Checkmate - Chapter 23: Chapter 23

Althea's jaw dropped the moment she saw Hana's art space. The backdrop was a rich and beautiful dark blue akin to the color of how one sees the night sky without the stars.
Developed and properly framed were portraits of her, and Althea couldn't believe the woman in those photos was her.
Hana's artistry made it look like she was a spitting image of her mother, but the problem was. Althea never saw her mother's face in hers for a long time.
A lot of people told her that she is a spitting image of Bernadette. Almost twins, but Althea's painting of herself or the mirror could show her that. Hana just did it again and it was spectacular. There was just something with Hana's photos that was special.
She knew she made the right decision to allow herself to be Hana's muse.
"ALTHEA!"
All Althea could register after she heard her name was a blur of chocolate brown hair heading her way. Hana couldn't help herself when she threw herself at Althea.
"You really came! I'm so happy you came!" she was still hugging her, all bouncy.
Althea became aware of the passersby and some of Hana's classmates who turned to look at their display. As much as she tried to ignore their stares and not let it get to her, a blush still crawled to her cheeks by the skin contact.
Before the desire could flee any moment, Althea melted into Hana's embrace and hugged her back, but only a little before replying. "I told you I would."
"So these are her works, huh." Professor Tosca said, a slight distaste on the edge of her voice, "Interesting... but a little amateurish."
Althea tilted her head towards her mentor. She was right when she had rightly speculated that there was more to the fact that her mentor insisted to go with her so she can finally meet the muse that sparked Althea to paint.
"Her style is almost copying a certain girl in my youth, now that I look at it."
"Umm..." Hana smiled, sheepishly. "Who are you?"
Professor Tosca glared at her, taking offense that Hana hadn't recognized her.
Althea cleared her throat, before raising a palm upwards in her mentor's direction. "My apologies, Hanako Yoshida, this is Professor Tosca Esposito. She's an Alumna of the Bachelor of Fine Arts Major in Painting and she won the Moonlit Witch title during her year."
"The last compound wasn't necessary, Althea." Professor Tosca grinned, "Wouldn't want you to intimidate your muse."
"Oh, I shall commit that to memory."
The Italian woman extended her hand to which Hana firmly grasped and shook, her eyes sparkling like the stars, "Nice to meet you, Professor!"
"Nice to meet you too, Miss Yoshida," Professor Tosca's lips curved upwards. "You know, seeing you and Althea here reminds me of my college years and my old best friend."
"You mean Andromeda Danton, professor?" she saw Professor Tosca's lips tightened. "You two are acquainted?"
"Geniuses attract other geniuses, Althea. It's an unspoken rule. It's easy to stand out from normal people but you have to find an asset so you can stand out among geniuses."
Althea comprehended her speech. It was almost as if, Professor Tosca was hinting at something.
"Andromeda Da—you mean the ANDROMEDA DANTON?" Hana squealed. "You two were best friends?"
Professor Tosca smiled. To outsiders, it might seem genuine but to Althea, who had been with her for 10 years, she had known that certain facial structures meant the opposite for her.
"Can you tell us a little about the hardships during your photo shoot?" her mentor opted to ask, successfully diverting the topic.
"Of course!" Hana cleared her throat. "Usually, the nice time to take a photo outdoors is during the golden hours. Six or seven closer to sunset, but earlier, we did it earlier in the afternoon. Not the ideal situation because it could really make harsh sunlight so to deal with this situation, we went for shaded areas. But even so, the sun can still find ways to make your foreground or background overexposed than the model."
"I do have another question if you don't mind at all, Miss Yoshida."
"I don't mind at all, professor."
"So how did you manage to get your model to evenly lit when you were shooting against the light? I do not recall any mention of any secondary source of lights... I could assume some post-processing work on this but really, I am curious about the way you lit the model."
"I... uh..."
