The Dawn of Light

(7)Lessons in Lime

Lessons in Lime

My fingers grazed carefully over the white keys of the grand piano.

It was polished recently- the smell of citrus and pine hovering in the air. The ballroom was bathed in the midday sun and below in the gardens I could see the servants scurrying around, preparing for tonight's party. The King's ball's celebrations were continuing in our palace tonight, with my parents as the hosts.

Poor Opis was yelling and shouting at the top of his lungs at the new servants; their eyes were big and scared, yet the old man could barely stand without his wooden cane. He was fearsome though and all the underlings listened when he spoke.

I sighed softly under my breath and looked up, closing my eyes and letting my fingers flow with the new tune. No doubt the twins were still fast asleep- last night's party ended late and they'd danced until the break of dawn. Mater and pater had left for bed a bit sooner than usual, but I'd left the party even earlier. After what Morpheus had said, my appetite for fun had quickly disappeared.

A starving wolf...

It must be a symbol for something- it couldn't be that wolf. That werewolf Simos was talking about.

In the pit of my stomach, something felt knotted. Now more than ever I had this restless sensation to leave.

I heard delicate footsteps walk up behind me, a few feet away. "It's beautiful..."

I turned my head around to look up at Malreus. He was dressed down; his onyx shirt loose and exposing his tanned chest. His midnight black hair was hanging over to one side and his eyes seemed dull with sleep. "What is it?"

I smiled at him and turned back to look down at the keys. "I don't know- a song of uncertainty."

"Catchy." He chuckled and walked up to me. I scooted over on the long, leather bench and he sat down beside me. His warmth was comforting and I leaned in to his side. That familiar scent of musk and fresh cologne instantly brought a small smile to my face. "You look tired?"

He nodded and placed a hand on the keys. He pressed them down gently, creating an odd, hollow sound in the large ballroom. "I went for a quick trip out on the Argos this morning; to clear my head." Argos was the name of Malreus' sailboat. It was gifted to him by his father, Hades, and made from the most durable and impermeable wood.

I frowned; "Did it work?"

He chuckled and his eyes slanted with an enigmatic emotion. "No."

I nodded my head, expecting the answer already. We were very alike that way- when something bothered us; we became obsessed with it until we solved the problem or dealt with the issue. This was an issue we both couldn't solve without stepping on some powerful toes. I wasn't even certain it was an issue we should resolve...

"I didn't see you last night." He ran his fingers across the keys, but looked at me with a sidelong glance. His blue eyes were dark today. "I was looking for you."

"Sorry, I should've sent word." I smiled absent-mindedly down at the keys, my hands resting on the smooth, cool surface. "I left early. I wasn't really in the mood for socializing."

"Hmm..." He nodded in agreement; "Me neither. I left around midnight."

"I spoke with my parents."

Malreus' gaze lit up a bit and he cautiously asked; "And?"

My head shook from side to side as I felt my smile fall. "No luck. They want me to stay out of it. Mater was nearly angry by the end. So unlike her..."