Bone Diggers - Chapter Twenty Three

Loading... Chapter Twenty Three

It was now only a short trip to the beauty that was Santiago, and from this vantage point, the whole city was in view. Trees added scattered swatches of green and orange. A large cathedral defined the skyline with its sharp dark points. Despite the charm of the city, Daniel turned to Amilia, captivated by her breathless expression. "Just like you imagined?"

Amilia had been literally on the edge of her seat, waiting for the first glimpse of the city. She finally looked away to grin over at him. "Unbelievably so."

Their horses came to a stop outside a tavern, and Amilia immediately jumped down. She made a detour of ambushing Daniel with a hug before fluttering away towards the building. He chuckled, and followed her inside. Amilia asked the man at the counter for two rooms. The clerk looked at her, then, with a slight narrowing of his eyes, moved on to Daniel. The expression wasn't quite clear enough to say if he thought they were trouble or just secretly up to something sinful. But the exchange of coin silenced whatever objection was there.

Amilia turned to Daniel and held one of the keys out in front of him. "Your room is waiting for you, sir."

"Why thank you, mademoiselle." He pocketed the key and headed back out to pull the wagon and horses around to the stables. Afterwards, they returned to their rooms, which were separated by a measure of the hall.

The very first thing Daniel did was fall onto the bed, letting every inch relax into it.

The brief respite was interrupted by a knock on the door. He sat up as Amilia came in. "So, what's on our tourist to-do list?"

"There's the monastery, the cathedral, a museum or two, and even a library inside the University," she rattled on.

"Impressive list."

"And actually, if it's alright with you, I'd like to stop somewhere to get new clothes." Amilia nervously ran a hand through hair that she had barely touched up. "I didn't bring much to start with, and some of that was ruined."

"Of course," Daniel said. She had first come to him so upset, and he had thought the watery mishap days ago would have dampened her spirits further, but she seemed to find joy simply in being here. "We can even go right away."

As they walked down to the market, Daniel was surprised how many people carried on with bored expressions. It wasn't that they were unhappy, but what Amilia had said about seeing the same thing every day rang true.

A quaint shop with spools of rich fabric stretched out in its window caught Amilia's attention from around a corner. She let go of Daniel's arm as she took a few steps in that direction. "I won't drag you in, and I promise to be out as quick as possible."

He wouldn't have really minded, but let her go as she pleased. She was right in one respect, however; the wait wasn't long at all. His stare broke into a grin as she did a spin upon her return. The dress she loved enough to wear out of the store was bluish gray and flowed down to her ankles. The tint brought out the traces of green and gold in her eyes with ease. "You were right," Daniel said. "Everything in this city is beautiful." Her blush served as a new accent color.

They decided the cathedral would be their next stop, a joint choice that ended up surprising her. A thief wanting to visiting a church for fun was a rarity. Roman-Gothic spikes stretched upwards with crosses nested at the very top. The watchful clouds above cast a shadowy gray onto the stones. Amilia shared a smile with the statue of Saint James outside as they passed.

Their self-guided tour ended at the University's library, where some of the books lining the shelves seemed to predate the church's wisdom. Daniel tried not to get too wrapped up with a single text when everything begged for his attention.

When Amilia had her fill, she wrapped her arm around his so they wouldn't be captivated by the library's spell.

They wandered back into the street and decided to call it a day. As they moved through the crowd, someone bumped into Amilia. She glanced up to mumble an apology, but the face she saw caught her attention. "Sebastiano?"

The man's face lit up when he recognized who he had bumped into. "Ah, Amilia!" he said, "Mi señora, how are you? I haven't seen you in ages."

"I'm great, I'm just visiting town with my friend," she said. Her arm untangled from Daniel, to offer her hand in greeting to Seb.

He promptly placed a kiss there before giving Daniel a passing glance. "Just a friend?" His eyes lit up at the suggestion, and smiled as if he had said something more flirty. Amilia let out a nervous laugh and glanced towards Daniel. She seemed to pale at being put on the spot.

"If only that was all," Daniel mused to Seb's irritation. The comment soiled Seb's pretty smile, and was an opportunity Daniel took a step further. "It's nice to meet you," he said, and offered his hand. The silent start of a competition.

"Same here," Seb said with a forced smile as Daniel's sheer grip strength made him wince.

Amilia sighed, not attempting to hide it in the slightest. Daniel took back his hand and glanced over to see her up rub a hand against a fledgling headache. "If you'll excuse us," she said, "we were about to head back, but it was very nice seeing you again."

They hadn't even made it two steps before his voice halted them again. "Wait, we should catch up," Seb added. "We all missed you and your family. Are you free tonight?"

"Sure," Amilia agreed, without a second thought.

"I'm guessing you're staying at the inn across town, by the gates?" he asked. She nodded. "Then it'd be my pleasure to pick you up for dinner, miquerida?"

