Chapter 7: Common Paths

Booker turns his gaze to her, and looks down at the book she's holding

"What book is that?" Booker said, a narrowed look in his eyes.

"Oh." She said with a slight chuckle, and brings the book up to look at it.

"Your sister showed it to me."

Booker leans in to look, and takes the book from her.

"What are the seraphims." He said, and frowns.

"I forgot she had that book." He said, looking ahead once more.

"Have you read it as well?" Alecia said with a curious look in hwr eyes.

"I'm not sure." He said, looking at her for a brief moment.

"I read most of the other books."

"What are your thoughts about the seraphims?" She said, with a calm look in her eyes.

Booker flickers his eyes in thought.

"I think that if I saw them in person, I'd be terrified." He said, slightly shaking his head and chuckles a bit.

Alecia chuckles and looks ahead once more. Her smile fades, and her eyes start to flicker in thought.

"Excuse me." She said, turning around and steps towards the doors of the balcony.

"I'm going to have a drink of water."

"Wait," Booker said, walking towards her. Alecia, stops and turns to him.

"Don't you want to drink something else? Like juice, instead?"

"No thanks." Alecia said, with a calm tone in her voice. And cracks a slight smile.

"Water is nice to have now and again."

Booker nods with a thoughtful gaze and looks at her.

"True." He said smiling slightly, only to watch her walk back into the living room.

A few moments go by...

Alecia is seen standing near the sink, holding a glass of water within her hand.

She raises the glass of the shimmering water, and stares at it with a deep thought in her eyes. She brings it closer to her lips and drinks the water slowly until the glass is empty.

She holds the cup underneath the tap, and rincés it out, only to place it on the side.

Muffling sound of a door opens from outside the kitchen, followed by voices of both Renata and her mother.

"Booker!" The mother called out as her and Renata pass the kitchen.

Alecia narrows her eyes and walks out the kitchen, only to see the both of them talking to Booker in a quiet tone.

Booker is seen crossing his arms while nodding slightly.

Alecia turns her head slightly with her eyes still fixed on them.

Booker leans his head to the side to look at Alecia.

"Hey, my mother wants to talk to you for a moment."

Alecia widens her eyes for a moment, and walks towards them, only for her to move a few strands of hair behind her ear.

"I see you're back." Alecia said, with a slight smile and looks at Renata, who is now wearing a different top, which is the color of aqua. Alecia's exchanges a smile with Renata, and looks at the woman.

"Yeah." The mother said,

"We never went far."

"I must apologize, miss." Alecia said, with a frown, and averts her eyes.

"I never asked your name?" Her eyes dart back to the mother.

"Oh, no, no." The mother said with a chuckle and her eyes closed.

"I should apologize for not introducing myself in the first place. You can call me Elerah."

"Elerah." Alecia repeated, with a downcast look, and looks up at her once more.

"I hope I'll remember it." She chuckles a bit.

Elerah chuckles.

"I have trouble remembering my colleagues' names," said with a calm tone.

"So don't feel bad if you do forget."

"Alright." Alecia said with a downcast look.

"So what is it you wanted to tell me?" She flickers her eyes between Booker and her.

"I was wondering," Elerah said, leaning her elbow leaning on her crossed arm, with her hand resting on her cheek.

Her eyes locks on Renata as she walks inside and towards her room, and turns her gaze to Alecia.

"Is there anything you're allowed to eat, and not allowed to eat?" She averts her eyes to Booker, and back at Alecia.

"Since Booker just told me that you're a priestess."

Alecia forms a smile.

"No..." she said, in a cheerful tone.

"I can eat what I like, there's no restrictions."

"Perfect." Elerah said, and turns her gaze to Booker.

"If you'll excuse me, I'll go prepare us all something to eat."

Booker looks at Alecia and chuckles, he walks towards the balcony railing once more.

"What?" Alecia said, with a smile and walks towards him.

"What a question to ask." He said, leaning on the railing.

"I understand why she would ask that." Alecia said, turning to the one chair by the circuler table, and takes a seat on it.

"By the way," Booker said, turning to her.

"Would you go back to that temple, eventually?"

Alecia looks up at him, only to avert her eyes for a moment.

"I don't know." She said, looking up at him.

"But," she takes her eyes off him with a thoughtful gaze.

"I somehow miss being there. The silence there puts me at peace, and when I look at the images of Angelica on the pages of books and windows."

She pauses, with a blank stare.

"Especially the windows. When it's twilight, I get such a calm feeling inside. It's as if the whole world around me disappears. I want that feeling to last, but it never does, not even for a minute." She gives a downcast look.

"After that, only when I sleep, I can truly escape reality."

Booker stares down at her with an intrigued gaze.

"That was surprisingly deep." He said, only for Alecia to look upat him.

"That's rather flattering, Booker." Alecia said, and averts her eyes with a smile.

"It's just how I feel about certain things, you know?"

"I understand, don't worry." Booker said, stepping towards the table and sits next to her, with his eyes staring ahead at the buildings ahead.

"Sometimes at night, I sit here and watch the city, the ships, and just think about stuff."

Alecia smiles.

