Hey guys! Here's another chapter of the actual story! Hopefully, I'll be able to revert back to one posting a week before too long. I didn't get to type as much as I would have like over the break…
How'd y'all like those two special chapters? I had a lot of fun making those. :)
Sybbie: Thanks! I kind of want to go off the angle of Elias always being tired of being compared to his brothers, and therefore does gain his own personality and own personal strengths. He does look up to Selene like a big sister even though she teases him a lot (though her teasing is a lot more like teasing teasing than Klaus-type teasing) because at the end of the day she's a good friend to him.
Yeah, what I said at the end of the New Years Special was very true-I kept laughing so hard when I wrote it that it took me much longer to write than it should have and earned a good deal of "Shut Up!"s from my family…
And thank you again! Characters are always my favorite part of a story, so I work really hard on that. Characters and their voice and emotions and such are always the best parts of my writing, I make it a point to study how people work, and it makes up for my not-so-great transitions of action and imagery, at least, I like to think it does.
And I'm sorry for posting so late today! It's been a busy day, first day back from winter break and all, that coupled with my first drivers Ed class…equals no time for the next three weeks I'll probably get very little typing done…sorry
Note: For some reason, new comments aren't showing up when I click to open the reviews. The last two aren't showing up, though they are being counted in the total number. I've sent an email to the help support people so hopefully they'll fix it soon and I won't have to read reviews through the automated emails...because those only show a certain amount of words, and if I get a long one I won't be able to read it...I hope this is fixed soon...
Chapter 23
After a good day and a half studying, and a full night's sleep, I was feeling perfectly ready to face the Monday. Day 6 of my trial. Where had the past week gone?
Sunday evening, Elias had come to me asking for help with a fire spell that was giving him a hard time. I took the time to not only help him with that (his problem was he needed to think a bit more creatively, as fire is an ever-changing force), but to ask him what Klaus' favorite treat was.
Brownies. Simple though they may seem, it takes skill to get them just right, to have them come out perfectly. Plus, to be able to reheat them perfectly to make them seem like they just came out of the oven was something that took a lot of practice, but I have practiced a lot in the past.
Elias asked why I wanted to know, and I told him briefly about that fight Klaus and I had on Friday, and how it was because my grades in certain areas weren't so decent in some areas. Therefore, I was going to apologize with baked goods, along with a heck load of studying. He just nodded and thanked me for the help before leaving again.
Now, it was morning. I had already showered and gotten dressed and such, and now I was in the dorm's student section in the kitchens. I was singing along softly to Hello by Adele. I think it was appropriate since these were meant as an apology, even in it was an apology about poor grades, not breaking a heart.*
"Hello, it's me
I was wondering if after all these years
you'd like to meet
To go over everything
They say that time's supposed to heal ya,
but I ain't done much healing
Hello, can you hear me?
I'm in California dreaming about who we used to be
When we were younger and free
I've forgotten how it felt before the world fell at our feet
There's such a difference between us
And a million miles
Hello from the other side
I must've called a thousand times
To tell you I'm sorry for everything that I've done
But when I call you never seem to be home
Hello from the outside
At least I can say that I've tried
To tell you I'm sorry for breaking your heart
But it don't matter, it clearly doesn't tear you apart
Anymore
Hello, how are you?
It's so typical of me to talk about myself, I'm sorry
I hope that you're well
Did you ever make it out of that town
where nothing ever happened?
It's no secret that the both of us
Are running out of time
So hello from the other side
I must've called a thousand times
To tell you I'm sorry for everything that I've done
But when I call you never seem to be home
Hello from the outside
At least I can say that I've tried
To tell you I'm sorry for breaking your heart
But it don't matter, it clearly doesn't tear you apart
Anymore, ooooohh
Anymore, ooooohh
Anymore, ooooohh
Anymore, anymore
Hello from the other side
I must've called a thousand times
To tell you I'm sorry for everything that I've done
But when I call you never seem to be home
Hello from the outside
At least I can say that I've tried
To tell you I'm sorry for breaking your heart
But it don't matter, it clearly doesn't tear you apart
Anymore~"
I was a slower song, but it was something that could get stuck in your head, especially the chorus. I mixed the batter violently, as I had to make sure there were no lumps of powder. As the Adele song ended, and more fun one came on. Polaroid by Imagine Dragons. My favorite line of all of them was "I am the color of BOOM!" It makes me grin like I'm a head case** every time. It's such a happy sounding song, but when you pay attention to the lyrics, they're actually really depressing, but the happy sound and fun beat make it a fun song. One thing I love about Imagine Dragons is the fact that each of their songs sounds totally different from the rest.
