East of the Sun-West of the Moon (Elejahverse)

Set fire to the rain

Elena woke up and looked around this most divine room, she felt she slipped through the looking glass into an unknown world, and she had found her ground, and she mulled over in her head if she had done the right thing by leaving with Elijah. 

Some strange feeling of being homesick enveloped her. She felt like crying, but then said to herself that there was no going back, just forward. She could not escape the feeling that wozld creep up now and again. Elijah was very hospitable, and she wondered if this was only because she had this leverage over him. She also didn't understand why she should keep trusting him. They all play the game of betrayal so subtly, and yet a voice within her said she could trust him after all. She had a shower and got dressed. It was quite warm, and she decided to put her hair up. "I should just have it cut"- she looked herself in the mirror. Everything changed, and with it she felt the need to change her look as well.

Since there was only three of them in this huge house, it felt like ahe was on her own. One could never hear Elijah coming or going, same as it was the case with the housekeeper, although Elena knew that she would be there, as Elijah instructed her to assist Elena with anything she mightwant or need.
Elena ventured into the kitchen and greeted Zusta cordially. The housekeeper did the same with a little smile handing over a note from Elijah.

"The Count informed also that you would be dining out today. Would you like mocha or cappuccino for your breakfast?"- she asked.

"I'm not used to all this...being served every morning."

"The Count didn't have a guest like this for a very long time, since my great-grandmother served him." Zusta then said.

"Your great-grandmother?! So, your family knows Elijah for a long time?!"

"The Count saved our family from starvation, at the beginning of 19th century when we lost everything to a very bad investment, since then we agreed to work for the Count."

The way Zusta talked about him, said that he was someone who was good and noble andthat the housekeeper had no probem  accepting Elijah for who he really  was.
Elena wanted to know more, but she left it there, as Zusta went to prepare her coffee. She sat down at the table and opened Elijah's note to her.

"Elena" it read, " I do apologize for not having breakfast with you, but I will be gone for the day. I may have come across a lead that I must personally see to. Elijah" Elena folded the note again and put it in her trouser pocket.

"Shall I take the coffee to the salon, Signorina?! Zusta urged the doppelganger to leave the kitchen, but Elena wanted to stay, as she was also eager to hear about the guest who stayed here more than a century ago. Zusta was not sure if it was appropriate to go into any more details, but Elena assured her that she would keep the story to herself, but the housekeeper remembered what her mother always had said that it was wise to keep all that they know about their benefactor to themselves, so she had to refuse Elena's efforts.

"I understand" Elena then said and went to the salon with the housekeeper. When Zusta left she took the note out of the pocket and read it again, her thoughts wondered to the what would follow. After having her breakfast, she decided to go into town, as she felt that soon they will be departing, she wanted to get more things.

Elena was not wrong, Elijah waited for the bookstore owner in Florence, who was unpleasantly surprised to see him there in person.

"Signore de Luca" Elijah said politely seeing the man's face turn slightly pale -"our last encounter wasn't a pleasant one as I recall, but you needn't worry. I am here for my package."

"I should have known that it could be you asking for the scrolls." the old man said nervously.

"The price?" Elijah said seriously.

"No, you can have them. There is no price." Luca said passing the box with the scrolls to the vampire.

Elijah took the box and said, "Still, I would like to make a donation. Thank you." The Original put a check on the counter and exited. The bookstore owner was happy that this was a very short visit and the vampire was on his way. There was one more stop he had to make in Padua before returning to Venice.

In the meantime, Elena went for a walk. She had already done some shopping but she ventured again into a shop. She needed a dress. Something good. It was only dinner, not a Ball, so why should she care what to wear, she wondered. The shopkeeper asked her what the occasion was and if she could help her. After trying out some of the dresses, she finally picked one.
She walked some more, getting a gelatto. As usual the place was busy and she wondered into more secluded area where there were no tourist.

"What am I doing?" she said to herself suddenly sitting down on a little wall by a canal.

She closed her eyes, and opened it again, and she was still in Venice. She looked at the bag with the dress,- a voice within creeping up again pressed like an alarm eversince she had made a deal with him in her room - the same voice that made her undagger him, save his life, and suggested she should go with him.
"There is no going back" she said to herself. She breathed in. It felt like she set fire to the rain and now there was nothing else to do but walk right through it.

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