Journey

Chapter Forty-Nine~ A Broken Curse

A red flag went up in my head. "Reth? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine... for now."

"Why, 'for now'?"

"You'll find out soon." He lead me to the doors of the musical room. The one that held the grand piano. "Annie. I have to tell you something." He hesitated slightly and pushed the door open. "I don't think you'll like it." He let go of my hand and went to the piano. He ran his hand over the keys. Creating a slowly melody of the keys that sat next to each other. He sat down and glanced at me with a sideways look. I took it as a command and walked over to him, taking a seat next to him and touched the keys softly.

"What is it you have to tell me?"

"It's an unfortunate thing. I didn't want to tell you before the deed was done, but now I have no choice but to tell you."

"Tell me."

"Now that Damion is-- well dead. You remember how I told you how we were almost connected?" I nodded, "Well, now that he is dead. That tie is, I guess you could say it is broken"

"Reth. What does that mean? For you? For us?"

"It means I am no longer immortal, Annie."

I stood up abruptly. "No. I refuse to believe that."

Reth stood up and took my hands. He looked into my eyes pleadingly. "It's true Annie and you have to believe it. It doesn't change me, or us. I won't let it."

"I- Reth I-"

The tears began to fall, the reality of the situation hit me hard. We won't be together forever. Damion took that away with his death as well. He always finds out how to ruin something. "The good news is--"

"How can there be good news!?" I screamed. "There can't be! Not after this!"

"Annie listen to me." He took me by the shoulders and pulled me into a hug. I dug my head into his shirt and refused to look up at him. He chuckled and tipped my head up by my chin. "We can still be together forever. Even after I die." I opened my mouth to protest, but he placed his finger over my lips, "Once I die, I will go to the realm of the dead, or the world between. Which is where your parents are held. Because I was once immortal-" He paused and shrugged, "and good. I will go there, which means I will be able to visit you like, I'm assuming, your parents have already done."

"Even if you do go there, I won't be with you all day."

"Not everyday or all day, but at night. When you are sleeping I will visit you. You have to believe in our love. It is too strong to be severed like the tie Damion and I once shared."

I moved my face into his neck, "Reth?"

"Hmm?" the noise rumble in his chest. I missed this. The feeling of Reths protective arms around me. The warm air he emits.

"I love you."

"I love you too, Annie, and I always will."

I was certainly sad about what Reth just told me, but I knew I had a life time with him. He would spend the rest of his life by my side, and I would let him. I'm too selfish to let him go. He wouldn't leave anyway.

"Will you play for me?" Reth voice broke me out of my trance.

"How did you know I could play?"

"Damion had used the fact that you played together to taunt me."

"Oh." I looked away way not denying that had happened.

"I'll forgive you, if you play for me. I can't exactly play myself."

"Okay I will. For you." I placed my fingers on the keys in front of me. They trembled slightly. My fingers wanted to play the song they knew most, but I would not let them. I would not let them remind me of the horrific man. A chill went down my spine and I shook it away. "I don't know what to play."

"Play something that is as beautiful as you."

I laughed to cover the sudden nervousness that enclosed me. I skimmed through the book of songs. I flipped the pages until I saw a name that looked familiar.

It was perfect.

I didn't need the book for the keys. I knew this song just as well as the last. Reth was in front of the deep pitched keys, so I would have to improvise with the ones closest to them. I placed my fingers on the almost high pitched and began to play. Reth posture straightened just a little. He must know this song as well.

I glanced towards him. He had his eyes closed and the faintest smile painted his lips. The song went on for a few minutes and ended gracefully. I sighed and let the last notes fade away.
Reth opened his beautiful eyes. They were only for me, "That was beautiful."

"Thanks. Played it a lot when I was a kid."

"It was my mother's song."

"Oh I--"

Another voice cut me off, "She played it for me when we first met." I turned towards the doorway to find Sebastian standing there. He was looking up at the ceiling, not really talking to anyone, "Then when Reth was born she played it for him. Then Will. If she was still alive I think she would play it for you too Annie. After all, you are part of the family, or will, once a certain someone ties the knot."

"Sebastian, please," Reth groaned and hid his face behind his calloused hands.

I laughed and pulled his hands away from his face. "He's right, Reth. If you don't I will."

"This is pressure you know. This is bad for me."

"Then get on it, Mister!"

He laughed and placed a kiss on my forehead, "Annie, don't start."
Sebastion cleared his throat, "Don't be embarrassed son, it's something everyone goes through." He looked down from the ceiling towards me. "Anyway, everyone is waiting for you to put them to work. You are the queen of this hell hole."

"It certainly is that now, but when we are done with it, it won't be as bad."

"We?"

"Me, Reth, you, and the crew of course."

"Ah. I see. Well we better get a move on, they are all waiting to see that crown go on your head."