The Blue Sword

ACT 5

Darkness dwells in the night, but life does not cease in its waking. Under the star-filled sky, the sound of living souls echoed and moaned outside Hedge Manor. Bats chirped instead of birds. Fireflies replaced the butterflies. Crickets played in the distance, and a half Moon illuminated the sky, allowing its twin to sleep for the night. Ebony was peering into this darkness as she rested against one of the large pillars supporting the front porch. The woods behind the front gate were absorbed in the darkness. Nothing but black could be seen past the gate's hanging lights that lit the driveway. If not for these lights and the hanging torches on the porch, Ebony too would be covered in darkness. She pressed her face into the beam and softly tapped its grooves. Her eyes never left that dark void, and as she stared further and further into it, her mind wandered in thought. Thoughts of earlier that day and of the peculiar, young pianist who was handsome and carefree.

*****
"What did you mean-?"

"Huh?" Johnathan looked back at Ebony who had asked him the question.

They were both standing outside the Manor with full bellies from breakfast. Johnathan was at the foot of the stairs grasping the handles of the bike he used to get here, and Ebony was on the top of the stairs holding her hands awkwardly together. Ebony did not make eye contact but continued to look at her hands.

"When you told my father that 'There's no need for mending' when there clearly was... Why did you say that? Were you just trying to be polite?"

A soft smile came on Johnathan's face. He recalled how quiet she was during breakfast and that she kept glancing at him with uncertainty. He wanted to know why she was behaving that way, but at the time, he ignored it due to being preoccupied with Mr. Ibre. Johnathan had a hunch the reason revolved around him and hoped the lady didn't hate him. But after hearing Ebony's words, the tension in his heart withered.

Johnathan turned himself and the bike to face the lady on the stairs.

"I figured you were curious," he nodded. "I could feel your eyes on me when I said that earlier. Alright, I'll give you an answer."

His statement caused Ebony to finally raise her head to look at him, and for just a moment, Johnathan admired how soft and tender her countenance had become. The rays of the late morning sun had brightened her aura, and he witnessed just how intricate her brown eyes were. He found this timid side of her to be very cute.

"You were right when you said that I just enjoyed messing with you. And I'm sorry for that. I was just in a happy mood and-." Johnathan stopped himself and looked off to the side. He felt a pull in his chest, telling him that what he said wasn't the real reason. He slowly tightened his grip squeezed the handlebars of his bike while contemplating on whether to say the truth.

"No..." he said firmly, shaking his head. "That's not the reason... I knew you didn't like what I was doing... I saw it in your face, but I didn't care. I made you uncomfortable for the sake of amusing myself." He looked back at Ebony and the look in his eyes mesmerized her. They held remorse and a level of responsibility.

"And that was wrong of me." Johnathan continued. "You were right. My behavior was inappropriate and I'm sorry for my selfishness and for making you uncomfortable. I should have stopped myself and simply explained who I was... but I was enjoying the interaction we were having too much to care. In the future, though, I will be more considerate to you and won't make you uncomfortable."

Johnathan spoke his final words while staring into Ebony's eyes. His gaze was intense yet held much emotion. It was by this that Ebony knew he meant every word he said.

"I-" Ebony began descending the steps. She didn't know what was compelling her; perhaps her body was moving on its own. Regardless, her eyes never left Johnathan's the closer she came to him.