Bravissimo

Pale

A walk with Annabel, how quiet and calm. Perhaps the only silent time she has is this, all else spent around loud people shouting her praise or accusing her of murder, and of course performing, or practicing. I would not be surprised if her ears were ringing. As the crunch of the snow beneath us turns muffled I look to Annabel at her stern but beautiful face and wonder what would have become of me had I never met her? Had I never met the Destler's would I still be happy? When the incident occurred, would I have survived without them? Without her?

My heart begins to beat faster as I remember the sight of the long grass around me, watching Annabel's feet sprinting away to find her father, feeling the awful heat boring down on me as I felt the ripping and gushing. And the large sinister figure coming toward me but not to cause me harm I soon found out, but to come to my aid.

"Alright son, it's alright." I hear him say.

"Darius?" I breathe in sharply and bring myself back to reality.

"Yes, Gustave?" I say looking down upon the worried boy.

"What will she do?" he asks, perhaps rethinking his decision of telling his sister what has happened.

"I'm not sure yet, but rest assured she will make sure that this abuse will stop. You know what that boy said was awful, there is no reason to fear your sister, she is no murderer." As Annabel has by now gone on ahead of us, I look after her and wonder; what would she in fact do? What would she do for someone she cared for? As we step into the carriage after reaching the road Annabel wraps her cape around her and runs the fabric between her fingers and I can tell she misses her father. Gustave shivers with tears running down his face making me believe he has downplayed how truly awful things have gotten. As Annabel takes notice of him I can begin to see her lip slightly begin to curl into an angry snarl. I reach my hand to hers but she harshly takes it away.

As the wheels turn rhythmically against the stone below us, I am taken back to my childhood. I remember Eliot and Michael, my friends my neighbors all of us laughing even on a rainy day playing cards and running around catching the strangest of insects. Though not perfect and as much as I needed my father, I was happy. And then I remember Annabel, the Destler Daughter as she is still called today among other things. A calm, collected girl who made everyone smile but usually only had a small one upon her own face. Unless she was with her father. Perhaps she felt that was the only time she did not need to be responsible, a person to be free around, to be a real child around. For if she slipped up in her glee, there he would be to clean it up. I also remember when she herself was abused, many times by Alexandra Kings and once from Durand. Was Gustave going through something partially similar killing Annabel on the inside? Does Annabel wish someone would have done something for her? Most likely not. But I wonder if ending someone else's torture, someone she cares about, will bring her some peace about it all.

The carriage comes to a halt and I look up and nod to Gustave. "It will be alright Gustave." I say and rub his back before stepping out. As I walk around to the front to let the two out, it is easy to pick out who the problem is. A young boy sitting on the side wall with all his minions making him laugh as he gives our carriage a side eye. I open the door and allow Gustave out, and like a dog to a bone the boy hops down from the wall with a grin that has intent behind it. As he walks forward his face turns from a smile to confusion to shock as Annabel pulls back her cloak revealing herself to the courtyard.

Annabel gives a small grin to nothing in particular perhaps memories, as the yard quickly goes silent. She kneels down to Gustave, tells him to go and play and gives him a kiss on the head. When she stands I ask; "do you see who's doing this?" I say looking at the boy over my shoulder and she nods.

"Yes, I know the issue." she answers and walks forward.

The young boys face turns to terror as Annabel gets closer and closer, her tall shadow growing across the ground. My heart beats faster as the boy and Annabel clearly make eye contact as he begins to cry. To my surprise Annabel continues walking passed him. I thought she knew who was responsible? The now terrified boy looks to Gustave and it is clear he will be left alone from now on, as I also notice his trousers are soaked. Clarity hits me as Annabel stops next to a nervous, middle aged woman.