Tower of White

I

   Hey guys! This is the first chapter of the book, and I'm so excited to tell this story. I just want to let you all know, the first few chapters of this book aren't the "most interesting", but they are needed to tell the rest of the story. If you notice that things are going by slower- that's why. I promise things will start to speed up around chapters three or four (depending on how I decide to write it). Just bare with me- the first few chapter are always (in my opinion) the most boring to read, and the most dreadful to write. 

   Also, I would just like to note that everything I write in this is intentional- it helps define the characters' personality. With that being said, there is things throughout this book that I do NOT agree with at all, but in order to convey the message- I needed to talk / have a character say it. Just bare with me... again.  

   FYI: Astraea is pronounced (Uh-stray-uh) ; Helius (Heel-eeus) ; Abaddon (Uh-bad-un)

   Please give me feedback on if you're liking the book or not- and any corrections/ mistakes. I hope you enjoy. xx 

   The first inkling that someone was watching me was when my hands paused on the piano note for a sliver too long. I must have been so distracted from the feeling, that I forgot all about the music sheet right in front of me.

   "Stop watching me," I whispered into the night. Not even waiting for a response from the shadows before I picked up my head, took a breath, and started playing again.

   The music study became a sea of giants once more- the mythical creatures being music notes; the water being my ears. The melody took over my mind once again, transforming me away from this land- from Oakhart- for a while. Letting me bask in the idea of living freely among the wild.

   A creak in the floor.

   I knew I was being watched now, but I didn't really care who it was at this point- I just wanted to go back to the land of my mind.

   A shuffle of feet.

   "Whoever is there, at least be quiet," I said, more than a whisper now, into the darkness.

   A chuckle, one that I knew far too well.

   He was here.

   The music stopped once more, I looked up- catching a pair of brown eyes in the process.

   "That's very good," Helius said.

   He had been watching me- for how long, I had no idea. He just stood there, back lounged effortlessly against the doorway, a quarter of his face was sun bathed from the window up ahead.

   I stared at him, trying to read his face- what was on it? Sadness? Disappointment? I'm sure I was wrong. He loved it when I played.

   "Helius, get out of here," I protested- shoving him out of the door with my eyes.

   He didn't budge.

   The truth was, I didn't mind him watching me- an audience was okay. I just couldn't keep concentrated if I knew that a golden-haired, six-foot, strikingly-handsome boy was standing a rug away from me.

   "No, I think I'll listen to you for a while... if that's alright with you, of course," he said- a sly smile playing on his lips.

   Before I could respond, he sat down next to me. Far enough away that I still had room to move, but close enough that our feet were touching.

   And even with that little touch, my body electrified all around. Forcing me to pay attention to his shoes, instead of the papers in front of me.

   "What are you doing here?" I asked as I turned to face him. Piano practice was done for now.

   "Just listening to a lovely girl play a lovely song," he said- a smile now fully present on his toned and tanned face.

   "Oh, shut it... what do you actually want?" I doubt he'll tell me the truth, usually it's because he needs to talk to Abaddon- my grandad- about the war. Or church. Always those two things.

   "Sunday lesson," he informed me. Bingo.

   "Oh, are we still studying Genesis?" I asked, not really interested in what he was about to say, but it would have been impolite of me to not follow him up on his answer.

   "We're going back over Adam and Eve".

   "Oh, with the apple in the garden, I thought we just learned that story?"

   "It's not just about an apple, jeez Astraea, do you understand the meaning? Eve takes the apple from Satan. The Devil. The purest evil there is. Our community needs to learn that he is actually out there- scouring among us," Helius' face was heating, his jaw was set into stone. Eyes beating out.

   "'He' as is in Satan?" I asked.

   "Well obviously, who else? Astraea, you really need to focus more if you're ever going to be a Sunday teacher. For the children, of course. But everything counts in the eyes of the church."

   "Yes, I know. And I do pay attention. I love learning on Sundays... it was just a question," I said- daring a glance up to his eyes. I guess I had lowered my gaze once he had raised his voice.

   "Okay, sure, I've got to go, keep working on your... music," he replied, walking out to find Abaddon.

   I found them both in the kitchen later, their sides were facing me as I walked in- the two spots at the head of the table being occupied.

   "Astraea, hey, what have you been up to?" Abaddon asked.

   "Just music practice, like always," I answered, aware of Helius' stare on my back. It felt like he was the sun- me being Icarus.

   "She's getting better," he answered, still glaring at my back.

   I turned.

   "Thank you, I've been practicing everyday this week. There's this new song I've been working on, it reminds me of something far, far away-"

   "Now why in the world would you want to be far away from this place? From Oakhart? The land of freeness and love," Abaddon said- a proud expression filled his face.

   He was an older man, in his sixties, so the sun marks on his skin were more evident than someone who's younger. I memorized every single freckle on his face, I've counted all of his eyelashes before, scaled the grains of his green eyes- all before falling asleep at night.

   He raised me, taught me every single thing that I know.

   "What are you two talking about?" I asked, knowing that the answer would either be a lie, or a fraction of the truth- or maybe even no answer at all.

   "Oh, you know, just manly things," Bingo.

    "Oh, like what?" I was pushing it. I knew it.

    "Astraea, be a good girl and go fetch some water for me. I need to hydrate my throat before the service tonight," Abe said.

   And off I was- another mission to gather something for someone. Lucky me. But it had to be done, and I obviously had to be the one to do it, considering there were no other woman in the house at the moment- and I knew Helius wouldn't dare think of doing a favor when a girl was around to do it for him.

   I grabbed a glass of water from the pantry, set it on the table, and then marched upstairs to change into a nice pink dress to wear to the service tonight.