Chapter Two: Tea at Taylor Manor
It was not a long walk to Madison's mansion-like home, but she now wished it was. Though the two did not speak, Madison cherished this walk. She would sometimes catch quick glances at Eli when she knew he was not looking, and smile blissfully at him. His mere appearance made her heart skip a beat. As she now starred at him, she looked at the soft, gentle expression on his face. She then moved on to his hair, which seemed to be the color of a starless night sky. And last, she starred in his beautiful dark eyes. To the young woman, the eyes seemed to have a depth she could not understand. And every time she would stare into them, she would slowly fall into the depth, and never want to return.
Eli suddenly stopped, surprising Madison.
"What is it?" she asked.
"We have arrived." He answered.
Madison looked in front of them and was surprised to see her home. She blushed a deep crimson when she realized what had made her lose her concentration.
"Oh, I'm sorry." She apologized. "I must have been too deep in thought."
"I should say so. You seem to have been in deep thought ever since we left the park."
Madison's blush deepened as Eli spoke.
"Wh…what do you mean?"
"Well, considering you haven't spoken since we left, I assumed you were thinking of something."
In her mind, Madison let out a sigh of relief. She had thought he had actually seen her when she was starring at him.
"Though when I'm that deep in thought," he continued. "I am usually not thinking of something. I am usually thinking of someone."
At that moment, before Eli could see her volcanic red face, Madison walked past him at a swift pace, heading for the door to her house. But before she could reach it, Eli seemed to almost run past her, reaching the door first. He then opened it, slightly bowing and stretching his right arm through the doorway.
"After you, my dear lady."
Madison's blush disappeared as she quietly giggled. She loved it when Eli did this. It was one of the many things he did to prove he was indeed an "English gentlemen". She walked up to the doorway and nodded at Eli.
"Thank you, good sir."
The two then walked into the house, closing the door behind them.
"Taylor Manor", as it was called, was a very large house. It contained five bedrooms, one being Madison's and another being her mother's, three bathrooms, a large kitchen, a dining room, an even larger living room, and even a game room, not to mention an Olympic-sized swimming pool and a spa outside. The two now entered the living room, which consisted of various nightstands, four armchairs with footstools, a couch, a coffee table in front of it, and a big-screen T.V. ten feet in front of both. Elli slowly walked over to the couch and sat down.
"This is a fine home." Eli commented. "I regret not coming here before."
"Well then," Madison said. "Perhaps you will start coming here more often?"
For a moment, Eli simply looked around the room. He wore a strange smile upon his face, a smile Madison found hard to read. Then, he looked back at Madison.
"Yes, perhaps I will."
"It would mean so much to me if you would," Madison thought. "But not in the way you think. If only it was…."
"So, what of the wonderful tea and cookies?"
"Oh, yes indeed!" Madison exclaimed, remembering. "I'll go and make the tea right now. It should not take very long."
"Don't worry." Eli assured. "I certainly do not plan on leaving."
With that, a once-again blushing Madison quickly went to the kitchen.
As soon as she was out of Eli's sight, she began to work almost frantically, not wanting for her secret love to wait. Though she also made sure of making the tea at the utmost quality, perhaps the best she had made in her life. In a matter of about ten minutes, she had a full tea pot of green herbal tea, with two cups placed on saucers. There were also two more saucers, each containing a few cookies Madison had recently made. With that, she placed it all on a large round tray. She then picked it up with the utmost care, and slowly carried it out to Eli.
When she was once again in Eli's sight, the young sorcerer made a wide smile.
"Ah, I knew you would make a fine tea, not to mention fine cookies. The very thought of then made the wait seem longer."
Madison brought the tray to the coffee table and sat it down upon it. She then poured the tea into the two empty cups. Without hesitation, Eli took his full cup with one hand and the saucer of cookies in the other. Taking her own cup, Madison sat down next to Eli. Though before she took a sip of her tea, she noticed Eli looking around the room once more, only this time having a slightly sad expression.
"What is it?"
"Such a large and spacious home," Eli commented. "Yet there are so few to fill it. I almost want to say I feel sorry for you. I must admit that if not for Ruby Moon and Spinel Sun, I do believe I would become terribly lonely in my own mansion."
Madison looked around the large room, and she too developed a slightly sad look upon her face.
"Yes, I do suppose it can get a bit lonely here, in this great mansion of a house."
She was then surprised when she felt Eli place his hand on her shoulder. She immediately looked over at him, and found him starring into her eyes.
"Well then," he said softly. "I suppose that is why we have friends. With them, you are never truly alone, are you?"
Madison starred into Eli's eyes, and could not help but make a loving smile. She cautiously brought her hand to her shoulder, and placed it on Eli's.
"No, you aren't." she agreed. "I admit that even if my mother was here all year round, and she gave me the greatest love, she could still not fill the place in my heart I save for my dearest friends….like you."
Eli then drew back his hand, causing Madison to think that she may have said too much. But to her relief, he simply picked up his cup and raised it into the air.
"A toast then." Eli stated, causing Madison to raise her cup as well. "To friendship, may it always stay with us, and never leave us alone."
"Here, here!" Madison agreed, clinging her cup against Eli's.
The two then took a long sip of their tea, closing their eyes and enjoying the taste.
"Mmmm…." Eli said, swallowing the last of the sip. "I say Madison, this is the best green tea I have ever drank in my life. I never knew you were so good with a teapot."
Madison blushed, as she laid her cup on the coffee table. Eli did so as well. The two then took a cookie off of their saucers, leaned back into the couch, and began to slowly eat them.
