Symphonies in E Minor

Chapter Twenty Five: The Disappearance

CW: blood, weapons
***

Aaliyah has relaxed greatly, Harry notices. She was initially tense during the first minute and a half of her playing, but now her shoulders look at ease, her wrists having more movement to them. She holds her head high instead of caving into her chest, and she looks like she genuinely enjoys the piece.

Harry tucks his hands into his pockets, watching her. Mesmerized as he knew he'd be, it's impossible to take his eyes off of her at this moment. The melody flows from her fingertips, and she has the notes perfectly timed. Her back is straight, her dress bunched up at the floor.

He could write poetry about her. He could paint her. His beautiful muse.

Faiz and Ruhina were nearby when he saw them at the refreshments table. He stopped paying attention to them after some time, too engrossed in Aaliyah's playing. She looks like she belongs there on the dais with people watching her. As if she is royalty. As if she is Psyche herself.

A few people around him want to get closer, so he moves out of the way to let him crowd around her better. He takes a sip of his water and moves closer to the exit where there's a lack of a crowd and he can see her more easily.

In the midst of his next sip, he feels a hand grip his arm tightly, enough to make him wince, and he imagines it's someone like James ready to pester him again, so he shakes his arm gently to get him to let go, but then he also feels something hard against his back.

Then there's a voice in his ear. "Mr. Styles. Pleasure to finally meet you." Nobody can hear the revolver against his spine get cocked into place except him. "Now move."

***

Aaliyah looks over to see who has gripped her shoulder so tightly, the thick Scots accent sounding like anything but home to her. She wants to hear one voice, one English posh accent, one deep tone that has her mind reeling. She glances back and sees Alistair instead, his eyes round with worry, and Faiz and Ruhina behind him. They seem to have grabbed him after they were unable to follow her themselves.

She tries to break her arm away from him. "You wouldna dare to keep me here. I need to find him."

"You canna think you'd be doing that yourself, Liya," Alistair says incredulously. After some more relentless tugging, he releases her and nearly sends her flying to the floor. She stumbles, catching herself.

Aaliyah peers at him closely. He has a funny look on his face as if he understands the situation but will not be saying what he thinks out loud. That's how she knows he's thinking the exact thing she is. "You dinna think he just went for a drink? I have been saying this and nobody–"

"That man was green from drink last time I saw him. He wasna going to drink more."

"Aye," she says, more angrily. "I said I keep saying this to everyone, but nobody is listening to me. Perhaps if you announce it, we could...we could set out a search party and have him found as early as possible."

"I dinna believe having a search party right now is the best idea. Especially not on the night of your sister's reception." He glances around. "Plus, I dinna think many people will be eager to find the Sassenach. Everyone's drunk and they're not going to care."

"They will!"

Alistair looks at her skeptically. "Liya, he is spoken to only due to your friendship. In the end, he's still a foreigner. And the jokes are made at his expense."

"Da would make them help me."

He swivels around to look at her father. "I dinna believe he's all that concerned about anyone aside from Isla right now."