Questions: Franz Joseph

I slowly opened the door to the newlywed suite, taking a deep breath as I stepped inside. I was unsure of what I was going to say to Elisabeth, but I knew that I had to try and help her somehow.

As soon as the lights had come back on inside the great hall Elisabeth had clung to me for a few more minutes, her shoulders shaking with sobs. Then, without a word, she had turned and excused herself, running up the grand staircase and secluding herself in our room.

I barely understood anything of what had happened, but I didn't want to upset Elisabeth further by questioning her right away. It seemed as though everyone else at the party had no idea of what had happened, everything seemed to pick up right where it left off, and no one mentioned the strange man who had suddenly appeared at the top of the staircase, then disappeared into the air just as mysteriously.

But now, after everyone else had gone home, it was time for me to figure out the strange situation. Elisabeth knew this strange man, indeed, he had seemed very…taken with her.

And I am waiting in the dark, always looking at you…

I closed my eyes, clenching my fists and feeling heat rise into my face as I thought of him grabbing her, pulling her close to him…caressing her, a strange, fierce emotion in his eyes as he gazed at her.

Now, as I stepped into the room, I became worried. Elisabeth was sitting at a chair beside a rather ornate vanity, unmoving. Her hair had been unpinned, cascading around her shoulders, and she was now wearing a light, flowing white nightgown in place of her elegant wedding dress. Her back was to me, but I could tell by the slump of her shoulders that she had been deeply affected by what had happened, it seemed as though all of the energy had been sucked from her body.

I sighed, slowly making my way toward her, unsure of what I was going to say or do. I paused a moment when I was right behind her, hearing her draw in a small breath as she became aware that I was in the room. I gently placed my hands on her shoulders, breathing in the special mix of lilacs and rain that was her scent alone.

She moved her head very slightly toward me when she felt my touch, then she spoke, her voice barely a whisper even in the quiet room.

"You must understand…I didn't expect him to be there, I…I haven't seen him in a very long time. He is an…old acquaintance Franz, one who I did not expect to ever see again."

"Elisabeth…"

"Please, Franz," she turned to face me, grasping my hand suddenly and squeezing it while she looked up at me, her eyes holding some kind of fear or worry that I could not quite identify.

"Please…don't ask me to explain."

I took a deep breath, placing my other hand on top of hers, still worried for her but I did not want to push her for details she did not wish to give.

I slowly sank down onto a small stool beside her, looking down at our hands for a moment before raising my eyes to look into her face.

"Are you alright?"

She didn't look at me for a moment, and she suddenly looked years older than she really was. Finally, her brown eyes looked up and met my gaze, I saw the tiniest flicker of a smile flit across her face as she pushed a stray lock of hair away from her face.

"I will be…thank you, Franz."

"For what?"

"For understanding…for not…pushing the subject,"

I simply nodded, swallowing back all of the questions that I had been holding back ever since the strange man had appeared on the stairs. Who was he? What did he want? Why did he seem so infatuated with Elisabeth?

Thinking back on the entire ordeal, I remembered that there had been a strange buzzing in my ears, and I had not been able to hear everything that that was going on. But I could see him the entire time, could see the sneers he sent at me, and possessiveness with which he looked at Elisabeth. I remember the almost unbearable rage that I had not been able to release when he had grabbed Elisabeth, pulling her close to him and backing away from me, with her in his arms. And there I had stood, unable to move, unable to do anything to stop him. He could have killed her right there, and I would have been powerless to stop him.

All of these thoughts I was on the verge of spilling out into the open, but one look at Elisabeth's face stopped me. I could tell that she had been more shaken by the incident than I had. I did not want to upset her more by questioning her, so I remained silent, merely enjoying the feel of her hand in mine.

But even as I sat there, trying to find some way to console her, I could not help but picture the strange man again, controlling Elisabeth, controlling me. I thought that I heard a faint whisper echoing in the room, so soft I wasn't sure if it was merely my imagination or not.

He holds you in his arms, but you smile at me.

And where that will lead to, you know as well as I do.