Embracing The Light (Arno Dorian x OC), an Assassin's Creed Fanfiction

Chapter 11 : Doppelgänger

Rosalie tried the white little silk shoes that Célestine brought to her. Unfortunately, they were too big for her feet, so she decided to keep her old brown shoes that she hid under her dress instead. As the maid was about to leave, she noticed the basket full of balls of wool on the floor next to the closet and her curiosity aroused.
"Uhm... Mademoiselle ?" she hesitantly asked while Rosalie was sitting in front of her hairdresser.
"Oui ?"
"Do you knit ?"
The young woman frowned with confusion and turned around to look at Célestine. "Why ?"
"I've seen the basket there."
Rosalie then glanced at what she was talking about and her face relaxed. "Oh... yes I do. And you, do you ?" she then asked to her.
Célestine quickly nodded with a little smile on her face.
The young woman's face enlightened as an idea came to her mind. "We can knit together if you want to." she proposed.
The maid frowned with a hint of embarrassment on her face. "Uhm... When ?"
"How about... right now ?" Rosalie proposed. "I was planning to knit today anyway."
"I... I'm not sure I'm allowed to do it during work hours, Mademoiselle." she murmured.
The young woman then scrutinized her for a moment. "Do you have work to do right now ?"
"Heu... I believe not..." she answered nervously.
"Perfect then !" Rosalie insisted. But she saw that Célestine was still unsure, so she decided to add. "Trust me, I'll take the blame if anyone scolds you." Then, the young woman untied her wet hair and let it fall to make it dry faster. The maid observed her while she got on her feet and grabbed her basket. Rosalie then turned to face her one last time. "Now, are you coming or not ?"
Célestine nervously bit her lip and hesitated for a moment. But then she slightly nodded. "Oui, Mademoiselle."
"Then go get your tools and join me in the gardens." Rosalie replied directly and the maid obeyed. But before she left, the young woman added. "Oh, and Célestine ?" When she saw that maid was listening carefully to her, she finished. "You can call me Rose."
Célestine smiled and nodded again before she walked out of the room. Rosalie did the same, but she went outside instead and inhaled the fresh air deeply. Today was one of those rare warm autumn days, and the trees were wearing their fall colors. The young woman took her time as she walked towards the fountain and observed the gardener who was a little further, raking the dead brown leaves that were covering up the yard. Some of them were lying on her way. She enjoyed the sound they made as she was crushing them with her feet.
Rosalie then remembered the end of summer and the beginning of fall when she was drinking her first hot chocolate with Louis at a café and then walking around to admire the shades of warm colors invading the entire greenery of Paris. Louis and Rosalie both loved this season's aesthetics more than anything, and even reminding herself those little things was enough to break the woman's heart. She truly missed him, no matter how much she tried to move on, it was way too difficult for her to grieve. This man took her under his wing and protected her and yet she had been incapable of doing the same in return, and she hated herself for that.
Arno had told her that whoever did this would pay sooner or later, but she doubted that it was going to make her feel better even if it did happen, because it was certainly not going to bring Louis back. But maybe, finding them could help her to find redemption as well, make peace with herself, and mourn the late man for good. Rosalie was still unsure about everything, she still required some time to have a proper idea on what she should do in the future and how she should be. But with time, it was probably going to get clearer.
Once she sat on the bench facing the fountain, Rosalie grabbed the wool and needles inside her basket which she put on the floor before she started to knit. A few minutes later, Célestine joined her with a little wicker basket quite similar to Rosalie's and took a seat next to the young woman, smiling.
The maid then asked. "What are you knitting ?"
"Mittens." she replied.
"For yourself ?"
"Non, my... little brother." Rosalie smiled to herself.
"Where does he live ?"
"In Franciade. At an orphanage."
Célestine frowned at her. "Why isn't he with you ?"
Rosalie paused for a second to find the right words. She then raised her gaze to look at her companion. "Vois-tu (You see), he's not my... blood-related brother. We consider each other as siblings, but more in a symbolic way."
"Oh..." The maid nodded, showing that she understood what she meant.
They both continued to knit in silence for a moment, until Rosalie decided to break it. "What about you ?"
"Me ?" Célestine asked with a bit a surprise.
"Yes. I mean, as you're my knitting partner, I would like to know you a little bit more."
"Well, I do not have anything much interesting to say, really." The maid looked down to her knit as she slightly smiled.
"Oh allez (come on), tell me !" Rosalie playfully insisted.
She then turned her gaze towards the young woman. "My father's a cobbler, he owns a little shop not too far from here."
Rosalie stared at her, waiting for her to continue. "What about your mother ?" she then hesitantly asked, hoping it was not a delicate topic.
"She... she's ill." Célestine responded with a sad tone. "It's been almost three years since she's stuck in bed."
"Je suis désolée (I'm sorry)..."
"It's fine." The maid tried to smile. She then quickly moved on. "I've started to work here as a servant soon after to earn a little bit of money."
"So, you must know Arno for a long time now."
"I cannot really say that I know him actually. He's always been quite of a reserved person since I've first met him. But during those last months, he became worse."
Rosalie stopped what she was doing to listen fully about what Célestine was saying. "What do you mean ?"
"He stopped taking care of himself and the slightest thing could easily irritate him." she replied as she was concentrating on her knit. "Drinking made him even more aggressive, and since he was drinking every single night, I usually tried not to cross his way."
The young woman was quite shocked, this was far from being the Arno she knew. She wondered what was the reason behind his downfall. "But why ? What happened ?" she then asked to Célestine.
The maid glanced at her. "He didn't tell you ?" Rosalie shook her head in negation and the other woman stopped knitting and slowly set the needles she held on her lap before she responded. "Maybe it's better if he's the one telling you about it instead of me."
Rosalie looked away. "I don't believe he'll ever tell me anything at all."
"Don't blame him." Célestine softly spoke. "He's been through a lot lately." Seeing that this was not convincing the young woman who looked upset, the servant added. "But he seems to get better since he's met you."
Rosalie turned back her eyes towards Célestine. "Vraiment (Really) ?"
She nodded. "Since the day you came, he's much nicer and... well, peaceful. He even chose your dress and jewels before I brought them to you. I truly believe that you have affected him in a good way."
The young woman felt her cheeks turn red and looked down to herself. Now that she knew Arno chose all the fancy things she was wearing at that moment, it all pleased her even more. He had been such a good friend to her, she was glad to make him happy in return, even unintentionally. But Célestine was right. She had to find out about Arno's past, but not from someone other than Arno himself. So, she had to let him take his time and be patient, as always.