A Court of Stars and Fire | ACOTAR Fanfic

Chapter 14 - Feyre

✧ Feyre's POV ✧

A wave of silence fell over the restaurant like a spell as Nyssa walked to the pianoforte on the other side of the dining room. Servers paused their dance around the room, standing to the side by the kitchen. People's conversation hushed, whispers gossiping about the mysterious woman going up to the pianoforte.

When Nyssa reached the small stage, she stepped up, holding her skirts out of her way. She ran her hand along the gleaming top of the grand piano, sighing as she sat down and flipped up the key covering.

Isla stepped onto the stage after her, and any and all remaining conversation hushed as she cleared her throat. "A dear friend of mine is going to play a piece for us tonight," she announced, her voice eerily echoing through the restaurant. "Please welcome Nyssa."

Polite applause rang through the dining room towards the goddess as she flexed her fingers on the keys, looking up with a smile as bright as the diamonds she wore. She looked at Isla who walked off to the side, mouthing, "You owe me one."

The polite applause came to a halt, and the restaurant was silent as we awaited her to start.

(A/N: Play the video above now, if you wish! It goes along with this scene.)

Nyssa took a deep breath before laying her fingers on the keys, closing her eyes, and starting her piece.

Her fingers moved slowly across the ivory keys as the harmony tentatively started. It went back and forth between high and low notes, before she sprung into the rest of the song with a soft flourish.

As the notes began to overlap and form the piece, Nyssa lost herself in the music, her fingers fluid as she played.

I felt myself relaxed, entranced by the beautiful sound that came out of the pianoforte. Nyssa was playing the song so beautifully, putting every emotion and feeling into the song. It was one of agony and elation, a melancholy piece to a star-crossed love.

Nyssa's fingers fell harder on the keys as the song picked up the pace, building up quickly. It was if it was mirroring an argument between a couple, the feelings of pent up anger and misunderstanding before it reached the crescendo, crashing down.

The piece moved me. It slowed down, delicately calming like the calm before the storm. No one in the restaurant dared to move as the complex and intricate beauty of the composition floated on the air. I closed my eyes, a few tears falling down my face as she went on.

The music was fragile, the flimsy notes ready to crash at any moment. They held such a deep meaning that brought out some sadness and happiness within my heart, the kind that makes you feel alive even while dying.

The music swelled once again, and a few more tears escaped down my cheeks at the brilliance of it. I never heard a piece like this before.

The melancholy composition faded out into soft notes, slowly fading before it ended, just as abruptly as it had begun. Nyssa's fingers stilled on the piano, and I saw a few tears of her own slide down her face through a quick glamor spell that fell just as fast as it was cast.

A few moments of silence followed the end of the song before the restaurant burst into loud clapping. People stood up, no one in the restaurant left with dry eyes. Rhys, Az, Cas- everyone at our table was crying, despite their hardened exteriors.

Nyssa graciously accepted a napkin from Isla, dabbing at her eyes before the chef and owner said, "One more round of applause for my talented friend."

The restaurant started its clapping again as Nyssa gave a stellar smile, a small bow of her head acknowledging the praise.

I sat back down after clapping for a few, the people at my table doing the same. I nudged Rhys with my hand, teasing him through the bond. Are you crying?