Blood Ink (The Archives Book I): Editing

Chapter 05: Amber & Errzabeth

>>>>>>>>>>>>> Chapter 05 <<<<<<<<<<<<<

+ Amber & Errzabeth +

....

"Hello" she said

.

"Hello...? A-are you...are you-"

    I had hoped. And it sickened me to hope for such. But my senses told me otherwise.

"Are you selling those?"  I stooped down to examine the bundles of flowers neatly displayed outside of what looked like a shop.

"Yes. They are for sale." she smiled. In her eyes there was not a faint tinge of recognition. She...does not recognize me. 

"Will you arrange a bouquet for me, Miss-?" 

"Amber. And yes, I may.”   

     Amber. I wish I could preserve that innocence and not putrefy it with my own darkness. But I cannot keep away anymore, now that Joseff is near, I thought. And surely enough I could still feel his presence looming about in the cobbled streets. I have to protect you no matter what is the cost. 

 "Here you go sir" she said, reaching for my hand and then placing the flowers there when I did not react. Yes, this was Emeraldie. 

"Do you live alone - Amber?" I inquired.

     She shook her head saying she resided at the chapel of Saint Claire, pointing at the side of the Holy Trinity Sisters' mountain. I felt a slight relief. She was safe for when she is home. But I can't take any chances. I should be near whenever possible.

….

    Amber as I had later found, happens to be an orphan who grew up in the convent. I was never a fan of cathedrals but I guess this has to be an exception. I was fortunate enough to procure for myself a suitable apartment near the convent. I had received many questions from her of the new world. It seems that even Amber inherited Emeraldie's love of adventure. 

"What do you think of the new world?" she asked, one afternoon.

    We were on our way back and it took a while for me to acquire her trust. Now that she trusted me completely again, I felt the familiar sense of protectiveness.

"Although we have been terming it as the 'new world', in truth, we are only discovering parts of this, one and the same, world." I gathered up the dried tulips unto her basket.

"Yes, but...to explore uncharted lands...Soon, who knows? Maybe a few hundred years from now even the world's axis will shift from these European lands to the East." Ah, yes. She always had that kind of insight.

"I'm not one to talk of politics, m'lord. But you nobles are always sending out conquistadores to search and name new lands for you. Whereas, would it be not more rewarding, to venture and claim it on your own?"

    Amber sat down by the pond and waded her tired feet. I sat beside her, not minding the light from the sun that managed to snake its way through the trees above, wincing, as it reached my eyes.

 "You speak of things you do not know. The unknown seas are a fright to handle when not properly introduced." I said, throwing a pebble into the pond.

"And you speak as if you have traveled a good deal lot, m'lord. The title of lordship must be beneficial for that." she gazed into the pond as if it were the great oceans, and she looked with such longing it nearly broke my heart.