The Timeless Library

12. Where There Is Smoke

Tick. Tock. The only constant in the hazy room.

The grandfather clock marked four minutes past three. Next to it, a window showed a dark forest of pine trees blanketed by fog and twilight, a scenery further obfuscated by thick clouds and heavy rain. The interior of the room felt much warmer in contrast, though all that served as a source of light was an old oil-lit candle on a small table by the corner. It gave an eerie glow to the pinned butterflies that hung on the wall just above it.

A woman frowned, though it was not due to the lack of illumination. She stared at two cards pensively:

An ace. A king.

"Made up your mind yet?" asked the man who sat on the other side of the table, smugly holding his own set of cards. He glanced down at the burning cigarette that lay forgotten between them on a glass ashtray of intricate design. "The longer you take, the more the smoke will obscure your thoughts, you know."

"Don't rush me," the woman answered quietly. She unconsciously traced her thumb over her lips. "Making this decision lightly would be a mistake."

"You're taking it too seriously, dear." The man's eyes sparkled with intrigue. "It's just a card game, after all."

"Is that so?" Replied the woman, always keeping her eyes on her two cards.

An ace. A king.

The man leaned back and stretched nonchalantly, adjusted his overalls, then crossed a foot over his knee and watched as the woman continued thinking. She seemed composed and motionless, at first, but careful observation would show the way the skin beneath her eye twitched ever so slightly as her hand moved away from her lips to adjust the neck of her elaborate dress, then back upwards to twirl the hair that had come loose from her bun.

Tick. Tock.

"You're going to have to give one up eventually," the man said through his smile. "Your ace, or your king. Either way, I'm sure both of them would understand. One a hero, another raised to be noble. Two pawns ready to accept the sacrifice you choose, each in their own way. I hardly see your struggle here."

"They're both in my hands," the woman muttered, "relying on my judgement. I cannot do them the dishonor of making the wrong choice, and ruining it for us all."

The man chuckled. "I fear you're not seeing the inevitability of your position."

For the first time, the woman raised her eyes, meeting the man's piercing gaze with her own. "I fear you are too short-minded to realize it is not quite as inevitable as you believe."

Tick. Tock.

Without breaking eye contact, now filled with pure determination, the woman delicately placed the ace on the table.

"I trust her to do what must be done..."

She then placed the king on top of the ace, and carefully pushed both cards towards the man.

"...and I trust he will bring her back to me, safe and sound. Your move, good sir."