April 17^th. Sunny evening. 22-year-old James was in his booth near Holy St. Lithe’s vicinity around the corner. He was with a female client, reading her fortune by touching the palm of her hand.

“What is it you see, Mr. Ruth?” The woman asks.

James is in thought as he sees the palm of the woman’s hand, and sees something that concerns him.

“It seems that,” He speaks. “You will not keep the home that you live in.”

The woman looks at him in confusion. “Why?”

“I see a fire that’s burning down your home. You will be homeless for a short period of time, but you’ll still have your valuables.”

“For how long?”

“For a couple months or so. On the bright side, you will have a new home that is much roomier and structurally sound than your last home.”

The woman, while sad, understood she would have a new home.

“Well, that’s… bittersweet.” She comments. “That’s what you see?”

“Yes.” He replies.

“Okay. Is there anything else that you, see?”

James focuses as he feels the palm of the woman’s hand and sees something else. “Is your occupation a seamstress?”

The woman looks at him surprised. “Yes?”

“If you continue, you become a well-known one making well-made dresses and suits making a fair coin. Also, while doing so, your occupation will lead you to your future spouse within a couple of years who is a fairly known aristocrat. Your marriage will be prosperous and wonderous with three beautiful children; two girls and a boy.”

The woman was happy inside, more with becoming known for her talent than becoming married to an aristocrat; even though it was still great to her nonetheless along with the children. James then looks at his sundial, seeing that it was getting late.

“Well, Ma’am,” He speaks. “That’s all the time we have for you today. I thank you for spending your time here. It was most appreciated.”

“You’re most welcome, Mr. Ruth.” She responds. “Same time next week?”

“Absolutely. You go home and have a good evening and stay safe.”

The woman pays James 15 Veles and leaves to go home walking down the road while James packs up everything and closes his booth. He then starts walking around the corner to the orphanage, and walks up the church’s steps and knocks on the door. The door opens revealing Sister Theresa who becomes instantly excited when she sees James’ face and gives him a hug.

“Oh, James, my darling!” She greets. “It’s so good to see you again! Please, come in.”

She then stops hugging him and opens the door for him to come in.

“Deborah! Father Nyris! James is here!” She shouts.

Deborah comes in the foyer from the kitchen while Nyris comes from upstairs. The two walk toward James with Deborah giving him a hug, and then Nyris.

“Bless the Maker for you to visit us.” Deborah speaks. “How was your day today?”

“It was okay.” James responds. “I did palm readings for seven people today. Some were great, some… not so much. So, is there anything I can help you three with?”

“Well,” Theresa speaks. “Crystabelle and I might need help to put the children in for the night.”

“I’ll help you then.”

“I’ve already cleaned the dishes with the help of Sister Lorraine and Sister Catherine, so there’s no need to help.” Deborah adds.

“Okay.”

“Once you’re done helping Theresa,” Nyris speaks. “I would like to speak to you in the sanctuary before you leave.”

“Sure, Father.”

.   .   .

Now nighttime, James was done helping upstairs with Theresa and Crystabelle who is dressed in black nun attire and is same height as Theresa with light skin and brown eyes, with the children getting them ready for bed. James, Theresa, and Crystabelle silently walk out of the children’s bedroom and quietly close the door.

“Thank you, James.” Theresa praises. “That took a shorter time than expected.”

“Is putting them to bed that hard now? Come now, Sister.” James jokes.

“Please. It was the same way with you when you were a child, young man.” She retorts. “You were always talking with Father Nyris too early in the morning before church, reading other than sleeping. Also, you kept asking me so many questions that you know I could not answer to the point that I start stumbling over my words.”

James and Crystabelle chuckle at Theresa.

“He really did that?” She asks.

Theresa nods her head with a pout. “He definitely did.”

“I must’ve have been some child back then.” James comments.

“Yes, you were. Anyway, go downstairs so you can talk with Father Nyris. We’re going to bed. It was good seeing you again, my boy.”

“It was great seeing you too, Sister. Goodnight.”

