Cordelia's Missing Piece

Not-Minestrone

Blair took a look at the room she was in. The walls had light colored wood paneling that matched the floor and looked aged, dust settled in the grain of the wood that couldn't be reached by a cloth. Her bed was small, a twin, with a nice wooden frame and firm mattress. Next to the door was an old dresser, scuffed from use, that was littered with various hand made knick-knacks, a small hand held mirror, and had some clothing sitting on top of it. Across the room, there was a small desk, its matching chair having been pulled next to Blair's bedside. A sword leaned against the desk's side. It wasn't fancy, it was sleek and practical. Blair frowned at it.

With a begrudging effort, Blair lifted herself from her bed, throwing what was left of the heavy comforter off of her legs. She swung her legs off the side and took stock of herself. Her limbs looked so much longer, Blair would have called them gangly if she hadn't seen the well defined muscles that accompanied them. Once again, no freckles, just a healthy tan.

Blair made her way over to the dresser awkwardly, not quite used to seeing the world from so high up. Cordelia seemed quite tall, Blair hadn't noticed when she was laying in bed. Blair eyed the mirror, face down on the wood. She wasn't ready to see her face yet. She wasn't ready to be confronted with a face she didn't recognise. Blair reached for the clothes that had been laid out on the dresser. She took the bottoms, a pair of beige riding pants that laced up at the front and put them on, briefly wondering who had been changing her clothes before she woke up and hoping that it was Cordelia's mother.

Blair pulled off her nightgown and looked down at herself. Yeah, she thought, it's not mine. Blair shrugged on the button down shirt quickly before putting on the vest that was left last in the pile as she made note of the boots next to the door and put those on too.

Blair looked at the mirror again. It taunted her.

Blair turned away and walked back to the bed, pulling the chair away from its side and back to its rightful place at the desk. The desk was quite neat despite the thin layer of dust settled in with the books on the top shelf. She supposed Cleo hadn't been much of a reader, though Seung-Eun and Mina seemed the type. Aside from a capped ink pot and a quill, which Blair already didn't want to have to use, the only other thing on the desk was her belt harness for the sword. The leather was quite worn, belt holes stretched out awkwardly from years of use.

Blair opened the door to her new room and was greeted with a short hallway with a series of doors. At the end of the corridor was an archway and Blair could smell something savory coming from it, only undercut by the slight tinge of metal and oil. Just as she nearly made it to the archway, Laurence rounded the corner, causing Blair to jump slightly and hurriedly whisper out an apology.

Laurence laughed, "jumpy this time?"

This time? Blair thought before saying, "sorry," again.

Laurence raised an eyebrow at her and Blair noticed that he was slightly shorter than her. "Mom just finished, I was about to get you," he told Blair.

Blair let out a breath, "oh, thanks."

Laurence rolled his eyes and turned back around, motioning for Blair to follow as he muttered, "this time is the weirdest," under his breath before he looked back again, "oh," he started, "Shawn is here too." Blair didn't know who Shawn was. Cleo would know wouldn't she? Blair cursed herself for not asking. Her panic must have been evident because Laurence put a hand on her shoulder, "I told him you won't remember, don't worry," he said.

Why did Laurence know she wouldn't remember?

As soon as they entered the kitchen the smell of garlic hit Blair's nose, it smelled amazing. Her stomach growled.