Author's Note: Welcome to chapter five of "The Girl in the Tower." I'm so glad you've been enjoying it so far! :D Now sit back and enjoy the next chapter of our story. :) Please review, follow, and favorite! Thanks!
Chapter Five: The Gift
I woke up to the sweet smell of corn muffins and warm maple syrup in the morning. I then sat up in my bed, still huddled under the two layers of sheets as I reached out for Aunt Rose, who was sitting on the edge of the bed with a full tray of food in her hands.
"Wake up, darling. You mustn't be late for your breakfast," she smiled warmly, placing the seemingly heavy tray on my lap.
"Breakfast in bed?" I asked, grinning and staring at the food with wide eyes.
"A full English breakfast. Your uncle's favorite," she said, brushing a loose strand of hair from my face and tucking it behind my ear.
I raised a brow, realizing that I had never been told that I had an uncle, "My uncle?"
"Oh, yes. Your uncle. Uncle Robert."
"Your husband?"
"More like my brother, I'm afraid." She smirked, rolling her eyes playfully.
"Really?"
"You will see him soon, dear. When I take you to the lab. Eat up now, we mustn't make him impatient, yes?"
I nodded and examined the colorful variety of food that was placed neatly atop the tray that sat before me. A full English breakfast that was complete with two poached eggs, slices of ham, fried potatoes, toast, and baked beans with a small, warm cup of freshly-brewed tea. I grabbed the piece of toast to start, taking a deep bite into it, and then finished with the tea to wash it all down.
After breakfast, I cleaned and dressed for the day's occasion, which was to meet this uncle of mine as well as to get a special peek of Aunt Rose's "secret" project. I came to many possible guesses as to what this project was, or why it was so secret to begin with. I couldn't exactly put my finger on it.
"Ready, Elizabeth? Aunt Rose called after me. I could hear the loud and impatient tapping of her foot against the cedar floor.
"I'm coming, Aunt Rose! Wait for me!" I giggled and danced out of the dressing room wearing a brightly colored dress with white lace trimmings at the hem of it.
Aunt Rose bent down to my height to take my hand in hers, smiling, "You are stunning, dear. Come on now." We left the dressing room and made our way towards the lab.
The tower was a place of many doors, these doors that opened to many rooms. My room, the dressing room, the library, Aunt Rose's study, and the laboratory and many others all comprised the many worlds that the tower was home to. My tower.
We now stood at the doors of the laboratory, hand in hand, "We're here."
"What's in there?" I then asked quietly, gently tuggling at her hand.
"You will see, Elizabeth. You will see," she answered, taking a small key from behind her jacket and inserting it into the keyhole that fit it.
The doors then swung open toward us, and before us stood a tall man in a vest, suit and tie. He looked so familiar, oddly familiar in fact...
He had red hair, which was neatly combed, and blue eyes. Aunt Rose had nearly the same facial features as he. It was if they were identical twins...
Almost...
"Well, hello, sister," The strange man said, holding his fist to his chest as if he were holding his tie, "Hmmm, I did not think we'd meet again."
She grinned at his remark, "Well, brother, I did not think you'd be here."
He let out a nervous chuckle, taking a slow step forward, "Touché."
His eyes then met mine immediately. He walked toward me and stood there, towering over. He then crouched down so we were at eye level, "My, you have grown. I thought Rosalind was merely pulling my leg. Only eight years and so much progress. You have done your work, sister," The peculiar man examined me carefully, but was hesitant to touch me. The tip of his index finger lightly brushed my cheek. This odd man Aunt Rose referred to as brother was beginning to feel a bit... fishy now.
"I knew you would be interested, or maybe even surprised. I suppose I was right about the latter," Aunt Rose said. "I suppose I was right about the latter," almost sounded like a question.
"Are you in doubt?" The man then asked, his voice taking on a mocking tone.
She rolled her eyes in annoyance, crossing her arms over her small chest, "In doubt about what?"
"You are doubting my interest in this whole thing."
"I know how you are with Comstock, brother."
"I know how you are about her, sister. This was your idea. Your idea to get yourself into this. No, correction, us."
