Tags
A Page in Time, adventure, Bonnie Tyler, creative, Dante, Giles, Greek, music, Nadia, Nadia Chronis, role play., story, writing
A Page in Time
Chapter Two
The Lost Journal
Writers
CharlotteCarrendar
IceTe3a
IceTe3a: Dante placed the suitcases in the trunk of the car as he closed it shut, his wet hair flowing down his face freely as he watched Giles gesture for him to sit in the front, walking around to the open door he shook his head around like a dog splashing the water off it as he quickly ducked into the seat of the car closing the door behind him. They took off in a flash driving over to the more expensive side of Rhodes just out of the party district. Pulling up to a huge what Dante would call a mansion his eyes glanced around the rather large estate amazed at how much space one family needs to survive these days. Dante got out of the car and followed Giles and the lady from behind as she opened the front door Giles welcoming her home as he took a step into the main foyer noticing all the ancient artefacts displayed in the home statues of the Greek Gods lined the walls they were immaculate, he really enjoyed the Archaeology side of life as history was full of adventure and less depended on today’s technology now they were times to live in, he thought to himself. Various paintings and trinkets scattered around the place properly displayed, this was the house of a rich man and an adventurer –Whistles- “What a place, A bit too much spit and polish but love the artefacts” he said as he glanced over at the pair who were in conversation , scratching his head he could not help but overhear their conversation he walked up behind the young lady without noticing only inches of space apart as he once more towered over her, small drops of water sometimes fell off his body and onto her head as he looked directly over to Giles “So you think he’s dead huh?” he ruffled his hair as he knew most adventurers keep logs about their comings and goings. This man was sure to have a map room of where he planned his grand adventures, Dante would love to meet him one day and trade stories, and you say he’s lost? Where bout’s was he located last? Just because he’s disappeared doesn’t mean he’s dead, why I remember once I got lost in the Amazon for 6 months before finding my way out” he laughed aloud to himself.
CharlotteCarrendar:- Nadia for a split second had even forgotten that Dante was with them and so when she turned her head to see the bedraggled adventurer dripping all over the floor, her face was a mixture of confusion and hurt. It is one thing to be told your father is dead via correspondence, but then to be told that he is presumed dead on arrival at her Father’s home quite another. Nadia didn’t know if she wanted to be sick, or go with the gut feeling that perhaps he was still alive. The question was where? The young lawyer had to ask. “Why would my father’s attorney tell me he was dead if there was a chance he wasn’t?” It was a fair question, and already Dante was weighing in with his two cents – also curious about this mystery. Giles stood silently for a time, feeling the pressure of having to explain Con Chronis’s last movements to his daughter. “Your Father had come across a shrine on the last archaeological dig actually here on this very island. As you know Rhodes is famous for its architecture and there was a rumour amongst a historical society that he attended of a mythical time piece. Related I believe to stories of the fabled city of Atlantis.” Giles cleared his throat as he continued. “One day, your father up and left the house taking with him only his dog “Samuel” and the pair headed off for the dig. I remember the morning well. He was in such good spirits. That was the last anyone saw of him. The island has been gone over many a time, till the police called off the search and your father’s attorney wanted to wrap up his affairs.” He knew that there was bound to be more questions. <3>
IceTe3a: Dante scratched his head as he folded his arms and leant them on her head leaning his chin against his arms as he listened in, “They still digging up Rhodes eh?” he smiled as he looked down on what he was leaning against finding out it was the ladies head “Oh, hi didn’t see you there” as he glanced back at Giles “So he’s not dead, just missing by the sounds of it. There’s a lot more that could have happened sounds to me they just got over looking” he nodded as he came to a stand no longer leaning against the lady’s head as he glanced around thinking to himself, “Storm should be over by tomorrow I dare say. Giles, how long has it been since he disappeared exactly?” he knew anyone who called himself an adventurer could look after themselves in the wild so there was a chance he was still living and breathing, possibly hurt. Glancing down to the lady he wondered as to why she was even here? By the sounds of it she moved away from her father a long time ago “So what’s your story in this erm…” he said as he looked down to her
CharlotteCarrendar: – Nadia was small, there was no doubt about that but Dante’s blatant disregard for her – using her head to lean on was a bit much even for her to take. She pulled out from under him, when he said he didn’t see her there. A likely story. The more he was around her the less she liked him. She shook her head a little and a spray of water drizzled to the floor. “Do you mind?” the young lawyer said with a discerning look. She had been trying to pay attention to Giles and the story of what actually happened to her father. It just didn’t make sense that they would simply give up on the search without some sort of proof to his demise. Even Dante’s response that the police got over looking gave her even more reason to believe there was more to this. Giles was quick to answer. “It was no secret that your father Con had rivals in the game. One such man by the name of Stanley Whittaker who used to study under your father was the hired consultant to put down that he believed your father was dead.” Now things were starting to appear murky, for the man servant knew a lot more than first thought. “He shares the same lawyer as your father also. So the moment it was announced the search called off, your father’s lawyer more or less jumped to have you brought here Nadia. Perhaps he thought you would merely sign off on your father’s estate and that Mr Whittaker could jump in and buy it at a bargain price. You have to understand much of what your father collected over the years is worth more than a King’s ransom. Not that they would have you believe it.” This was all starting to sound very suspicious, until Dante butted in again. He wanted to know her story and she shook her head, feeling that compared to her Father, she didn’t have one. “Dante, is it? I am fresh off the plane from London, wet….and just been told that my Father may well be alive. You want my story, well here it is.” She then tapped him on the chest with her pointy finger. “I’m a half Greek girl who plans to find out what happened to her father, in a country I know very little about.” <3>
