“She spoke of the men that were following you,” Galean went on.
“Yes well, Theodore said that he would sort it out,” replied Eveline gravely, stopping to glance at his slumped over figure, he was unreadable and yet she yearned to read his mind. No, she did not look at Galean the way she looked at Theodore, but never the less, Galean intrigued her, he seemed, like Theodore to be so unearthly, he looked as though he didn’t belong here.
“Off course he will, Theodore is always on top of things,” smiled Galean, holding a hand over the flames, warming his fingers.
“He is very honourable,” Eveline muttered lifting Belle into the bed and covering her with the bed sheets, before bending down to kiss her forehead.
“He is,” said Galean a smile on his lips. Theodore was loved by all who knew him and Galean wasn’t jealous at all, Theodore was worthy and honourable, but he knew the affection he held for this woman, who seemed to move Galean to the core and he could only predict Theodores downfall if he should ever act on his affections. Unlike Galean, Theodore was not exiled and so he could not do as he choose when it came to matters of the heart, he had to stay true to his kin and to his master. Galean spent the first year of his family’s death in brothels, drunk and lost until Theodore found him and nursed him back from his grief. Now Galean lived with the guilt of that year, worse he lived with the guilt that he couldn’t save his family, he should have kept them safe with his father.
“Are you alright,” asked Eveline, watching as Galean’s eyes became withdrawn. Eveline walked to the fireplace and stood in front of Galean, as she drew her eyes up to his she found his already on her.
“I am fine, just a little tired that’s all,” he smiled.
“You..,” Eveline muttered, forcing her tongue to stay still.
“Yes?”
“I don’t know, you just, you seem strange to me as though we had already met,” Eveline blurted out, her cheeks burning.
“Maybe we have?” replied Galean seriously.
“I would remember if we had,” smiled Eveline, feeling a little more relaxed in his presence, maybe he was just misunderstood.
“But some part of you believes we have, is that not a memory?” Quizzed Galean seriously, knowing full well they had met the day before.
“When you put it like that, then yes I suppose so,” Eveline muttered, her hands nestled atop one another, over her stomach.
“Come let’s leave this idle talk and re-join your grandmother and Theodore downstairs,” smiled Galean lightening the mood.
“Okay,” replied Eveline, following him out of the room with one last lingering glance at the now sleeping Belle. Eveline would wake her in an hour to bring her downstairs for dinner. As they walked the corridor, both awkwardly looked at one another, then shyly retreated their gaze. As they made for the stairs, Galean offered Eveline his arm and she took it, resting her fingers upon his wrist gently, the same bolt of feeling running up her arm. Theodore stood when they entered, and offered Galean a glass of brandy. Eveline smiled up at Theodore, feeling her heart restore at the sight of him, keeping her gaze away from Galean.
“Right who wants to play a game of chess?” announced Estelle from her chair.
“Should we wait on Mary grandmother?” Eveline asked, pouring herself a glass of wine and returning to the group.
“No, Mary does not come down for dinner, she is…, indisposed,” replied Estelle giving Eveline a stare.
“Well, I don’t know about you, but a game of chess seems fun,” smiled Theodore, who raised his head from a quick conversation with Galean, who sat back, quietly retiring into the settee, his gaze fixed upon the fire.
“Good chap, what about your friend? What’s his name?” Estelle demanded, eyeing the stranger again, he really looked like someone out of a history book.
“Galean likes to sit in peace in the evenings, a sombre fellow he is,” laughed Theodore. “I however love a game of chess, what about you Eveline?”
“Oh, no I don’t play chess, but I will sit and read until dinner is ready,” Eveline smiled warmly at Theodore sipping on her red wine.
“Alright, looks like it is just the two of us!” declared Theodore, “were do we play?” he asked helping Estelle up from her seat.
“ The table by that window over there shall do fine, don’t want to bore Eveline and what’s his name out,” replied Estelle making her way to the table and allowing Theodore to help her to her seat, she was after all nearing eighty. As Theodore and Estelle chatted enthusiastically over a game of chess, Estelle currently winning, Eveline re-entered the room with a book and seated herself opposite Galean. Silently they sat, Eveline reading Persuasion and Galean simply staring into space.