Daniel's neutral expression slipped at the term of endearment. It went unnoticed as Amilia agreed and curtsied a proper goodbye.

"I guess we won't have time for a meal ourselves," Amilia said, on their way back to the inn. "But now you are free to explore without me dragging you all over town."

"I'll likely just stay in."

Amilia dropped behind for a moment. Daniel let out a small sigh and turned around to face her. She looked intent on standing right there on that little patch of ground until he explained his tone.

"I just..." Daniel pressed his lips together. He didn't want to say anything. Nothing would come out right, and he knew that. "I don't like that guy."

"Why not?" Amilia's voice raised as she tried to conceal her outrage in the form of a question. "I've known him since I was a child."

Daniel glanced away and spotted a couple that was holding hands, so enraptured with each other that the dessert on their table was completely ignored. His eyes rolled back to find Amilia standing there waiting. "I don't know," he lied at first. "It's odd timing to just run into an old family friend like that after you wanted to flee town."

"I think you are just jealous."

"Jealous?" Daniel's expression pulled tight. "I'm not—"

"You can't even say it with a straight face," Amilia said, and pointed a finger at him. "Don't you believe in coincidence at all?"

"Not in this world," Daniel mumbled.

"Well, I'm going to enjoy myself tonight." She stepped away, headed towards the inn again.

"Good," Daniel grumbled. "Enjoy your date with a baby-faced creep." The words left a bad taste in his mouth. He hadn't said them very loud, but Amilia paused at the inn's doorway in shock.

"I will!" she said forcefully, and nearly whipped the door closed behind her.

Owen ripped off his headset in annoyance. They were both acting like children. All he wanted was a fun night running around a city he had largely ignored. Instead they were picking fights. He got up from the couch, abandoning the headset on the cushion for now. Owen hadn't logged out, but the game could run as he took a break. His character would just stand there like any other idle NPC might. At worst the game would consider him inactive after a while and bounce him to the nearest rest stop literal steps away.

He checked the refrigerator for anything good, but quickly closed it, not thrilled by the leftovers that were questionably old. Owen made himself some coffee, and sat up on the counter as he waited for it. A half-hearted vibration came from his pocket. He pulled his phone out as it reminded him of old notifications.

There wasn't anything to write home about. A few tweets from Emily, a stray text from Neal about the bullshit that was traffic. The usual, really. He finished half of his coffee and checked whatever else he could while he was at it.

Owen walked back into the living room, taking a large gulp of coffee before placing the mug down on the table. He ran a hand through his hair and pulled the headset back on.

As he expected, Daniel was now in his room. He found the book he had "borrowed" from the library sitting on the tiny desk. Daniel tried to focus on it, but kept thinking about how immature they had been about this whole thing. Why should he care what Amilia did? Just because someone rubbed him the wrong way didn't automatically make them a bad guy.

He had been jealous, and hadn't even realized it until he gave himself a moment to think. The self-confession at very least cleared his mind enough that he could properly read. The book retold the story of Perseus, Medusa, and a shield that rivaled the glory of the sun. Daniel read on, thinking this would be a proper prize to bring back to the guild.

"I had a wonderful time, Sebastiano." Amilia's voice, carrying in from the hallway.

Was the game still going on about that? Daniel shook his head, deciding he should stay out of it. He hoped the ambient sounds would die off, but that wish didn't align with Owen's settings.

"Me too, but the night is still young," Seb suggested.

"Pardon?"

Daniel tuned them out. It was their business, not his, but when a door slammed his stance on the matter changed in a heartbeat, and he quickly headed into the hallway.

Seb was dressed in his Sunday best, an odd contrast as he shamelessly banged against Amilia's closed door. "Open up!"

Without a word, Daniel walked over to a room service cart, grabbed a tray, and let the dishes underneath fall. Seb turned to address him, and Daniel swung the tray at his head. The force knocked Seb to the ground, and away from the door. Daniel tossed the tray away. It bounced twice before skidding to a stop upon hitting the base of a wall. Daniel picked the ass up off the floor by his lacy collar. "If I ever see you near Amilia without her say again, I will break both of your legs."

"You have no right to threaten me," Seb spat, and tried to pull out of Daniel's grip. When Seb found no success in doing so, he went on. "You will never reach the level of status and honor that my family and I have." He swung a punch and, in his half drunken stupor, missed without much effort on Daniel's part.

Daniel let go, and Seb staggered forward without the support. "Honor?" Daniel asked, and took a step back. "Doubt you know the meaning of it."

Seb tried to throw another punch, and Daniel returned the haphazard attack with an uppercut of his own. It bounced Seb back into Amilia's closed door. He looked ready to slide down it as Daniel grabbed a handful of fabric and pulled Seb down the hall.