I pour the batter in the butter-greased pan and pop it in the oven. Next, was simple cake pops for all the other people I give sweets to daily.
Elias' POV
I needed to tell my brother something. Something very important. I knew he'd be up at this hour, because even though he hates mornings he tends to be awake early enough to get some work done before school.
As soon as I was ready, I told Yukiya I'd see him in class and hurried out the door. I made my way to Klaus' office and knocked. I heard a thump and the scraping of a chair. I opened the door and peeked inside. There was a book on the floor and Klaus looked around looking confused.
"Klaus, it's me. Did you fall asleep at your desk?" 'That's never happened before. Was he here all night?'
"Seems I did. Now, what did you need?"
I walked in and sat on the stool, as it was in the same spot I had left it in yesterday. "Okay, so I ended up going to Selene for help with that spell."
"I figured you would." he yawned.
"Well guess what else I learned."
"What?"
"Selene thinks that your fight last Friday was because some of her grades weren't very good, therefore bringing your grades down and making you irritable. She has absolutely no clue of the truth!" He looked at me for a moment before blinking.
Then he laughed, it was soft, but it was there, "Naive idiot, that girl...she's pretty oblivious, isn't she?"
"No more than one would expect. Perhaps you can use this chance and make up with her-she told me that she had a plan to do so, though I won't tell you what, because if you knew before hand, she'd know I told you, and the surprise would be ruined. This is your chance to take advantage of the situation and make up with your buddy!" I got up and hurriedly walked to the door, "Good luck, brother of mine!" The door swung shut behind me.
…. …. ….
Selene's POV
I faced my day with a fury-a good kind. I was able to do better in all of my classes, even Practical Magic (we were timing how long we could hold little tornados on the ends of our wands-turns out it's actually a technique to help learn to control magic and to help increase magical stamina). I avoided Zave at lunch, heading to the library instead. I felt a bit guilty about that, but I don't think I could face him right now.
After my Types of Magic class, where we spent the period working on our amulets, I headed straight to a certain Prefect's office. I hesitantly did my signature knock. 'knock-knock knock-knock knock knock-knock bang!'
"Come in, Selene." He knew it was me. Of course he did, who else knocked like that? Seriously reader, if you do know someone who does that exact same knock, let me know so I can go scold them and tell them it's mine.
I opened the door and shut it behind me softly. "Good afternoon, Klaus. How has your day been?" I suddenly feel a bit nervous. Where is all of my usual audacious confidence?
"It's been quite well. Your's?" He didn't even look up from his desk, and if I wasn't mistaken, he seemed a little stiff.
"I did better in my classes today than normally." I took a deep breath, "I'd like to say I'm sorry for what happened last Friday."
This got his attention. Even though he still didn't look up, his pencil stopped moving, "You've nothing to apologize for. I snapped at you for reasons that had nothing to do with you."
"No, no!" I exclaimed, "I do! I know that my grades weren't as good as they should of been, and that it was due to me not studying as much as I should have been! And since our grades are intertwined, mine must have been bringing yours down, and I doubt that yours are usually anything less than perfect. Therefore, I've decided to study longer and harder and bring my grades up, and to say sorry I made you brownies!" I held out the package and looked away, faint flush of embarrassment on my face.
It seemed an eternity before he answered. He answered with a laugh, several of them.
Klaus' POV
I couldn't help but laugh at this innocent, naive girl I had fallen for. "Even though I told you it had nothing to do with you, it seems you're convinced it did. I'll accept the brownies and we'll call it even, okay?" Even though I'm partially lying, she doesn't know that. She looks at me, a grin slowly forming on her face even as I see relief in her eyes.
"Deal." She set the brownies on my desk and her bag in a chair before grabbing the duster from it's cupboard, starting what had become her normal set of chores. I turned back to finish on the report I was working on. The words blurred and I swayed. I shook my head and rubbed my eyes. 'Wake up!' I mentally scolded myself. But every so often my eyes blurred upon the words to the point where I gave up and just stared at the paper in a daze.
As soon as she finished dusting and straightening the office, we went outside to start her training.
"It's quite pleasant outside today...why is it that the weather is always so nice her? It's never even very cold in the mornings or evenings, and even though it's halfway through autumn, the leaves are still green. Why is that?" Selene seemed almost as if she was talking to herself, but I answered her rhetorical inquiry.
"The weather and seasons are magically controlled on the campus grounds. It also tend to rub off a bit on the surrounding areas, so they tend to have a shorter, later winter then they would otherwise."
"Really?" She laughs, "That's awesome! That means I won't have to deal with a sluggish season if I end up getting accepted."
"Sluggish season?"
