Checkmate ⚢

Chapter 2 Stalking

Professor Andrea walked along the narrow path leading to a deeper and darker part of the forest. She put her hand to a tree and touched the lichen growing dark green upon brown, and it seemed like an old cork, dry and crumbling. "I came here because I was worried for Hana." She murmured as she watched the trio from tree lines of the secret path she took. "But now, we've met again, Professor Oakley."

When she turned around, there was no sight of the older woman. The only thing left was a vague feeling that someone watched her and a cold breeze scattering some of the fallen leaves in circles.

She averted her gaze back towards Hana and the two strangers her student met. They were none other but the two prodigal wealthy children and the heirs of the designated House of Lancaster and House of Cohen.

Professor Andrea smiled, poetic lines forming in her head. If she was once the Andromeda Danton as she was before, she could take photos of those three and write the photo lines to showcase on an exhibit. "A game of chess is a game of capture. Two players: the red and the black against each other. The object of the game is very simple. Players must be strategic, quick, and nimble. Check, to surround the opponent with arduous planning and checkmate is to capture the opponent's king. Photography sure is a game of manipulation. As it only involves an artist, a camera, and a muse for inspiration but it captures memories, beauty, heart, and soul. Preserves it into memory but the camera is hard to control. It might be an amateur hobby compared to paintings but at least creativity is waning."

The three of them had their own goal to fulfill, in their own game of capture.

* * *

They settled at a gazebo, with chairs and a clean ivory table in the middle. Althea sipped her tea of Darjeeling while Joshua took out a board of chess from his satchel and placed the chess pieces on their positions on the chessboard.

"I figured that a new environment to play against each other will be delightful." Joshua began to establish a conversation.

"I'm surprised you managed to bring tea." She deadpanned.

"Hey, I have to prepare, don't I? Otherwise, you won't even listen to me."

Althea brought the teacup back on the saucer, looking at the chessboard, surprised a little that the chess set wasn't the usual white and black. Her side has red pieces. "This is a new chess set of yours. My first turn then?"

"Charles bought me a new one." He picked up his cup and blew some steam off. "He was definitely not into the white and black so he bought me a red and black set. He was so close to buying me a red and green."

Althea's facial expression grew a slight interest in those colors. "They sell those?"

"Apparently there was only one made by a famous through woodcarver and it was being auctioned." He finally took a sip from his cup.