Forbidden Waltz

The Spark Ignites

The next morning, as Carlo was sleeping on his bed, the curtains opened all of a sudden flashing the bright sunlight directly into his eyes.

"Close the curtain", yawns Carlo.

"I thought you would have been awake till now", says Eric, Carlo's friend and the worker at his mansion.

"Eric, my friend", says Carlo as he wakes up from the bed and hugs Eric tightly. "I missed you so much, pal. How are you?"

"I am disappointed in you. You came back yesterday and didn't even meet me."

"I am so sorry. I went directly to the party."

"Pretty sure, you must have been bored there, isn't it?"

"You are right. People everywhere. People were saying stuff that I didn't know how to comprehend. It was weird."

"Well, no worries. I cooked some delicious pancakes for you."

"Pancakes? I was dying for the pancakes made by you."

"Just how you like it."

"Let us go to the table."

"Freshen up first because Madame Celine might be upset."

Carlo takes a bath, wears some well-ironed clean clothes, and runs downstairs to have breakfast.

"Bonjour, Mother", greets Carlo.

"Bonjour", says Celine. "I am so happy to eat with you after all these years."

"Me too. The food in university is not tasty at all."

Eric puts pancakes on Carlo's plate, "Made specially for you, Carlo."

"Carlo?", says Celine as she looks at Eric with slanted eyes. "He is not your Carlo. Call him sir."

"Yes, Madame", says Eric as he leaves.

"Mother, Eric is more like my friend than a servant. Please, let him call me whatever he wants", pleads Carlo.

"That was childhood but now you are no longer in that phase. This is the time when everyone should respect you and speak to you with your title whether it be Eric or someone else", says Celine.

"Mother?"

"I want no reasonings. What are you doing today?"

"I am thinking of visiting the museums. I miss the museums in Paris."

"Cancel your plans."

"Why, Mother?"

"I have called a painter today and he will draw a portrait of you."

"For what?"

"You have grown up and now it is time to get a beautiful maiden for you. The painter will paint you and I will send your portrait to every big house in France. I am sure there will be someone willing to hold your hand."

"Isn't it too early to get married?"

"You are 22. It is time for you to have kids and I cannot wait anymore."

"But Mother!"

"You will do what I say."

"Yes, Mother."

In the afternoon, the painter arrives and arranges the canvas and colors. He tells Carlo to sit on a chair and sit still so that he can paint without any disturbance.

"I want the most handsome version of him on the canvas", says Celine.

"Sir is already very handsome. I will bring out the real beauty in him", says the painter and starts splashing his colors on the canvas.