Dreamwalker

22- Deepest Devotion

 The escape plan was nearly ready. Soutine followed Piano's advice and fixed every hole in his plot. Now he had plans if original plans fell through, and alternate plans depending on any possible complications he may encounter. Perhaps it was unlucky to say that nothing could possibly go wrong. Even so, Soutine felt confident he would see Bell again with Piano's help. Piano even brought in a razor and some soap for Soutine to shave with a few days after they hatched their plan. It was an act of true love, Soutine said. Piano said it was because Soutine smelled like rotten eggs marinated in curdled milk.

He planned to meet Piano once again today to finalize their plans and at last carry out the first step-- the revolution. If the witches rebelled and escaped Solancee, they might be able to lead normal lives and reintegrate into society. Soutine wanted to help the witches ever since he met Bell and at last he could set them free. While he waited he finished translating more of the king's books. It wasn't very entertaining, to be sure, but Soutine didn't want to draw Laurier's attention by not doing his work.

However, as much as Soutine enjoyed Piano's company, he couldn't help but reminisce about his days with Bell and, despite Morie's reassurances, worry about her. She must be worried sick about him. What if she tried to save him from Solancee and be captured herself? Soutine would rather die than allow her to go back to her old life as a slave.

Someone knocked on the cell door. Soutine lifted his head up from his work with an eager smile to see Piano step over the threshold.

Yet something was wrong. Piano had a strange look on his face that Soutine couldn't quite decipher. He moved carefully, like a cat treading lightly around a mouse. "Hello, Soutine," he said quietly.

"Is something the matter? You look as if you've seen a ghost," Soutine teased.

"I'm alright. I'm glad to see that you're working."

"You know I'm always working."

"Oh, please, you? You may be ambitious but you're also extraordinarily lazy. Besides, I know you would do anything to irk Laurier. I wouldn't put it past you to procrastinate just because you know he would hate it." Piano's lip curled and he cocked his head to one side as he stared down at Soutine.

Now Soutine knew something was wrong, even though he couldn't put his finger on what it was. Some glimmer in Piano's eyes that Soutine had never seen before flickered like firelight in his pupils. Instead of his rigid soldier's posture and icy manners, he was relaxed and playful. Soutine might even say he had an air of aroused curiosity about him. He put his quill down on the ground and stood up so he could look Piano in the face. "What's wrong with you? You look..."

"Hmm?"

"Strange," Soutine finished, since he couldn't really describe it any other way.

"Strange? Oh, how dreadful, I couldn't bear it. You're being silly, darling."

"You-- you--" Soutine couldn't find the right words. He couldn't think of anything that would make sense. Piano approached him carefully, stepping over his books on the tips of his boots so as not to disturb anything, and Soutine took respective steps back.

"Now what's wrong with you?" Piano asked. "It's just me, Soutine. Stop retreating. I want to talk about our plan."

Soutine hesitated, but finally stopped, mostly because he had run out of room to back up, and he was almost up against the wall. Piano stepped inches away from him and placed his hands on either side of the wall to keep Soutine from escaping. He inched one hand closer to Soutine's head and twirled a strand of hair around his finger, entranced, as if it were the first time he had ever been so close to Soutine before. "You're a beautiful, beautiful man," Piano whispered.