"It is relaxing isn't it." She said and looks down at her lap, where hands are. She begins to fiddle with the silver ring on her index finger of her right hand, which has a symbol of two S's joined together, with one on top.

"I know. I asked you this already, about your sister."

Booker said, leaning his elbows on the table. Alecia looks up at him with an attentive gaze.

"When exactly is the last time you and her were together?"

Alecia sighs with her eyes closed.

"It was a few decades." She opens her eyes.

"I wish I could've made the right decisions then."

"Are you serious?" Booker said, with a calm, yet curious look on his face.

"Now I see what you meant earlier, that is definitely a long period of time." His eyes narrow a bit.

"Unbelievable, I know." She looks at him.

"I had an issue that I had to deal with. Let's just say, I had no chance of fixing it sooner."

"What was the issue, if you don't mind me asking?" He said with a curious look in his eyes.

"It's not important." Alecia said, shaking her head slightly. She flickers her eyes in thought.

"Enough questions about me, it's time for me to ask about you."

Booker slightly widens his eyes.

"Okay? Go for it." He said, looking at with her a curious gazae.

Alecia looks down with her eyes flickering, only for her to look up at him.

"Tell me about your father," she said, with a calm tons in her voice.

"I didn't see him on one of your photos. When was the last time you saw him?"

Booker chuckles, and leans back.

"You're quite observent, aren't you." He said, and lets out a sigh.

"Well, about six-plus years. I can't really remember but, about nineteen years ago was when our parents separated. I use to see him every second year, but then it stopped, and so, it's hard to know when it was exactly. I even forgot what he looks like, can you believe." He chuckles with a thougful look in his eyes.

"I message him, now and again though, but I just don't want to speak to him to be honest."

"Don't you miss him?" Alecia said, with a concerned look in her eyes.

"No." He said shaking his head.

"He is only out to try and manipulate Renata, and myself. I even told him how sick she was, but did he come to see how she was doing? No he did not."

Alecia's eyes widen, and frowns

"That's pathetic." She said with a stern tone.

"Someone like that shouldn't be called a father by anyone."

"Yeah, I know." Booker said, with a downcast look.

"What about your father?" He looks up at her.

Alecia averts her eyes, and sighs with a downcast look.

"That's a good question." Her eyes start to flicker in thought.

"I never even knew my father." She looks up at him with a calm gaze.

"We've always known to have one parent all our lives. We always got vague responses from my mother when I asked about it. It was either vague or she would try and excuse it."

"Woh." Booker said with a wide-eyed look.

"It looks like we both have father issues."

"Yes." She said with a slight nod.

"But it's fine, everyone is unfortunate with something."

"You're right. Excuse me." Booker said, taking out his device and sweeps his finger on it a few times. His forms a smilr on his face.

"Excellent, it looks like it's settled for tomorrow, we'll get to see the empress before our very eyes." He looks at her.

"Are you excited?"

Alecia chuckles with a small a smile, while averting her eyes.

"I kinda am, yes." She said, looking at him with a gentle gaze.

"That's good!" He said, with a cheerful tone. He places the device in his pocket.

"For your sake, I hope your sister has her invitation."

Alecia averts her eyes, and gently crosses her arms.

"Yeah..." she said, and looks at him once more.

"I do too." She forms a gentle smile.

Much later, into the evening...

Alecia had dinner with Booker, and his family. Afterwards, Alecia washed herself up, and got into sleepwear which Elerah gave.

Alecia, and Booker, walks down the one passage. He is seen carrying Reneta, who is fast asleep, to her room.

Booker looks down at Renata with a gentle look on his face.

"It's almost as if she was never ill." He said with a frustrated tone.

"I can't believe how heavy she is."

They both walk into Renata's room.

Booker walks towards the bed, with Alecia standing by the doorway.

"Sorry, Alecia. Can you open the blankets please." He turns his gaze to her and watches her walk towards him.

"Just open it up, and I'll lay her down.

Alecia moves the blanked off, and watch as Booker tucks his sister in.

She slowly raises her head with her mouth slightly open and her eyes closed, only for her to let out a sneeze. "Bless you." Booker said, turning to her.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Alecia said a sniff.

"It was only a sneeze."

Booker chuckles and walks past her.

"Come." He said, stepping out the room and watches as Alecia steps out as well.

They both walk down the orange passage.

"Go get some rest, you need it." He said opening a door along the passage."We'll wake up early tomorrow." He said, looking at her as ahe walks into the room.

"Alright?"

Alecia stands in the middle of the spare room, and turns around to face him.

"No problem." She said, with a cheerful look on her face.

"I always wake up early."

"Great." Booker said, slowly closing the door.

"Goodnight, Alecia." He now fully closes the door.

Alecia turns around to face the bed, which is visible from the lights outside ofvthe window.

Alecia steps towards the bed, and slowly lays herself on her back while covering herself with the blanket. Her eyes stare at the ceiling while the gentle lights from outside shines on her face.

For a moment of silence she lays on her back. Staring blankly at the ceiling, with nothing but the faint sounds of the few ships outside.

She gently closes her eyes and begins to have slow breathes.