For a few moments, the two simply sat there, not speaking. Madison was not sure what to say. Well, she knew what she wanted to say, but that was out of the question. She then decided that the T.V. would perhaps help with the quiet moment. She picked up the remote on the coffee table and pressed the power button. The T.V. immediately came to life, replacing the black screen with images of a cartoon.
"Is there a station you prefer?"
"I usually don't watch T.V." Eli answered. "But while it's on, do you by any chance get Turner Classic Movies?"
"Why, of course!" Madison exclaimed, immediately typing in the station number. "It's one of my favorite stations."
The image on the T.V. screen changed to a bit more mature scene. It now showed a very familiar musical sequence, which told of where rain was located in Spain. At first sight of the sequence, Eli leaned forward on the couch, with an expression that resembled one of a small child watching a beloved cartoon show.
"Ahh, the greatest musical of all time, let alone one that came from my homeland: My Fair Lady."
Madison also smiled as she heard Eli speak.
"You enjoy musicals?"
"But of course, Madison." Eli answered, looking back at her. "Though I do not simply enjoy them, I love them! They are one of the things I love most about the non-magical world. The Sound of Music, the many works of Rogers and Hammerstein, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, I love them all. But none compare to my favorite, My Fair Lady. Why, it was the first musical I ever saw. Ruby Moon took me to see the play when I was five years of age. Of course the play was live, though it did not compare to the theatrical version. In fact, Ruby Moon noticed my interest in the musical, and decided to make it my only non-magical priority."
"What do you mean?" Madison said, taking another sip of her tea.
"Well," he continued. "You could say that she added a music class to my magical curriculum of the time. By the end of that school year, to pass the class, I literally memorized most of the songs of the play."
"Oh really." Madison said jokingly. "I suppose after that, Ruby Moon added a drama class to your curriculum, and to pass you memorized the entire script."
Eli joined Madison in a hearty laugh, knowing that even a man of his talents couldn't possibly perform such an enormous task. Though, it was then that Madison noticed that a dreamy look had come upon the young sorcerer's face.
"What is it?"
"Well," he said. "I've never really told anyone this, not even my own celestial guardians, but for a long time now, I have had a dream. Yes, it is a small dream compared to the obligations I will eventually have to uphold, but a dream nonetheless. I…I have always wanted to perhaps pursue a career in acting, preferably in my favorite musical. I would love to act in it as Professor Higgins."
"Well that is a wonderful idea!" Madison exclaimed. "I mean, you are perfect for the part. I am sure you have the talent, and I know you have more knowledge than most of this world's best professors. For goodness sake, you even have the British accent!"
Once again, the two laughed happily.
"Well, I suppose you are right about that." Eli said. "But what about you? I can certainly see you as a great actress."
"Actually, no that you mention it," Madison said. "I suppose I would enjoy acting. In fact, I would love to act in My Fair Lady as well. I would hope that I could be Eliza."
"I am very sure that your hopes would come true." Eli said. "You definitely contain most of her lady-like characteristics, other than her original vernacular, of course."
Madison chuckled at the remark. Then, she also developed a dreamy expression.
"You know," she said. "It is a very rare occurrence, but I have heard that European musicals have been performed as the school play. Perhaps they will do My Fair Lady one year."
"That would be marvelous!" Eli exclaimed. "Why, I can see the headlines now! Reading Local High School, this year performing the classic My Fair Lady, starring Madison Taylor as Eliza Doolittle and Eli Moon as Professor Henry Higgins!"
Eli then noticed that Madison not only looked very surprised, but she was also blushing deeper than any previous time that evening.
"What is it?" Eli asked.
"I…I'm sorry. It's just I…I did not expect you to want us to…well, act together."
"Do you not like that idea? If you do not want to act with me, that is quite alright."
"No, no!" Madison exclaimed. "That not what I mean. It's just that….you do know what happens to Professor Higgins and Eliza, don't you?"
"Of course." Eli answered calmly. "They achieve their goal and make Eliza into a lady."
"Oh, not that!" Madison nearly exclaimed, surprising Eli. "Eli, they…they fall in love."
"Oh, that." Eli said. "Well, I don't really have a problem with that fact. But if you do, that is entirely different. Though, does it really matter?"
"Well," Madison said, trying to be calm. "I mean, it does…well…"
Madison then noticed a growing expression on Eli's face. She could tell he was trying to hide it, but she could still see she was starting to sadden him, as if what she was saying was truly hurting him.
"No." she finally answered. "It does not matter at all."
At that, Eli's face brightened up, making Madison even happier as well. Though Madison still wondered about his previously sad expression. What did it mean? Was he simply just hurt that she did not want to act by his side? Or perhaps, his inner pain had been deeper. Maybe he had thought, perhaps even feared she would not…. No! Madison quickly brushed the thought out of her head. She knew that thinking such things would only lead to grief if she was wrong.
"Well then," Madison said, now much calmer. "Perhaps we could watch the rest of the movie. I've always found a good cup of tea and a good film to make a good pair."
"Yes, I suppose so." Eli agreed. "I believe that is a great idea."
So, the two sat there, and continued watching the beloved musical. The thoughts that had plagued Madison's mind before slowly went away, as the two laughed heartily together. The two never really spoke though. They simply just watched the movie, only giving each other a glance a few times when they laughed.
It was not until the royal ball scene that the silence was broken, when Eli once again leaned forward with a wide smile.
"Ah, that is the greatest social gathering man has ever created: the ball."
"You speak as if you have been to one." Madison commented, looking at Eli.
"I have not been to one, but to many. In fact, I attended my first ball at the age of four and a half months, and I was even the guest of honor. The ball itself was and still is the most prestigious ever devised, though only those of the magical world know of it. It is known as the Reed Gathering of Magic, and it is held every three years. My soul's predecessor created it to celebrate the three years it took him to create the Clow Cards."