James embraces Theresa in a hug and then hugs Crystabelle, and leaves to go downstairs, walking to the other side of St. Lithe, and turns left to open the doors to the sanctuary which was fairly lit with candles near the pulpit. James sees Nyris at the pulpit and slowly walks up towards him.

“What would you like to speak to me about, Father Nyris?” James asks.

Nyris looks at James with a gentle smile on his face.

“March 8^th, 1549.” He responds. “That was the night you were born and the night that you were brought here. What a precious time that was. Come up here. I have something to show you.”

James quickly steps up to the pulpit. “What is it?”

Nyris gives him an envelope that has James’ name on it. The sender had a name with James’ exact surname with an unknown address. James opens the envelope and sees a letter inside.

“It came today.” Nyris comments. “Go on. Read it.”

James unfolds the letter, and it reads:

Dear James,

My name is Elsa Carso. I am a Roma woman that was on the run 22 years ago because of a genocide that was going on at the time against my people back in the Seran Desert. I ran with a group all the way to Velorice City carrying my newborn child. In the middle of that night on the 8^th of March, I gave birth to a baby boy. That boy was you, James. I conceived you with a man named Gad Ruth who came from the city of Hale. The reason I gave you up to this cathedral was that it was close, and I was still on the run, and I knew they would keep you safe. You would not have been safe with me. So as a mother, I had to make that sacrifice. Since the genocide is over, I am no longer running, and I am with your birth father now, I decided to write this letter to you and sent it to Father Nyris Dustine.

If you would like us all to truly meet, send a letter confirming you want to. I’ve missed you dearly, and so has your father. I’ve wondered if you look as you have in my dreams, and we have some catching up to do. Even if we never met, your father and I do love you.

                                                             ~Your Mother~

                                                                Elsa Carso-Ruth

James begins tearing up with joy as he reads the letter, making Nyris put his hand on his shoulder to console him.

“They both came by today earlier and talked to us about everything.” He explains. “I told her I would’ve opened the doors to her as well if she stayed longer, but she said she didn’t want to put that burden on us which I understood. They’re willing to see you.”

James gets himself together and wipes the tears from his eyes and looks at Nyris.

“I’ll make sure I’ll send them a letter once I get home.” He speaks gratefully. “Thank you so much for showing me this, Father. This made my day.”

“You’re welcome, my son. Now, you go home and get some sleep. Goodnight, James.”

“Goodnight, Father.”

.   .   .   .   .

James leaves out of St. Lithe and onto the steps. Seeing how dark it was, he puts the letter in his pocket, picks up a torch lighting it with a match, and starts walking in the streets back in the inn’s direction. As he is halfway towards the inn, he hears rustling in the bushes to his right. He instantly aims the torch in the direction he hears the sound.

“Who is over there?!” He yells. “Come out now!”

He cautiously sees the rustle of the bushes and sees someone come into the path of the walkway. It was a woman with long red hair wearing a red silk robe. The woman stumbles towards James with a worried look in her eyes. James slowly walks up to the woman as she falls into his arms.

“Are you alright, ma’am?” He asks.

“I… seem to be lost.” She replies. “I saw the light of that building back there… and I started running over here seeing the torch… Where am I?”

“This is Velorice City. Did something happen to you?”

As James helps her stand up, the woman begins to breathe heavily and starts to sob.

“A group of men came to where I lived and started… killing the people in the town I live in down south of the city.” She weeps. “They spotted me, threatened to kill me and I ran for my life and hid in the bushes.”

“They chased you this far?” James asks. “Who were they?”

“I don’t know who they were. I don’t know if they were humans or vampires. They were on horses when they were chasing me.”

“When was this?”

The woman looks at the sky seeing how dark it was. “I guess it was… a few of hours ago. I must’ve gone to sleep while I was hiding…”

James then sees the features of the woman. Besides her red hair, her skin was pale, her figure was an hourglass with large bust, and medium sized hips that he sees through her robe. He then sees her eyes which show him something about her. “You’re… a vampire.”

“Yes.” She replies. “I come from a tribe of vampires south from here—well… I used to.”

