When I was little my biggest envy was the butterfly. Oh how I loathed it, it would never appear when it was cold, and surely when you looked out the window you would see one when the days were warm and bright. I had no choice like it did, it's free will I envied even if I was quite a free child. Where did it go when it became cold? Far away from the cold and to be warm somewhere beautiful.
I desired to have wings, beautiful orange wings. Dance with the wind and let it lead me to my warmness. Away from what preyed on me, and to my haven of safety. A vlinder as my papa would call them, the thought reminding me of when my mother woul tell him to stop speaking to me in dutch.
On a spring day, I was chasing a butterfly around the waters. He caught it for me, and placed it upon my finger. The sun was gleaming on it's wings, the windows glass making it still. "Let it be free Bryony." He said, and I distinctly remember it was the first time I desired to defy my papa.
"Nee." I said in my young voice, and he chuckled shaking his head. "Nee papa. Nee."
"Do you love it?"
"Very much."
"Then open the window, and let it fly away. It has gone from a little rups to what it is now, a vlinder. Let it fly."
"But what if a adelaar catches it and eats it?"
"My darling, when we say we love something, it is not true when we do not let life teach it it's lessons. It is not a hound to be tied against a pole, will it be a good guard dog if you never allow it to see the enemy and those it needs to protect?"
"But it is not a dog."
"It does not matter, it hurts to let go, but let her fly. Let her be happy, even if it be for a little or for an entire lifetime. It is worth more than you could think of." He opened the window, and I placed my hand outside and watched it fly away.
"Oh there was a full moon," Malori sang as she entered the kitchen with a bucket filled with fruits for the pies. "yes there was, and oh he peered upon me. The night's candle, lighting our path. Oh yes it did, and we met with the stars eyes upon us. Oh there was a full moon."
I smiled as I set the dough into the plate, and placed it to cook over the fire. "The many voices silent, wir flüsterte, wir flüsterte, und wir flüsterte." She passed the berries to Steffi who removed the stem, and I began to crush them. "We whispered, we whispered, and we whispered. The moon endless for us, oh we whispered, and we met."
"Their was a full moon." Steffi sang chiming into the song, and Malori continued. "There was a full moon for us to liebe for all of the night."
"Bryony!" We all jumped at the sudden voice of Sascha as she stood in the entrance of the kitchen.
"Yes?"
"The master wants tea, bring him it. God knows you're the only one who can make it, I do not want him complaning of it being to sweet or too bitter."
I brewed his tea and make it just the way he liked it. I felt rather nervous as I made way up the steps and towards his office. My hands shook as I opened the door touching the cold door knob. He was standing where he stood the first time I came before him. In front of the curtain but now it was open. He was staring at the hills with the sun gleaming against them.
"Your tea." I bought it to him, and he turned towards me taking it from the platter. He stopped, and smirked. I did not know what he found funny, but I held my platter sternly. He rubbed his thumb against my nose and cheek, flour stained his thumb.
"Oh." I said, and I began to blush. It angered me feeling my ears begin to heat the way they did, it made me feel all the more like a child.
"Tonight I am to celebrate, and you have worked quite hard for the last days have you not?" I nodded my head watching him drink the hot tea. It was always worrisome, even in making his tea, it had to be near perfection for the master. "Then I have a gift for you."
