Look Beyond What You See

Sister of Faith

 "The artists have brought me the new renderings of what the chapel will look like for the wedding, and some preliminary ideas for our costumes for that event. Would you care to see them?" Dmitri inquires with disinterest I hope is feigned. Normally I hate to be disturbed while I'm in the music room, but seeing how my ideas have been brought to life on paper is worth the interruption.

"Yes, of course," I reply, gracefully ending my playing and scooting over on the piano bench so that he can sit comfortably beside me. He sits closer to me than I expected he would and wraps one arm around my waist as he drops the draft paintings in my lap. I hope that top one isn't indicative of the quality of the rest. "Have you looked at them already? What do you think?"

"We can talk about it after you've looked at them."

I flip through the renderings, hoping that each page turn will reveal something close to what I envisioned in my head, but each rendering brings fresh disappointment. "They...lack your inspiration."

"But the idea, Aerys? Have they done it justice? Because I really do like your idea for the wedding."

I bite my tongue, considering; I don't want to offend him if he has a different opinion of the renderings, but the ones in my hand are decidedly not what I had in mind. "I think you should paint new renderings yourself. These are not bad, but they can be better, at least if you're the one to redo them. You have great talent."

He reddens slightly and turns away from me, taking the rough paintings as he does so. I wonder how he can be so modest, or so embarrassed at my remarks on his talent. Perhaps he is thinking of what he has disclosed to me with that water goddess painting? I am still not sure how I feel about that. My dreams last night involved the scene from the painting, being continued about a thousand different ways, and my sleep was fitful at best.

"Thanks," he mumbles. "I'll work on them tonight, then..."

"Only if you want to. If not, I suppose these renderings will do. I presume we'll be able to sneak into the chapel and change things if the decorators make a mess of things." Just like that, his modesty evaporates and he chuckles at my cheekiness.

"Of course, but we'd best try to avoid that and make sure they have an image of exactly what we've envisioned for the wedding, so that we can blame them if anything goes wrong." He pauses, contemplating the paintings for a moment. "You should be in the studio when I redo these renderings."

"You'll be able to focus with me there?" This suggestion baffles me. My creativity is usually inhibited by the presence of other people.

"You should be there. It's as much your wedding as it is mine, and the idea for the design was yours. But I want you to play something for me while I'm working."

"As you wish. The harpsichord will suit you?"

"Anything you play will suit me. You have great talent." Now it is my turn to blush and turn away.

"If you say so. How did the chefs react to our menu plans?"

"They were fairly relieved, actually. They did not appreciate my mother's plans for peacock, ostrich, or alligator being on the menu, as they're all fairly difficult to obtain, and are grateful for our more reasonable changes to the menu. Father's relatives will not be pleased with the omission of haggis, but I intend to have enough rare beer present to appease them."

"An excellent plan of which I wholeheartedly approve. And the men of God, those interviews are scheduled?"

"Yes. I expect you to be present for all of them. Since they are all in the afternoon, during our usual free time, I presume you'll be able to oblige?"