First Concert
The Guardsman Chronicles, Chapter Eleven
by Rick Federle


"Is that everything?" Mina asked William as he flopped
down into the armchair the two had just moved into the living
room.
"I think so." He looked up at her. "You'd better have it
where you want it, because I'm not planning on rearranging the
furniture when you move in."
"And why not?" Mina curled up in his lap, her arms around
his shoulders as he put his arms around her waist.
"Because I'll have much better things to do than move
furniture." William stated.
Mina giggled, then leaned forward and kissed him firmly.
He gave her a speculative look when she pulled away. She touched
his nose with her right forefinger and he wrinkled it at her touch. "I
love you, you know." She giggled.
"I know." William smiled back. "I love you, too."
"Good." Mina leaned forward and kissed him again.
"Hey, we're out of here." Lita poked her head into the
living room. "We'll see you at the concert tonight."
"Right." The two agreed, looking over at her. Serena
waved on the way out, and the two listened until the door closed
for the last time.
"That's everyone." Mina told him.
"Good." William agreed with a nod. "Now that I have my
own place, you can visit whenever you want."
"What do you mean by visit?" Mina asked. "I practically
live with you now."
"And we'll correct that in a couple of months." William
promised. "You'll be living with me permanently."
"That sounds suspiciously like a promise."
"Could be." William leaned forward and kissed her. "Let's
see, what are our plans for the rest of the week?"
"Well, there's your concert tonight, and we're supposed to
go to the beach with the rest of the gang tomorrow. It's summer
and you need more sun." Mina reminded him.
William leaned backward with a groan, resting his head on
the cushion. "I absolutely hate that tuxedo."
Mina glanced over at the clock. "And you'd better get
ready."
"Already?" William complained.
"Yes, already." Mina stood up, squeezing his hands once
before letting go. "You get in the shower and I'll get your tux
out." She waggled a finger at him. "Save me some hot water this
time. I have to get cleaned up too, you know."
"And what are you wearing tonight?" William looked up at
her.
"It's a surprise." Mina told him. "Now quit stalling."
William got to his feet. "As you command, Highness."
Mina smacked him playfully on the arm. "Don't even start."
She warned.
"Or what?" William stopped and turned to look at her.
"Shower. Now." Mina pointed. "I'll get your tux."


"I think we'll have to go out for dinner later." William
commented after he got out of the limo, offering his left elbow to
Mina, who was in the process of getting out herself.
Mina smoothed a nonexistent wrinkle from her dress before
resting her right hand in the crook of his arm, her hand wrapped
loosely around his elbow. "Might was well as long as someone else
is driving." She agreed as the two started down the walkway
toward the entrance.
They entered the covered walkway, where a line of people
were gathered. They went around the line of people who were
purchasing tickets. A number of people eyed the two enviously as
they glided toward the main entrance.
"Tickets, please." The doorman asked when they neared
him.
"I'm William Johnson." William stated as the two stopped
before the door. "I'm tonight's performer." William caught a
glimpse of a photograph on the clipboard before the front
disappeared from his sight.
"One moment, sir." The doorman checked a clipboard.
"Yes, sir. Go right in." He opened the door for them. "You want
the second door on the left."
"Thank you." William replied and the two walked into the
main hallway of the theater where the concert was to take place.
"Do you think we should stop and see the gang before we
head backstage?" Mina asked.
"Probably a good idea." William agreed.
The theater was fairly large, probably seating over a
thousand. William and Mina walked down one of the center aisles
toward the front of the theater.
A number of heads turned toward the two of them, but
William suspected that it wasn't just because he was the star here
tonight. Mina had worn her finest dress tonight, one of ankle
length white silk with gleaming white shoes and a full length pearl
necklace. It practically shone in the lighting. Of course, the fact
that the two of them seemed like the perfect couple only
contributed to the image.
The couple ignored the murmuring in their wake. "They
should be in the front row." William told Mina. "I made it a point
to get enough tickets for everyone."
"They're over to your left." Mina pointed out, turning him
slightly as they walked.
"Eating already, Serena?" William asked as they
approached the others.
Serena hastily stuffed the bag of chips back in her purse.
"Well, I was hungry." Serena protested as they joined them.
"I wondered why you brought that big purse." Raye
commented, adjusting one of Serena's elbow length gloves slightly.
"Now I know." She straightened up, adjusting her own slightly.
"You've still got half an hour before I start." William
commented. "Try to keep the volume down a little."
"I'm not that loud." Serena pouted.
"Maybe not, but with the acoustics of this place you can
never be sure."
"Nice skirt, Alexandra." William remarked. "Goes with the
blazer."
Mina smiled and elbowed him gently in the ribs. "Don't
even start."
"Yes, dear." William agreed with a smile.
"We match today." Darien changed the subject.
"Yeah." William agreed with a chuckle as Mina drifted off
of his arm to go talk to the girls for a minute. "Don't expect it to
stay that way, though." He dug a pair of keys out of a jacket
pocket. "Mine and Mina's apartment keys to your place." He
explained as he offered them to him.
Darien nodded and took them, slipping them into a jacket
pocket. "Have you got everything for tomorrow?"
"I think so." William said with a slight frown. "We can
always run out if we forget something or run out of something."
"Sounds like a plan." Darien agreed.
"Last minute details tend to take care of themselves."
William commented. "Speaking of which, we're planning on going
out for dinner after the concert and maybe you and Serena would
like to come along."
"Who's buying?"
"Me, of course." William assured him. "But we'd better
check with the girls before we make any plans."
Darien nodded and the two turned toward the girls, who
were clustered together. "Serena."
"Hmm?" Serena's head appeared out of the circle where
the girls were chatting.
"Dinner with William and Mina tonight?"
"Sure, that'd be fine."
The clearing of someone's throat pulled everyone's
attention away from their conversation. "Mr. Johnson? It's time."
William nodded and the attendant disappeared. "Come
along, love."
Mina disengaged herself from the cluster and took his elbow
again. "See you later tonight, Serena." Mina promised over her
shoulder as she and William headed for backstage. "And don't
forget the surprise tomorrow." William raised an eyebrow, but
didn't break stride.
"I won't." Serena called back.
"Do I want to know?" William murmured.
"You'll find out." Mina smirked.
"Now I'm worried."
"Stop it." Mina giggled.

