Amira's Presence

Chang let Jian lead her back through the beautiful tiled room with the vaulted ceilings and pillars, and back into the brightly lit room in which she first woke in.

Liang Jian Amal looked in the room that had once been his mother's favorite, straight ahead lay the garden she had loved. Closer to the intricate relief than the center of the room was the bed, cut as a niche into the wall; where he had placed Chang early this morning. Looking over he saw the covers were still disturbed from her leaving.

Looking to the door on the right he saw that it was open, and that she had already found the restroom. Liang Jian Amal looked to the other side but found that she had not found the doorway on the opposite wall. There was only a faint shadow showing that it was there though, if you weren't looking for it, you wouldn't find it along the expansive smooth white wall with the blush of blue from overhead.

He reached out and smoothly pushed open the door to what was once Amira's sleeping and dressing quarters. Though he had been told by his grandfather that she had generally only used the one that he had laid Chang to rest on, that she had loved to be near to her garden as she slept.

The first room was a sitting room with a chandelier and several skylights that lit up the room brightly. It was opulently furnished, on the ground lay a large, intricate, cream colored rug with a massive flower mosaic woven across it in deep burgundy,gold, and emerald.

The walls were painted a deep gold while the several plush chairs and couches and chaise lounges were a dark crimson, standing out in contrast. A few glass tables with ornate delicate brass legs sat here and there near the sitting furniture. Against the walls were several huge mahogany bookshelves filled with books.

Chang would have loved to stay to explore more but Jian led her further inside to another doorway on the opposing wall. Inside was Amira's bedchamber, a large plush bed with towering posts sat furthest from the doorway. A large mirrored vanity sat on the side beside several wardrobes, that she presumed would hold the clothing, lined up to her right.

On the left Chang saw a stunning portrait of a incredibly gorgeous young woman. She sat in the portrait with an erect posture in a plush chair her hands folded neatly on her lap. She wore a long, deep purple dress with gold embroidery that ran along the front of it, growing more concentrated in detail towards the hem. On her head was a light orchid colored veil with gold beading on it holding back the majority of her hair.

The woman in the portrait had long thick dark bronze hair, thicker than Chang's, flowing partially over one shoulder, from under the orchid veil on her head, down to her waist.

What stood out the most besides her ethereal beauty was her haughty but tempered gaze, as if she could level mountains, but chose not to. The deep dark eyes that held flecks of gold in them, and full shapely lips that seemed to always hold a ghost of a smile looked familiar as she looked at Jian beside her. At the bottom of the portrait there were two words, Amira, 18.

"My mother." The man beside her answered, as if reading her thoughts.

"She's beautiful."

He gave her a small smile, "was."

Chang knew that his mother had died, but realized she had never probed further into the matter. There was so much that she did not know about Jian, and she wanted to know more.

"What happened to her?" Chang searched inside to find a way to broach the topic.

"I told you that she passed away long ago, but I guess I never really told you too much about her or where she came from, did I?"

"No, can you, would you mind telling me about her a little?" Lacing her fingers together in front of her, Chang looked up at him.

"I can only tell you what I know of her from what I have learned from my Jid, and my youngest uncle. My father very rarely spoken of her.

"She was the youngest child of my Jid, his only daughter after 3 boys.A such, she was spoiled to no end by my Jid as a result, and was far bolder than any other woman. As no one could bear to reprimand her she was wild and brazen, and would even go so far as to beat up her three older brothers.

"When my father came to visit the Republic of Lahat, to initiate a business deal, as reward for a service he did for my Jid, she fell for him.

"Not that I could see what she ever saw in him." Muttering darkly under his breath, Chang could barely hear what he said. Crinkling her brows, Chang studied his back profile as he faced the large image before them.

"My father completed the business deal with my Jid, and received an extensive amount of capital, enough to establish Liang International, Liang Medicine as it was then known, but was also forced to marry my mother as a condition that was added.

"A couple of years after the marriage, I came, but at the cost of my mother's life. I have spent every summer here since I can remember in the country where my mother came from. I learn a little more every time, so I apologize that there is only so much I can tell you. I have never met her myself so I can only share the words of others."