A Place in This World
Thank you hunting4max, I do love to describe things…I think it allows my readers to paint pictures in their head of what I am describing. I hope you continue to enjoy!
OperaLover, I will give you an insight to the future. Lacey will have Erik's heart…but not first…and believe me…there is a horseback ride in the future (is it getting hot in here?)
I love your review angelaura76, thank you for letting me know that you enjoy my descriptive writing; but no, I cannot paint or draw very well, so I must continue to paint and draw with words. The origin of A'awynn is a spin-off from the elf princess in "Lord of the Rings", I thought her name was beautiful and decided to alter it a bit and use it…I hope you like it.
Here's your update.
There and back again…(Lord of the Rings)
CHAPTER 27
A'awynn sat in Kaitlyn's quarters talking about the events of the day. It was rather late and both A'awynn and Lacey were exhausted from the walk to Berwithshire. Lacey had given up over an hour ago and drifted to sleep on Kaitlyn's large, soft bed.
"She is truly a lovely child A'awynn…you are so blessed to have her." Kaitlyn stated, feeling a yearning in her heart to experience the joys of motherhood.
He was 40, well past the normal age of childbearing, but she had known women who birthed babies when they were well into their 40's. She had not given up hope.
"She has given me joy beyond anything I ever imagined…I only pray she is not the only child I ever have." A'awynn revealed; thinking again of the mysterious, ruggedly handsome man she had seen on horseback earlier that day. (Having his babies would be…stop it A'awynn, you will never see him again.) A'awynn had chosen not to tell Kaitlyn about the man, she chose to keep him her little secret, a taboo picture in her mind meant only for her.
A'awynn squeezed Kaitlyn's hand knowing that she desired children so much. "Is there no man in your life Kaitlyn…someone who gets your blood racing…even just a little?"
Kaitlyn sat quietly for a moment. Her countenance became schoolgirl shy as she revealed her secret, "There is this wonderful man, a commoner, that came with Erik; his best friend…Michél." Kaitlyn caressed his name with her tongue; the French pronunciation sounding exotic to her. "He is 46 with the most beautiful, silver tipped brown hair and the most playful brown eyes…he is such a wonderful man." Kaitlyn was glowing with the affection that Michél caused in her. "He and I have had a few opportunities to talk and he is so intelligent…he says it is from being around Erik all these years…which I don't doubt, he and Erik are inseparable…I just want to spend every moment I can with him."
A'awynn winked at Kaitlyn and leaned into her, "He sounds divine! Are you going to ask him to dance tomorrow night?"
Kaitlyn was appalled at the question A'awynn asked her, "Ladies don't ask men to dance…men ask them…really A'awynn, you are far too forward thinking for your own good…"
Kaitlyn gave her stern look, feigning disappointment; but she knew that this was typical A'awynn behavior…headstrong, forward, and unashamed. For as far back as Kaitlyn could remember, A'awynn had always been a strong personality. Her parents had instilled in her the independent spirit that drove her through life.
"Tell you what, if you ask Michél to dance, I'll ask a man to dance…deal?" A'awynn challenged.
Kaitlyn scowled down at A'awynn's outstretched hand, "Ladies don't make wagers either."
The smile that played on her lips gave her away. A'awynn stood, patiently waiting for her hand to be grasped.
Kaitlyn upped the wages, "Oh well, but you have to ask a man you are attracted too, not just any man."
A'awynn, battling with her longing heart, thought of the beautiful, bare-back riding man that she encountered that day. (If he showed up…there would be no wasted time in my asking him to dance…but just the fact that he rode bare-back and was on Berwithshire property indicates that he was a servant; probably the head stable master. So, he won't be there…mores the pity!)
Not betraying her thoughts, A'awynn retorted, "That is really not a fair wager Kaitlyn…I don't know any of the men around here, so how could I possibly be attracted to one?"
Kaitlyn gave her a sideways glare, "Oh come on A'awynn! There will plenty of eligible young men there, one of them is sure to catch your eye!"
"You really are a romantic, aren't you?" A'awynn observed with a glint in her eye. She shrugged her petite shoulders and rose to the standing position, "You have a deal…",
Kaitlyn shook the hand that was offered her and they smiled playfully at each other. "This is going to be fun!"
That was the last thing that A'awynn said before she headed off to bed. She left Lacey on the bed in Kaitlyn's bedroom…she looked so comfortable and peaceful; it was a shame to wake her. Tomorrow was a big day for everyone. A'awynn was looking forward to meeting Erik first thing in the morning.
OOOOOOOOOOOO
Erik meandered into the study where Alastair was smoking his pipe and looked to be studying some papers intently. He glanced up at Erik as he came toward him. "Erik. Did you have a good ride?" Erik inclined his head in the positive and gracefully lowered himself into the large, leather-bound chair across from Alastair.
Erik offered his services, "You seem to be deeply involved in something Father, is there anything I can help you with?"