Mina's eyes took on a worried look as William began the
last song on the program. He'd been singing for just under an hour,
and Mina could tell he was ready to crack at any time. Singing
about the Moon Kingdom was difficult for him and she knew if she
hadn't spent the entire concert standing where he could see her,
he'd have already broken into tears. The pain of his loss. Mina
repressed a sigh. She could feel it, so strong was it. He'd lost
everything when the Moon Kingdom was destroyed; his home, his
family, everything. Or rather everything but her, that's why he
clung to her like he did. She was all he had left and she meant
everything to him, even more so than before. And she felt the same
about him. While she didn't remember everything about the Moon
Kingdom, she knew he'd meant more to her than life itself even
then.
She just wished he wasn't about to do what he was about
to. He'd need her there to comfort him once he sang that last song.
It wasn't on the program, but he was going to sing it anyway. He'd
told her he needed to hear those words one last time, the promise of
peace that the Moon Kingdom had stood for.
She raised a hand to stop the curtain before the attendant
could start to close it. As the notes of one song began to fade, he
began the next, his voice strong and clear. For the first time in a
millennia, Lunarian would once again be spoken on this planet. For
possibly the last time. William locked his eyes with hers and she
banished the worry from them, filling them with her love for him.
He smiled bravely as the song ended, letting the echo fade slowly
away as Mina gestured for the curtain to be closed.
When the curtain snapped fully closed, Mina bolted from
her place in the wing and to William, setting herself in his lap. He
broke down all at once, clinging to her as he cried, his face buried
in her stomach. She whispered soothingly to him, cradling his head
tenderly. She glanced up and around once, her eyes and posture
unconsciously protective, absently noting their friends were waiting
nearby for them, before returning her attention to the man who
meant everything to her.
Finally, he raised his head and gave her a faint smile. She
returned it, relieved that for the moment he would be okay. She
took the handkerchief from his pocket and used it to clear away the
ravages left behind by his grief. She folded it back up and tucked it
back in his pocket, then leaned down and kissed him once for
reassurance.
"Thank you." He whispered. "I don't know what I'd do
without you."
"You're welcome." She stated. "I'll be here for you when
you need me just like you'll be there for me." She cradled his head
against her again, his eyes closed as he rested his cheek against her
stomach with a content sigh.
"I love you."