“You like Jane Austen?” he asked, keeping his eyes on the fire.
“Yes, most women do,” Eveline answered, letting her eyes drift over the top of the book towards Galean, who sat back against the settee, sipping his brandy thoughtfully.
“Which is your favourite book?” he asked quietly.
“Persuasion to be sure,” retorted Eveline.
“Don’t most women prefer Mr. Darcy? Moody, full of pride and oh so wealthy?” Galean smiled, his eyes never leaving the flames.
“Well in my little acquaintance yes they do prefer Darcy,” Eveline laughed quietly, remembering a certain Miss Grace who upon a summers day, ran all the way from her farm to see Eveline, throwing pebbles at her window and bidding her to come down immediately.
“Grace, what’s wrong?” Eveline cried, tightening her robe about her.
“Mr. Darcy! I swear it Eveline I have fallen in love,” she laughed, her brown eyes dancing and the morning birds singing endlessly as though joining her in her in found love.
“You ran all the way over here to tell me that?” smiled Eveline, now sitting atop the garden wall.
“Off course, you were right when you told me I would fall in love with him!” gushed Grace, walking about in circles. “I feel as though I have awoken and can finally see.”
“Whatever do you mean?” laughed Eveline, closing her eyes and taking in the morning sun.
“I’ve decided I am not going to marry Matthew Ward,” she announced loudly for all the world to hear. Eveline, instead of rejoicing felt depressed, Matthew adored Grace, maybe he wasn’t a romantic as such but he had always adored Grace, he followed her home from school since he was ten.
“But Grace why? Matthew clearly adores you?” she moaned.
“I want passion! I want love! Like Elizabeth and Darcy!” answered Grace full of energy and spirit. Above them a window opened and Estelle’s head hung out, her hair dishevelled and unsightly, in fact all of her was, she was a terrible scare in the mornings.
“I told you Evie! Told you that giving her that damn book would send her to the fairies,” she announced boldly. “I told you she didn’t have the brains to think of it as a story, no, now she’s about to crush that poor lad’s heart all because of Mr. Darcy,” she yelled sarcastically.
“I thought she would learn something about pride and prejudice, about mistaken judgements,” Eveline yelled back up at her grandmamma.
“Hump! Why didn’t you just force feed her the bible, much good it would have done!” replied Estelle, slamming the window after her.
“Eveline?” came a voice, soft and sad. Eveline lifted herself from her memories and let her vision settle on Galean once more.
“Sorry I got lost in a memory,” she apologised quietly.
“That’s an easy thing to do, I am proficient at it,” he announced, laughing pitifully into his brandy glass.
“I wonder what it is you are thinking off Galean.” Eveline pondered.
“The past,” replied Galean sombrely, taking a gulp of his brandy, “so why do you prefer persuasion?”
“I suppose to me, it is more realistic, love is never a smooth journey,” Eveline answered, dropping her book slightly before going on, “everything is against them at the start, she loses him but somehow fate
brings him back to her and they find one another, despite the hurdles.”
“Do you believe in fate Eveline?” Galean asked his gaze intense.
“I didn’t really, but I suppose our perspectives change,” she answered letting her eyes fall upon a laughing Theodore, her heart soothed by the mere sight of him. Galean followed Eveline’s gaze and inwardly sighed, he knew this was bad news, but couldn’t for the life of him tell Theodore, it was obvious he had gone and fallen in love with exactly the wrong woman, just the kind of thing he would do. And yet, somewhere deep down, in some dark corner of his soul he knew Eveline was not meant for Theodore, despite fate binding them together, he knew Eveline was bound for another. As Eveline returned her gaze to her book she met Galean’s and they both locked eyes for a mere second, that seemed to be like eternity for Galean.
“Do you believe in fate?” Eveline asked shyly.
“I used too,” Galean mumbled.
“Are you married?”
“I was.”