Alastair answered Erik with his head still buried in the papers, "Not unless you know something about indoor plumbing and architecture."
Erik laughed. A full, hearty laugh that Alastair could not remember hearing before. "Father, I only designed the entire Opera Populaire, from the ground up; inside and outside…"Alastair raised his head in complete awe. "…until my rage of passion destroyed it three weeks ago, it was considered to be one of the most glorious structures in Paris; before my vision of the Opera, the building was an abandoned monastery. Making a few modifications to the structural walls and redesigning the décor of the outer shell was the easy part."
The pride that Erik felt for this masterpiece of designing was evident in the smile on his face and the glow in his eyes."The entire inner hull needed to be redesigned and completely done over. The colors were drab and dreary and the atmosphere was not a very inviting one. I redid the blueprints and financed the job through a contractor. No one ever knew that I was actually the owner and builder of the Opera Populaire."
Alastair was completely speechless; he had been to Paris in the glory days of the Opera Populaire and had seen the genius of the design and been in complete awe of such talent. If he had only known…
"I never knew…you never told me." Alastair injected.
Erik smiled a gentle smile and shrugged his broad shoulders, "I am not in the habit of bragging about myself." Erik sat back in the chair and nonchalantly stated, "It is just something that I enjoy doing."
Alastair eagerly pushed the papers toward Erik. He leaned forward once more and picked them up; openly assessing the contents.
After a few minutes of silent study, Erik looked up at Alastair, "You are having trouble getting this all to work in cohesion, yes?" Alastair nodded and Erik immediately started making some adjustments in the sketches and writing instructions on the papers. He took about ten minutes to finish what he was going and handed the papers back to Alastair.
Alastair sat staring at the answers in front of him. Erik's suggestions were perfect and so simple.
He grinned; a huge, fatherly grin full of pride. "You really are a genius!" Alastair got up and went around the mahogany desk; Erik rose to meet him. Alastair embraced his son, his large arms letting Erik know how loved he was. "You far surpass any expectations that I ever had of you…your mother is anxious to hear what you can do in music."
Erik stiffened slightly in Alastair arms and the older man drew back and squeezed Erik's shoulder, "It will come back Erik; just give it time…you think your music was all wrapped up in Christine; but your music existed long before she did…search your inner soul…the music is there waiting for you to come home."
Alastair left the study and Erik soon followed. He walked quietly down the hall and up the stairs toward the West Wing of Berwithshire. In doing so, he passed the Music Conservatory that his father had built for Brianna on the occasion of their Fifth Wedding Anniversary. It was a musicians dream. Every instrument imaginable to man was polished and on display. The glistening white, grand piano in the spacious right hand corner was breathtaking and Erik could not help but turn into the room and make his way toward it.
It called to him like a beautiful temptress. His heart was beating furiously in his chest. His long, elegant fingers were itching to caress the ivory keys; and Erik heard melody after melody run through his mind. What his father had said made perfect sense to him. His music had never deserted him; he had deserted it. It was the same mistake he had made in relation to God. In spite of his genius mind, Erik often missed the simple truths in life. He would have to make a point of working on that.
He pulled the heavy, padded bench out and gently glided onto the leather. He raised the cover on the keys and his breath caught in his chest. The piano was as white as snow, but each regular key was pitch black and the half keys were snow white in contrast. They beckoned to him like a mistress seeking consolation and Erik gladly gave into their pleas. His musicians fingers caressed they keys with loving tenderness, willing them to succumb to his wishes. The melody that emerged was so full of awe and majesty. It voiced Erik's love of Scotland and his joy at being reunited with his family. There was the ever-present, underlying sadness of loneliness derived from having no woman to accept his love; but the overall joy of the piece was extraordinary.
Those who were within hearing distance of the Conservatory were certain that the heavens had opened and the archangel Gabriel had come to earth to create music. Brianna was an accomplished pianist and was often asked to entertain at social gatherings; but young Lord Lauchlin, he played at an altogether different level. He was the master demanding that the melody bow to his will. He exuded such emotion in his music…every note; every stanza, opening a window to his soul; allowing the listener to become one with him.
Brianna heard the music and made her way toward it. She had just settled down for the night and was waiting on Alastair when she heard the most amazing sound. She pulled on her lace robe, slipped her dainty feet into satin slippers and made her way toward the Conservatory. Half way there, she found Alastair headed in the same direction.
The couple headed hand in hand for the music. The Conservatory door was open and the candles were lit, encasing the room in a romantic glow. The man at the piano was completely engrossed and was unaware of anyone or anything. His dark head moved adoringly with the music as his fingers created the unnamed melody. The music was such that it drew you into a world all its own; a world of deep emotions and strong convictions.
Brianna cried the tears that she had held back for years; tears that only music could create; tears that cleansed the heart and watered the soul. She was pulled toward Erik by an inexplicable force, leaving Alastair to stare after her. Erik became aware of her presence when he caught her scent on the gentle night breeze. The doors overlooking the garden were open as Erik enjoyed the night air and the tranquility it gave his soul.
