The Forgotten Night

I found myself in the middle of the most dazzling place I had seen in my entire life. I can't say it was beautiful but it was blindingly bright. Everyone was dressed in sleek tuxedos and silky gowns that sprawled and fluttered around as they moved. Nevertheless, they were never stepped upon, not even during one of the dances. This was the discipline that Deli had called "utterly meaningless and boring". I stood like a pillar of stone in the middle of that hall. Truthfully, I couldn't tell left from right in that place and had no idea where I should go.

I think I got mistaken for a waiter once or twice. I hadn't realized Deli put her fur coat on me before she left. If it weren't for that, I'd have been denied entry into such a place. The saving grace is that the coat was black and perhaps not as fancy as the other ladies had on in Dernière. I picked up a drink from one of the waiters who gave me a surprised look but retained his silence. I don't know what kind of drink it was. I hadn't noticed when I picked it up but it had a funny smell. I wondered if this was what a noble's beverage looked like. And hence, I placed that glass in a place that I can't seem to recall, after all, I wasn't much of a drinker, to begin with.

A little while later, when my senses started to be restored, I expanded all my strength towards finding Deli. The air was so stuffy in that place despite the size of the hall. I hysterically searched for Deli as if I was sure she was there somewhere.

It was then that I ran into a woman, quite literally running into her. She was startled and I expected retaliation, perhaps even a sentence. Her oddly red drink had spilled on her oddly red dress and after analyzing the ruination of which I had been the cause, she looked at me disgruntled.

This woman was a brunette of short slender stature with a vintage wavy cut.

"Excuse me".

Ah yes, here it comes. This woman is going to read my epitaph right here and now and send me over to the next world. Some brutish villains with abnormally large statures are going to come grab me with their abnormally large hands and drag me to the pits of hell like a bunch of demons and I would never get to see my sweet Deli ever again who might just be looking for me this very minute.

"You've never been to a place like this before, have you?"

What? Why isn't this woman shouting at me already?

"Uh...no I haven't", I answered honestly.

She giggled, "I can see that. That's a nice coat by the way."

That made me blush with embarrassment.

"Hey, aren't you tired of this air? Wanna head out to the marquee?"

Not that I could say no after I caused the oddly red accident in this woman's dress. I obediently followed her to this aforementioned marquee. In fact, she grabbed my hand and dragged me through the flood of 'beautiful people'.

"I get so tired in places like this. Sometimes, it's better to just be alone, isn't it?", she was rather nice, I realized.

"I'm sorry, I dragged you out of there like this. But you didn't seem like you were enjoying yourself in there. You don't fit in, do you?"

"Ah...well, I'm actually looking for some-"

"You are a commoner, aren't you? You don't have to hide it from me. It's actually pretty apparent. Not many people here would be chuffed about it, you know?"

Certainly this woman asked a lot of questions, never awaiting any answers. She went on and on about everything and about nothing. The marquee was a lot more peaceful than the inside. It was in the back yard of Dernière.

About half an hour went by with us lollygagging around the marquee. She was a klutz and a proud one at that. Her name was, as ironical as it may sound, Amelia. After fooling around with everything and listening to her constant and perpetual jibber jabber, she finally settled down and invited me to a drink.

"Actually, I can't handle liquor at all. So, when you spilled my drink back there you know, it made me relieved. I got a chance to get out of that stuffy place and I didn't have to drink it either. I should be thanking you about it"

Nothing about what she said was as patronizing as it felt to me. I smiled weakly as she picked two glasses of that horrible looking red wine and offered me one.

"Let's knock one down quickly and head back. But pick me up if I stumble, okay?"

I might have needed the same assistance too. In any case, I did knock it down. It was the worst drink I've had the chance to try. It was like rotting grapes, I almost gagged on it but managed to not throw up.

What followed is absent from my memory. I think I saw some things but it could have been a dream. I can't say for sure I was alive for the rest of that night.

I do remember seeing a bright pink room, perhaps somewhere in Dernière. I was lying uncomfortably on some really comfortable piece of furniture. I remember the smell of scented candles but there was only one of it that I saw. There was an oddly red dress on the coffee table right next to where I was lying uncomfortably.

I saw a woman too, a small woman. I can't quite remember who she was. She reminded me of Amelia but at the same time, she was different. She had a terrified look on her face...or perhaps it was a terrifying look.

"What...what are you doing...a?", I remember my voice too. But there's nothing else.

When I woke up the next morning, I found myself in a bed that Deli had marked as her own back in our room. I had slept like a child and woke up feeling quite refreshed. The sun was peeking in through the blinders and it felt nice and warm.

I was greeted by a pleasantly smiling Deli who seemed to have just changed for the day. I looked at her with a blank look on my face.

"You're finally up, Seraph. Come now, get out of bed", she instructed me.

"Uh, Deli...where were you?!"

"What is it so early in the morning, Seraph?"

"I was looking for you...but you didn't come back..."

"Seraph", she leaned in closer and looked into my eyes, "are you still dreaming?"

She went on as if nothing had happened last night which made me wonder if it really had been a dream. But at the same time, I was dead sure it was all real. That café called au Lait and that dark alley, all of it were real. I noticed her black fur coat resting on the sofa, and that was yet another proof for me that last night had indeed happened.

"We might have to leave tomorrow so I'll go check with the orphanage today. You don't have to come, you can relax and get our tickets ready for tomorrow morning. But don't stay out too late, alright?"

I remained silent, watching her get prepared.

"Seraph?", she turned to me with a questioning look.

"I'll come too"

"Huh?"

"I'll come with you...to the orphanage or wherever else you're going. I'll come with you too."

She didn't expect such an answer. She paused before smiling gently.

"Alright then, let's go get some breakfast, shall we?"