The Archman

Chapter 22 - A Particular Study

Eira sits in bed, reading under the warm light of the oil lamps. Her wound has healed enough to let her bend her legs at a right angle to rest the hardcover book on her thighs. She brings a hand to her mouth, letting out a silent yawn, one that is clearly born of ennui rather than fatigue. Lately all she's been doing is sleeping and reading in order to recover.

She looks down at the book, which is written entirely in ancient Latin. Eira had a rudimentary grasp of the language, but that isn't where the challenge really lay. What confounds her most is the cryptic speech and scientific jargon that filled the pages. It is a textbook of some kind, though she can hardly grasp what exactly it is meant to instruct. She hasn't really absorbed any information whatsoever from the pages, which is quite something, considering she always had an insatiable appetite for knowledge.

Eira closes the book and sets it aside, the thought of her appetite prompting her to look over at her bedside table, where an empty wooden cutting board and vacant glass jar is found. She isn't actually hungry, she just needs something to preoccupy her.

In a flash of inquisitive curiosity, Eira looks down at the chain secured to the collar around her neck. She pulls it up onto the bed, letting the slack pile up beside her. Eventually she arrives at the end of the chain, holding the final link in her hand with a perplexed surprise.

The Archman must have forgotten to lock the chain to the bed after escorting her to and from the latrine, or perhaps he just decided against locking it back up, assuming Eira would stay put regardless.

Either way, Eira springs at the opportunity, gathering up the slack in her hands and slipping out of bed, careful not to open up her wound in the process. She is wearing a nightgown which comes down to her ankles, which is in desperate need of laundering after several days and nights in bed.

Eira walks to the end of the bedroom, opening up the door slowly so her eyes can adjust to the light. She steps out onto the main deck, letting the sunlight warm her skin and spirit. She is aware she is going against the Archman's wishes, but the fresh air is well worth it.

If the Archman found her wandering about he will surely be irritated, and send her back to the bedroom. However, if she sought him out specifically, he would likely be less bothered, or so Eira reasoned to herself. She needed to find a reasonable reason to seek him out, though.

Eira goes back into the bedroom and retrieves the hardcover book from the bed, bringing it along with her, chain in one arm, book in the other. She isn't sure if he will buy her excuse, but it is at least worth the attempt.

She makes her way below decks, climbing down the first set of stairs to the landing. She looks down the corridor to her left, opting to search this area first.

She peeks inside the massive walk-in closet, quickly discerning he isn't there. She goes to the next door down the corridor, which is locked shut. This is the only door which has a lock on it, which draws Eira's attention much more than she wished it did.

She forces herself to ignore the door and moves on to the next one. She puts her ear against the door before opening it. She is able to hear a noise coming from behind it, some kind of activity or liveliness.

Eira pushes the door open with her shoulder, as both her hands were occupied. She finds herself in a large study, every inch of wall covered by bookshelves, and every inch of bookshelf occupied with books.

"You shouldn't be walking." Eira snaps her attention to the end of the study, where the Archman is sitting behind a wide desk.

She was surprised that she didn't notice him first. His natural stillness must have fooled her into thinking he was some large portrait.