"That's definitely a Lightroom fix, isn't it?" she smirked. "How do I know of this? Simply because of the photo itself," she pointed throughout the examples. "Due to my limited knowledge of Photography, I still can tell this. If you notice, you almost always shoot at the widest aperture and at the lowest ISO which leaves a lot of wiggle room for exposure manipulation when you get back to her computer. It also helps to have a full-frame camera, which you also have, I presume."
"Professor," Althea's eyes widened. "How did you know all of that?"
"Once upon a time, I dated a photographer. The knowledge and information got stuck in my noggin."
Althea immediately could tell who it was; Hana was still locked in a mystery.
"Hana!" A French woman was lost for breath as she arrived at the scene, she was holding a bottle of juice for her student, but her eyes were still on the floor. "Sorry it took me so long, I didn't know it would take more than I anticipated."
"Yay!" Hana caught the bottle that her mentor almost dropped. "Thank you, professor!"
Professor Andrea seemed frozen as Professor Tosca's hand hovered near her throat; her heart came up and darkened her eyes. Something wild and frightening burgeoned in Althea's heart just from watching her reactions.
"Oh, Andrea, you are mentoring Miss Yoshida? So my initial question has been answered as to why her style reminds me of someone else's."
Professor Andrea nodded stiffly. Her strife could be heard even with the loud gulps Hana made as she finished her drink. "Y-yes I do."
Althea stared at both professors intensely. She had an uncanny feeling that both of them had an unspoken past that was about to burst at any moment now.
"Pardon me for spouting nothing but criticism, the series of photographs itself is beautiful. You absolutely know how to bring Althea's finer points out. How much are they?"
"Eh?" Hana's jaw dropped, flabbergasted.
"You're selling your photos too, are you not?" Professor Tosca asked, clicking her pen, ready to write the check. "Or is this a bid? I will have to wait until the Exhibition ends and try to outbid it?"
Althea had absolutely no clue what's going on or why her professor was intent on buying Hana's photos. A minute ago or so, she was hell-bent on making Hana feel all sorts of emotions that could lower her self-esteem yet here they are.
"T-Tosca!" Professor Andrea yelled. "What are you planning?"
"Planning? Why, my dear Andrea, I like the way she took a photo of my student. In as much, it's the best portrait of Miss Lancaster out there and it would look good on the Lancaster's wall."
Althea couldn't stop herself from swallowing air any longer. Yet somehow, she swallowed it the wrong way, causing her to feel an ache similar to heartburn. She massaged her chest, trying not to sputter or groan the pain.
Hana however, noticed it and rubbed her back, mistaking them for soothing massages that might help. The good thing is, no one else paid her mind.
"Either way, I'm determined to buy them. Besides, I would rather have Miss Lancaster's photos remain in the safety of her household, not in some house of rabid super fanatics she has."
"Oh, you have a point." Professor Andrea held her cheek in worry.
"That's good news. I can't imagine why you would receive it as a threat."
"They are here!" A hushed whisper came from one of Hana's classmates.
A sudden commotion stampeded the photo gallery in an uncomfortable stillness. Heavy boots and heels echoed throughout the large long room as loud as military marching to a battlefield. The judges walked in tow, examining every artist's artworks with the occasional glare and huffs, giving Althea the impression the judges were disappointed so far in every gallery they have been to.
Somehow, seeing the lineup of judges before them made Althea subconsciously think about the goddess Hecate for she was generally represented as three-formed: a maiden, a mother, and a matron. Or perhaps they were in a presence of three goddesses of the moon—Artemis, Selene, and Hecate—about to shine their light and grace all forms of art with their gracious beauty in a search for the truest most gifted artist.
Althea failed to stop her smile from growing at this circumstance. One way or another, her confidence about the painting she submitted increased.
Two blonde women and one dark-haired woman reached the area near Hana. They seemed to be around the age of their mentors or maybe older, and halted. The dark-haired girl did a once-over to Hana's photos. "Whoa, take a look at this narrative! Her sequence area bit different than the others."
