To Love in Full

Chapter 46: Apricity

Apricity (n.) The warmth of the sun in winter.

Arabella's P.O.V. *Five Hours Ago*

Darkness began to depart from me once my senses started to return and my mind was beginning to awaken, bringing me towards consciousness. My skin was met with a soft cotton fabric and my eyes were introduced to a bright light that I had difficulty adjusting to. The air around me filled my nose with a faint, but salty and tangy scent; the smell became stronger once I noticed that a pair of doors, leading to a balcony, were slightly open.

I slid the cotton blanket off of my body and shivered once my toes touched the old and dusty wooden floor. The wooden planks creaked beneath my weight as I slowly walked to what I falsely believed was my escape. As the outdoor air flowed into the room, the sheer white curtains hauntingly swayed and reached out towards my fingertips, as if inviting me to peek out into the unknown.

A gust of wind chilled my body as it glided by me, sweeping my hair away from my face and carrying whispers of secrets from this obscure location that kept me hidden from the rest of the world. My bare feet walked onto the balcony and I closed my eyes as the sun kissed my skin. I squinted at the rays of light as I noticed the sun was raised at its highest point; It's around noon, or possibly an hour or two after. I looked away from the light as it threatened to blind me with its fierce glow and my eyes trailed down towards the town below me.

The roofs of the buildings were of a burnt-orange color, the material could be barrel clay tiles or simply terracotta, similar to the ones found throughout Florence, but my location is not in a city bounded by land. I looked out into the calm sea and watched as it glistened from the high-noon sun, reflecting glittering light into the eyes of those who were compelled to gaze from afar. I must be in another coastal city of Sicily. Or possibly Naples or Venice? My hands gripped the stone railing in frustration as I knew I had no where to escape and no phone to contact Nicolo. I am trapped.

I loosened the grip around the stone as I felt the surface digging into my skin, but my eyes caught something peculiar. Small flakes began to drift down from my palms while some remained under my fingernails. I looked down and noticed some white paint had chipped off from the stone.

The buildings are painted white and some doors are painted blue, I observed as I looked out into the town below me. Many walls were smooth and plain; this style of architecture was elegant and simple, which greatly contrasted the sharp gothic architecture found throughout Italy. I only know of one country along the Mediterranean that is notable for having vibrant white and blue buildings.

"No, it can't be," I mumbled to myself in shock, refusing to believe what my mind was inferring.

I left the balcony as my anxious thoughts controlled my movements and sent my feet into a frantic scramble towards the door of the room. My hand met the metal doorknob and burned with apprehension as I was afraid to confront the mysteries beyond this point. A gust of wind chilled me once I opened the door and had brought my attention towards the clothing that I was changed into.

The white challis dress flowed above my knees and was useless at hiding the raised bumps along my arm as it only had thin straps. Simply designed stone columns lined the hallway that I walked through and reminded me of my studies in art. The Doric order of classical architecture was found throughout Ancient Greece and these columns look similar to that type of style.

"You're awake." A loud booming voice echoed through the empty halls and my mind drifted away from art as it entered back into this unsettling reality.

"I see you're making yourself at home," the man chuckled and my head turned towards his direction as I watched him walk down a spiral staircase. He was an aged man with blonde hair that was beginning to fade into gray and had a face that seemed to be overwhelmed with stress and troubles.