"I suppose the fact you were the reincarnation of Clow Reed had to do with your status that night."
"Of course." Eli said. "My very creation had been conceived by Clow Reed himself. I believe his exact words were 'Though the fire of my life may be dying down, I promise that in time another will rise from its ashes. And though his soul will have been mine, he will be greater than I, and will bring a new age of magic to the world.'"
"I can only imagine how wonderful such a ball is." Madison commented. "I'm sure the one I attended pales in comparison."
Eli looked at Madison, slightly surprised.
"You have attended a ball?"
"Well, to be precise, I attended a royal ball."
"Oh, I see." Eli said. "Was it perhaps in my homeland?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact." Madison answered. "You see, when I was younger, my mother and I traveled the world, going with my mother's job. When I was five, we resided in London. I would have to say the time I spent there was probably some of the happiest times of my life. There, my mother was promoted to president of the company. To celebrate, she was invited to a royal ball. I swear I thought I was going to be like Cinderella. In the end, it was even better."
Madison closed her eyes, a blissful expression covering her face.
"From the moment I entered the ballroom, I was utterly enchanted. It was amazing. Before me were hundreds of people, all dressed in clothing I can only hope to one day design. The food was marvelous, obviously made by the world's greatest chefs. The music almost put a spell over me, making me want to go out and wait to be asked to dance. And of course, there was the fact I met Princess Diana."
"You met Princess Diana, the great Queen of Hearts?" Eli asked, with slightly wider eyes.
"Well to be truthful, I was so young I really didn't know at the time who she was. I just thought she was a nice lady everybody loved for some reason."
The two shared a hard laugh, imagining the thought.
"But then again," Madison said, going back to her dreamy state. "Even when I was that young, there was one person I truly respected, who happened to be the evening's guest singer."
"You know," Eli said, not letting Madison continue. "You have never discussed your interest in music with me, but I believe I can make a guess at which person this was, being they are obviously your favorite."
"Yes, you are correct in saying so." Madison acknowledged.
For a few moments, Eli starred at Madison, his chin laid on his hand, thinking. Then, he spoke one name.
"Barbara."
Madison's eyes widened in surprise.
"Yes!" she exclaimed. "But, how did you-"
Madison stopped, realizing the question was pointless. A man like Eli probably possessed powers that she would never know of or ever understand. Telepathy was probably one of the simpler powers.
"Yes, Miss Streisand was and still is my favorite."
"I myself do enjoy her music." Eli said. "In fact, I listen to it occasionally, mainly for relaxation. I'm sure her performance included most of your favorite songs."
"No," Madison said, shaking her head. "She sang only one song, though it was my favorite. It was her most beautiful song, and one of the best from Steven Sondheim and Judy Collins."
"Ah, I know the song you speak of." Eli said. "I believe I listened to it when I was younger, perhaps as a lullaby."
Eli then turned away from Madison, completely hiding his face. All Madison could see was the young man waving a hand over his face.
"Tell me, my dear," Eli asked. "Does the song have anything to do with this?"
At that moment, Eli turned back around to Madison. The sight before her causer her to gasp, but also make a very happy smile a moment later. Eli's face was now covered with face paint, mainly the colors white, blue, and red. His nose had also been replaced with a large red ball, which he immediately squeezed, causing a squeak to emit from it. He now had the face of a clown.
"Yes," Madison exclaimed. "Yes, that's it! You are truly amazing!"
"Now, now Madison." Eli said. "One would not have to be a mind reader to know you were speaking of the great 'Send in the Clowns.'"
Eli then waved his hand over his face once again, causing the paint and red nose to disappear. Madison sighed happily as he did so.
"Oh, she sang the song so beautifully that night. It was then the people around me began to dance. Seeing all the beauty and happiness before me made me want to cry with joy. I never wanted that night to end. I would have to say it was the greatest night of my life."
"It is quite a shame really," Eli commented, surprising Madison. "I would have expected to hear you say you danced with someone, for I am sure you wanted to."
Madison looked away for a moment, thinking.
"Well, I suppose I would have enjoyed dancing with someone. To be honest, I occasionally dream of that night, and I see myself dancing. Though when I dance, my partner is not simply another person."
"Ah, I see." Eli said, smiling. "Could this 'partner' be a special someone in your life?"
"Oh, indeed he is." She sighed. "Though in my dreams of him, I do not only dance. I dream of starring into his beautiful eyes, letting him wrap his arms around me, and being able to tell him how I feel."
"Wait a moment." Eli said, looking surprised. "Do you mean he does not know of your feelings?"
"Yes." Madison said, now sounding almost ashamed. "You will probably find this entirely foolish, but I find myself afraid to tell him of my feelings of love. I suppose my greatest fear is that I could ruin the friendship we have developed over the years I have known him. If that happened, I do not believe I could go on."
This time, instead of just a hand, Madison felt Eli's arm wrap around her. Yet this time, she did not blush. In fact, the presence made her fell happier.
"My dear Madison," Eli said. "A fear such as that is foolish. I mean no offense, but it is the truth."
"Is it?" Madison asked, looking into Eli's eyes. "Eli, I care for this man more than anyone I have or perhaps will ever know. I know I am quite young to say such a thing, but I do know true love when I feel it. I feel as if I care for him more than I do for my own mother. To tell him how I feel is a risk I am not willing to take."
"But Madison," Eli argued, moving closer. "There is no risk. You…you are like a precious stone, like a diamond. If any man were to reject your love, or even dare to give up your friendship, it would be like throwing away a mountain of diamonds. The man would be the foolish one, not you for admitting your feelings."