One of the blondes who donned a suit over a white shirt and a tie arrived beside the young woman, staring at the presentation before her. "With the theme of perspective, the photographer has a knack for portraits, which is good. Considering as you had said—Kaylor—differs from the others who focused on scenery and buildings. This photography is pleasing to the eyes because the model is beautiful."
"You stare at the subject instead of the whole photo, Morgana." The other blonde girl with softness in her eyes said, she also seemed to be the youngest.
"The photographer used easels to place her photographs instead of making good use of the white walls is like a far cry of 'look at me, I'm different.'" Morgana quickly added. "The model reminds me of someone though."
"She's absolutely beautiful," Empress said. "She has this perpetual haughty look to her, even if her facial expressions were never the same. The shots are perfect. It shows how the model and photographer are intimate. Somehow your relationship with your muse reminds me of mine."
Morgana rolled her eyes. "Well, if you miss Angie so much, why don't you go back to the Philippines and live in her kingdom?"
Empress glared at her. Whether the sentence was friendly advice or an insult, a metaphorical sense or a literal sense, Althea couldn't tell.
Althea got off guard with that declaration. She analyzed the judges who were vividly gesticulating over the series of photos. She frowned, feeling that for once she couldn't find a decent explanation for their behaviors.
"Are you the photographer?" Kaylor asked. "Somehow you remind me of myself when I was your age."
"I do?" Hana was taken aback.
"Yeah," Kaylor's lips curled in a huge smile. "Morgana, Empress, and I met at a Photography Workshop. Your whole vibe reminds me of myself. Eager to please the judges, total amateur from the beginning. You know, stuff like that."
"Oh Kaylor, do tell her how you almost died thrice by falling off the boat," Morgana said, teeth-gritting,
Kaylor giggled. "But you still love me, don't you?" her teasing made the taller woman blush scarlet.
"Oh! The model is here too." Empress, the unfortunate third wheel said, bringing back the topic.
Althea's attention shifted to the shorter girl next to her. Hana's hands were clammy, yet with a firm grip, her initial fear faded as her visage filled with gusto. Althea frowned a little; perhaps she just wanted an excuse to hold Hana's hand.
"Yes!" Hana quiver a little under their scrutiny. "My name is Yoshida Hanako, er I mean Hanako Yoshida. This is my friend, who modeled for me."
Althea wished she could be something more than that, but she unvoiced her concerns. "Althea Lancaster," she said, "Pleased to meet you all."
"That's why you seemed familiar! You are a Lancaster!" A chorus of commentary arrived one after another from the judges who seemed to praise Althea for her volunteering work.
Morgana cleared her throat before asking. "Could you tell us why you titled your series as Checkmate? There are only selected photos with the actual chess pieces."
"Oh! Y-yes right! Asides from the obvious fact that the elements of my photos are black and red, I named my Narrative 'Checkmate' because it is a phrase that means 'I won.' But it originally comes from the Farsi phrase meaning 'the King is helpless.' And doesn't this set of photos remind you of the bearings of a powerful queen? And doesn't she make you feel helpless upon staring at her? Her stare alone could capture you."
Her speech dazzled some people with her choice of words.
Althea's lips parted. To think that was how Hana and the general public see her. She wasn't sure if she liked it or not.
"Fascinating!" Kaylor crossed her arms. "I love how you turn an urban background into a fairytale world."
"T-thank you!" Hana's eyes glistened. Althea knew there would be an upcoming gush of tears sooner or later, so she fished for her handkerchief in her pocket, ready.
Althea was proud of her. Imagine that Hana almost failed the Finals weeks ago and here she is now. On top of another pedestal, this time reaching Althea's heights.
"Among all these photos," Kaylor pointed on one. "The flowers on the forefront were blurry but the ones in the background are going to be blurry too, like a dreamy bokeh look. Although it's usual to see such photography on Instagram nowadays, I just have a soft spot for ethereal looking photos."
