Chapter 13: An Unexpected Shelter

"All I know is that I've wasted all

these years looking for

something, a sort of trophy I'd get

only if I really, really did enough

to deserve it. But I don't want it

anymore, I want something else

now, something warm and

sheltering, something I can turn

to, regardless of what I do,

regardless of who I become.

Something that will just be there,

always, like tomorrow's sky.

That's what I want now, and I

think it's what you should want

too. But it will be too late soon.

We'll become too set to change. If

we don't take our chance now,

another may never come for

either of us."

----------Kazuo Ishiguro.

************

E.H.

Nine years back.

We had been quite busy since morning with no room to breathe. The entire board meeting had been chaotic. The senior members seemed more like fish mongers rather than being civilians. My throat was hoarse from all the blaring.Maybe I ought to remind them who is the head and that even though I am dormant, I can again be the Apollyon.

As I adjusted my cufflinks again,mere out of annoyance, a cup of steaming ginger

and honey tea appeared before me.On gazing up,my stoic face broke into a grin.Blue was standing by the desk and was gesturing me with her bottomless blue eyes to have a sip of the tea.She always knew what I needed.Ahhh..,focus man.

As I sipped the tea,its warmth seeped inside me to the very core like the sunlight penetrating the dense forest .Soaking in the energy from it,I cleared my throat and I was back in my ruthless cold emperor avatar.

Few minutes after.

" Phew,that's over for today",I sneered but Blue snickered amusingly beside me.

Oh,yeah I completely forgot that I had got to meet the delegates from UN for the Empire Foundations and Charity....today.Huffingly I snatched my routine from Anna and tossed it to Blue. "You are accompanying me",was all I explained as I whooshed out to my private elevator. And yes,I noticed Anna smirking at Blue notoriously.

'What?',I chided myself. Not that I did it selfishly, Blue had once mentioned that if given chance she would like to visit the Foundation, so here we go.Isn't it better to be guided by the owner/boss himself?

She should be honored...yet why do my revolting heart keep screaming, 'You are to be honored instead, prick.'

Thus,we went there,together.

Blue was taking in the building,I mean the architecture and then the interior design like a kid in an amusement park. I smiled on watching her reaction.....so innocent. Ahh....scrubbing my face, I once more focused on the notes .May be after 30 minutes or so,I felt Blue fidgeting and as I mouthed her what's wrong,she just gestured outside. I nodded,something was troubling her was what I deduced.... but what?

I will ask her later.

Two hours later.

The meeting or rather delegation had ended sometime back,with the representatives bading their farewell until the final convention. Everything went smoothly.That's a relief.

Afterwards just as I stepped on to the porch, Blue dashed in and panted.She was clutching something or someone with her dear life,all the while she eyed me pleadingly.

After straightening up, she pointed the conference room.On entering,she shut it close and slumped down on the nearest chair.Embracing her was a skinny girl with shabby clothes.Probably a runaway kid.Perceiving my conclusion, Blue shook her head no and silently she muttered ,"We have to take care of her. She has no one in this world.We are taking her home."

"And this day onwards she will be our eldest daughter."