Madison starred into Eli's eyes, surprised at what he had just told her. Now, it was Eli that was blushing, though he was ignoring it.
"Eli," Madison said. "All of the things you have spoken mean so much to me, but I am curious about why you said it."
For a moment, Eli simply starred at Madison. He had a look upon his face, though. It said that he really wanted to say something, but he simply would not allow it.
"You are my friend," He finally answered. "Not to mention my greatest friend, and I never want to see any of my friends in pain, especially when it is unnecessary."
Madison also noticed that Eli's other hand now laid on his leg. It looked as if it wanted to move, but he once again would not allow it. She wondered why he was doing all this, but did not let herself make a conclusion that could be proven wrong. Though almost instinctively, she laid her own hand on his. He then looked down at the hand, and then back up at Madison, with a questionable look on his face. She simply smiled at him, only this time the smile was loving. He almost immediately smiled as well. She wanted so badly to tell him then; tell him how she loved him with every ounce of being within her, and how she would just as well spend all of eternity with him. But, though she battled so hard, her fear was still winning the war over her emotions.
Suddenly, a loud noise from the T.V. caused the two to return to reality, immediately drawing back from each other. For a few moments, the two did not speak to each other, feeling slightly embarrassed and afraid. Though amazingly, it was Madison who broke the silence.
"Eli?"
At first, Eli did not speak nor look at Madison. She took no offense by this, for he was obviously doing so out of fear. To ease his mood, Madison performed an even braver move, by wrapping her arm around him. He then turned his head, looking at her once again. Though he now wore an expression Madison had never seen on him. It was of…slight dread, as if he expected to hear her say something that would perhaps hurt him. Of course, Madison was not about to do such a thing.
"Thank you." She said softly, surprising him. "Thank you for caring. There are few people I know that even come close to caring like you."
For a moment, Eli did not speak, though this time it was because he simply could not say a word.
"Th…think nothing of it." He finally said. "I…I would do anything to make you happy, Madison, absolutely anything."
The way Eli spoke made Madison want to cry, but she held back the tears. Though a moment later, she found herself acting without thought, leaning forward and softly kissing Eli's cheek. It was when she slowly drew back that she realized what she had done. In her mind, she cursed herself a thousand times. She could see Eli was very surprised, perhaps more surprised than any other time that evening. But she was surprised as well, as Eli made a wide, happy smile. She then knew he had considered it a gift, and nothing more.
"With the help of people like you," Madison said. "Perhaps I will one day learn to have no fears. Until then, I suppose I can just dance with my love in the dreams of my memories."
For a moment, Eli simply smiled at Madison, loving the almost poetic words she had said. Then, a thought came to him, causing him to make an even brighter expression. Madison saw this, and wondered what had happened.
"What is it?"
Eli did not speak. He then stood up and walked away from the couch. He walked around the living room, as if he was inspecting it for something. He also looked like he was deep in thought. Madison did not know why he was doing this, but she refrained from asking any more questions, being it was obvious she would not get an answer.
"Tell me Madison," Eli said. "You said you liked the people that night; you liked how they danced. How are your dancing abilities?"
This surprised Madison. She had not expected dancing to come into their conversation, nor did she see how it had to do with the moment.
"Well to be honest, about three months after that night, I received a personal dance instructor for my birthday. By then, I had taken up dancing. Now I believe I learned a lot from my instructor, but he claimed that instructing me was absolutely pointless."
Eli stopped, looking surprised.
"What did he mean by that?" he asked.
"Well," Madison continued. "Though I personally do not believe him, he claimed that I was a natural-born dancer, one good enough to go into national competitions."
"Ah, I see." Eli said, looking slightly relieved.
He then continued to walk around the room for another minute or two. Then, he began to walk back to the couch, stopping directly in front of Madison, who now took a sip of her tea. He then stretched out his hand to her.
"What?" she asked.
"Would you care to?"
"Care to what?"
"Dance, of course."
Madison was so surprised, she nearly dropped her cup, not to mention choked on her tea.
"Wh…what?"
"Would you care to dance with me?" Eli repeated. "I would like to witness your dancing abilities first hand. Though if you do not wish to dance with me, that is quite alright."
"N…no!" Madison exclaimed. "I…I mean, that's not what I meant. I did not expect you to ask me that. I…I suppose I would like…no, I would love to dance with you, but I do not believe there are any forms of music we can dance to here."
"Do not worry about the music." Eli assured. "Let us say, I shall bring us to the music. Now please, take my hand, so we may dance."
It was then Madison lost all thought in her head. It was as if she was in a trance, as she slowly placed her hand in Eli's, letting him pull her up. He then led her to the center of the room. He then took one of Madison's hands in his, placing his other hand on her lower back, causing shivers to travel up her spine. Madison then finished the formation by placing her remaining hand on Eli's shoulder.
"Now then, I would like you to close your eyes."
Madison almost questioned Eli for what they were actually doing, but he shook his head, silencing her.
"No questions, my dear. Please, close your…beautiful eyes."
Almost becoming limp, she immediately complied, letting her eyes close.
"Now, you must do one more thing." Eli whispered. "I want you to imagine that evening that you cherish so dearly. Imagine everything you can remember. Imagine the people, dressed in their tuxedoes and beautiful gowns. Imagine the beautiful music that the people danced to. Imagine the food you saw and ate, even the tastes. Remember it all, Madison, remember it all…"
As Madison did as she was told, many images ran through her head. She tried to remember the night down to the smallest details. In a moment, she envisioned the people, as if they were all around her. She imagined hearing the wonderful music, played by an orchestra as great as that of John Williams. She even imagined the light taste of caviar on her tongue. Though when she swore she could even hear the people, she knew she had to be trying to imagine much too hard. So, she slowly opened her eyes.
