Story Three: Remnants of Reality
Chapter Four
By Heartfire
~*~
Quatre's breath caught in his throat as he took in the elegant building the moment they arrived. Arche's Cultural Center's architecture was superb! It was a fully restored Czar Tremonov era for theatrical plays. Of course, there were some added modern conveniences and structural enhancements for weather, among other things. Arche really does have a taste for the arts- or, at least, Arche's populace.
The people he had met, so far, all seemed to be from the upper class society. Wearing beads of pearls and sparkling gems from a variety of diamonds, rubies, emeralds and sapphires! Most were definitely patrons- older people with hair twisted high on their head and men with their canes. This was an obvious social gathering of the elite pack… all here to see the ballet dancer- or that's what he gathered, any way…
'Maybe she is good…' He still had to see for himself. Quatre's sharp eyes observed as the elitists greeted their host. Warm enough… but he could see an underlying indifference and sense coldness in some of them.
A tray of champagne appeared in front of him and Quatre shook his head while James took another.
"When is it going to start?" He watched Morley sip his drink and, as if to answer, the place grew dim. He glanced at James and saw the man lean back comfortably, a smile of impatient pleasure on his lips.
"Now…"
Quatre raised his eyebrow as he made himself comfortable. 'This man is either infatuated… or in love… but, how could a cold, scheming murderer feel something as soft and beautiful as love?' Quatre shook his head. Why is he starting to think like this? He never had trouble keeping such thoughts at bay! Why now? Suddenly, his eyes widened. 'Oh no! I forgot to call Relena!' Well… there's no use calling her now… He can not risk his standing. 'I'm sorry Relena…' He could almost imagine her worried look. 'Don't worry, I'm safe… I think…' His eyes trailed onto the stage as classical music filtered through the air while dancers twirled and did their antics…
'This is… tiresome…' Quatre grimaced. Much as he liked art, at the moment, he's tired and jetlagged… He would just like to hit the bed and sleep to his heart's content. Why he even said yes to this event was still a mystery!
He was already nodding off to dreamland when a hand gripped his arm.
"There she is! Look at her…! She is magnificent! Exquisite!"
The pain that rushed up from his arm woke him more than the awed praise that came from Morley. Sleepily, and rather frustrated, Quatre opened his eyes to glare at the middle of the stage where the bright spotlight found its way upon a bent figure.
Quatre's right eyebrow rose. This was she? The one Morley was crying praise to be the best ballerina? She looked like a glass figurine!
The music softly ended and a new tune came to play. The woman slowly drew back and, so far away, Quatre could barely see her powdered white face… but somehow, he didn't need to… His breath caught in his throat as he stared at her.
She was mesmerizing! Her actions showed the right mood and tale… An indescribable intensity smoldered in her every twirl, every tilt of the head, and every whisper of her skirt around those slender legs… The beauty of her dance, the grace of it all, conveyed a world of feeling without saying a word... She seemed to be dancing as if worlds apart from the this place…
He didn't know that he was holding his breath during her performance but his chest started to hurt and his eyes started to water… He finally gasped in air just as her dance ended and the stage turned black.
She disappeared.
There were only two words to describe it… to describe what he's feeling, how she touched him with her dance of loss- "My God…"
"Yes… I know what you mean." Morley's voice also seemed out of breath.
Quatre never knew that a dance could be so powerful! And to think that only Arche has the pleasure to view this rare wonder!
"I'm going down to see her. Would you like to come with me?"
Quatre frowned. 'The show's over?' He stood up and willingly complied, his curiosity towards Miss Yvannyah Matfei truly tweaked.
The backstage was a disaster- clothes strewn on the floor here and there while half naked women strutted about without a care in the world… But Morley only had eyes for one door and Quatre was too noble to look at the goods being displayed.
He watched as Morley knocked and, after a few minutes, the door opened-
"Vanyah! You were wonderful! Absolutely perfique!" He bent to her for an embrace but Quatre saw the girl step back, not at all accepting the per functionary show of affection being given to her. And… to Quatre's expectance, Morley blushed.
"Good evening, James." The voice was soft but hallow and cold.
"Vanyah, I've missed you." Morley leaned down for a kiss but Quatre saw the girl place a gloved hand on his lips, stopping it mid-way.
'Allah! This woman is…' The shiver that went up Quatre's spine finished his sentence, but in a way, he's a bit happy that she was not responding to Morley's advances… Rather, he likes it! And- sorry to say- but seeing Morley in such an unmanly position was becoming enjoyable. Can't the man see that the woman was not interested in him?
It seemed as if the message was finally relayed to the star-struck dictator as he straightened and cleared his throat then moved to give ample space for Vanyah to introduce Quatre. "Yvannyah Matfei, this is Quatre Winner. He is an honorary guest of the government."
He didn't see her eyes before, being shadowed by her thick red bangs, but when she tilted her head ever so gracefully and looked at his direction, he saw the most amazing eyes, the color of clear crystal lavender! They spoke of intelligence and met his eyes rather coolly. For a moment, Quatre had the distinct feeling that she was hiding something from the world…
"Good evening, Ms. Matfei." Quatre walked to her, reached for the offered gloved hand, and kissed it.
"Good evening to you, too, Mr. Winner."
