Jin was out of it, I knew that he couldn't process all that information that I dumped in him so we came down to the living room to chat while eating Jin's heavenly cake but, the silence stretched so long that it kinda became awkward. Neither of us knows where or how to start, even less understand the whole situation (I grumble at the thought of not knowing things, I hate that.) In the end, Jin broke the ice.
"Well...at least we know that he is probably not going to kill you, though that is not certain." He speaks, staring at the plate of cake intensely yet his eyes show that he is not really looking at the plate rather he is deep in thought, not that I'm any different.
"You know, there was something...in his eyes that...I don't know, bothersome, like he was shaken by something." I tried to explain the eyes that became wide and shook on that night.
"Maybe he fell for you at first sight," Jin said playfully as he cheekily grinned.
I snorted before rolling my eyes as I retorted "You know me, always looking for a handsome man to conquest." At my singsong tone, Jin snorted before making a squeaky sound similar to 'conquest'.
"Yup, I worried how many men...pft...have fallen into your deadly trap, ahh...the misery...hehe, at this rate there would not be enough for the single young people out there, ahh the horror hahaha." He tried but fail miserably to not laugh.
Our antics brought a more relaxed atmosphere so we eat the cake and Jin made me promise to call if anything at all happens, then he called a taxi and left.
* * *
I took the plates to the sink (I can wash them tomorrow.) I was so out of it that all my motions were automatic, I put on my pyjamas, brushed my teeth and got to bed.
'A snowy field, blackness all around, a wind tearing like a scream in the air, no there actually is a scream, so remote.
Where does it come from? why my heart hurts so badly? is getting more and more faraway; please no, no don't go, please. I'm here, I'm right here.
Ah...my tears they...they have frozen on my skin; the moon is big, bright and...crimson, why does this colour look so familiar, why it makes me cry more?
Where are you? you promised me to never leave yet you are not here.
What is that sound? like a chain hitting the ground, ah...my hands they are chained; the ground is shaking, it's breaking, I'm falling, the darkness it consumes me. A blurry shape in the distance, white as falling snow.
Ahh in the end you did come, I'm so happy, I feel the tears touching my lips, I'm smiling but is too late I have fallen. The last thing I wanted was to see you smile with true happiness yet the darkness blinds me, I'm dying, I'm...'
"AHH!" I gasp as I woke, a cold sweat makes me shiver or perhaps is the chill of that snow in my dream, for it felt so real.
TUCK!
A sound outside the room makes me jump from the bed, I wait...nothing happens so I start to relax thinking (maybe is only a cat or some animal that entered the garden.) I sigh.
TUCK! SWISH!
Oh for the love of God, now I'm terrified, the sound was coming from my study, first I took my phone but the batterie is dead and I don't have a corded telephone; well shit, I take the baseball bat that a coworker gifted me long ago, now finally it has a use.
Walking slowly in the dark corridor, I try to locate where the sound is coming from. I feel a breeze under the door to the study.
I was tiptoeing trying to not make any sound, even holding my breath when I got close to the room. With a small push, the door opens a little bit so I could see inside. At first, there was nothing, just the obscure room; when the clouds move, the moonlight illuminates a graceful body that I could recognise instantly. Adelard
He looks so out of place in that messy space, with his hair tied into a high ponytail so it doesn't touch the floor, it seems that he took my cast-offs outside and arranged them so they were all displayed on the floor against the wall but what he was observing with great concentration was his own portrait.
From where I was I could see his face clearly, so many emotions were trying to show in his eyes yet he never changed his expression, suddenly he lifted his arm and with utmost tenderness his fingers touch the picture and a whisper echoed.
"You haven't forgotten, I'm so sorry I couldn't find you sooner." He then approached the other dreadful paintings and touched them with the same gentleness as before. "It seems that you have suffered greatly in this life. If only I knew sooner, if only I looked better, if only...no I have no excuse, it is my fault for doubting you, but now...now I'm never leaving again." A few tears rolled down his expression making me feel so much anguish, I don't know why I don't want to see such sadness on that face, why my heart feels constricted from those words.
That person makes one lose its breath just from crying, yet for some reason, I want to see him smile, but not that smile that I remember from the hospital night, but a truly sincere smile.
Suddenly a dog barks from another house, Adelard looks directly at the door, with amazing speed pulled out a sword from nowhere, pointing directly at me and just for a second our eyes meet, he turns his back at me as he dries his eyes, I knew I could no longer hide, so opening the door fully Adelard again turns around with a playful smirk already on his face, the expression from before lost.
"So the mouse decides to go out to play with the cat, quite dangerous if you ask me." The way he talks makes me wonder if what happened before was real or an illusion. He takes long strides and sits down on the window sill without a care in the world, the sword dangling from his hand like a pendulum.
"Well if the cat has trespassed a private property, is no wonder that a mouse has to investigate." I drawled, not bothering to look at his face knowing full well that he is grinning like a Cheshire cat. That role is perfect with him now that I think about it, he really is a cat.
Adelard snorted and immediately covered his mouth when he saw my frown "Pft!, that is true little empress, so the mouse has more courage than the cat it seems, not that I mind a courageous and charming rodent." He replies in a bored tone that does not suit the wicked grin he was currently sporting.
I covered my face with my palm and sighed in resignation "I'm kinda tired so could you explain to me why or what are you doing in my house? moreover, how do you even know where do I live?!" I finished by suppressing shouts that would have, for sure, awoken the neighbours.
Adelard raised an eyebrow and deadpanned "I'm a hitman, do you remember? getting information is part of the gist, not that it would make a difference. I can track any prey no matter how far they are." He chuckled and shook his head perhaps finding amusement in my state of hysteria.
For one second I could have sworn that I saw a pair of pointy fangs under his lips when he grinned, but that is not possible.
"OK, I get it so can you...put away that thing." I said slightly frightened while pointing to the sword, and with my other hand, I found the switch for the lights so I turned it on.
The glare from the light blinded me but I could now confirm that the sword was a bright scarlet colour with the form of a crucifix with a handle made of ebony wood. It looks beautifully carved but a pulsing wave in my head makes me look away, feeling a headache starting to appear.
"Mmmm, well if that's what you want." With a wave of his arm, the sword transforms into an orb of pure light that starts to shrink until is the size of a coin, when the light diminishes it shows that the sword is now a crucifix with a rose choker on Adelard's neck.
A few silent seconds pass until I process the impact of what I saw and then (in a really mature way) I scream "What the actual fuck?! Just...what...how did you do that?!" I'm still dreaming I must have been still asleep because there is no way in seven hells that a sword simply transformed like magic or a sci-fi movie. I pinch myself hard and ouch!...nope this is definitely real.
"Hahaha...your expression is so funny. This is nothing, ah...wait I forgot in this era humans don't know about Auras. My bad, it seems that time passes so fast that I sometimes forget this type of stuff, oops." His voice sound apologetic but his eyes and face show his true feelings, he smiled charmingly but slowly turned into a sadistic smile.
"You know what I don´t care, go away or do whatever you want, I can't take this any longer." I was just going into my bedroom but dizziness overcomes me, making me sway dangerously on my feet.
"Czarina!" I hear someone...Adelard, something grabs my waist and legs but I'm slowly losing consciousness.
"Sorry but you need to know the truth. Don't worry, nothing will harm you. My little empress." The warmth in the voice is so opposed to his cold embrace, a touch that is both refreshing and chilling.
I feel something soft on my forehead before passing out.
"This time I will never let go."