“I can take you to an inn that can give you somewhere to sleep at if you want.”

“That’s nice of you, Mister… What’s your name?”

“James. James Ruth. And your name is?”

“Delianna Remi. Thank you. You’re very sweet.”

They both walk together in silence and make it to Velour Inn a few minutes later.

.   .   .

James and Delianna walk into the inn where Harland was sitting at the front desk. Harland looks up and sees them both.

“Good evening, James.” He greets. “And who is this lovely lady?”

“Her name is Delianna.” James replies. “I found her like this.”

“You found her like this?”

“Yes.”

Harland looks at Delianna with concern. “What happened, Miss?”

“I… I’d rather not talk about it right now. I’ve seen so much tonight.” She replies in a low tone. “I’m so tired and I am drained… I want to sleep…”

“Well, I don’t have any free rooms, ma’am. My suggestion is that you share with James until a room is deemed available. Free of charge for you, James.”

James nods. “Thanks, Harland, and goodnight.”

James then escorts Delianna upstairs to the second floor and into his room. Delianna looks around seeing how spacious his place is.

“So, it’s just you who lives here?” She asks.

“Yes.” James replies. “Well, I know you’re tired and the only thing I have for you to sleep on is my bed.”

James points to his king-sized bed catching her attention.

“There’s no other type of furniture?” Delianna asks.

“Well… I don’t have enough money to buy furniture. Not crafty to make them either.”

Delianna chuckles. “Well, I’d say your bed will have to do. Also, I have to ask this, but do you have something I can wear to bed? This robe is dirty and… I’m not wearing anything underneath.”

James begins to stammer a little before he can answer her. “Uh… I think I have something you can wear. Let me check.”

He then goes through his drawer and finds a long light cotton shirt. When he turns around, he sees Delianna disrobing, prompting James to look away immediately and clears his throat, getting Delianna’s attention. She has a feeling that James saw her since he was looking away from her.

“Oh! I’m sorry, James.” She speaks apologetically. “I should’ve told you I was undressing.”

“No. It’s okay.” He assures. “I should’ve looked away ahead of time. I… I found something you can wear.”

As his head is still turned, his arm is extended to give Delianna the shirt. Delianna takes the shirt from James to put it on which took her no time to put it on.

“It’s okay now. You can look.” She speaks.

James sees her in his shirt, seeing that it stops above her knees and shows her bust, causing Delianna to cross her arms.

“Are you imagining something, James?” Delianna asks suspiciously.

“No! Not at all!” He replies in a slight panic. “I’m just getting tired. You go on to sleep. I’ll be going to sleep shortly.”

“Okay. Goodnight, James.”

“Goodnight, Delianna.”

Delianna then gets into his bed and lays down to sleep. Moments later as he sits at his table, James turns to see Delianna facing away from him fast asleep. He turns back to the table and takes out his tarot cards, laying 5 cards face down. He then flips the first card over.

“This woman… is the girlfriend that was destined?” He quietly asks and looks back at the sleeping Delianna. “A vampire woman as my girlfriend? Wow.”

He then flips the second and third card. “We… do not get married, but intimacy is eminent.”

He flips the fourth card. “For almost a year? Well, that’s upsetting.”

He flips over the final card. “Blank? Are you kidding me? What does this mean? Is it something unexpected?”

Not understanding the last card, he puts his tarot cards away and begins to think about later it as he takes off the clothes to put on something comfortable. Before he could go to bed, he decides to write a letter to his parents, taking some paper along with ink and a pen, and starts to write his letter which states:

Dear Mother,

I am happy to hear from you after all these years and I am willing to see you and father. I do understand the reason why you had to give me away and I am not upset with you about it. You did what you had to do to keep me safe. I’m grateful for that, I love you both as well, and I’m glad you’re alright. We can be able to meet on July 20^th at Holy St. Lithe Cathedral. Hope to see you both then.

                                                                          Your son,

                                                                           James Ruth

He puts the ink and the pen away, folds the letter, and puts it in his drawer. He then slowly gets into his bed to make sure he did not wake Delianna and turns away from her, and goes to sleep.