IceTe3a: It was true everyone basically gave up on the old man and pronounced him dead, this was an unfair call and he could see why she was upset as he looked over to Giles who was explaining the situation in more depth, “So this was more of a ploy to get at his collections and estate huh, sounds like someone might know something more than they are saying” Sounds like someone wanted the old adventurer gone so they could take over his worldly possessions without having to buy them at full price this included the estate. Dante was listening in as he arched a brow feeling the push of a single finger against his chest, he glanced down to find the young female telling him off how she’s half Greek and she wanted to find her father, who knew nothing about her home. “Right.” He grabbed her by the hips and picked her up with ease as he brought her to eye level “ How about you settle down, take a step back and breathe a little?” he smiled lightly as he placed her back on the floor “It is highly possible your father is still alive yes, As for not knowing Greece, That’s your fault for not knowing your homeland better, Look at me I’m an adventurer but I know all of Greece like the back of my hand” he glanced over at Giles and then back at the young female “What’s your name anyway? And I think you should get into a hot shower before you catch a cold, Giles how about we take a look at the old man’s map room if you don’t mind” he shrugs slightly “I don’t know, this is your call lady” he said nodding as he glanced back at her
CharlotteCarrendar: – Giles for one was happy that the young Adventurer seemed to be clued in to what the man servant had suspected. People working against Con and may well have had a hand in his disappearance, or taking advantage of that fact. It was true, that Nadia had no idea about her Father’s life or world; due to being shut out from it by an absent mother who was more interested in her own pursuits. Nadia was denied the right to her heritage and this made her feel alien in a country that should well be in her blood. Dante wasn’t the kind of man to take a poke to the chest from a petite lady well, and for her efforts, he picked her up so that she was at eye level with him. It was most undignifying. The adventurer told her to stop and take a breather, but his actions only served to make her more annoyed. “You brute!” Giles had to side with Dante however, as she was starting to shiver badly from being wet from the storm. “Miss, why don’t you go and shower and I have your old room just the way you left it. The maid will take up your luggage and unpack your things.” Was she being dismissed? It certainly felt like it. “Ooooh!” she growled, before pulling on her wet jacket, and then huffing as she went off up the stairs, leaving Giles with Dante. “Why don’t I show you to Con’s map room, Sir.” Giles was polite as ever in the face of the young Nadia storming off. As they walked together, Giles said. “Her name is Nadia Chronis. She has not been to the island for 12 years, that was when her mother stopped access visits. Was not the girl’s fault. I believe she was sent to boarding school. Her father was distraught for years over this. But what could he do?” Leading them into the map room, it was clear that Con Chronis had travelled extensively across the world, and there were many book cases lined with journals, map books, canisters, artefacts and so much more, it would make a museum curator jizz his pants with excitement. Statues, weapons….so much here that Nadia may well not even appreciate, but Dante certainly would. <3>
IceTe3a: He watched her as she called him a brute, this made Dante smirk as she was right he was quite uncivilized as they would say, he never thought he’d find himself in a place like this in a million years. He felt out of place as he watched Giles handle the lady with such grace, dismissing her to her room as she stormed off with a tantrum “Try not to get lost this time yeah?” he made the remark in kind to her appearing at the front of the pub somewhere where she defiantly was not supposed to end up. As he shook his head looking back at Giles “what’s her problem, to sheltered or something? Giles had offered to show him Con’s map room, as he followed Giles almost exited, Giles explained how Nadia had not been back for 12 years and her mother was the one who forced that. “Nadia huh, interesting name” he said as he continued to follow Giles “I can understand her position now, she had no choice but to grow up like that. Nothing a couple of years in the wild won’t fix” he smirked cheekily to himself as they finally reached the map room, which was decorated with artifacts, old leather bound books amongst other trinkets and rare items. As he glanced over the maps and notes of con he nodded “right right, I see” he said to himself “Well travelled con was” as he started to read what con had written it would take him all night “Giles could I trouble you for a Scotch and can I smoke in here? It’ll take all night, I’ll stay up and research” he said as he looked up at Giles his finger tapping on a point on the map. As he walked over to the fireplace, he helped himself as he started a fire to warm up the room “This sounds like an adventure, a bit of a mystery too” he said as he walked back to the notes and maps at Con’s desk, as he stood in front of the con’s large leather chair.
