The Black Domino
"What beauty lies in youth
yet ever so fleeting!
Let him who wants to, be happy
for there is no certainty in tomorrow."
Venice was magnificent during that time of the year.
He stopped himself on a bridge, admiring the city that was shining placid under the moonlight.
The canals were sparkling like golden tapes, illuminated by the lights coming from the palaces; the roads were full of torches, the doors of the houses were decorated with colored bows and flowers. From every palace came laughs and applauses.
The sky was illuminated by fireworks, wonders imported from China.
He had chosen that evening to abandon the loft where he used to study, in order to mingle with the colorful and noisy crowd; Carnival was the better occasion for blending into Venice's society.
He arrived in the city nearly a year ago but he felt like he had never seen it.
For months he had lived in solitude, feeding himself only with his job and his studies. And animal blood, obviously.
In that crowd nobody seemed to notice him, as it usually happened. Nobody was frightened by his cold white skin or by his strange golden eyes.
He was walking free, like a blond and glorious ghost from an ancient poem.
He had chosen a simple costume, a cape as black as the night and a dark mask to cover his face.
The Black Domino.
He let the flow of the crowd guide him into the big San Marco Square. He then continued to walk towards the illuminated streets, admiring the glares that the city projected on the dark water.
Then he stopped on a stone bridge to contemplate the starry sky in silence.
Around him the people were celebrating, dancing, moving; but his eyes were trying to find a fixed point in the sky.
"Milady the Moon, please speak to me," he whispered to the sky.
"If she says something to you, I hope you'll tell to me."
His thoughts were interrupted by a young childish voice.
A woman was staring next to him, smiling.
"The discussion between myself and the moon was intended to be private, Miss."
He chuckled, smiling politely.
She was very pretty, nearly to her twenties. Her hair was blond and curly, styled with flowers and berries. She was wearing a simple but elegant white gown. Her face was hidden by a golden mask.
"I beg your pardon, Milady the Moon," she said making a bow to the sky.
"Do you want to dance?" she asked him.
He smiled and shook his head.
She held out her hand to him.
"Come on… it's Carnival! Join us. This evening in Venice can't exist with any sadness," she said.
"And the moon will certainly not be offended."
"Well," he answered politely.
"I have no choice. I will be your servant for this evening. But only for one dance."
"As you wish," she answered, taking his hand.
An orchestra was playing a joyful melody as she accompanied him to the center of the square and the two interlaced their hands, beginning to dance.
Soon other people joined them.
"What's your name?" she asked.
"Carlisle," he smiled.
They clapped their hands.
"I have not seen you before, are you from Venice?"
"I'm English, I was born in London. But I studied medicine in France."
"So you're a noble…"
"I'm a doctor."
They turned and clapped their hands again.
"A noble employment isn't it?" she asked smiling.
"It makes me feel like I'm useful. And that's enough."
"But now it's my turn to ask. What's your name?" he asked.
She smiled. "It's a secret," she answered laughing.
"Maybe I'm a fairy, who knows!" she winked at him.
"That's not fair," he replied.
She smiled happily.
"I envy you," he said.
They clapped their hands again.
"Why, if I may ask you?"
"You are happy, beautiful and light hearted."
"Are you not?"
He shook his head negatively.
"That's why you where speaking with the moon, because she's the confident of sad hearts."
He nodded.
"You said you're a doctor, you can help people. Does it not satisfy you?"
"I feel like It's not enough," he lowered his eyes. She looked at him for a while.
They remained still in the middle of the dancing crowd.
"I think that –something- is better than nothing," he replied, "But I would like to do more."
"Please, let me look at your hands," she asked while attempting to take hold of one of his pale hands.
"Why?"
"I can try to take a look at your future. Maybe we'll discover what will happen."
"I can barely know my present, and I don't want to remember my past. So I prefer not to know my future." he said.
"Please..It's Carnival, do you not remember? Anything can happen tonight. I won't hurt you. I promise."
He smiled, laying his left hand in the woman's. She gazed at it for a while.
"I can see that you are different from the others," she whispered.
"I can also see that you suffered a lot. You passed across fire and ice."
Carlisle's eyes where full of astonishment.
"But I can also see you'll have a long life. You'll see many things and save many lives."
She took a breath "You'll meet the love of your life and you'll have a lot of beautiful children."
Carlisle burst into laughter.
"That's impossible," he said, "That's really impossible."
"Don't you believe me?" she asked amazed.
"It wasn't my intention to offend you, I beg your pardon."
"You've not offended me," she delicately caressed his face, searching his eyes hidden by the mask.
"I can't have children. And about love…I'm not searching it," he continued.
"That's not a concern. It will find you, I'm sure. I've never failed in one of my predictions."
"She'll be scared by me," he murmured.
"Your eyes are pure and sincere, I'm sure she'll love you," she smiled.
She took Carlisle's hand and led him again into the middle of the dancing crowd.
"We can dance for this evening with no fear because today I am not me and you are not you. You are my knight and I am your damsel."
They clapped their hands again and the other dancers joined them, creating a colorful ring-a-ring-a-roses. When the music came to an end, they bowed to each other.
"I must go," he said with a sad voice.
"I know," she replied.
"Never forgot who you are, Carlisle," she whispered to him.
"I'm sure you will find your place in the world. The moon, one day, will answer your prayers."
A rain of confetti fell from the sky. When they touched the floor, he was gone.
She sat down on a stone step, looking up at the stars.
The music continued to play.
"What beauty lies in youth
yet ever so fleeting!
Let him who wants to, be happy
for there is no certainty in tomorrow."