Chapter 2 - The Other Side
The dreary winter passed with Emily giving Victor piano lessons at his weekly visits. He had made much progress through the lesson book and started to write his own songs. Emily had a few up her sleeve as well. She never felt so alive as when playing the piano and singing along with Victor.
With springtime came both Emily and Victor's trip to the queen's palace to be presented to the royal court, along with the other young ladies and young gentlemen who had finally reached the age of eighteen. It was a tradition hosted by the queen every year and there were many parties, balls, and soirees at which you could meet someone. Emily didn't really think that though. She just wanted Victor to be there. It was just something her parents expected of her. Perhaps it would be a fun trip though, she thought.
Emily was lost in thought staring out the carriage window all the way there, not really listening to her parents sitting across from her chatting.
Once arrived at the queen's palace, she stood in line beside her parents to be presented.
"Victor Van Dort, young Lord Barkis," she heard the announcer call out. She watched excitedly but respectfully quiet as she saw Victor approach the queen's throne and give a bow.
"Welcome, young Mr. Van Dort," the older queen said. "Tell us about yourself, what are your hobbies?"
"A lovely young lady has been teaching me the piano back home," he answered. "Also I like science, I study and draw insects especially butterflies and moths."
Emily didn't know all that about him! He kept his secrets to himself. She must ask to see his scientific drawings, especially the butterflies and moths.
"How fascinating," the queen said. "And what is the difference between a butterfly and a moth?"
Victor answered, "Butterflies are diurnal meaning they fly in the daytime and moths are nocturnal meaning they come out at night. Also you can tell a moth by its fuzzy antennae."
"How interesting!" replied the queen. "Well we have many daytime butterflies and nighttime moths flying about here today and tonight at the ball."
"Thank you, Your Majesty, though I'll be looking for a dance partner who doesn't get butterflies in her stomach." Not sure of what he was saying, he gestured to Emily, as she was the next in line.
"Miss Emily Heatherlow," the announcer called out as the young lady stepped forward. She was wearing a sky-blue gown with a scooping neckline and sleeves from the past century. She presented the queen a single blue-dyed rose cut from her garden.
"My, I've never seen that color in a rose!" the queen exclaimed. "Your friend Victor says you play piano beautifully. Please, entertain us with a song!"
Emily sat at the grand piano and played a sprightly tune of her own composition, tinkling on the high keys and plunging low at parts. She sang "la's" over it. At the end, she turned and stood to vigorous applause, especially from Victor, the first and last one still clapping.
That evening Emily entered the ballroom with a self-confident smile, in her sky-blue gown, a blue rose necklace and lace fingerless gloves. Victor approached without hesitation and bowed lowly to her, then held out a hand for hers. She took his offered hand and fell into a waltz with him.
"So, would you say you are a butterfly or a moth?" she asked him conversationally as they danced.
"I'm more of a nighttime person," he replied with a grin. "So I'd say a moth."
"A late-night party person?" she nearly laughed. "I'm more of an afternoon outing person."
"A butterfly, then," he said, directly meeting her gaze. "But can a butterfly and a moth wed?" he asked so lowly she almost didn't catch what he said, or did she?
Emily flushed, feeling suddenly uncomfortable, out of breath and light-headed. "Please excuse me a moment. I don't know what's come over me." She pulled away from his arms, stopping the waltz, picked up her gown and hurried away.
"Wait!" she heard Victor call, like in the fairy tale of Cinderella, she thought.
She bustled out of the ballroom and out into the gardens, filled all with red, pink, yellow, and white roses, but none blue like hers she grew at home. Thorns tore at her gown and her long hair fell down. She cried out in alarm as she walked through a spiderweb, but ran quickly through and kept going.
Having lost sight of the blue-gowned maiden, Victor heard the cry and followed it out into the gardens. There was a chilly mist in the air, out of place in the spring, and Victor felt a shiver go through him.
Emily ran past a dead, bare-branched tree, tripping over a raised gnarled root and falling through the mist to the soft grassy ground below. The spring grass turned to a pile of old autumn leaves, which she landed gently on top of. She opened her blue eyes to see a skeletal hand reaching down toward her.
"Need a hand there?" said an old, rattling voice.
Emily nearly screamed but suppressed it out of politeness. The hand grabbed her by the arm and pulled her lightly up to her feet. She looked at the dark eyes of the skeleton man without fear. He seemed almost familiar to her, reminding her of her grandfather.
"The name's Bonejangles," said the skeleton. "You're not supposed to be here, not yet at least. But welcome to the Other Side."