It was not a long walk to Madison's mansion-like home, but she now wished it was. Though the two did not speak, Madison cherished this walk. She would sometimes catch quick glances at Eli when she knew he was not looking, and smile blissfully at him. His mere appearance made her heart skip a beat. As she now starred at him, she looked at the soft, gentle expression on his face. She then moved on to his hair, which seemed to be the color of a starless night sky. And last, she starred in his beautiful dark eyes. To the young woman, the eyes seemed to have a depth she could not understand. And every time she would stare into them, she would slowly fall into the depth, and never want to return.
Eli suddenly stopped, surprising Madison.
"What is it?" she asked.
"We have arrived." He answered.
Madison looked in front of them and was surprised to see her home. She blushed a deep crimson when she realized what had made her lose her concentration.
"Oh, I'm sorry." She apologized. "I must have been too deep in thought."
"I should say so. You seem to have been in deep thought ever since we left the park."
Madison's blush deepened as Eli spoke.
"Wh…what do you mean?"
"Well, considering you haven't spoken since we left, I assumed you were thinking of something."
In her mind, Madison let out a sigh of relief. She had thought he had actually seen her when she was starring at him.
"Though when I'm that deep in thought," he continued. "I am usually not thinking of something. I am usually thinking of someone."
At that moment, before Eli could see her volcanic red face, Madison walked past him at a swift pace, heading for the door to her house. But before she could reach it, Eli seemed to almost run past her, reaching the door first. He then opened it, slightly bowing and stretching his right arm through the doorway.
"After you, my dear lady."
Madison's blush disappeared as she quietly giggled. She loved it when Eli did this. It was one of the many things he did to prove he was indeed an "English gentlemen". She walked up to the doorway and nodded at Eli.
"Thank you, good sir."
The two then walked into the house, closing the door behind them.
"Taylor Manor", as it was called, was a very large house. It contained five bedrooms, one being Madison's and another being her mother's, three bathrooms, a large kitchen, a dining room, an even larger living room, and even a game room, not to mention an Olympic-sized swimming pool and a spa outside. The two now entered the living room, which consisted of various nightstands, four armchairs with footstools, a couch, a coffee table in front of it, and a big-screen T.V. ten feet in front of both. Elli slowly walked over to the couch and sat down.
"This is a fine home." Eli commented. "I regret not coming here before."
"Well then," Madison said. "Perhaps you will start coming here more often?"
For a moment, Eli simply looked around the room. He wore a strange smile upon his face, a smile Madison found hard to read. Then, he looked back at Madison.
"Yes, perhaps I will."
"It would mean so much to me if you would," Madison thought. "But not in the way you think. If only it was…."
"So, what of the wonderful tea and cookies?"
"Oh, yes indeed!" Madison exclaimed, remembering. "I'll go and make the tea right now. It should not take very long."
"Don't worry." Eli assured. "I certainly do not plan on leaving."
With that, a once-again blushing Madison quickly went to the kitchen.
As soon as she was out of Eli's sight, she began to work almost frantically, not wanting for her secret love to wait. Though she also made sure of making the tea at the utmost quality, perhaps the best she had made in her life. In a matter of about ten minutes, she had a full tea pot of green herbal tea, with two cups placed on saucers. There were also two more saucers, each containing a few cookies Madison had recently made. With that, she placed it all on a large round tray. She then picked it up with the utmost care, and slowly carried it out to Eli.
When she was once again in Eli's sight, the young sorcerer made a wide smile.
"Ah, I knew you would make a fine tea, not to mention fine cookies. The very thought of then made the wait seem longer."
Madison brought the tray to the coffee table and sat it down upon it. She then poured the tea into the two empty cups. Without hesitation, Eli took his full cup with one hand and the saucer of cookies in the other. Taking her own cup, Madison sat down next to Eli. Though before she took a sip of her tea, she noticed Eli looking around the room once more, only this time having a slightly sad expression.
"What is it?"
"Such a large and spacious home," Eli commented. "Yet there are so few to fill it. I almost want to say I feel sorry for you. I must admit that if not for Ruby Moon and Spinel Sun, I do believe I would become terribly lonely in my own mansion."
Madison looked around the large room, and she too developed a slightly sad look upon her face.
"Yes, I do suppose it can get a bit lonely here, in this great mansion of a house."
She was then surprised when she felt Eli place his hand on her shoulder. She immediately looked over at him, and found him starring into her eyes.
"Well then," he said softly. "I suppose that is why we have friends. With them, you are never truly alone, are you?"
Madison starred into Eli's eyes, and could not help but make a loving smile. She cautiously brought her hand to her shoulder, and placed it on Eli's.
"No, you aren't." she agreed. "I admit that even if my mother was here all year round, and she gave me the greatest love, she could still not fill the place in my heart I save for my dearest friends….like you."
Eli then drew back his hand, causing Madison to think that she may have said too much. But to her relief, he simply picked up his cup and raised it into the air.
"A toast then." Eli stated, causing Madison to raise her cup as well. "To friendship, may it always stay with us, and never leave us alone."
"Here, here!" Madison agreed, clinging her cup against Eli's.
The two then took a long sip of their tea, closing their eyes and enjoying the taste.
"Mmmm…." Eli said, swallowing the last of the sip. "I say Madison, this is the best green tea I have ever drank in my life. I never knew you were so good with a teapot."
Madison blushed, as she laid her cup on the coffee table. Eli did so as well. The two then took a cookie off of their saucers, leaned back into the couch, and began to slowly eat them.