CharlotteCarrrendar: – Nadia’s anger was understandable as she heard the throw away remark asking her not to get lost on her way to her room. She knew where it was..she thought. Coming to the top of the stairs, she did have to wonder for a moment which way, then realized it was right and turned almost too sharply. Dante was grating on her nerves, no matter how good looking he was. Huffing, she went down the passage, till finally reaching a room that had her name written on the door. For a moment, Nadia held her breath, and turning the knob it was almost like she was stepping back in time herself. The room was just the way it was the final time she stayed with her father. Pretty pink and blues, swirling butterfly patterns painted on the walls. Unicorns and other mythical creatures. A whole mural painted by her father and even signed with his name and her hand print. Nadia felt a lump catch in her throat as she sniffed. Recalling being a toddler when her father painted this room for her. All her toys, her books and games were left on the very shelves where she last remembered playing with them. The room was free of dust and smelt clean and fresh. He must have maintained this room so that it was ready for her return. Who would know that by the time she came back, she was all grown up. Mr Lumpy, her one eyed teddy bear that she took with her on her father’s adventures was sitting proudly upon her bedding – leaning against a small wall of coloured cushions. Nadia padded over and picked him up. Thread bare and with very little fur left he was a painful reminder of a childhood long since forgotten. Nadia brought the bear up to her face and inhaled his scent as she closed her eyes and cast her mind back to the final time she saw him…..and her Father. :: Giles stood in the doorway, watching Dante go over the many books and shelves that were in the map room, commenting that it would take him all night to do his research, but a glass of scotch and a smoke would be welcomed. “Of course Sir.” The man servant bowed and then left the room, only to return a short time later with a tray that contained a crystal canister of scotch, packet of cigarettes, a crystal glass with ice and a lighter. He set them down on the nearest table to where Dante had pulled up a leather chair to sit in. “Will that be all, Sir?” <3>
IceTe3a: The map room was dark no lights were on as it should be, the roaring fireplace crackled cooking the wooden logs slowly letting off the most distinct smell of burning wood a smell that was most welcomed to Dante almost calming him into a zone, as the smoke raised through the chimney shoot and to the dark cold rainy night of the outside world. The heat of the room was a comfortable warmth as it caressed his body drying it along with his clothing and hat which he was still wearing it covered his face as he glanced down studying the notes; The cold from the outside barraging against the windows as did the heat from the room causing the window to fog up, the darkness of the room lit up by only the single light of the fire, casting shadows along the walls as they danced with the flame. Giles appeared back in the room with a bottle of scotch in a crystal canister, a pack of cigarettes and a crystal glass with ice and a lighter placing it down before him, the sudden extra person in the room brought Dante out of his zone as he glanced up at Giles “Please call me Dante, I’m not good with this whole butler thing. I prefer we thought of each other as friends” he came to smile as he poured himself a glass full of scotch keeping it straight and on a single rock. He brought the glass to his dry lips they yearned for the sweet taste of the scotch as he pressed the glass to his lips and took a sip. Placing the glass back down he took a cigarette out of the pack and lit it up, leaving it to slowly smoulder as it rested in-between his lips occasionally he would take a deep drag and blow the smoke out across the room whilst his hands and eyes were fixed upon the old scribbles of Con’s notes “Interesting theories he had, He’s looking for the lost temple of Zeus I believe” as he glanced up to Giles “Giles If I’m keeping you from anything, please feel free to leave and do what you must” he said before glancing back down to the notes and the map following the coordinates on the notes as he matched them to the old and stained map. The map itself had seen better days as it was torn and dirtied with pen marks across it with markings and courses amongst other things, Dante wasn’t completely sure as to what Con was looking for exactly, in con’s notes he noticed that he was searching for quite a lot of things, as he read one note in particular. ‘16th June – 2009, I have been trekking in the deepest parts of Greece’s mountains long has these trails seen foot or hide of mankind as no one comes this far out these days. It looks untouched by man for centauries nature in its original form. We found a waterfall today with a cooling pool at the base, there’s a cave system behind it just like the ones I used to walk in with my daughter Nadia . . . Dearest Nadia how I miss her so much, if only she was here to see this with me it would make it that more special, although I know in my heart she still thinks of me from time to time and that keeps me going in my older times.” Dante smiled lightly Con really loved his daughter, he placed the note on the side of the table as he was going to show it to Nadia when he could, glancing up to Giles “Giles perhaps you should check on Nadia, I think being home after so long may be a bit overwhelming for her.” He said as his face disappeared under the brim of his adventurer’s hat as he glanced back down at the notes reading them one by one. Thunder and lightning rolled over the estate as it crackled and whipped in the wind the sound echoing into the house and throughout the walls, it gave Dante’s body a light shiver he loved storms all kinds of storms, as it raged on outside, the warmth of the fireplace promised to keep them safe and comfortable.
