to give the impression that he had been expecting her. To Astra's astonishment, he spoke: "Welcome to Ainran, Astra. I am Nalsa."
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