He put the final musical phrase on the melody and gently turned to regard his mother. Her tears told him so much. She did not speak at first; she simply wrapped her arms around his neck and held him to her. Erik thrilled at her embrace, something he would have shunned away from just a few short weeks ago, had now become a drug to him. He craved the contact as the body craves water.
"You play with such passion and pain Erik; I have never heard such beauty…is that a piece that you wrote?" Brianna asked.
Erik scooted over on the bench, allowing her to sit beside him. "I have not written it, it was coming from my head…but I will write it if you desire me to."
Brianna was even more impressed. "You just made that up while you were in here just now?"
Erik had no idea why she seemed so surprised. "That is how music comes to me; I sit down at the organ or piano; or even the violin or saxophone, and just allow the melody to work through me. After it reaches its pinnacle, I start putting it on paper; that is how I have written every piece I have ever composed."
Brianna just stared at him with adoring eyes. "You truly are a marvel Erik. Thank you for being my son and for coming home to me."
She leaned over and placed a kiss on his marred cheek, gave his neck one more hug and walked back to Alastair with the most glorious smile on her face. In that moment, Alastair felt tears spring to life in his eyes as he beheld the Brianna he had married, the one that took his breath away; she had come home.
She turned back around to Erik and her most stern motherly tone said, "It is time you were to bed Erik. You have a big day tomorrow and I know your father will have you up at the crack of dawn headed for some unknown; probably non-existent meeting, just to avoid going to the tailor shop to pick up your clothes."
That said, she flipped her still radiant blond head around and smiled slyly at Alastair while she headed back for their bedroom. Alastair grinned to himself; this was going to be an interesting night, very interesting indeed.
Erik laughed lightly at her jestingly stern words. It was uncanny how she always knew what Alastair was planning, even before he himself knew it. Erik just smirked and shook his head; women were such a mystery. He felt the best he had felt in a very long time. His parents loved each other and they loved him; he would have to be happy with that arrangement for the rest of his life. He closed the lid to the piano, closed the door leading to the garden, blew out the candles and retired for the night; his soul had found a resting place.
A'awynn had heard the lovely melody while in the sanctity of her room. She was lost in a dream world full of a dark haired, beautifully masculine figure on a big black stallion. She longed for him in the most eerie of ways. It was as if she knew him; but didn't know him. Something about him was so familiar, but she knew she had never seen him before.
The melody filled her minds eye with its ethereal beauty, drawing her closer to the man. He was kneeling by the brook when he felt her watching him. He unfolded his agile frame and stood to his full height of well over six feet; an attribute that A'awynn found extremely attractive, considering her own tall frame. He walked toward her with agility and predatory grace.
She was able to see him, in a non-profile pose, for the first time. His left side features were breathtaking; rugged and chiseled with a square jaw accented by a dimple set playfully in his chin. His cheek was smooth and perfectly carved. His most arresting feature was his eyes. Jade green with gold specks near the iris; she had never seen such an alluring shade; they reminded her of the depths of the ocean being stirred to a magnificent crest by the merciless force of a tropical storm. They were deep set, making them appear omnipotent. Her heart sped up at the masculine beauty of this man.
She still could not see the right side of his face…it appeared to be encased in the shadows, stopping at just above his sensuous mouth; which she found very strange, as her dream was set in broad daylight. It was as if there was a secret about the right side of his face; something he did not want her to know. Why did this seem so familiar?
"Does he not understand that whatever his secret is, it will not hinder his appeal in my eyes?" A'awynn addressed herself in her dream. "His gorgeous body would be enough to make any woman melt at his feet." She continued to assess the god-like man before her; his white shirt had playfully come untucked from his pants and was open down the front to just above his waist. The sight was nothing short of perfection. The dark hair that dusted his hard, shapely chest was just the right amount. His muscles were pronounced and flexed from the exertion he had put forth in controlling a horse bareback. A'awynn blushed, she had never had a reaction like this to any man, let alone a man she had never actually meant.
Her eyes flew open as she sat up the bed. The music had ended and she had gotten hardly any sleep because of the visions in her head. She threw herself back onto the bed, covered her head with the pillow, and screamed. (Get him out of your head A'awynn…why are you obsessing over a man you will never see again? Huh? Are you a sucker for punishment and self-abuse? He is probably long gone by know or he is a servant, either way…he is unobtainable.)
She removed the pillow and curled up on her side. She closed her eyes and prayed for sleep to take her…it finally did…about an hour later; after she had spent a few more minutes contemplating the reality of finding out who this man is. (Maybe I will ask Kaitlyn… she should know if they have a servant that matches that description or maybe a neighbor or visiting friend…no…I will just keep him to myself.) Meanwhile, just a few hundred feet down the hall, the man of her dreams rested peacefully; completely devoid of any nightmares for the first time in a long time.
Chapter 28 Preview – Boy meets girl