10-21-2013, 12:30 PM
Continued from A Lesson
Aria hadnβt left headquarters long on her search before she stumbled across a for rent sign. It was almost literally outside the door. One of the stores near the Baccarat Mansion was a little book shop called The Delicate Scroll. On the worn sign hanging across the sidewalk for passerbyers to see the words were burnt into a piece of old wood. It looked like it had hung there for years. An all seeing eye like the one the Illuminate are rumored was burnt between the top and bottom row of words. In the window you could see an old man dusting the cases of the rows of books inside the shop, a small βroom for rentβ sign was propped up against the window.
Aria opened the glass door and the soft tinkle of the bell above let the proprietor know she had entered. He smiled a toothlessly at her. Aria smiled back.
βHow can I help you?β
Aria nodded towards the window, βCan I see that room you have for rent?β
Aria noticed he had been glancing at her wrist since she first stepped in the door. He nodded with a knowing smile. βThis way deary.β
Aria followed the man, he was hardly an inch taller than her, but he walked with a hunched back and held on to most objects as he passed by. βThere is an entrance in the alley way back there. Iβll show you were it comes in at.β
The way in the back was even more cluttered with old books and things of antiquity. On a high shelf above the door Aria spotted a sword. Could her luck be that good today? She could hardly believe it, but that was another matter, first a home, then replacing things. Sheβd only been in town for less than a week. And she didnβt want to stay under the same roof as the Regus.
The room was up two flights of stairs that was separated by a door to the shop and the hallway from the alley way. From the outside Aria would have suspected the place to be in bad shape but it wasnβt. It was far from the baccarat mansion she was sure, but it was in good repair, well light and not a smudge of dust anywhere.
The room on the other hand left a little to be desired. It was literally one room, with small bathroom off to one side. It like the rest of the shop was in good repair, even if it was small. But really she didnβt need much, just a place to crash when the world came at her full strength.
There was bare furnishings, a two seat dinner table, a small love seat with an coffee table, a double bed and a wardrobe for a closet. The bathroom was what sold it for Aria, inside what looked to be a small bathroom from where she had stood, there was a cast iron claw foot tub long enough for Aria to lay flat with out bending her knees. Granted it didnβt need to be of great length to do that, but it sold the small place.
Aria turned to the man, βHow much?β
He smiled, βIβll arrange it with your employers donβt worry about the rest.β
Aria was suspicious, but if he knew what she was then surely this wasnβt a coincidence.
He handed Aria a key and slipped out the door. βCome one down anytime.β And with that he was gone.
It wasnβt much but it wasnβt worse than the room she had in the Vatican. It would do well.
Aria hadnβt left headquarters long on her search before she stumbled across a for rent sign. It was almost literally outside the door. One of the stores near the Baccarat Mansion was a little book shop called The Delicate Scroll. On the worn sign hanging across the sidewalk for passerbyers to see the words were burnt into a piece of old wood. It looked like it had hung there for years. An all seeing eye like the one the Illuminate are rumored was burnt between the top and bottom row of words. In the window you could see an old man dusting the cases of the rows of books inside the shop, a small βroom for rentβ sign was propped up against the window.
Aria opened the glass door and the soft tinkle of the bell above let the proprietor know she had entered. He smiled a toothlessly at her. Aria smiled back.
βHow can I help you?β
Aria nodded towards the window, βCan I see that room you have for rent?β
Aria noticed he had been glancing at her wrist since she first stepped in the door. He nodded with a knowing smile. βThis way deary.β
Aria followed the man, he was hardly an inch taller than her, but he walked with a hunched back and held on to most objects as he passed by. βThere is an entrance in the alley way back there. Iβll show you were it comes in at.β
The way in the back was even more cluttered with old books and things of antiquity. On a high shelf above the door Aria spotted a sword. Could her luck be that good today? She could hardly believe it, but that was another matter, first a home, then replacing things. Sheβd only been in town for less than a week. And she didnβt want to stay under the same roof as the Regus.
The room was up two flights of stairs that was separated by a door to the shop and the hallway from the alley way. From the outside Aria would have suspected the place to be in bad shape but it wasnβt. It was far from the baccarat mansion she was sure, but it was in good repair, well light and not a smudge of dust anywhere.
The room on the other hand left a little to be desired. It was literally one room, with small bathroom off to one side. It like the rest of the shop was in good repair, even if it was small. But really she didnβt need much, just a place to crash when the world came at her full strength.
There was bare furnishings, a two seat dinner table, a small love seat with an coffee table, a double bed and a wardrobe for a closet. The bathroom was what sold it for Aria, inside what looked to be a small bathroom from where she had stood, there was a cast iron claw foot tub long enough for Aria to lay flat with out bending her knees. Granted it didnβt need to be of great length to do that, but it sold the small place.
Aria turned to the man, βHow much?β
He smiled, βIβll arrange it with your employers donβt worry about the rest.β
Aria was suspicious, but if he knew what she was then surely this wasnβt a coincidence.
He handed Aria a key and slipped out the door. βCome one down anytime.β And with that he was gone.
It wasnβt much but it wasnβt worse than the room she had in the Vatican. It would do well.