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NightinWolf's recommendation to readers.

Another good FF: Forsaken Hope

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Chapter 55 - Proposal

By 10 o’clock I was ready in my bakery waiting for Aaron to arrive. I had blood red colored robe on me, black leathery pants and white shirt. Moreover I was wearing a leather glove on my left hand to cover tattoo.

Right now, women were cleaning the bakery and they would be ready to leave it in an hour. Work was mostly done at nights, as bread had to be ready before sunrise so that it could be transported to Mehn. I was checking out cleanliness of flour repesitory when Jamelia called out to me to come to front of the bakery.

She was main force running “Luna’s bakery”. In her 60ies, Jamelia was a woman with full qualifications to run a business and most important of all, an honest human being. I knew that she would never lie to me or screw me while doing business. It was her idea that to give extra wages to women who were showing examplary service throughout the month.

[Me]: Jamelia you called me!

[Jamelia]: There is a young one looking for you. Told me, his name is Aaron!

[Me]: Yeah, I’ve been waiting for him...

Jamelia made a gesture with her face, another woman opened door and Aaron came in.

[Aaron]: Morning, Mr Bartholomew.

[Me]: Good morning Aaron. Are you hungry?

[Aaron]: Thanks, but we should leave to get there on time.

We reached Ricat’s manor earlier than 11. Aaron offered me coffee and I took it. We were sitting around a wooden table drinking coffee when Elise came.

[Elise]: Hey Aaron.

[Aaron]: Hi. How are you?

[Elise]: Fine... Who’s the gentleman?

[Aaron]: Uncle’s guest. We will be meeting him in 10 minutes...

[Elise]: Alright...

She gazed at me for long... I sipped coffee few times.

[Me]: Something wrong?

[Elise]: It’s just, you feel familiar to me. It seems like I know you.

[Me]: If you’ve been to Kastiff’s and fought off beast men, then we may have meet each other...

We laughed a bit...

[Aaron]: We should go now...

Entering their house, I relieved nostalgia as it didn’t feel right to enter Ricat’s house in this way and manner. Destiny?

Aaron showed me into a small room. It was more like a personal library with lots of books covering the walls. There was a small round table with two stools beside it. Aaron told me to make myself at home and left. I sat on one of them.

Ricat entered room with two cups of tea, each at one of his hands. I stood up to help him out.

[Ricat]: It’s alright... I can manage.

He put them on table. There was one qand on each saucer. Steams coming off from the tea cups, were filling room with strong black tea aroma.

Ricat took qand from the saucer using his index, middle and thumb fingers of the right hand and put it into his mouse. Later on took the tea cup and had few sips. I smiled. It was good to be back at home.

[Ricat]: I heard some interesting things about you, Mr. Bartholomew.

[Me]: Bartholomew is good enough. What kind of interesting things?

[Ricat]: It’s about your success. It just seems unbelievable to be able to reach this heights in this short amount of time without any support. You have done the impossible in last two months.

[Me]: For me, hard things take few hours to accomplish, impossible – no more than a day.

[Ricat]: Hahaa... I like that! I like people who are stubborn and know what they do!

[Me]: It’s good having a chat about this and that but I suppose I am here...

[Ricat]: Bartholomew no need to hurry up things. We are just getting to know each other.

[Me]: I think you already know more than enough about me. You have done your job, havent you?

[Ricat]: It’s another thing to hear it out from your own mouth. I have never met someone with your name. I travel a lot.

[Me]: It feels like a crime investigation.

[Ricat]: So who are you?

[Me]: Bartholomew is not my name. Whoever I was two months ago is already in past. You should not be worried about that as I am not a criminal.

Ricat put his left hand under his chin while his left arm standing on table. He was looking to his left as if in deep thoughts. I do not know what kind of game he was playing but I was tired of it. I stood up. His face turned to me...

[Me]: You seem like a free man with lots of time, but I have business to attend to. If you excuse me, I’ll be leaving now...

I made few steps towards door when he caught my right arm from behind.

[Ricat]: I have a proposal.

Next: Chapter 56 - Mapmaker