Anastasia's POV
I bid Erik a goodnight and sweet dreams before receding down my staircase to the same lonely single bed and decorative night gown. I mindlessly smooth my long hair back in a loose pony tail before tugging the night gown on and tying the bow at the top. I then pull up on the heavily embroidered duvet and let myself sink into a deep, dark sleep.
"Anastasia!" I hear the scream of Bella pierce through the night. I rush up the silver stairs and through the dial just in time to see crimson blood splatter over the clear crystal of my watch. Thud. The blank, dead eyes of Bella are staring down at the face of the watch as her murderer rushes out enraged at the lack of treasure.. As soon as they are gone I start to cry and scream….."BELLA!"
I jerk upright in my bed, dripping a cold sweat, my heart racing faster than the feet of a prisoner fleeing their jailer.. My hair falls over my face and shoulder as I breathe heavily in and out, waiting for the adrenaline to wear off so I can calm down and figure out why I had that dream. I haven't thought about that night in so many long years. That was the hardest night I had ever faced. I put my face in my hands and begin to silently cry from the memory.
` "Anastasia! Dear! What is wrong?" Erik's sleepy voice rings through the crystal, obviously full of concern for my wellbeing. I quickly sit up and run up the stairs to sit below the dial and look up into his face.
"Oh Erik I'm so sorry for waking you up. I dreamt of an awful memory." I inform him slowly, looking up into his handsome blue eyes and messy black hair, trying to resist the temptation of revealing myself to him. Erik's eyes soften from their normal icy look as he gazes down at me.
"Anastasia, I have had many nights like that. Would you like to talk about it?" Erik inquires, holding me close to him as he props himself up on the pillows. I sigh and ring my hands, not knowing whether I should tell him my story or if I should laugh it off and change the subject. Emotions boil up within me, longing to be let out, hot tears well up in my eyes as I begin to sob softly.
"It is a sad tale signore, I'm not sure you would like to hear it." I confide in him, my voice quivering as I try to choke back the tears, memories playing like moving frescos in my mind.
Erik's POV
"It is a sad tale signore, I'm not sure you would like to hear it." My dear Anastasia's voice quivers with sorrow and pain. I look down at the dial and glimpse a hint of white. I bring the crystal up closer to my face and sigh, happy to have someone that has experienced the reality of this cruel and dark world. At the same time I am grieved at the pain in her voice, my heart wrenching at the thought of someone as sweet, innocent, and caring as my dear Anastasia experiencing any sort of heartbreak or grief.
" I assure you my dear, I would be glad to listen to your story. It seems like you need someone to confide in concerning this matter." I grin understandingly, watching the second and minute hands dance around the face. Anastasia sighs heavily, obviously gathering her thoughts and calming down.
"Very well then. It was a warm midsummer's evening in the northern tip of France. I was still under the care and protection of the Roma Gypsies at that time. We had been invited to perform at the annual midsummer festival for that area, our nights were full of songs, colors, dancing, and good company. Eventually everyone retired for the night in order to be properly prepared for the next day when we would move south towards Paris. Bella and I stayed up for a while longer in our wagon to converse about the day. Bella had just snuffed out the lights and climbed into her bed when everything went wrong…" Anastasia's voice shakes and fades as sobs become audible." The local bandits had heard rumors that the gypsy leader had a treasure worth more than 1000 gems. The leader of the bandits snuck into the wagon, after searching quietly he got frustrated and decided to light a lantern and capture Bella. He lit the lantern and lunged forward with his sword drawn, demanding for the location of the treasure. Bella informed the bandit that there was no treasure, it was only a rumor. The bandit was so enraged that he plunged his sword into Bella's heart. She fell forward and I slipped from her front pocket, the lid opening and the crystal being covered with her blood as she screamed out 'ANASTASIA' and took her last breath as the bandit ran out of the wagon…. Bella was my best friend and protector, she was there at the beginning but now she's gone." The sobs become audible again as I mull over what Anastasia had disclosed to me. I gently cradled the watch to my chest, wishing I could do more to console her agony, longing to hold her close and wipe away her tears gently, to protect her from any other kind of misfortune or pain.
My mind begins to wander as Anastasia's sobbing slows and is replaced with deep and regular breathing, signaling that my dear had exhausted herself and fallen asleep. Anastasia Destler. The image of a gorgeous young woman dances in my head, her curly chocolate hair dancing in the breeze in a roman garden, her green eyes bright with excitement as she walks down the aisle in a flowing white wedding dress, her smile as we kiss and are pronounced man and wife. Anastasia's swollen stomach, heavy with our first child as we discuss our intellectual and scholarly pursuits. I recline in my bed and allow those forbidden images to play out, my mind and heart forgetting my pursuit for Christine. My eyes close and my dreams are all happy fantasies about Anastasia. I wake up feeling completely refreshed and at ease, like none of the problems of the world could touch me. I look down at the pocket watch cradled to my chest and recall the events of last night.
"Good morning my dear Anastasia. I swear to you I will do all I can to make you happy and get you out of your prison." I gently whisper, half hoping that she was listening.
I am so sorry for being inactive. My computer got the blue screen of death and was unable to complete my chapters and post them for all of you lovely readers. Feel free to send me an email with any suggestions or any requests for a new story at touchdownturnaround-author . I will reply to your emails as soon as I am available to.