For a few moments, the two simply sat there, not speaking. Madison was not sure what to say. Well, she knew what she wanted to say, but that was out of the question. She then decided that the T.V. would perhaps help with the quiet moment. She picked up the remote on the coffee table and pressed the power button. The T.V. immediately came to life, replacing the black screen with images of a cartoon.
"Is there a station you prefer?"
"I usually don't watch T.V." Eli answered. "But while it's on, do you by any chance get Turner Classic Movies?"
"Why, of course!" Madison exclaimed, immediately typing in the station number. "It's one of my favorite stations."
The image on the T.V. screen changed to a bit more mature scene. It now showed a very familiar musical sequence, which told of where rain was located in Spain. At first sight of the sequence, Eli leaned forward on the couch, with an expression that resembled one of a small child watching a beloved cartoon show.
"Ahh, the greatest musical of all time, let alone one that came from my homeland: My Fair Lady."
Madison also smiled as she heard Eli speak.
"You enjoy musicals?"
"But of course, Madison." Eli answered, looking back at her. "Though I do not simply enjoy them, I love them! They are one of the things I love most about the non-magical world. The Sound of Music, the many works of Rogers and Hammerstein, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, I love them all. But none compare to my favorite, My Fair Lady. Why, it was the first musical I ever saw. Ruby Moon took me to see the play when I was five years of age. Of course the play was live, though it did not compare to the theatrical version. In fact, Ruby Moon noticed my interest in the musical, and decided to make it my only non-magical priority."
"What do you mean?" Madison said, taking another sip of her tea.
"Well," he continued. "You could say that she added a music class to my magical curriculum of the time. By the end of that school year, to pass the class, I literally memorized most of the songs of the play."
"Oh really." Madison said jokingly. "I suppose after that, Ruby Moon added a drama class to your curriculum, and to pass you memorized the entire script."
Eli joined Madison in a hearty laugh, knowing that even a man of his talents couldn't possibly perform such an enormous task. Though, it was then that Madison noticed that a dreamy look had come upon the young sorcerer's face.
"What is it?"
"Well," he said. "I've never really told anyone this, not even my own celestial guardians, but for a long time now, I have had a dream. Yes, it is a small dream compared to the obligations I will eventually have to uphold, but a dream nonetheless. I…I have always wanted to perhaps pursue a career in acting, preferably in my favorite musical. I would love to act in it as Professor Higgins."
"Well that is a wonderful idea!" Madison exclaimed. "I mean, you are perfect for the part. I am sure you have the talent, and I know you have more knowledge than most of this world's best professors. For goodness sake, you even have the British accent!"
Once again, the two laughed happily.
"Well, I suppose you are right about that." Eli said. "But what about you? I can certainly see you as a great actress."
"Actually, no that you mention it," Madison said. "I suppose I would enjoy acting. In fact, I would love to act in My Fair Lady as well. I would hope that I could be Eliza."
"I am very sure that your hopes would come true." Eli said. "You definitely contain most of her lady-like characteristics, other than her original vernacular, of course."
Madison chuckled at the remark. Then, she also developed a dreamy expression.
"You know," she said. "It is a very rare occurrence, but I have heard that European musicals have been performed as the school play. Perhaps they will do My Fair Lady one year."
"That would be marvelous!" Eli exclaimed. "Why, I can see the headlines now! Reading Local High School, this year performing the classic My Fair Lady, starring Madison Taylor as Eliza Doolittle and Eli Moon as Professor Henry Higgins!"
Eli then noticed that Madison not only looked very surprised, but she was also blushing deeper than any previous time that evening.
"What is it?" Eli asked.
"I…I'm sorry. It's just I…I did not expect you to want us to…well, act together."
"Do you not like that idea? If you do not want to act with me, that is quite alright."
"No, no!" Madison exclaimed. "That not what I mean. It's just that….you do know what happens to Professor Higgins and Eliza, don't you?"
"Of course." Eli answered calmly. "They achieve their goal and make Eliza into a lady."
"Oh, not that!" Madison nearly exclaimed, surprising Eli. "Eli, they…they fall in love."
"Oh, that." Eli said. "Well, I don't really have a problem with that fact. But if you do, that is entirely different. Though, does it really matter?"
"Well," Madison said, trying to be calm. "I mean, it does…well…"
Madison then noticed a growing expression on Eli's face. She could tell he was trying to hide it, but she could still see she was starting to sadden him, as if what she was saying was truly hurting him.
"No." she finally answered. "It does not matter at all."
At that, Eli's face brightened up, making Madison even happier as well. Though Madison still wondered about his previously sad expression. What did it mean? Was he simply just hurt that she did not want to act by his side? Or perhaps, his inner pain had been deeper. Maybe he had thought, perhaps even feared she would not…. No! Madison quickly brushed the thought out of her head. She knew that thinking such things would only lead to grief if she was wrong.
"Well then," Madison said, now much calmer. "Perhaps we could watch the rest of the movie. I've always found a good cup of tea and a good film to make a good pair."
"Yes, I suppose so." Eli agreed. "I believe that is a great idea."
So, the two sat there, and continued watching the beloved musical. The thoughts that had plagued Madison's mind before slowly went away, as the two laughed heartily together. The two never really spoke though. They simply just watched the movie, only giving each other a glance a few times when they laughed.
It was not until the royal ball scene that the silence was broken, when Eli once again leaned forward with a wide smile.
"Ah, that is the greatest social gathering man has ever created: the ball."
"You speak as if you have been to one." Madison commented, looking at Eli.
"I have not been to one, but to many. In fact, I attended my first ball at the age of four and a half months, and I was even the guest of honor. The ball itself was and still is the most prestigious ever devised, though only those of the magical world know of it. It is known as the Reed Gathering of Magic, and it is held every three years. My soul's predecessor created it to celebrate the three years it took him to create the Clow Cards."
