Olisbo
I am a professor at a prestigious University.
I like my routines: class every morning, office hours in the afternoon, research in the cafe after that. Then home to bed.
Every day is exactly the same, which is how I like it.
One day there was this intriguing woman in the bar, and normally that would NOT be how I like it. No news is good news, predictability is a virtue, change is bad - those are my precepts.
But there was something about her... She was a tall graceful woman with black, black, raven hair. So black it looked blue.
I noticed she wore an amber bracelet, a matching amber anklet, and what from far away appeared to be some very special earrings.
I approached tentatively, "Excuse me miss, but you seem to be wearing Baltic Amber. It's not the most common and I was just wondering where you got it?"
Now that I was closer my suspicions about the earrings were confirmed.
She looked up from her computer, "Yes, yes it is Baltic, the only amber I wear. But it takes a very discerning eye to know the difference.
My name is Auset. Pleased to meet you, Mr. ..." She didn't immediately brush me off. So that was good. Not that I was hitting on her, my intentions were solely based on intellectual curiosity.
I wanted to know more about the jewelry so I pressed, "I'm Seth, Seth Jacobsen. Your earrings are very unique too..."
She repeated my name slowly, "Seth Jacobsen. You know, the essence of a thing lies in its name.
Seth, for example is the brother of Osiris."
I countered, "Or the third son of Adam."
She raised an eyebrow quizzically. Leading me to follow-up, "Oh, are you a scholar?"
"Well, I've never been called that before. I'm more of a knower of hearts."
"Very cryptic, like your earrings.... Are they Fascinum?
She tossed her head back laughing, almost maniacally, "It looks like you're the scholar. I just like the phallic shape of the amulets. So who are you?"
So she confirmed it. She really was a collector like myself.
"I work at the University. My specialty is ancient antiquities, more specifically Egyptian scrolls and artifacts. I've never once met a non-Egyptologist who knew anything about it. What's your interest?"
She explained that she was interested in the jewelry like American collectors were interested in amethyst for the vibrations. She felt they enhanced her strength and fertility.
I didn't share her belief in magic or charms. I'm a scientist after all. But that didn't make her any less fascinating.
We talked forever. She knew so much, and in different ways than I knew things. Before I knew it hours had gone by.
At one point she placed her golden tanned hand on my shoulder looking deeply into my eyes with her lovely ones, "What else do you know?"
I wanted to impress her, so I recited an ancient text:
"The one, the sister without peer,
The handsomest of all!
She looks like the rising morning star
At the start of a happy year.
Shining bright, fair of skin,
Lovely the look of her eyes,
Sweet the speech of her lips,
She has not a word too much.
Upright neck, shining breast,
Hair true lapis lazuli;
Arms surpassing gold,