He slowly let go of her hand and looked at her small, oval shaped face. Her eyes seemed to dominate it all and her fragile bone structure showed clearly like that of the rising sun on a spring day, magnifying the intensity like a mirror. A tiny nose and luscious lips… She only came up to his shoulders- petite was the right word for her… Funny… she almost reminds him of fairies, sprites, or imps from Kershja's storybooks. Ivory skin reflecting an otherworldly beauty… For once, Morley was correct in his choice of words- Yvannyah Matfei was truly one exquisite woman.
"You are staring at me, Mr. Winner."
The forward remark shook Quatre out of his reverie. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Morley glare at him and in front, Ms. Matfei's unruffled stare. He couldn't believe what he just did! He had more manners than that! "Pardon me." Quatre bowed to hide the blush that started to rise to his cheeks. "I was merely remembering a storybook my niece showed me… Your resemblance to the fairy is quite remarkable!"
He looked up, and for a moment, Quatre thought he saw life in those dull, lavender eyes. It shined for only a second before it disappeared then a calculated smile that could send even the most pious man insane appeared on her lips.
"You must show me this book sometime, Mr. Winner. Maybe we could scour Arche's bookstores for it so that I may see the picture?"
Quatre nodded curtly while he swallowed to wet his suddenly parched throat. He had better stop making a fool of himself in front of these people. "I am sure that when there is ample time, James will be eager to help us look." He noted her voice, exotic, and heady with accent, though she pronounced her words quite beautifully… Her voice was not too low, not too soft… it was just right…
"Yes, of course. We can even see if my library has that book, Quatre. With Vanyah staying with us, she can also help."
The smile on James' face brought relief in Quatre. He just got himself out of a tight scrape there… Wait… Quatre frowned, a little confused- all right, more than a little confused! "Vanyah will be staying with us?"
James nodded as he offered his arm to the fully dressed and coated Vanyah. "Yes. She is always a guest in my home whenever she is in Jubel. Her home is in Kelra, nearly three hours away- I couldn't possibly let her drive to and fro when she has shows at the Center."
Morley was talking to him but not looking at him- his eyes only for the indifferent Vanyah. "Yes, of course. A very logical decision." Quatre followed the two and could only observe Vanyah's straight neck and stiff shoulders. It's clear that she has a deep resentment to Morley but why does she not just tell him to get lost? Why was she putting up with him?
A bit frustrated, he couldn't stop himself and borrowed a phrase from Wufei- 'Women. Who could understand them?' Then again, Morley was a powerful man and sometimes… women just go after such men… Been there…
They were inside the limousine when Quatre had another chance to talk and try to repair his reputation to the woman. "So, Ms. Matfei, what is your family background?" Quatre quickly kicked himself mentally with the tone he used- he sounded as if he was drilling her for a murder case for Pete's sake! "What I meant was, where did you get your passion for ballet?"
The hard look upon Yvan's-
'Hmm… That's a good nickname for her… Yvan… I like that-' Quatre blinked. "Excuse me, I missed what you said. Would you repeat that again?"
Yvan shook her head. "Not at all. I love to talk about my parentage."
The shine in her eyes, very evident right at that moment, proved her point and Quatre couldn't help but stare at her once again.
"My mother is a pianist, my father was an artist."
'Was…' The verb repeated itself in Quatre's head and he could see the slight dimming in her eyes at the mention of her father. "He must have been quite an artist."
"Yes, he was." Yvan looked away. "Well, I suppose art just runs in the family and I was taught how to dance the ballet after I asked my father if he would let me learn it. I was four. Of course, he agreed and…" She glanced back at Quatre's piercing aquamarine eyes… Eyes that seemed to penetrate her very being… Eyes that seemed to know more about her each time they meet. He was strikingly handsome… His thick mane of hair that shone like the lightest blonde… was that what people call platinum? It seemed to call out for her to touch it. To run her hands through it and find that it might rival the finest silk… Yvan's eyes widened and she quickly looked down at her hands. Her throat had gone dry at the thoughts that evaded her usually levelheaded mind and she decided to finish it off. "Everything was history."
"Yes, of course." Quatre leaned back on the seat as he tried to get a hold of his wayward feelings… He wasn't able to look away from her… Every time their eyes met, he couldn't look away…
"Yes, everything was history and what to look for now is present and future." Morley said as he took glasses out of a compartment and brought out an already opened wine bottle. He poured the contents in just one glass then took a bottle of water and poured its contents into the other two.
Quatre and Yvan looked at each other, at the drink, then at one another once again, and it seemed as if one of the first walls of trepidation between them broke down and they smiled.
The glass of water was offered to both of them and Morley was a bit confused as to why the two other people were grinning.
"Was it a personal goal, Ms. Matfei, that you wish to not drink?" Quatre looked at her from over the rim of his glass.
Yvan smiled wistfully. "A personal goal and because I was raised with knowledge of what wine can do."
Morley nodded, finally getting the gist of the situation. "Oh! Of course! I didn't notice before that before… I mean, I knew it but I didn't put two and two together."
Yvan faced Morley as he talked while Quatre did the same out of respect for his host, though for the life of him- the topic was utterly trivial! Dowager this fighting her husband that… Where was that calculating, military man he saw in Castle Morjho?
It looked like he disappears when the fairy Yvan is nearby…
{Heartfire's Note: Yes, I know. Some of you are probably thinking... new character, and grimacing. I know I cannot please everyone, but hopefully, even with a new character, you still enjoyed the plot. Everyone take care, oh! And Disclaimers on GW, everything about Arche, in so far, is my idea. Thank you all for the reviews! I will try to answer whenver I could ^^ Any questions, my email is open. Good bye!}