Dei Amor (formerly "Deus Relicta")

Chapter 4 : Troublesome Developments

"A God?" Matron's voice was one of surprise, "What is his name?"

"Aida Anthime, I think."

"I've never heard of an Aida Anthime...."

"That's what I said! And he said that's because he made himself forgotten to the world, or something like that."

"God of the Lost?"

"He claimed to be..."

"That is impossible." Muttered Matron under her breath, "What did he look like?"

"He's very handsome-"

"Physical description, Lucille, not your opinion of him. Tell it to me like you would the police."

"He's a bit taller than me, only a bit, and I think that's because of his shoes. He also has white hair, even though he looks young, and he dresses in odd clothing."

"He's stylish?"

"I don't know if I would call it that..."

"And what did you two speak of? Did he seem interested in you?"

"Well, we talked about books, and then about a magic bag. Oh! And then he was telling me about how he can claim lost and forgotten things." Her cheeks grew rosy, and she half-whispered the next part: "And he offered to claim me and bring me back to his castle when everyone who remembers me is gone."

Matron frowned, "He wants to claim you? What does that mean?"

"I'm not sure. I was under the impression he was offering me to come live with him once you're...gone. Like, he would look after me or something. He said he wanted me to be his friend."

Matron grew silent for a minute, before she spoke once more. "Lucille, I think it would be wise for you to stay away from this man, he sounds like trouble to me."

"Trouble? Matron, he's the sweetest person I've ever met-"

"You don't have a lot of experience with people, my dear, and young men in this age only care about one thing. And it has nothing to do with friendship."

Lucille's mouth dropped open in horror, "You're not saying that Aida wants to-"

"Most likely, that is the case. It would be wise to stay away from him, especially if he has the power to see you. That is a disaster simply waiting to happen."

"But Matron, he's the only chance I might ever have of making a friend!"

"It would be better off for you to live without his 'friendship' than be tied up in a basement somewhere."

"Aida would never-!"

"And how long have you known this man, exactly?"

Lucille clamped her mouth shut.

"Precisely. Now go up stairs to bed at once and forget about today."

* * *

The ceiling in her room had the appearance of cracked glass, as the light blue paint buckled under the decades of humidity that had oppressed it for far too long...

Salty tears dripped down the side of her face, dampening her pillow in her sorrow. A muffled sob escaped her lips, and she pulled the blankets over her head, using them to wipe her cheeks.