"I suppose the fact you were the reincarnation of Clow Reed had to do with your status that night."
"Of course." Eli said. "My very creation had been conceived by Clow Reed himself. I believe his exact words were 'Though the fire of my life may be dying down, I promise that in time another will rise from its ashes. And though his soul will have been mine, he will be greater than I, and will bring a new age of magic to the world.'"
"I can only imagine how wonderful such a ball is." Madison commented. "I'm sure the one I attended pales in comparison."
Eli looked at Madison, slightly surprised.
"You have attended a ball?"
"Well, to be precise, I attended a royal ball."
"Oh, I see." Eli said. "Was it perhaps in my homeland?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact." Madison answered. "You see, when I was younger, my mother and I traveled the world, going with my mother's job. When I was five, we resided in London. I would have to say the time I spent there was probably some of the happiest times of my life. There, my mother was promoted to president of the company. To celebrate, she was invited to a royal ball. I swear I thought I was going to be like Cinderella. In the end, it was even better."
Madison closed her eyes, a blissful expression covering her face.
"From the moment I entered the ballroom, I was utterly enchanted. It was amazing. Before me were hundreds of people, all dressed in clothing I can only hope to one day design. The food was marvelous, obviously made by the world's greatest chefs. The music almost put a spell over me, making me want to go out and wait to be asked to dance. And of course, there was the fact I met Princess Diana."
"You met Princess Diana, the great Queen of Hearts?" Eli asked, with slightly wider eyes.
"Well to be truthful, I was so young I really didn't know at the time who she was. I just thought she was a nice lady everybody loved for some reason."
The two shared a hard laugh, imagining the thought.
"But then again," Madison said, going back to her dreamy state. "Even when I was that young, there was one person I truly respected, who happened to be the evening's guest singer."
"You know," Eli said, not letting Madison continue. "You have never discussed your interest in music with me, but I believe I can make a guess at which person this was, being they are obviously your favorite."
"Yes, you are correct in saying so." Madison acknowledged.
For a few moments, Eli starred at Madison, his chin laid on his hand, thinking. Then, he spoke one name.
"Barbara."
Madison's eyes widened in surprise.
"Yes!" she exclaimed. "But, how did you-"
Madison stopped, realizing the question was pointless. A man like Eli probably possessed powers that she would never know of or ever understand. Telepathy was probably one of the simpler powers.
"Yes, Miss Streisand was and still is my favorite."
"I myself do enjoy her music." Eli said. "In fact, I listen to it occasionally, mainly for relaxation. I'm sure her performance included most of your favorite songs."
"No," Madison said, shaking her head. "She sang only one song, though it was my favorite. It was her most beautiful song, and one of the best from Steven Sondheim and Judy Collins."
"Ah, I know the song you speak of." Eli said. "I believe I listened to it when I was younger, perhaps as a lullaby."
Eli then turned away from Madison, completely hiding his face. All Madison could see was the young man waving a hand over his face.
"Tell me, my dear," Eli asked. "Does the song have anything to do with this?"
At that moment, Eli turned back around to Madison. The sight before her causer her to gasp, but also make a very happy smile a moment later. Eli's face was now covered with face paint, mainly the colors white, blue, and red. His nose had also been replaced with a large red ball, which he immediately squeezed, causing a squeak to emit from it. He now had the face of a clown.
"Yes," Madison exclaimed. "Yes, that's it! You are truly amazing!"
"Now, now Madison." Eli said. "One would not have to be a mind reader to know you were speaking of the great 'Send in the Clowns.'"
Eli then waved his hand over his face once again, causing the paint and red nose to disappear. Madison sighed happily as he did so.
"Oh, she sang the song so beautifully that night. It was then the people around me began to dance. Seeing all the beauty and happiness before me made me want to cry with joy. I never wanted that night to end. I would have to say it was the greatest night of my life."
"It is quite a shame really," Eli commented, surprising Madison. "I would have expected to hear you say you danced with someone, for I am sure you wanted to."
Madison looked away for a moment, thinking.
"Well, I suppose I would have enjoyed dancing with someone. To be honest, I occasionally dream of that night, and I see myself dancing. Though when I dance, my partner is not simply another person."
"Ah, I see." Eli said, smiling. "Could this 'partner' be a special someone in your life?"
"Oh, indeed he is." She sighed. "Though in my dreams of him, I do not only dance. I dream of starring into his beautiful eyes, letting him wrap his arms around me, and being able to tell him how I feel."
"Wait a moment." Eli said, looking surprised. "Do you mean he does not know of your feelings?"
"Yes." Madison said, now sounding almost ashamed. "You will probably find this entirely foolish, but I find myself afraid to tell him of my feelings of love. I suppose my greatest fear is that I could ruin the friendship we have developed over the years I have known him. If that happened, I do not believe I could go on."
This time, instead of just a hand, Madison felt Eli's arm wrap around her. Yet this time, she did not blush. In fact, the presence made her fell happier.
"My dear Madison," Eli said. "A fear such as that is foolish. I mean no offense, but it is the truth."
"Is it?" Madison asked, looking into Eli's eyes. "Eli, I care for this man more than anyone I have or perhaps will ever know. I know I am quite young to say such a thing, but I do know true love when I feel it. I feel as if I care for him more than I do for my own mother. To tell him how I feel is a risk I am not willing to take."
"But Madison," Eli argued, moving closer. "There is no risk. You…you are like a precious stone, like a diamond. If any man were to reject your love, or even dare to give up your friendship, it would be like throwing away a mountain of diamonds. The man would be the foolish one, not you for admitting your feelings."
Madison starred into Eli's eyes, surprised at what he had just told her. Now, it was Eli that was blushing, though he was ignoring it.
