12th April 1563

Sitting at the bench outside a train station was a tall young woman with dark hair and emerald green eyes. Her frock was of the same colour as her eyes, with an enormous hat completing her look. Surrounded by two trunks, that she knew in the instant was impractical for her to carry around, even if the temptation was there. 

It was late, as it would seem, since she arranged for a ride to fetch. She had an appointment at a cafe to discuss a job opportunity there. 

She tapped her own foot, wondering whether there was another way for her to go off without having to wait for her ride. She didn’t want to be late if she could help it, even as they would forgive if she stated the real outcome. Traffic was terrible in most circumstances, regardless of whether transport was by train, tram or carriages.

Carriages needed time, and she didn’t think her luggage would be small enough for a tram. Not without her being ridiculously uncomfortable. Inside consisting of folded linen, filling up her suitcase to the brim. Each of the cloth was long enough to allow her to experiment with them.

She had received a few offers even before she graduated, many seeing her talent and hoping that she could work as a costumer. She looked at the pendant watch. Her carriage was late. 

She took the luggage head, pacing, helping to calm her down. It was at this instant that the carriage finally showed up.

She got in, a young man with black hair, the footman of her house had come. He saw her baggage and knew, in the instant, just why she had to call a carriage. He was not a tall man, being an inch shorter than her. He had a much brighter smile and looked better than the much less competent. He was late, but he made up for it by loading all of her belongings to it. 

“You look new,” she said. It had been a while since she last came back. The last year she had been there had seen her occupied for most of her visits, and when she came, she took the tram home.

“I joined a couple months ago,” the footman said. “I’m called Salvatore. I was late since the Don had some work for me to do and ferried him to the office. And the traffic around here was terrible.” 

“Have you ever picked him up from the station?” 

“He uses the streetcar when he comes back, saying something about the terrible congestion from the train station. But I understand mia Donna, why you called for help.” Before he opened the door to let her in and even checking to see whether she needed help to get onto the train. She didn’t. 

She had most of what she needed stuffed into the pockets of her dress; changed from the usually moderate pockets. “Drop me off at this address and then bring my belongings back to the house.” 

“As you wish, mia Donna,” he said. 

“And hurry, because I’m running late,” she requested. “The train left late, even when I went for the train that left two hours before the deadline. Since I feel that something like this would happen.” 

It did the first time when she was traveling with a tight schedule. Almost everyone was late, so no one was ever blamed for it. And even with such wonderful sense, she was still rushing for time. 

“Are you up for a ride?” Salvatore asked, in a tone that suggested he would try to up to help her, fulfilling just what he was supposed to do.

“I’m always up for a ride.” She leaned back. Amaranta used the carriage ride to work on a garment. She didn’t mind it, and it wasn’t as though it was long enough to try. 

The next couple of moments saw him swerve through the mazes and the smaller parts of the town, with a seasoned familiarity. She wondered where did Annibale find him, as he continued to pass through streets at such a speed and understanding just where he was going. A wild ride, but Amaranta never cared so long as she could finally arrive at her destination. 

When he halted enough for Amaranta to get off and check the time. She arrived with a few minutes to spare. Getting off the carriage, when her dread lifted itself off her shoulders. 

She knew that it was likely because of how she asked of him. “Thank you.” 

“Just doing what they hired me to do,” he said, lifting his cap for her and a smile, happy to be praised. “Do you mind if it takes a while to bring your belongings back?” 

“Not at all, I’m thankful that you want to do it.” He drove the horse to exhaustion she had to thank him for getting her here so fast. She had sent out applications to see what sort of offers she would get here, and there were quite a few she saw as excellent opportunities.

Fortunately, he already came forward. Dressed in a new suit, although the material was still rough. “Are you Signorina de Moreni?” 

“Please, call me Amaranta, Signore Bianchi.” She followed him to the seat. It had been a dare on Bianca’s side, mostly to see where she could go. Looking specifically at Rovirna for a future job. Amaranta was eager to return home, to stay away from Marallo for a period. She missed her, it was where she grew up. Marallo was a bustling city, with many things she appreciated, but here there was something more special. 

“If you insist, then you must call me Cecilio,” he replied. Holding the chair for her, even as she would not insist upon it as a courtesy.  

“You grew up here in Rovirna?” He started off first. “You have an address listed in the city.” 

“Yes, I just moved back recently after graduation. It’s still home and offers more opportunities. Marallo is more expensive, and so I thought it was better to come back home,” she replied. 

Better than perhaps staying at Marallo, since Amaranta would need to pay for her rent; something that she didn’t need to do here. Not to mention that living in Marallo was expensive without family, and her work wasn’t the most well-paid. Rovirna had a good theatre scene too, although paling slightly when compared to Marallo. It was better for her to move back to Rovirna.

“I have received about your designs, and they are very good even despite your age. The opera house that I’m working for is short-handed recently, and they are looking for a novice costumer,” he said. Not needing to elaborate more, since she was trained specifically for it. “If you’re good, they’ll keep you on.” 

A long-term opportunity, Amaranta could entertain it and see how it goes for her. She took a sip of her coffee, as Signore Bianchi had excused himself to reach into the bag. 

“This is the salary: it’ll be a hundred and fifty lire a month.” 

She put down the cup, realizing that it was not something she could turn down. Desperately trying to hide her temptation to show her elation. The amount was far above even what she could make in Marallo, even despite its expensive cost of living. 

“What would I be doing?” She asked. Just to be sure, since she learned in school that it could go beyond that.

“Costuming, but there could be a little more to it. We don’t mind putting you in other departments, should you,” he replied. 