"It's what I tend to call winter," she explains, "because, you see, during winter I tend to be really apathetic and almost in a hibernation type awareness. My brother's and I think it's due to the fact that cold plus Selene equals no energy. Literally, during the colder parts of winter back home I'd be curled up in multiple fuzzy blankets next to the fireplace and be completely unresponsive. Cold just seems to suck energy out of my very being."
"By now I should be used to how strange you are, but I'm not." I sigh.
"Eh, don't worry too much about it." She waves her hand dismissively, "My brother's still aren't used to it and they've been with me my entire life. Now, why don't we lay on the grass. I'll read the book I got from the library and you take a nap." I opened my mouth to say something but she gave me a look that cut me off. "Don't you argue with me now, young man. You're about to pass out. And if you collapsed because you wouldn't listen to me, let's just say that I don't need magic to smack you upside the head for being a scut and not taking proper care of yourself. I could tell from the moment you were just staring at your paper without even seeing it. How you got through your classes today I'll ne'er know. Now, go to sleep." She plops herself down on the grass, her legs out in front of her, crossed at the ankles. She pulls a book out of her bag, and, true to her word, starts reading.
I don't think I'll ever know what possessed me at that moment-I sat down and, instead of laying my head on the soft grass, I lay my head down on her lap and shut my eyes.
She didn't even flinch. All she did was shift her the position in which she held the book and read on. I remember her mentioning that in a family as large as hers, things like personal space and privacy were flimsy concepts. I don't doubt that she was often used as a pillow-but I felt my heart speed up a bit at the contact I had with her. Why did love do this to a man, make his heart palpitate with every brush against the woman he loved? Make him confused and jealous and brash? These questions are too complex right now, and I'm far too tired to think upon them.
I heard soft singing reach my ears, the melody slow, soft, and haunting, yet soothing. Selene was singing a song that must have been in English, because I couldn't understand the words. But it made me even more sleepy than I already was...she had such a pretty...voice…
"Are you going to Scarborough Faire?
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.
Remember me to one who lived there.
He once was a true love of mine.
"Have him make me a cambric shirt
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.
Without no seams, nor fine needle work.
Then he'll be a true love of mine.
"Tell him to weave it in a sycamore wood lane.
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Gather it up in a basket of flowers
Then he'll be a true love of mine.
"Have him wash it in yonder dry well
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Where water ne'er sprung, nor drop of rain fell.
Then he'll be a true love of mine.
"Tell him to dry it on yonder thorn,
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme,
Which never bore blossom since Adam was born,
And then he'll be a true love of mine.
"Tell him to to find me an acre of land.
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Between the sea foam and over the sand.
Then he'll be a true love of mine.
"Plow the land with the horn of a lamb.
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Then sow some seeds from north of the dam.
Then he'll be a true love of mine.
"Have him reap it with a sickle of leather.
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Gather it up in a bunch of heather.
Then he'll be a true love of mine.
"Have you been to Scarborough Faire?
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme,
Remember me from one who lives there,
For he once was a true love of mine.
"When he has done and finished his work,
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme,
Ask him to come for his cambric shirt,
For then he'll be a true love of mine.
"If he tells me he can't, then I'll reply.
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Let me know, that at least he will try.
Then he'll be a true love of mine.
"Love imposes impossible tasks
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Though not more than any heart asks.
And I must know he's true love of mine.
"When thou has finished thy task.
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Come to me my hand for to ask.
For then you'll be a true love of mine.~"
*Oh, the irony! If only she knew…
**The song actually goes like this: "I am a head case I am the color of boom" So it's a play on words. Did any of you actually get that before I explained it...? Maybe you could review and let me know…?
Authoress: I love that song, Scarborough Fair. It's such a pretty song with a deep meaning. (It took forever to locate that many verses of it...there's many more, since it's an old folk song and all, but those are what I could find…)
Selene: I agree. It's kind of become Klaus' and I's "our song" type of thing.
Authoress: I know, Selene. I'm the one who's recording the story, you know that.
(a dirt-covered Taffy comes running into the room, tears running down his adorable teddy bear face.)
Taffy: Selene! Athress! Me needs help! Master got stuck in hole! Can't find wand!
Selene and Authoress (groaning): Again?!
Authoress: I swear I've told him to stop digging those freaking holes at least twenty times now! I don't flippin' care why he does it! (stomps out of the room) This is the last time I'm digging him out of the ground!
Selene (sighing): Come on, Taffy, let's go help her before Klaus learns that Serge is digging holes again...I'm the one who always has to fill them up…
(They walk out of the room)
Taffy: Yup! Me master not very 'sponsible 'bout his messes!
Selene: The struggle is real, Taffy, the struggle is real...
