While Arianna White was making her plans to reunite with Imaginos, she thought of their last night together. They had not made love. Though they had kissed under the alder tree in the courtyard of the castle in the light of the moon. A clandestine kiss that she had hoped would be the promise of more.
But more hadn't come on that night. Indeed, she could barely recall much of the night. She knew he hadn't done anything physical to her outside of that kiss. At least not romantically physical. And she didn't know what the experimentation involved outside a few comforting whispers that she did not fully understand.
She had awakened an undetermined time later to find herself seeing the stars in a wholly unexpected way. Through the glass barrier of a sealed capsule. They were beautiful, but she couldn't help but feel lonely out there all by herself.
She was so focused on her thoughts, that she didn't hear the footsteps behind her until she felt a man walking close enough for her to smell the booze on his breath.
"Hand it over, bitch," he ordered.
"I don't have anything worth…"
"Lying slut," the man snarled. "I know you have value in that purse. I saw you come out of Albertson's. So either you bought jewellery or you sold it and got some serious coin. Either way, hand it over."
"No!" Arianna exclaimed, drawing her purse closer to her and backing away. She felt a sense of dread wash over her as the man advanced, matching her step for step until he suddenly lunged for her and knocked her to the ground causing her to hit her head on the brick wall of the bakery which stood between the pub and Albertson's.
"Shit!" he exclaimed, grabbing the purse and running when he saw her just lying there with blood pooling under her head.
Several hours later, in the palace at Plutonia, Desdinova was watching the international segment of the news when a report caught her interest.
"...in Wisseria today, a woman was beaten and robbed outside a local pub," the newscaster was saying. "Normally local crime doesn't make the national headlines. But this was brought to national attention when it was learned from Mr. Joe Albertson, the local appraiser, that the woman in question had until recently been the owner of a beautiful necklace made of rare and expensive Akoya blue pearls, some of the rarest specimens of that…"
Imaginos looked at the image of the woman that was being broadcast. It was a face that he had not seen in nearly two hundred years. And even with the bruises and her eyes closed, there was enough left unblemished for him to recognise her.
"Arianna," he whispered without thinking.
His daughter turned to him. "Yes, father?"
Desdinova's eyes narrowed. "Your old girlfriend?" she asked, her voice dark with a tinge of jealousy. She could see the concern in her husband's expression and wondered if he might still harbour feelings for his old flame.
"You named me after your old girlfriend?" Arianna asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Not on purpose," Imaginos said, putting up his hands in surrender. "The name was just roaming around in my brain."
"In our brains," Desdinova said, relaxing. "I also thought it sounded nice."
"Are you going to go see her?" Desdinova asked.
"If I'm guessing correctly, she sold that jewellery to try and find me," Imaginos said. "I at least owe her a short visit."
Desdinova stiffened.
"Why don't you come with me?" Imaginos asked.
"I have a conference to attend at the Council coming up in two days," Desdinova replied. She sighed. "Go, if you must. Just remember who you belong to."
"Yes, my beloved," Imaginos kissed her soundly, then made his way to their room to pack a weekend bag.
"Do you trust him?" Arianna asked.
Desdinova smiled at her daughter. "I know him better than most."
"But do you trust him?"