The fingers of the virtuoso danced across the piano keys as I watched in awe. It was as if the keys were air and his fingers were birds, flitting gracefully through the air. He reached the finale of the final scherzo and the last notes were played with such ferocity that I was lifted out of my seat into a round of applause. Romanov, the virtuoso, stood up and faced me. "That wasn't good. The flourishes were sloppy." He said dejectedly.
"But, Master! The major rise at the end! It was...divine...dare I say..." I stated matter-of-factly.
"Oh Sebastian...you'll never learn, will you? Nothing is ever perfect in the artist's eye." Romanov sighed, messing up my hair and walking off.
I gasped a little, I was used to his random acts of anger over trivial matters, but this was uncalled for. His musical ability was the best I had ever heard in my entire life, but he trod upon his talent with pessimism. It was saddening, really. I walked over to the concert grand and closed the lid. My master was obviously not going to be treating me to any more music tonight.
But it was something more that made me motivate him today. I was starting to feel an inkling of strong feelings for the young man. It was hard not to, he was a dashing fellow, with sandy hair and clear blue eyes. At about seven feet tall as well, he was the perfect picture of royalty. A Serbian archduke, I had come into his service only recently. And a more charming man I had never met.
Anyways, I checked the time and hurried to the kitchen to make dinner. As the only other resident in the household, I was given more responsibilities than usual. I cooked him a light meal of seafood and called Romanov down. I hid my blush as he walked into the room in a suit. I served him when he sat down and he raised a tentative eyebrow. "What is this?" The archduke asked, poking it with his fork.
"Braised lobster and clam chowder." I replied obediently.
He shrugged and ate quickly, "Thanks, Sebastian..." He muttered before leaving the room.
I blushed when he was out of view. None of my masters had ever thanked me. It was a slight shock, but I loved it. The rush of feeling I got when he said my name was just insane. I was looking forward to his performance tonight even more now.
At precisely six o'clock, he called me to help with his wardrobe. The plethora of combinations were ludacris. We decided together on something reminiscent of the musical era he was playing from, the nineteenth century. While he dressed, I waited obediently outside the door. I helped him tie his cravat when he came out of the room and smiled as my hands went through the familiar motions. I followed him out to the car and we drove hurriedly to the concert hall.
The year was 2003, on an otherwise uneventful summer day. It was an ordinary concert, with an ordinary audience. But in my eyes, it was the most extraordinary thing I had ever witnessed.