“Sorry I don’t mean to cause you pain.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for, she died, I mean they died,” groaned Galean, taking another sip of the brandy, noticing that there wasn’t much left. Eveline felt empathy for the man opposite her, she didn’t know why she felt strange in his presence, but right now she felt pity and sadness, he must have been a man full of happiness and joy before fate dealt him a cruel blow.
“They?” she asked leaning forward placing her book on her lap carefully.
“My wife and daughter,” replied Galean his face devoid of emotion, his bright blue eyes dimmed by memory.
“What were their names?” Eveline asked softly, watching the light of the flames bounce of Galean’s beautiful face.
“Marsalia, my daughter and Rosai my wife,” Galean whispered, seeing their faces in the fire.
“What odd names if you don’t mind my saying, what do they mean?” Eveline replied curious.
“Marsalia means pearl and Rosai means sun,” smiled Galean, looking up into Eveline’s eyes.
“How beautiful,” murmured Eveline, closing her book in her hands.
“Yes, beautiful names for beautiful angels,” he answered warmly.
“Angels?” Eveline enquired.
“Well they were angels in my eyes,” choked Galean watching his words, “although my wife was fierce, could knock a man down with her tongue,” he laughed deeply.
“To have such a talent,” whispered Eveline.
“Yes well, she was rare, I have never met her equal,” said Galean bitterly, why was she trying to compare herself to his wife?
“I’m sorry I didn’t meant to offend you, what I meant was, I wish I could be like that, I wish I had the ability to confront others,” blushed Eveline. Galean instantly felt terrible, off course she wasn’t being arrogant, she was envious of Rosai, as many female angels were, she was as beautiful as she was fierce, and he loved her wild temper and quick wit. Marsalia was not as fierce, but she was as wild and raw.
“I am not offended, it’s just a topic I don’t much talk about,” smiled Galean, leaning forward a little.
“Your eyes,” Eveline mumbled.
“Yes?” enquired Galean quietly.
“They betray your charm and gaiety,” replied Eveline tenderly. Galean looked at Eveline silently then backed away from her, closing his eyes.
“Well you must have been really looking,” he teased, his eyes still closed. Eveline withdrew herself at his sarcasm, frowning at him, one minute he was warm the next cold, she couldn’t read him and yet she could, however illogical that was. Eveline got up and left Galean, her book in her hand.
“If you’ll excuse me, I am going to leave my book back in the library,” she retorted not waiting for a response and taking her leave. Theodore and Estelle oblivious to the conversation that had taken place between Galean and Eveline, played on as Eveline made her way to the music room, softly, taking her seat before the piano, leaving her book atop and placing her fingers on the keys.
Galean opened his eyes when he heard the music infiltrate the evening room.
“Ah Eveline is entertaining us as though we were at a funeral,” fumed Estelle, rolling her eyes at Theodore.
“She is a beautiful pianist,” replied Theodore wanting to find Eveline immediately and take her into his arms, keeping her there forever.
“Yes off course she is, but why cannot she play something cheerful, must we all change and don clothes of black?” moaned Estelle.
“Aren’t you being a little nasty?” taunted Theodore, feeling defensive of Eveline.
“What I mean is, everywhere I go, depression and sadness follows, this damned war, it’s taken all the joy out of humanity,” sighed Estelle grandly.
“Then we had better win,” smiled Theodore gently, before moving a pawn. As Theodore and Estelle played happily in the corner listening to the music, Galean set aside his brandy glass and got up, leaving the room and following the music.
Eveline, eyes closed, lost herself in Beethoven’s moonlight sonata, strands of her hair falling around her face. The room was dark bar for the flickering of two burning candles, but Eveline found light in the music as it filled her with beauty. She wandered back to her home in Keswick as the music flowed, remembering the beautiful lake in the summer, when her gardens were in bloom. She let her mind fall back to the day her parents were killed, she was playing with William when the police arrived at her house, and she stood by William as her grandmother fainted into the arms of the constable. As she remembered her parent’s funeral a tear fell unto her cheek, she had never felt as alone in the universe as she did in that moment, she was only seven. As her fingers stopped she let out a low cry, the worst of it was she understood Galean’s pain. Her world was changing, the people in it were changing, she felt out of place, pulled between this world and another, she felt insecure and yet secure, alone and yet not alone.
