Changing Our Fate

Chapter One: The Book

"With long locks of ebony-black hair, skin as pale as milk, large dark eyes, and a ruby-red mouth." Ebony smiled. Although the rain was cold, the book made her feel warm. Disregarding the generous muffler which wrapped tightly about her neck, Ebony reached down through the soft yarn to make sure that the silver locket was still fastened tightly. Withdrawing her hand, Ebony stuck a soft silk bookmark on the page she had left off and stood up for a stretch, glancing forlornly about at the empty train station. Casually stuffing her hands into her pockets, she strolled off in the direction of the bakery she had passed on the way in her stagecoach, her raven-black curls being tossed about by the windy drizzle. As Ebony arrived at the bakery, which was blessedly warm, she noticed a lanky boy behind the counter with a headful of honey-brown curls. He, however, took no notice of her and continued to examine the book that laid beside a tray of bread. Sighing, Ebony went up to the counter.

"Three honeybuns, please." She requested, drawing a soft silk purse out of her coat pocket. Finally the boy looked up.

"Three honeybuns coming right up." He gave her a warm smile. Slapping the book shut, he heaved himself off his stool and nonchalantly meandered over to the glass cabinet, which held a mouthwatering array of pastries. Neatly sliding the golden-brown pastries into a white paper bag, he slid them over the counter, taking the money that Ebony placed beside the bag. He seemed to be rather sociable.

"Not many people come and use this old train station. What made you come here?" He asked, leaning against the counter.

"Well, I'm going off to a boarding school. St. Antonio's? Have you heard of it?" She opened the bag of honeybuns and took a sweet pastry out, shoving half of it into her mouth at once. Sighing with pleasure, she chewed and swallowed as the boy's eyes crinkled up into an attractive smile. Blushing again, Ebony looked down, munching on the rest of her honeybun.

"Well, what a coincidence. I'm also going there. The train isn't due 'till six p.m. Why are you here so early?" He slid the tray of bread into a cart beside the glass cabinet.

"You seem to be full of questions." She answered, drawing another bun out of the bag.

"That's the way I am." He spread his arms, grinning.

"So why don't I ask you some questions for a change?" She suggested, taking a bite of her second pastry.

"Of course." He pushed himself back onto the stool and leaned against the oven.

"First of all, since we're going to the same school, what is your name?" she asked, taking a seat on a small chair beside the counter.

"Oh, let me get you a chair. We have a good two hours before the train arrives, and it's usually a half hour late, so I figured we'd chat in here for a while." leaping up, he rushed out of the room and came back with a larger chair. "I'm Claude Bridertson. And you?"

"Ebony Lockwood. What- what about my luggage- it's still at the station." Ebony said weakly.

"Of course. We will go and get it." Hopping up from his stool a second time, Claude strode out of the room and came back in a heavy woolen sweater with a matching cap and a heavy muffler. As he pulled a coat around his shoulders, Ebony couldn't help but notice his broad, muscular shoulders and veiny arms. She folded the bun bag shut and left it on the counter, following him out of the shop, shying away from the rain that dripped from the eaves of the building. She hurried after him, ducking under the steady roof of the old train station, and followed his silhouette to her bench, which held all her belongings. Heaving the trunk onto his shoulder, and picking up one of her grippes, Claude carefully walked out of the station, leaving Ebony to grab her smaller grippe, her book, a chemise bag, her toiletry kit and a small trunk. Arriving back at the warm, golden bakery, she neatly stacked her luggage on top of the rest of her trunks, pulling off her cap, muffler and coat, before sitting down at her chair again and picking up the honey bun bag. Settling himself back on his stool, Claude leaned back, pulling off his cap, muffler and sweater, tossing them onto the counter beside him.

"So, Ebony. What's you next question?" Claude grinned, folding his hands behind his head.

"Do your parents run this bakery?" Ebony licked up a bit of honey dripping from her bun.

"Nope, just a casual apprentice. I learned a few odds and ends about baking." Claude answered.

"Like how to knead the dough a minimal amount of times as to obtain a pillowy, fluffy texture?" Ebony smiled, gesturing to her honeybun.

"That was only the beginning." Claude answered, chuckling. "So, how old are you?"

"I'm seventeen." Ebony answered.

"I'm going on eighteen in August." He answered. Ebony nodded, shoveling the other half of her honeybun into her mouth. She swallowed, and folded the bag shut, setting it down for a moment.

"Would you like a drink?" Claude asked suddenly. "Not alcohol, of course. I was thinking something more along the lines of milk, or hot chocolate, or tea."

"I'd like milk, please," Ebony said. "If it's not to much trouble." 

"Of course not." Claude answered, twinkling. She followed him to a side room where he pulled out a bottle of milk and poured some into a mug, which he handed to her. She cupped her fingers about it and watched him pour hot water from a kettle into another mug and empty in tea leaves. Taking a tentative sip, they both stayed quiet as they watched the tea leaves leach out a rich amber-brown color. Finally the tea was done, and Claude strained out the leaves as Ebony continued to drink her milk. Wordlessly she turned back around and went back out into the store front room. Claude set his tea on the counter and pulled out a tray of bread from the oven with thick cloth mittens, pushing it onto a cooling rack.

"Um, here's another question. Do you have... someone you love?" Ebony asked awkwardly, watching him pull flour, yeast, salt and various white powders off the shelves.

"Someone I love? Well, I did have one girl who was my first love. I met her at fifteen. She was beautiful, and kind, and saw the world around her in a very special way. Her name was Adrianne." Claude answered, pouring flour into the bowl and adding a few eggs, salt, and a dash of water. He stirred it all together and added some yeast, covering the bowl with a cloth after. 

"What happened?" Ebony prodded gently.

"Nothing much, really. She felt that I was too boring for her, and so she left me for another person. Apparently he was much more exciting." Claude answered, taking a gulp of his tea.

"I don't know why anyone would leave you." Ebony blurted, staring down at her milk after she realized what she'd said. Looking up again, she saw that Claude's eyes were crinkled into a mischievous smile. There were tiny flecks of gold in the olive green that she hadn't noticed before. Blushing, Ebony took a long drink of her milk to calm herself and stop her blushing. She had a relatively cool face on when she looked up from her mug again, but Claude was still looking intensely at her.

"What is it?" She asked, smiling.

"Nothing, I..." Claude trailed off and stared into his tea. "I was just thinking that you look like the opposite of Adrianne. Not ugly, of course," he added quickly. "But your hair is raven-black, and you have large dark eyes, and moonlight-pale skin. Adrianne... she had golden hair, and blue eyes, and rosy skin. Both of you are extremely beautiful."

"Thank you." Ebony said politely. She took a gulp of her milk and smiled at him again. "I think you're good-looking, too."

"Thank you." Claude smiled back at her. There was a tiny spark of something there. It might not have been much, but Ebony and Claude both felt it as they smiled at each other. That one moment was the beginning of everything.

Hope you enjoy! :)

~Rainbowpusheen