Carol Of The Bells

Modest Tints Arrayed

It was a pleasant morning. The bells had just rung, indicating that Kori was now awake. Richarde smiled from atop his pole. He leaned forward, carefully keeping his balance. A man came by and dropped a coin into his old top hat he used to collect spare change.

"Thank you sir!"

"Beautiful morning isn't it? How's the view up there?"

"Ah! Amazing! I can see straight out to the Seine!"

"Sounds like the most wonderful job."

"Sometimes I feel like it is." He smiled at the patron.

Suddenly, a young man, not much younger then Richarde sprinted between the two, grabbing the hat, and took off.

"Hey!" Richarde shouted while jumping from his position. He flipped onto the ground and wielded his pole like a staff. He gripped it tight and then brought it down ram the kid in the head.

He fell face first into the dirt. Richarde calming stood next to him with his arms crossed.

"You mind telling me what a kid like you is doing, robbing me?"

"I'm sorry! I'm just so hungry!"

"Oh good!" He smiled, his attitude changed. "I was just about to go down to the bakery for breakfast, wanna come?"

The kid looked at him, bewildered. "But I...you...what?"

"I thought you were taking it so you could get a fix on opium or your favorite drink. If you wanted food you could have just asked. I'm generous enough."

The kid could only gape.

"Come on! They got a killer puff pastry!" Richarde said salivating.

Later that afternoon, Kori laid on the floor of the tower. Her strength temporarily gone from the fight with Slaed. At any other time, she could have defended herself. But the way he yelled at her, it hurt her and caused her to lose focus. So when the blows came, she did not protect herself.

Now she laid, feeling worse then dirt. She tried to will herself to get up, but no happy thought motivated her.

"Kori?" A tender voice asked from behind her.

She sat up a bit to look at him. Excitement jumped to her eyes as she sprang to her feet and flew to him.

He braced himself as she jumped into his arms, her legs firmly around his waist and her arms around his neck. "I missed you!" She cried.

"Kori, it's only been a day."

"But it feels so long!"

"Are you alright?" He asked, looking at her.

She wiped a few of the stray tears away. "Please forgive me; a part of me believed that you would not return."

"Why?"

"I may have been losing my mind from being alone all these years."

He simpered. "Well, I promise I will come and see you everyday. Okay? Even if I can't spend a lot of time here, I'll still visit."

"That sounds marvelous." She finally leaned in and kissed him.

He set her down and smoothed his uniform. "Alright, what are we going to do today?"

She clapped her hands together. "I desire to listen to your voice, so I wish for you to read to me."

"Uh...read?" He ignored the fact that she said she wanted to listen to his voice.

"Yes! I was hoping for Romeo and Juliet. It is one of my favorites!" She skipped over and plopped the book into his hands.

He flipped through the pages awkwardly and then looked back her.