"Can I help you sir?" Why does he alway ask that? Of course he can help me, I wouldn't of asked for him if he couldn't. Perhaps it is manners. How dull.
The piano's voice stills under my fingertips. I could continue to play and ignore him altogether, that would annoy him. But I won't.
"Please make me some tea" I don't turn to him, but I know he nods. He always nods, there is no order of mine that he wouldn't follow through. That is the way it works. The door shuts and the piano starts up again.
So much to do, so little will to do it.
My vision clouds, but my fingers continue. Music notes floating through the air, filling the room like it does most days. My brothers will be here soon. I know they will. When ever they come the air always smell a little more rotten. Such loud boisterous fools.
There is a child in the room, she sits beside me, on my late father's piano stool. She slipped in when her brother left. She is one of the few children I like. Small and quite, but not without her own opinions. Such a precious child.
Pity her brother is such a brute.
She hums along with the twisting tune, just loud enough for me to join, but just quiet enough not to disturb the piano's voice. We sit together, humming and playing. She knows her brother will be horrified when he comes back, he won't show it, but he will be. I would defend her if I didn't know that the scolding is done with care. By some cruel twist of fate Vash of all people was given this poppet and he will never fail to provide what she needs. Just like he does me.
The song ends and my fingers fall still.
I glance down at the child as we wait.
"Mister Edelstein?" I raise my eyebrow to the girl, prompting her question. "What would happen if Big brother went away?" I realise what she means. A child as timid as this would not be able to say 'died' about her older brother. I understand her concerns and nod to her to show it.
"I would take care of you" many people will vouch for my heartlessness, but this isn't true. I simply dislike a lot of people, but this child is not one of them. I would take care of her and her life would go unchanged.
"What if you went away?" Her eyes are asking me, but I have to think about it. I am not a poor man, I would not let this child be turned to an orphanage, even upon my death.
"Then I would be sure to make Elizaveta look after you, my dear, there is nothing to worry about" such a sweet innocent lie. A lie that she will have for as long as she lives, I pray that she will be able to forgive me. She is a smart girl, she will figure it out.
Still she smiles at me as her brother returns with a tray of tea. It seems that he guessed she was here. We both turn to him, expecting the sweet smell of tea, instead a gun.
"My lord, the rebellion has begun, perhaps now we should take our leave?" He bows low to me. I know what he's is asking and I am almost offended. He knows I could leave him and his little sister behind. How shameful.
"I agree" I stand, tucking the piece of music into my pocket and holding out my hand out for the girl. "Come Lili" she nods and takes my hand.
Like the visit from my brother's I also saw this coming. A rebellion is easy to predict. They are not, of course, rebelling against me, I am simply in the way. We walk down the halls of my house, Vash in front, the child and I behind. She clings to my side, but neither my servant nor I give her any reason to panic. She can hear the rocks being thrown, the yelling and the guns. A single shot echoes through the house and I flinch. I do not appreciate violence, I never have and when it is happening within my own walls I become particularly on edge.
I suppose this is why I have Vash, as intolerable as he is I do not fancy my life over yet. He leads us to the back of my house, more shots ringing out like footsteps. Lili is crying softly beside me and I do not have to look down to tell. I begin to hum, the same tune we sung together moments before. Vash looks back at me just as Lili joins my quiet voice. He turns back around knowing it is for his little sister's good.
The back door is opened and my servant doubles back. I am pushed away, a harsh squeal and another gunshot pierces the patient humming. I pick up the child as we run, she is light and small and easy to hold. Vash still runs in front, I hate how he's taller than me. I used to be taller than him you know. Ah, the good old days. Not for the first time I wonder why long legs happen to bad people.
I begin to tire, physical exertion is not my field of expertise, it never has been. I hear the shouts and the footfalls on my carpet. How sad it is. To go for music to this brutal, clumsy action. To fall from peace and melody to the cold ground covered in gunpowder and decisions. Vash turns slightly, wishing to know where his master and precious one have gotten to. He waits for us. He doesn't take Lili from my arms, even though he knows I am struggling. If he were to take her there would be nobody to shoot, I wouldn't let him if he tried. Still he urges me forward, up the stairs onto the roof. What he proposes to do up there I have no idea.
The sea breeze hits me and my hair is forced into my eyes, Lili buries her nose into my collar bone, sobbing softly. Vash ushers us in to the green house, his own blond hair distorted only by a few strands. He doesn't seem to be complaining about me making him keep his hair in a pony tail now, but I'm sure he will find something else to grumble about.
"Come, we will stay here until it is over" ah, the safe house. I had almost forgotten its existence. My younger brother had me instal it many years ago. I believe I gave Vash the key. That's good.
The wind disappears all of a sudden and something pierces my shoulder. Then another to my chest. The pain is indescribable, but I still search for the words as I stumble. I don't here the bang, but I know it happened. There is no fired bullet without that distinct compression of air. Lili screams in my arms and the great steel door is pulled close with a bang.
I do not fall, instead I simply drop to my knees. I can no longer feel my right arm which might be a blessing, I can see blood dripping to the cold floor. It is soaking through my clothes and down my arm. My breathing is heavy and dry. This was not where I thought my day was going. Not at all.
He sleeps now. His back faced skyward, his cheek against then pillow. I wrapped him up very well. Bandages stretch from his chest to his shoulder and down his right arm. He'll live, I dearly hope. I hope we will leave in time. I hope that he will be in better hands than mine, better than basic military medical training. I stripped off the top half of his clothes, they lie in a bloody mess in the corner. I should cover them before Lili awakens. I don't want her to see the blood.
I made her wear ear muffs so he wouldn't hear him scream when I got the bullets out. She sleeps now, in the smaller bed. I can see her hair in the low light, just peeking out of the covers. I don't want her to be here. A safe house in the battle field is not where a little girl should be.
They stopped banging on the door a while ago, I suppose their waiting for us to get hungry, but we won't. Thanks to that brute of a brother of his. The older one is a fool, but the younger one has a good head. Stocked the safe house full of everything. Even a violin, at least that will keep him occupied.
I sit at the edge of Roderich's bed looking down at my bloodied hands. How could I do this to him? I should of stayed behind them, I should of be the one with the bullet holes in my back. At least I would of known that he could take better care of me than I can him. He's always been better at caring. Never good at fighting, but always good at caring. That's why I'm here, because he's good at caring.
And now he's been shot… because I am bad at caring.
I stand and wash my hands, watching the redness swirl dangerously down the drain. I'm no good at this. Still I return to his side. It is a double bed so I will sleep here. I'm not surprised there are only two beds. The safe house was built before Roderich knew Lili existed. One bed for me, one for him. I am his only servant.
I can't describe how grateful I am to him and how much I wish to thank him for taking Lili, but I never will and he will never expect it of me. I don't know why I find this sad. His glasses sit on the bedside table and I reach for them. When was the last time I held these glasses? Years have passed since then. We used to be friends, god knows. We used to actually enjoy each others company. There was never a time that I wouldn't drop everything if he needed me, even now. I cannot say the same for him, but I would be there, just like before. The candle light reflects off the glasses as I look at them. I picture the way they sit on his nose. Yes, it has been a while.
I replace the glasses back on the night stand, a piece of paper from my pocket going with them. The single sheet of music I found in his jacket. I sigh and lie down, next to my life long friend. Quietly I take his hand, I am too tired and stressed to care.
"I love you" I say to air as I close my eye.
"Love you too, Sviss"
Author's notes:
Hot damn I am just churning these stories out like wild fire. My ego is currently through the roof.
Much love,
Clementine