What's Said in Silence

Vessel-XXXXXXXVII

Deafening chatter filled the arena, so loud I couldn't hear my own thoughts. This was our biggest venue yet and it had completely sold out. More than ten thousand people were in attendance, some having flown in from other countries from what I had gathered from social media these past couple of weeks. 

I took a deep breath, in through my nose and released it out of my mouth. We prepared for this. We rehearsed for hours on end these last couple of weeks and I could only hope it would be enough. This wasn't just any venue, this was Wembley. Tonight could launch our career onto a greater path. 

I looked over the set-list once more. A lot of our typical plays were on there as well as some that had just been released last year. 'Chokehold' was first as it had been a few times. Although now it seemed more fitting with the ever persistent constriction on my throat. One that grew tighter with each passing second.

You sing for me, my darling Vessel. 

It was a threat, punctuated by the invisible claws that sank deeper into my neck. Although there was an underlying waiver in her voice, as if she were trying to convince both of us that she had not lost her grip on me. I ignored her as I had been for weeks. 

A tap on my shoulder brought me back to focus. Blue eyes filled my vision along with the most beautiful smile. Truly, nothing had been made more perfect. 

"I had thought about getting you a gift for tonight but you're not the easiest person to shop for." Pink flooded her cheeks. She reached into her back pocket and pulled out a small thin square and held it out to me, "But I thought you'd like this. I took it while we were in Scottland." 

I gently grasped the small square- a picture. In one of the lounge rooms of the castle we had stayed in was a picture worth a million words and told the greatest story and yet I had never known it had been taken. 

In the far background, III and IV were amid a duel using swords they'd swiped from the decorative knights armor. If memory serves, IV won that sword fight with the help of a misplaced throw pillow that had taken III off balance. II was reclined on the couch- stiff as it had been he somehow managed to make himself look comfortable- his head tilted back sipping a Red bull through his mask. I sat on the chair adjacent to him. With one ankle crossed over the other knee and a pen tapping against my thigh, I held my notebook, staring at it as if it might swallow me whole. At the time, I thought it might. 

My eyes lingered at the bottom corner of the picture. Her arm outstretched to the camera and her chin tilted up, she held a smile that reached her eyes. There was a beautiful glow to her skin, one that I've seen often. I grinned at the memory, knowing what had occurred just minutes before that picture had been taken. 

"It's the only family picture I have for the time being but I felt you deserved to have it." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. 

Family. I stared back at the picture knowing that 'family' held a significant weight to her. It did for me as well which brought forth an idea that had been in my mind for a while now but I had yet to set it in motion. I wrapped my arm around her shoulder, pulling her close and placing a kiss to her forehead, "It's perfect, my love." 

The stage hands called for us. It was time. I gave Sera one last peck on the lips before making my way to the entrance point. I handed the picture to one of the stage hands and requested he tape it to the mic stand. Tonight, I did not perform for the supernatural. No, tonight, I performed for my family- with my family. 

The familiar sound of a guitar began playing through the speakers. The crowd grew so loud it nearly drowned out the music but I kept my count all the same. I waited until the right marker before stepping out and heading to the front of the stage.