Hello All! I AM STILL ALIVE! LOL! Sorry about being gone for so long. I have been really busy lately. I feel really bad that I have not had time to update my stories. But here it is! The next chapter of Twelfth Melody. Enjoy!

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Chapter 2: Old Tale and Revelations

Just as I was starting to get familiar with my new rooms, a soft knock could be heard at the door. I made my way over to it and put a hand against the dark wood.

"Who is it?" I asked.

"It's your uncle," was the swift reply.

I opened the door wide to let him in. A grin showed the bright white of his teeth. He looked very happy about something.

"What has you so happy, uncle?"

"I wanted to see how you were adjusting to your new room."

I couldn't keep the excitement out of my voice as I replied, "Ohh, it's absolutely beautiful! You picked the most amazing shades of blue, it looks like the ocean on a calm and clear morning! And the balcony! What a view of the shore to wake up to in the morning!"

I had no idea that a grin could get even bigger but my uncle's face was split in two with his happiness.

"Good! Now I have some news for you."

"What news? What's going on?" I questioned him.

"Tomorrow night there will be a banquet to properly welcome you to Ireland. There will be plenty of food, mead, music, and dancing."

This shocked me, not even a day here yet and he already planned a grand meal for me. I was scared, but not about meeting new people. I was fearless when it came to mingling with others.

"But uncle! What will I wear? I have nothing but a couple of day dresses, nothing fine for a banquet of that sort-" My rambling was cut off by the weight of his hands on my shoulders. I looked up to him to see the smile still gracing his face.

"Don't you worry about that. I have been planning this since I first got your letters. There are several seamstresses working on a beautiful gown for you to wear tomorrow. I came to get you so they can get it fitted to you. You do like blue, don't you?" He finished.

My face lit up, "Of course I like blue! Where are they working on it? I would like to get it fitted right away."

"I will take you to the room. Come with me." He held his arm out for me to take and with a click, the door was closed, and we were on our way.

The hallway was beautiful, with deep burgundy carpets, tall wrought iron candle holders, and great paintings adorning the walls. One painting caught my eye and I stopped.

My breath caught in my throat. It couldn't be.

It was a man sitting on a rock, surrounded with water, playing a violin, and he was looking up. As if he was staring into your very soul. His eyes were a sad grey blue and overflowing with tears. Whoever had painted it had captured the pain and anguish of the man with startling detail.

"Ahh, it seems as if your eyes have settled on one of the most special paintings in this place." My uncle stated.

"Who is that? Why is he so sad?" I couldn't stop from asking.

"More like what, than who. That is one of the Fossegrim."

"Fossegrim? What is a Fossegrim?" I was confused by my uncle's words.

"A water spirit that is very skilled with either a harp or a violin. They are a bad omen to any who come upon them. If a person happens upon one, they will drown the next day. But there are some who seek them out just for the chance to learn at their feet. They are quite gifted at music. There is said to be eleven musical scores they play. Ten are safe for any human ears to hear, but it is said that the eleventh one is too dangerous, because it can make any object, like a table or a chair come to life and dance. If a human was to hear it, it could very well cause their death or them to fall into madness."

I was shocked, that was for sure.

But there was something I had to know, "why is he so sad?"

He cleared his throat as I looked at him. He looked uncomfortable.

"Because he is doomed."

The sharp raspy voice made me turn in shock. It was an elderly man, with silver hair that fell in disarray to his ears. His

"Doomed to be caught between heaven and hell for eternity, without any hope to be saved, ever. It is quite a sad story for any to hear. Even sadder a tale to tell. That there is the lord of the Fossegrim, caught at the great stone of spirits. Such a haunted rock for any to be near."

"Ian, that's enough! It's nothing but a yarn to scare wee ones from going too far to the water's edge. Isobel, don't pay attention to old Ian. He tends to sip the draft too much…"

Uncle Brennan's voice faded from my ears and all I could hear was the beautiful haunting highs and lows of the violin. I locked eyes with Ian. The old man's eyes were almost white, so great was his age, but that hadn't shocked me. He winked one eye at me and nodded his head toward the painting once more. I looked more closely at the painted eyes of the Fossegrim and gasped. It couldn't be, its just impossible.

"..Old Ian didn't mean anything by his words, he just likes telling stories…"

Those eyes…the same swirling mystery of blues and greens that looked at me with such playfulness….is this the same man that played on the docks? Why are those beautiful eyes filled with such sadness?

My eyes burned and my chest tightened with a fierceness unlike anything I had ever felt before. I reached a hand to my cheeks and found that tears were wet upon my face.

"Isobel? What is the matter? You look pale as the moon, what is wrong."

"It's just a fairytale, right? I mean there is no such thing as Fossegrim, is there?" I looked my uncle in the eye and his eyes widened at the fear in my own.

"Of course, my dear girl. What is the matter?" He grabs my arms and gently shakes me. I hung my head not believing what my head and my heart was telling me.

My uncle's words came to the forefront of my mind again, echoing again and again.

A water spirit..a bad omen if one should meet one….skilled violin…next day..drown…eleven songs….haunting blues and greens…waves crashing…thunder rumbling overhead…body face down and floating….

"My twelfth." A velvet water washed voice echoed in my mind.

"I'm going to die." Those were the words to come from my mouth before I fell into his arms as darkness took hold of me.

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