"Yes, it's pretty but I have to say that this is my favorite," Empress said, gesturing at the photo where Althea was sitting on the table having tea and a chess set laid out in front of her. "She actually positioned the model to get the side light instead of doing backlit shots and it gave a very beautiful soft glow to her cheeks. The field itself had a fantastic backdrop of the classic British garden that expanded over the horizon, dotted with all sizes of forest and colors of the field."
"All of you have wonderful tastes but this one is just my cup of tea!" Morgana added. "Nothing beats the model donning a classic dress. I like the model's position here over the others because there are red fruits right here in front of her and there are fruits behind her. And what it does in the picture is that the foreground and the background are full of these hawthorn berries. And according to Celtic mythology—if I am not mistaken—is one of the most sacred trees and symbolizes love and protection. The photographer could be the Knight who devoted himself to the Queen or the King who enjoys the company of an intimidating woman and could see past all her cold demeanor."
"As much as it is an enjoyable experience to talk about this piece, we are on a tight schedule, ladies," Empress said. The three women gave a respectful nod to Althea and Hana.
"Good job girl!" Kaylor gave her a thumbs-up before giving a salute to Professor Tosca and surprisingly none to Professor Andrea and joined the older women in analyzing the other narratives.
"This makes it even more interesting." The Italian woman placed a hand on her hip, the moment the judges were out of earshot. "Do you know what those high praises mean, Hana?"
"It means that I pass with flying colors?" Hana asked.
"Tosca, please," Professor Andrea intervened. "Don't make it a contest between these two girls."
"A contest?" she gasped. "No! I am not insinuating a battle of artistry among our young students. I am merely pointing at the fact that Professor Oakley has her eyes on these two which could lead to this inevitable end. And as you can see from the reactions of our dear judges, Hana has the gift."
That shook the French professor a lot. "What? H-how did you know about Professor Oakley?"
"Althea told me."
This conversation surely is a sign that convinced Althea her hesitance to tell the events to her mentor was a bad idea. She should always follow her gut feeling from now on.
"Miss Yoshida," Professor Tosca said. "How does it feel to have the attention of a prestigious mentor such as Oakley?"
"Eh?" Hana asked. "I feel honored, but I don't even understand what was happening most of the time."
Professor Tosca crossed her arms, her weight shifted from her left foot to her right. "I can spell it out for you, Miss Yoshida. If you win the title of best Photographer and also receive the Moonlit Witch title tonight, that means you are Althea Lancaster's rival. Her winning the title, other than a noble feat, is important to her."
"Hana has definitely proven worthy to be a candidate to win, and I'm nonetheless, proud and happy for her for this accomplishment," Althea said, wanting to make herself clear.
"Oh, are you?"
Althea resisted swallowing air. She didn't understand why her mentor had all of a sudden tried to pit her against her muse. Professor Tosca raised an eyebrow. It was a simple gesture indicating many implications. To outsiders of this conversation, one could think it was a normal facial expression but Althea knew it meant much more than an innocent connotation—something much more petty and sinister.
"Hana," Professor Tosca said. "Would you want to come with us and see the evaluation of Althea's paintings?"
"I can?" Hana's eyes shone, even though she was close to crying, she managed not to.
"Of course you can, after the judges are done here, you can roam around the campus."
"But my photos, who will look after them?"
"I will." Professor Andrea slowly smiled. "I know you're itching to go."
"Alright!" Hana raised both fists into the air, giggling like a child. "You're the best, Sensei!"
Althea felt the static the moment Hana looped her arms around Althea's. She wished that her growing blush and flushed state around the Japanese girl wasn't as obvious to Hana's friends. Though surely, the professors could pick that up—especially Professor Tosca.
"I can't wait to see yours!"
They are portraits of you, darling, Althea whispered to herself.