Golden Thorns: Chapter Sixteen
Fixing the piano had become Coran's new passion. It was almost an obsession. His evenings were dedicated to that small room in the east wing and it was all coming together nicely. He had since replaced all the strings that needed it and had thoroughly cleaned all the major (and minor, he grinned) components. He now felt like it was conceivably playable. Again he sat at the stool, adjusted it to his height and rested his fingers gently on the keys. Slowly he depressed them.
He started with a simple chord progression. He ran his fingers up and down the keys in a scale. He started to play a complex piece. He didn't remember its name but it brought back memories of that drawing room back in his family home. Memories of his mother and father in their armchairs by the fireplace. He revelled in the joy of the music. Felt it in his very soul. He didn't have to think about what came next, his fingers just did it. It was the best feeling, having a week and a half of evenings spent in this dusty cupboard pay off in such a perfect way.
"It's been years since I've heard that piece."
He stopped abruptly and spun around. Standing sheepishly, just outside the doorway was-
"Weiss?"
"Hello Coran." She whispered quietly
"I-" he didn't know what to say. He had hardly seen her since their fight, let alone spoken to her.
"I heard that you roughed yourself up quite badly a couple of weeks ago."
"Nearly a month ago now, yes." She was still hanging just outside in the corridor. "You can come in. I'm not going to hurt you. I overreacted last time. I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to."
"Just stop, Coran. You have every right to be angry. I should be the one apologising. I let you down when you needed me the most. I don't expect you to be able to forgive me but I hope that we can at least be civil." They held their positions for a moment. Both looking to the floor. Coran broke the silence.
"After my mother died my life was a mess. It was pretty awful before that, yes, but that was the tipping point. That was the point when I stopped caring. I didn't want to die, but I didn't want to live either. I had nothing left to get me motivated. I joined beacon not because I wanted to help people or fight monsters or any of that. I joined because I thought that there was a chance that a Beowolf would get me. Then I met this girl. On the ship here I was leaning on a railing, thinking about nothing when this girl came up and started talking to me. Over the next day I couldn't get rid of her, she just kept turning up wherever I went. Of course that naturally led me to meeting her in the emerald forest along with my other team mates. A month ago when I broke down they were there for me when no-one else was. They forced me to stand when all I wanted to do was crawl into the dark. They saved me from myself and I would do anything to repay them. They are the reason I keep going. Now, it seems, I also have you. Up for a bit of healthy competition?"
The look of numbness that had overtaken her face vanished as he said that last word. A small smile appeared on her face. "Always. But first, keep playing. No-one could ever play that piece like you." She went and sat on the small chair in the corner as Coran resumed his music. After a time she joined in. quietly at first, as if she was nervous, she began to sing. Clear notes in perfect synchronisation with his key strikes, he had always thought that she had real talent and it was obvious she had not lost it. Just as it had been four years ago.