"Eli," Madison said. "All of the things you have spoken mean so much to me, but I am curious about why you said it."
For a moment, Eli simply starred at Madison. He had a look upon his face, though. It said that he really wanted to say something, but he simply would not allow it.
"You are my friend," He finally answered. "Not to mention my greatest friend, and I never want to see any of my friends in pain, especially when it is unnecessary."
Madison also noticed that Eli's other hand now laid on his leg. It looked as if it wanted to move, but he once again would not allow it. She wondered why he was doing all this, but did not let herself make a conclusion that could be proven wrong. Though almost instinctively, she laid her own hand on his. He then looked down at the hand, and then back up at Madison, with a questionable look on his face. She simply smiled at him, only this time the smile was loving. He almost immediately smiled as well. She wanted so badly to tell him then; tell him how she loved him with every ounce of being within her, and how she would just as well spend all of eternity with him. But, though she battled so hard, her fear was still winning the war over her emotions.
Suddenly, a loud noise from the T.V. caused the two to return to reality, immediately drawing back from each other. For a few moments, the two did not speak to each other, feeling slightly embarrassed and afraid. Though amazingly, it was Madison who broke the silence.
"Eli?"
At first, Eli did not speak nor look at Madison. She took no offense by this, for he was obviously doing so out of fear. To ease his mood, Madison performed an even braver move, by wrapping her arm around him. He then turned his head, looking at her once again. Though he now wore an expression Madison had never seen on him. It was of…slight dread, as if he expected to hear her say something that would perhaps hurt him. Of course, Madison was not about to do such a thing.
"Thank you." She said softly, surprising him. "Thank you for caring. There are few people I know that even come close to caring like you."
For a moment, Eli did not speak, though this time it was because he simply could not say a word.
"Th…think nothing of it." He finally said. "I…I would do anything to make you happy, Madison, absolutely anything."
The way Eli spoke made Madison want to cry, but she held back the tears. Though a moment later, she found herself acting without thought, leaning forward and softly kissing Eli's cheek. It was when she slowly drew back that she realized what she had done. In her mind, she cursed herself a thousand times. She could see Eli was very surprised, perhaps more surprised than any other time that evening. But she was surprised as well, as Eli made a wide, happy smile. She then knew he had considered it a gift, and nothing more.
"With the help of people like you," Madison said. "Perhaps I will one day learn to have no fears. Until then, I suppose I can just dance with my love in the dreams of my memories."
For a moment, Eli simply smiled at Madison, loving the almost poetic words she had said. Then, a thought came to him, causing him to make an even brighter expression. Madison saw this, and wondered what had happened.
"What is it?"
Eli did not speak. He then stood up and walked away from the couch. He walked around the living room, as if he was inspecting it for something. He also looked like he was deep in thought. Madison did not know why he was doing this, but she refrained from asking any more questions, being it was obvious she would not get an answer.
"Tell me Madison," Eli said. "You said you liked the people that night; you liked how they danced. How are your dancing abilities?"
This surprised Madison. She had not expected dancing to come into their conversation, nor did she see how it had to do with the moment.
"Well to be honest, about three months after that night, I received a personal dance instructor for my birthday. By then, I had taken up dancing. Now I believe I learned a lot from my instructor, but he claimed that instructing me was absolutely pointless."
Eli stopped, looking surprised.
"What did he mean by that?" he asked.
"Well," Madison continued. "Though I personally do not believe him, he claimed that I was a natural-born dancer, one good enough to go into national competitions."
"Ah, I see." Eli said, looking slightly relieved.
He then continued to walk around the room for another minute or two. Then, he began to walk back to the couch, stopping directly in front of Madison, who now took a sip of her tea. He then stretched out his hand to her.
"What?" she asked.
"Would you care to?"
"Care to what?"
"Dance, of course."
Madison was so surprised, she nearly dropped her cup, not to mention choked on her tea.
"Wh…what?"
"Would you care to dance with me?" Eli repeated. "I would like to witness your dancing abilities first hand. Though if you do not wish to dance with me, that is quite alright."
"N…no!" Madison exclaimed. "I…I mean, that's not what I meant. I did not expect you to ask me that. I…I suppose I would like…no, I would love to dance with you, but I do not believe there are any forms of music we can dance to here."
"Do not worry about the music." Eli assured. "Let us say, I shall bring us to the music. Now please, take my hand, so we may dance."
It was then Madison lost all thought in her head. It was as if she was in a trance, as she slowly placed her hand in Eli's, letting him pull her up. He then led her to the center of the room. He then took one of Madison's hands in his, placing his other hand on her lower back, causing shivers to travel up her spine. Madison then finished the formation by placing her remaining hand on Eli's shoulder.
"Now then, I would like you to close your eyes."
Madison almost questioned Eli for what they were actually doing, but he shook his head, silencing her.
"No questions, my dear. Please, close your…beautiful eyes."
Almost becoming limp, she immediately complied, letting her eyes close.
"Now, you must do one more thing." Eli whispered. "I want you to imagine that evening that you cherish so dearly. Imagine everything you can remember. Imagine the people, dressed in their tuxedoes and beautiful gowns. Imagine the beautiful music that the people danced to. Imagine the food you saw and ate, even the tastes. Remember it all, Madison, remember it all…"
As Madison did as she was told, many images ran through her head. She tried to remember the night down to the smallest details. In a moment, she envisioned the people, as if they were all around her. She imagined hearing the wonderful music, played by an orchestra as great as that of John Williams. She even imagined the light taste of caviar on her tongue. Though when she swore she could even hear the people, she knew she had to be trying to imagine much too hard. So, she slowly opened her eyes.