Serendipity: We Bloom until We Ache

※{Light on Me}※

"Long time no see friend." Jim took a joyful step towards the man pulling him in an embrace.

"Long time? You were here to disrupt my peace only a couple of days before." The man who appeared so mysteriously dark a while ago was now smiling as he spoke with Jim. Emmeline stood there, observing the character and waiting for her cue to join the conversation.

"Oh dear, you bestow upon me one favor and do not stop telling tales for the next century. Anyways, I would like to introduce you to my friend." Jim glanced towards Emmeline as she politely bowed to the man. "We are traveling and need a place to stay the night in." Jim made sure to add.

The man's voice changed its scale again as he turned to present his introduction.

"Welcome to my garden and home. Any friend of Jim's is a friend of mine. I welcome you to my fort." He stood firm as his mask glistened in the setting sun."People call me Smeraldo."

"It is a pleasure to meet you Mr. Smeraldo. I am Emmeline"

"You need not fuss over honorifics. The fragile prideful customs of the nobles irk me"

"Pardon me- I only felt it was necessary considering the status of the Lord of this fort. I shall mind my way of address in future."

"You bear a lot of a resemblance to a noble lady I have heard of from Norwich. You share the same name too. Come in now, it is getting dark." Smeraldo turned to lead them inside as Jim and Emmeline gave each other a knowing nod, following him inside the edifice.

"I get that a lot. My parents are mere farmers but great admirers of House of Emor so they gave me a name same as the daughter of the Duke. Sort of a tribute if one may call it."

"Certainly. She even has a younger brother named Arthur, just like the real Lady Emor. Right?" Jim contributed to the act while Emmeline looked around at the interior architecture in awe.

She observed the intricate details, so archaic that this may perhaps even be the last fort standing in the empire from its time. The chandeliers and carefully placed lanterns illuminated the designs in the walls in an ingenious manner. Smeraldo had left them to wait in the halls while he made the basic arrangements for their stay. Jim watched Emmeline as she traced the details carved into the oak-wood mantelpiece, the blaze casting light upon her.

"This is beautiful." She muttered under her breath.

"Very beautiful indeed." Jim whispered with his eyes locked on her. She had gotten so engrossed admiring the interior that she did not see or hear him move until now.

"Milady, you seem different. Is it perhaps the disguise?"

"Different? In what sense if I may ask?"

"You are very intrigued by a mere old rusty fort. To think that you would be so fascinated over pretty carvings is quite a disparity from the unnerving lady you were at the castle who seems like nothing is good enough to catch her attention. It is refreshing but more than that it only makes one more curious. Which one is the real you?"

"The 'pretty carvings' are fascinating if only you know the stories it presents. These delicate designs have captured years of history of wars, the people and the myths of this forest. To talk of curiosity however, you are one to speak. One may argue that you being able to wield a dagger so well and ride a horse to the level of a refined equestrian are quite the 'disparity' between the swan-like dancer and the musician I saw." She chuckled in a low voice, keeping a gaze on his face to observe any reaction from her words. 

"My flute, I twirl it the same way I did the dagger, so nothing odd about that. Also, Silk is a fine one, she is easy to get along with. That is it."