“Moonlight sonata,” Galean whispered, taking a seat beside her, not looking up at her tear stained face.
“Yes, it was my mother’s favourite.” Eveline sobbed quietly.
“Do you know Schubert’s Fantasia in F minor?” he asked, placing his fingers on the keys awaiting hers to join him.
“Yes, it is beautiful, I rarely get to play it though,” smiled Eveline cheering up.
“Well then, let us play,” he replied, “ready?”
“Yes,” she answered quickly turning to face him, his face hidden in the shadows but for his piercing blue eyes.
“One, two and three,” he mouthed and instantly they began. Both Eveline and Galean lost themselves in the music, closing their eyes and letting their hearts dance to the heavenly sound they produced, together. As they played, Theodore and Estelle entered the music room, gazing at the pair of pianists. Theodore felt a slight ache of jealousy at the scene but knew that Galean posed no threat, his heart still deep in mourning for his young wife, the beautiful Rosai. Yet, he wished he was by her side making music with her, he envied his friend.
“Let us sit,” whispered Estelle, showing Theodore to the window seats, “this goes on for about twenty minutes,” she smiled, proud of her granddaughter. Silently Theodore watched Eveline move with grace and passion, this was the heart of Eveline, he knew that within music she laid bare all her burdens, pains and needs and it pained him so that he could not take her for his own and claim her to be his and his alone. The irony of the situation almost made him laugh, inside the house was warm and full of love, but outside stood a group of demons just waiting for Eveline. Theodore had tried in vain to let her know of his situation, until his meeting with Gabriel tomorrow evening, he could tell her nothing, instead she had to simply trust a stranger. Ada, Bram and Peter were on watch outside as the group dinned together. Theodore worried over Eveline’s dreams, they were disturbing in an un-disturbing way. Clearly she was having visions of the garden of Calhuni, were she as the rightful heir would one day be crowned Queen. Theodore had felt that whilst in conversat
ion, Eveline was keeping something important from him and he knew that it was this that would be the key to unlocking what was really going on.
The music stopped and both Eveline and Galean gazed at one another, smiling.
“Beautiful,” she whispered, clearing her face of any stray strands of hair.
“Beautiful,” replied Galean, his heart feeling lighter and at ease, music was such a gift. Around them applause filled the room, breaking the moment they shared. Eveline turned and found Theodore smiling across at her.
“As I said you are an amazing pianist,” he smiled, getting up and walking to her side, offering her his hand. Eveline warmed as she placed her hand in his own, she was tired of the company and wanted so badly to be alone with him. Galean walked Estelle out of the room closing the door behind him, leaving them alone.
“Eveline, about this morning, in fact about last night and this morning,” Theodore began, letting his fingers comb through is dark hair as he tried to explain himself. “I am sorry, and I hope that we can be friends?”
“I’m sorry as well, I don’t know what came over me.” Eveline blushed into her palm, looking away, and feeling like a coward.
“ I think we both know what came over us, but we must just stay friends, you are engaged to another and I as a gentleman, must respect your fiancé, no matter,” Eveline tried to speak but Theodore lifted a hand, “ no matter how you may think of me, or I you, this is not the right thing to do, you have had an out of the ordinary week, and as you have explained to me, out of the ordinary experiences, we must focus on how to best keep you and the rest of your companions, safe.”
“But Theodore, how can you? I have no idea why all this ‘out of the ordinary’ events are happening?” explained Eveline, confused at the thought, maybe Estelle had angered some very conservative wife, her latest novel made her gasp and Eveline liked to think of herself as very open minded.
“Well I and Galean are very experienced in the field of ‘out of the ordinary’ events,” smiled Theodore, “Galean more so, since he is an agent for the government.”
One Crown & Two Thrones: The Guardians Page 12