CharlotteCarrendar: The maid entered Nadia’s room with the wet suitcases carrying them over to her closet, which still had racks of clothes that were for a child, not a woman. She spoke softly in Greek about how these clothes could be given to the poor, and Nadia could only nod in agreement. So many years had gone by since they were worn, but still had so much life in them. As the maid started to unpack Nadia’s suitcases, Nadia reached in for a nightie and robe as well as changes of smalls and her makeup bag. “I’m going to take a shower” she said softly, while the maid obliged her. A last look at her childhood clothes on the racks, she padded towards her bathroom. Outside, a storm was raging. Thunder and lightning swelled amongst the dark clouds blacking out the moon’s light. A change was in the air, that was for certain. The lights in the bathroom flickered and for a moment Nadia thought she saw a strange haunting shadow upon the wall that had her cry out. She clutched her chest a moment, before the lights came back on and she tried to regain her composure. ~Get a grip, Nadia~ she thought to herself, as she turned on the shower and removed the last of her wet travelling clothes. There is no such thing as ghosts..right? Standing under the heated spray of the water, she let it beat down on her head – a hand pressed to the cool tiles as she went over in her mind all that Giles had said about her father, the man that was her father’s rival and of course the wayward adventurer that was now enjoying her father’s scotch no doubt. Turning off the faucet, she stepped out of the shower, drips of water trailing down her petite form as she reached for a towel to dry herself with. She squeezed the excess water out of her hair, and then dressed in the silk nightie in white, drawing the matching robe on, before stepping out into her bedroom again. Candles had been lit in her room in the thought that if they did lose power, that she would be able to find her way to bed. Nadia though was not sleepy. She wanted to go and find Giles and speak to him more about her father, her need to find out if there was a chance he was alive overwhelming. As she descended the stairs, a window burst open with a loud crack of lightning smashing into the ground not far from the house. The loud earth shattering rumble of thunder followed with Nadia illuminated by the lighting strike. Fine white curtains billowed as the wind blew them about. Nadia shrieked and ran the last few steps down the stairs before running for her father’s den. “GILES!” she screamed, before skidding past her father’s den only to see Giles and Dante seated in the map room – the fire burning brightly. Nadia coughed and appeared embarrassed. “I hate storms.” She said, the child in her becoming apparent. Giles chuckled, for she used to do the same thing when she was a little girl. Running for her father when the storms whipped up as bad as the one tonight. He gestured for her to come in, and she did so. The fire light only made her look all the more demure in the sheer robe and nightie.