She quickly nudged his shoulder with her elbow, signaling him to shut it. I didn't understand what they meant, but I simply went with it, clearly unaware and just naive about their conversation. A rather awkward conversation. And who in the world was Comstock?
She sighed, taking my hand. Her grip on me was tighter than usual, "Come, dear," she lead me to the corner of the room, which was nearly pitch black expect for the only source of light that the man was standing under. I looked up and saw that the light was coming from a ceiling lamp. It gave the room an eerie and uncomfortable atmosphere.
Aunt Rose then turned on a switch, and with a loud whirring noise coming from all directions, a deluge of lights flicker on simultaneously. I shielded my eyes, nearly becoming blind from all the brightness. I then slowly uncovered them, only to find to my astonishment how big the room was! It was wide, extremely spacious, and industrial in appearance. I couldn't believe it!
"Oh, Aunt Rose! It's so... big!" I giggled hysterically, running all over the place and wanting to touch everything in sight.
Complex machinery, over-sized Tesla coils, and large pipe-like tubes gave the room a massive structure as well as depth. It was amazing how all of these things were all able to fit into a room of that size. The room was already huge, but these machines made it appear even larger!
"Elizabeth, dear, let me introduce you to your Uncle Robert. My brother," She grabbed my hand and turned my attention toward the man that stood in front of me. He smiled, though I wasn't sure if it was a genuine smile or not.
"You must be my niece. Elizabeth, I assume," Uncle Robert extended a hand towards me, as if in offer. I hesitantly shook it and went back to holding Aunt Rose's hand, hiding behind the long shirt of her dress.
"She's a shy one, Rosalind," I felt more insecure and possibly frightened than shy.
"A shy one indeed, Robert," she gently squeezed my hand, and I was relieved. A sense of reassurance was all I needed at that moment.
"Heh, this is what Comstock calls the Miracle Child. I would say the Shy Child, actually," Uncle Robert quipped, trying to suppress a slight chuckle.
Aunt Rose couldn't help but giggle quietly at his comment. She then cleared her throat and said, "Brother, would you mind showing Elizabeth what we have for her?"
"What?" I interrupted, letting go of her hand, "Your secret project, Aunt Rose?"
"Think of it as a surprise, actually. A gift, perhaps," Uncle Robert cut in.
"A surprising gift, but maybe even shocking," Aunt Rose added. I raised a brow, more confused by the fact that they were finishing each other's sentences now.
"Of course. Most likely that. Come on, Elizabeth, maybe you can guess what lies behind these curtains," Uncle Robert took my hand and led me towards the large, red curtains that took up the center of the room.
I simply shook my head. I couldn't guess, "I don't know, Uncle Robert."
He grinned widely, "You don't have to." Aunt Rose and Uncle Robert then took the hem of the curtains, and without any hesitation, separated them.
What stood before me was the grandest sight of them all. The most amazing, the most wonderful, the most breath-taking...
A gigantic mechanical creature with mechanical wings, gloves for its hands, and claw-like feet. Its metal bird-like beak, and round, glass eyes comprised its face.
It was... so... gorgeous...
"We call it the Songbird," said Aunt Rose.
"We made it. Well, this Fink fellow did," Uncle Robert answered. She elbowed him.
"I mean, we mean, we had some help from some friends. But it's a gift, Elizabeth. It is yours. He is yours."
"Aunt Rose, Uncle Robert..." I trailed off, the words refusing to leave my mouth. I couldn't say anything. I was too overwhelmed with excitement.
From that day on, the Songbird would become my true and only companion. A protective savior, or even a saint. He would bring me what I needed. Books, food, clothes, but most of all, company. Aunt Rose didn't mind my growing attachment to the mechanical bird, as it had finally given her the chance to spend more time on her experiments, as well as with her brother, my uncle, Robert.
I slept each night soundly, knowing that there was a guardian angel looking over me like the bright moon outside my tower window.
He was the Songbird.
My Songbird.
Author's Note: This concludes chapter five of "The Girl in the Tower"! Now, we've been introduced to Robert Lutece and the Songbird! Were you expecting that to be the gift? Or something else? Leave me your thoughts! :) Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and don't forget to stay tuned for the next one! Please review, follow, and favorite! Thanks so much for reading! I'll see you later! :D