EMERITUS

Walking alone, you paused at the window to view the courtyard in the twilight before making your way to your chambers. You heard a noise slightly echo down the hall, like a door latching. You looked in its dim direction and saw nothing, yet suddenly felt watched. As you turned to continue walking, a leather glove reached from the darkness and traced a finger delicately over the nape of your neck, as if you were just out of reach. You breathed a gasp as it caused hairs to rise and a chill to shimmy down your spine. 

“Scusi, bella,” the deep voice whispered right behind you. It was Papa Emeritus the IV.  

You turned to face him. “Papa,” you acknowledged as you briefly bowed your head. He was in his full stage regalia.

He cleared his throat. “Scusi,” he said again, more distinctly. “I did not mean to startle you.” 

Too late, you thought as you nodded lightly and smiled, tight-lipped, allowing your heart rate to come back down to normal pace. 

“But please, call me Copia. I’m so glad you’re here!” he said, and your heart skipped. “I’m running late to eh …  meet with i miei fratelli … a-and these damn layers! Can you help me tie my boot?” he asked innocently as he raised his left foot, wobbling some to maintain balance. 

You knelt so he could rest the ball of his foot on your knee. You tied the laces securely and his foot dropped back to the ground. With the back of your hand, you wiped away the dust from your dress before glancing up to see the gloved hand in front of you. You took it and caught the deep, ambery musk of his cologne as you rose to face him, before realizing you were a little too close for respect’s sake. Your eyes met, that white left eye more piercing than ever. He dropped your hand that you didn’t realize he was still holding and he awkwardly took a step back. 

“Ah…” he sheepishly smiled. “Grazie, bella.” He then held his arms, hands open, out to his sides as if to say, “what do you think?”, before closing his fingers into his palms and dropping them to bounce at his hips. “Okie dokie, well … I must go, eh? Ciao!” He nodded and walked past you, eyes down. Though his footsteps faded as he turned the corner, he left behind the intoxicating scent of his cologne as it wafted into your imagination.