Giles turned to Dante and said. “And she came to me.” He didn’t need to go find her after all. “Dante, after a life of service, it is hard for one to change his spots so to speak. You are not keeping me from anything. “ He then asked Nadia. “How about a hot cocoa?” Nadia sat down on one of the leather chairs opposite Dante and simply nodded, as she wrapped her arms around herself, still cold from just getting out of the shower
<3>
IceTe3a: He was in deep concentration the storm raging on harshly behind him as one could see the flash of thunder and lightning through the windows behind him, mumbling the words he was reading under his breath he arched a brow “Interesting” he would say as he flipped through a book to confirm what the notes said. Taking a drag from his cigarette he blew the smoke outward as it danced lingering in the air of the room creating shapes that were different to each person’s eyes. “He was onto something by the looks of things… but what” he’d pop in and out of it randomly at times stating something before going quite once more. A shriek came from outside as Nadia came racing into the room, Giles chuckling at the situation as she had stated she hated storms, he registered that she was in the room and was listening to what they were saying but he was deep in thought and study of the information before him. Giles stating that he was too used to his ways of life although he appreciated the gesture Dante had given him, Dante was not about to force Giles to not call him sir if that’s what he preferred to say that’s to each man to make up his own choice. Giles walked out of the room after offering to go make Nadia a hot cocoa leaving the two in the room. Coming out of his zone once more “Smart man” he said as he glanced over to Nadia who was curled up in a ball across the office desk on a leather chair, she was cold and shivering as he shook his head, ‘This woman would not last a hour out in the wild’ he thought to himself. “Here” he said as her grabbed her arms and wrapped them around the inside of his coat pulling her in so her skin was touching the warmth of his skin, his brown thick leather trench coat naturally flowed around wrapping around them as he picked her up, walking around to where he was originally he sat down on the chair allowing her to sit on his knees whilst she was pressed, arms wrapped around his bare warm chest. He naturally knew how to survive in the wild and how to make people warm up, sharing body heat was the best way to do so, as he continued to read the notes and flick through a book to match them up. His cigarette half done as it rested in his mouth, his left hand grabbed the note he read from Con talking Nadia in it, he wanted her to see how her father still thought about her. “There are many more like this one” as he passed it to her. His eyes flicking from word to word note to note and to a book occasionally to search for a reference as he kept to himself, the entire time whilst working around Nadia warming up from his body heat, taking a sip from his scotch glass from time to time amongst taking a drag from his smoke. The storm was at its fullest the wind bashing up against the windows as the thunder and lightning got heavier along with the rain “Storms almost over” he said as he knew when it got to its heaviest that was basically it giving its final shot before dying away leaving a beautiful night sky, this happened often to him. He could feel her skin slowly reaching the same temperature as his as she finally stopped shivering, “Not so bad huh” he stated half minded as he continued to read through the notes “Your father had a lot of adventures he wanted to peruse and even more ideals he thought was ready to be discovered, but nothing here states anything recent and why would he up and leave.. all this adventure when he was on the right path for most of them…” he glanced down to her as she was still sitting there stealing his heat before he went back to work “Must have found something a lot bigger than these adventure’s I’d love to find out what it was” he said before going silent.
CharlotteCarrendar: – One of the many things Nadia’s father did when she was frightened by the storms that sometimes raged on the blistering hill was to hold her in his arms with her seated on his lap and read to her to keep her mind free from the ferocity of the rains and thunder that rocked the house. The only difference between the past and that moment in the map room was that Dante was almost assuming her father’s place. She was too stunned at first when he swept her up in his coat and then sat her back down with him – using his own body heat to help warm her cool flesh. Nadia was about to protest, when Dante revealed what he had found. Notes…many notes about how much Con missed his daughter. Her eyes fell upon the yellowed papers, her brow creasing as she scanned over the words that flowed from her father’s heart. How she missed him. All those years kept apart by her mother in some way of trying to hurt her father, but in turn hurting them both. Dante’s smoke floated about them, and this reminded her even more of her father. It was the same brand of cigarettes on the silver tray Giles had brought in that were from her father’s own den. Nadia stopped shivering as she subconsciously felt a calm sweep her. The familiarity of the room, the smells and now being comforted by the adventurer, though he probably didn’t know that he was doing it. Dante commented on how her father had many adventures he wanted to go on, plans and notes for such but nothing that indicated what it was that made him leave the day he vanished. Where would such information be? Perhaps he had found something a lot bigger, or he was led to a place where he was unable to return from. So many questions still unanswered. While all the books that Dante had found so far being familiar there was one missing. Her father’s private journal. When Giles re entered the map room and saw the young heiress sitting curled up with the adventurer he couldn’t help but smile. Fancy Dante being able to tame the girl so fast. Amazing. He set down the cocoa in Nadia’s reach, as Nadia asked the question. “Have you seen my father’s journal?” He would have known what she meant and he then pointed to the picture on the wall of Zeus. “it should be in the safe.” There was a very good reason for it being there, and thankfully the solicitor hadn’t been able to open it. Giles took a small piece of paper out from his coat and handed it to Nadia. “The combination.” Good to know someone was on her side. She looked back at Dante and said. “Ever opened a safe?” <3>