Amaranta couldn’t find a reason to deny his offer. The opera house was a renowned old opera house established over a century ago; the offered salary was higher than what she could find.

She picked up her cup to buy some time, wondering whether there was more. “I hope to get your answer now, because we are short of people and many of them are lining up to join us.” 

A move to get her to agree. Negotiating wouldn’t be a wise move, for she was new and low of rank, but he was showing his desperation. It could give her much security. 

Amaranta gave him a smile. “Is there anything that I would need to take note?” 

“Not much, just that we are strict about not wandering around, and that we encourage you to leave during the night. You need to get permission to stay there,” he said. Even as Amaranta wasn’t familiar enough in such an environment.

“Can I bring it back home?” She asked.

“That is something that we prefer too, since we don’t arrange for any transport should you stay late. Unless you are an actor.” Unusual, but she would accept it. It was not something that she could deny, anyway. 

“I’ll accept your offer,” she said. He lit up in a smile, holding out his hand. A handshake to finish the deal and solidify it. 

“Glad to have you, could you start on the 19th?” He asked. 

“Yes, I can start on 19th.” Perhaps making it even better. 

“I need to leave to another appointment,” he excused himself. “I hope to see you there. And thank you for meeting with me today.”

He stood up, grabbing his coat and leaving the cafe.   

This was smooth, and perhaps faster than she thought. She never had experience, but he didn’t particularly mind it either. 

Even as she wondered whether he was looking for more hands, she finished her cup of coffee and then eventually left too. She went to find a tram, and the trip wasn’t long before she reached her home.

Once she entered her house and stood in the drawing room, she could only feel exhaustion. Though she traveled plenty. But never with so much stuff. Perhaps why they said that moving is more tiring than traveling. Technically, she was moving from her dormitory to her house.

She gave a sigh and leaned back, feeling her own exhaustion. Hearing footsteps, Amaranta stood up. 

To her surprise, she found her brother there. Already home, even as she almost never saw him at all despite passing by Marallo at least a dozen times in the last year. She looked at him. He has changed little other than his apparel, which was finer.

“I didn’t know you were coming back here today,” he said, giving a smile. Then joining beside her.

“I had quite the day, the train was delayed and even my own precautions couldn’t prevent anything. And then I went to meet with a probable employer who gave me such an excellent offer.” 

“Shouldn’t Marallo or Nexia have better opportunities for you as a costumer?” Annibale asked his sister. 

“Well, I would need to pay rent, which removes any benefit. Besides, it has been two decades, and it is comparable to them both. I keep more of what I earn if I stay here,” she said. 

“And that you’re also planning something with your friend,” Annibale said. He looked at her with a smile on his face that told her he knew, even if she never slipped up in front of him.

“How did you know?” She asked. Curious, he passed her a letter. It was from Scholastique. Sealed, and she doubted that he would go through that trouble. He wasn’t one to snoop, although he was perceptive.

“It still doesn’t answer the question.” 

“It’s a guess, I mean, otherwise you wouldn’t be here. And I just heard Salvatore lugging all your luggage, it seems excessive even from what I know of you.” 

“I’ll let you in on a little secret,” she said. Perhaps he could easily tell. There was something that he thought. “I will not lie to you.” 

She went into her old room, and to one of the suitcase. Showing just what she was working on, even as she was almost convinced that it was difficult. She opened it, showing a finished dress. 

“I’m planning to do a fashion line with her. We’re launching our own, and it has been took me years to get to this,” she said.

“I think it looks like a good idea even if I don’t know the first thing about clothes, but you have the skills for it.” He looked at it, not knowing much about this topic. But knowing his sister, who hasn’t went to a boutique in just over two years. 

“I guess so,” she said. Revealing just what she had been up to all this time and while. “Though what are you doing right now?” 

“I just restored an old building, which I turned into an office for me to discuss investments,” Annibale said with enthusiasm. 

“So, what you do is find companies that you think you want to invest in and then do it?” She looked, unimpressed.

“I have a very rigorous selection program,” he answered. 

“The supreme judge of this is your gut instinct,” she said, her eyebrow raised at his answer. It didn’t even need to be hard to point that out to him. He didn’t deny her statement with his silence. “But I accepted a job since there is no guarantee that I can make this work.” 

“You lack faith, if you think you need a backup plan. It’s best to just do this first and once you can’t make it work to go to others. This is limiting the time that you can focus on figuring this out instead,” he said. He was honest, thinking about it as a true businessman would. 

But she could not, she always thought it too risky. Too difficult and easier for her to do this. It was always more difficult, since she was trying to make new fashion trends. Made to her own personal taste, and hence it was more likely to have a narrow audience.

“Those are excellent points,” she said. “But I already agreed. It was too good an opportunity with the Societas Elisse.” 

“That’s a rather prestigious opera house, and they gave you an irresistible offer?” Annibale asked, bewildered at the prospect. 

“They have a lot of rules and regulations. I am a little hesitant, but I don’t think I can get a better offer. Not to mention what he would do. Maybe he spreads the word around, saying that I’m holding out for a better offer.” 

“That sounds tricky, I’m just lucky that I do not have to worry about this.”  

“Until the day you lose everything and have to find work.” Even as it was a complete laugh for them both, it was unlikely that he would, if that was the case, what he would do in consideration would be to make a whole new business and then start over. 

“Congratulations on your new job,” he said. “How about we celebrate a little tonight?” 

“Thanks,” she said.  

He left the room, leaving Amaranta inside. She knew that there had to be something more, but she made an agreement, turning her back without good reason was not the wisest move even when she had misgivings. Assuring herself about the offer, she accepted being the best choice, even despite her own uneasiness about it.