The Cursed One

[Arphanto Daemon]

It was midday. A gentle breeze swept through the air giving the afternoon to come a sense of hope and optimism. Arphanto was sitting on a bench and had just finished playing his flute. He was methodically disassembling when he was struck with an idea. There was a new tea shop nearby that had just opened and his fiancé had been hinting that she would like very much to try it. A warm smile found it's way to his face as tucked away his flute into it's leather bound, deep purple velvet caressed with the utmost care each piece of his beloved flute. He closed the lid and fasted the buckles with satisfying clicks and strode off towards the tea shop.

He passed many on the streets, some he knew and some of course that knew him and or of him. A simple head nod was all that was required to show respect for one another and that was all he offered. He found the door and his ears twitched and his eyebrows raised in unison, this building was not worthy of serving his beloved tea, it was what he would consider to be in a decrepit state of disrepair. The door squeaked beyond reason as another patron left, the paint had been sloppily applied and in some areas was already chipping away. He turned his nose up at the establishment, but her face flashed before his eyes as he remembered her pleading for him to take her there soon. He took a breath in and begrudgingly opened the door, the squeak of the hinges hitting his ears in the most annoying fashion. Upon entering he made his way to the counter and ordered a delightful blend of chai tea, so the menu described it anyway. He doubted that anything in this establishment could be delightful. He patiently waited and was served in a rustic looking earthen tea mug.

"Might I ask, where is the proprietor of this shop? The tea is for my fiancé and I wish to purchase this mug as well."

The man behind the counter wiped his hands and a small knowing smile appeared on his face.

"He has gone into town, but has been wanting to meet you, acting in his absence I gift you the mug as a token of good will."

Arphanto smiled politely.

"My gratitude is endless, please inform him that I look forward to meeting him as well."

The two nodded at each other and Arphanto walked out of the tea shop and started towards home. He did not have far to travel, his home was on the outskirts of town and was indeed a fair amount larger than that of most others, but not the largest of them all. He walked up the beautifully decorated path, noticing some flowers that were perhaps a bit passed their prime. He would deal with those later, he surmised as he opened the door, his hinges did their job without any audible protest. At long last he would see his beloved Chantiel and deliver her the tea that she had been longing for. His ears twitched as he heard noise coming from the upstairs. He set his flute case down on the table and walked towards the staircase and slowly made his way up to the top before turning left into his bedroom. She must have been waiting for him, this was a surprise indeed, and a welcome one at that. He had brought tea for her which she could enjoy at her leisure and she was presenting herself to him.

He opened the door and his smile soon faded.