Daniel pushed him out the front door, and the man fell towards the gutter barely able to catch himself in time. "Are we at an understanding about Amilia?"

"Do you think you are someone special to her?" Seb wiped his face, smearing dirt across his mouth on accident. "You know nothing."

"I know that gutter suits you," Daniel said. "That is enough."

He didn't waste any more time with the trash before he went to check on Amilia. Now that he was locked on the outside of the door, he worried about knocking. "Can I come in?" Daniel asked softly instead.

There was the hesitant sound of her slowly undoing the locks, and Daniel stepped into her room without a word. What could he even say about what happened? In the end, it might have been better that he had no words, since Amilia's stress refocused to a fury.

"Are you happy?" Her voice was hushed despite the anger guiding it. "You were right."

She tore out the pins in her hair and discarded them without care, littering the floor with the handful. Her fear twisted into anger and gained her some volume. "Is this all just a game to you? That if you saved the girl who 'didn't know better,' it would make you a hero?" Amilia asked, as she sat on the end of the bed. Defeated, she tugged her shoes off, and they fell to the floor with a heavier thud.

"How did I?" Daniel's question was so inelegant in comparison. He understood why she was upset, but was lost to where he personally fucked up.

"Please. Clearly you know better. Why should I even get a say anymore? Because seeing as you—everyone thinks they can judge, or control, what I do. My uncle, Sebastiano, all you men are all the same." The poison in her tone only seemed to get thicker as she went on.

"Dammit Amilia," he said softly. His brow was tight as he looked over her, more worried than anything else. "Do you think I tell you things because I'm trying to manipulate you? That I'm trying to pull your strings like you are a puppet?"

"And for the record..." Daniel continued. Amilia's cheeks felt like they were on fire, but she defiantly looked up at him with narrowed eyes. "No, I'm not happy. I'm sorry that your old friend was scum. I'm sorry that your life at home is awful. I'm sorry this happened."

He took a step closer, but quickly stopped as she fidgeted. Feeling trapped seemed to be a concern now, and in general. "Please just realize, none of this was your fault." he said, "And that when I tell you to do something it's because I genuinely care about you."

Amilia stared at him, jaw clenched as she listened. "How am I supposed to believe you when half the time we act like we can't care less about each other? How in the world am I supposed to believe you at all, Daniel? I know close to nothing about you, because you are always the guild's first," she said. "The only time you open up is when you get to act as the hero and save the dear damsel in distress.. It's been months, and there hasn't been a mention of me being accepted as part of your guild either. I know what I am to him." Amilia nodded her head towards the door as if the name was too much right now. "So, who am I to you? A girl you put up with for what benefit?"

The two just stared at each other as she finished, both looking a little surprised that she had said it. Amilia ended up looking away first.

"I..." Daniel started. She had asked him the same a while ago, and he still didn't know if he had the right answer. "Amilia."

Confused, she lifted her eyes to meet his.

"Amilia. That's who you are to me," Daniel clarified. "I'm sick of ifs and maybes. I'm sick of the world making it seem like we are so obvious. So, if you could just tell me what you feel, we can stop pretending with the rest."

"Please get out of my room," she whispered.

His mouth opened, more confused than he was a moment ago. Instead of pushing, Daniel willed himself to stay silent and returned to his room.

At least he could breathe in here. Their relationship, if that's what it could be called, was messy. He had been trying to keep it as simple as possible, but the game was forcing a rough inevitability.

Had he messed up somewhere? Or was this a trope that even Age of Shadows' system insisted on? Owen was ready to leave the game for the night when he heard Amilia's light voice.

"Daniel?" She gently pushed his door open and shifted her weight uncomfortably between her feet. "You wanted to know what I felt," she started, carefully building up to her point. "And, well, I'm sick of only causing damage. This has never been easy, but I promise not to run away from things again."

Daniel felt caught in the same sticky web of thoughts from before, making him unsure of what Amilia was doing. Even as she moved close, leaning into the chair he held perfectly still. Amilia's kiss made Daniel feel like he could breathe again. His hands flexed, and curled into themselves as the last line of resistance.

"Please, don't hate me," she whispered. Amilia pulled back enough to stare into his bright blue eyes. "Because that's the farthest from what I feel for you."

"I, uh," Daniel said. He was at a loss. What line hadn't been overused? What line could express that he was still worried? That he wanted to know if her fear was manifesting in a new way? "I could never hate you."

They kissed softly, as if every touch of their lips treated a part of their tired souls. Daniel refused to push an inch. They stood on such fragile ground as it was. "Amilia, I need this to be real, because I won't go back to our old dance."

"I feel safe with you," she said, "I feel like I belong."

Daniel smiled, despite the shake of his head. "This would never work in the real world," he commented to himself.

She lifted a hand to caress the side of his face, stubble feeling rough under her touch. "Good thing we aren't there."