Beautiful Music (2 page)

“Wake the physician up,” The Madame threw off the covers.

“Do you want me to take her?” Alaric asked, yawning.

“Don’t be silly.” Madame Wenton got up, helping her daughter. “I’ll wake up Rahab, if she’s back yet and tell her what’s going on. I’ll tell her to come down here after her studies.”

“She better be back or we’ll be telling her a lot more than that,” Alaric grumbled, getting up as well, groaning from how tired he has. On the rare occasions Alaric did sleep, or eat for that matter, he needed it badly. “Mary, be a brave girl, alright? Do as the doctor says, and when you get back, I’ll have a surprise for you.”

“No show then?” Mary asked tearfully.

“No, sweetheart. No show,” He wiped the tears from her face. “Go on. I’ll see you later, Madeline.” It was more instinct then anything that made him kiss her goodbye. She smiled at him briefly, and then, he was alone once more. For an hour and a half. Rahab woke him up at seven o’clock.

“I just got the note.”

He clenched his fist, trying very hard not to get violent. Oh all people, why was it he that had ladies keep him up? Opening his eyes, he glanced at her. And then he did get violent.

“Rahab, you just got back didn’t you?” He glared at her, still donned in her evening clothes. She backed away.

“I…”

“Don’t lie to me, Rahab. You have a curfew at midnight for the next week.” Sitting up, he rubbed his eyes. “Aye!” She reached out to stop her.

“Don’t Alaric. It doesn’t matter. It’s just me. I’m sorry. I’ll be back earlier next time.” She bowed her head in apology. “What’s wrong with Mary?”

He sighed. “Mary’s hurt herself worse than we thought. Madel- er, The Madame took her to the physician around 5 this morning. I have no idea when she’ll be back.”

Rahab settled back a bit, biting her lip.

“I thought it was pretty bad. I mean, you should have seen how she landed. I think everyone in the theatre heard the snap. And if they didn’t, they certainly heard her call for you.”

Alaric sat up more, in a panic.

“Snap?” he asked.

“Crunch, crack, snap, it’s all the same sound. That’s why I was surprised that she didn’t run right off the physician… You mean you didn’t know it could have broken?”

“I considered it…It didn’t look as such… damn” Alaric threw off his blankets, getting up. “This could affect her whole career.”

“Mary doesn’t want to dance all her life.”Rahab settled down into the warmth Alaric had left.

“She wants to sing. She wants you to teach her to sing like you teach Carol. She wants you to pay attention to her like you do Carol.”

Alaric turned around softly.

“Have you ever even heard her sing, Alaric?”Rahab continued, her voice sounding odd. “Have you ever even listened to your daughter’s love of music, just like you?” She gulped then, looking up at the Recluse, his tall frame seeming tired, weighed down as he sighed.

“Is it beautiful?” he asked, unmoving. Rahab nodded.

“Yes. I’ve never heard a voice so high, and yet it’s so childish and cute…It’s beautiful like her…”

At that moment, Rahab’s eyes filled with tears and Alaric realized it was more than just Mary who was asking for attention. He settled back down into the nest of blankets.

“And you, Rahab? What is it you want? What troubles you such, angel?”

The girl fiddled with the ring on her finger for a bit, and it was then Alaric realized that she was no more an adult then Mary. Try as she would to be his best friend, and she was, her fears of going out into the world and leaving her. And Rahab was already engaged, ready to be married…yet, not.

“I miss you,” She managed. “I’m so scared, Alaric. I don’t know what’s going to happen, to you, or me, or everybody…I’m scared…When did we stop being friends, Alaric? When did you stop loving me?”

“Rahab…” He said, astonished that she would even ask such a question.

“It’s true. I used to be able to spend my nights and days down here, to tell you everything. Now every time I touch you, you tense, every time I hug you, you freeze. What changed?”

He sighed, wrapping his arms around her, asking himself the question. What had changed? What excuse did he have for neglecting this child, really? Because they gave into lust once? That wasn’t about each other, that was lust, need… and the friendship to give it. Because he and Madeline had grown closer…was that any reason why Rahab couldn’t be around as well during their “dinners”? Because he was smitten with Carol? What difference did it make, it’s not that he was in love with Rahab.

“Nothing. Nothing changed. I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” he whispered, reaching down to cover her ringed hand with his gloved one. “I wish I could have been here for all of this, Rahab… Helped you through all of this…” He looked at her tear streaked face, the only one he found physically beautiful. And when he saw the fear in her eyes, he understood something else. “You’re leaving us, aren’t you Rahab?”

She nodded, burying her face in his chest. He took a shuddering breath, trying to come up with the right words to encourage her in something he didn’t want her to do.

“Why so sad? You’ll be off to live with the man of your dreams, on your own, the lady of the house, and what a wonderful one you will make as well.”

“But I’ll miss you, Alaric!” She sobbed harder, clinging to him. “I’ll miss you! I love you!”

“Rahab…” His voice broke slightly, as he tried to draw her to see her voice. “Rahab…Rahab don’t do this.” And then he found the tears gathering as well, burning his face. “Don’t say things like that. It can’t work, Rahab. It can’t. Ssh.” He kissed her forehead gently. “I love you too. But you are to go off and you are going to marry him.  I know that you love him as well. It’s what you are meant to do.” Every word was a fight, a struggle, for with every word, he wanted to tell her no, don’t go, that she was still a child, that she shouldn’t be going…away from him. “I won’t let…us interfere. I’ll always be here, Rahab. Ssh… Oh, Don’t do this…please don’t do this to me now.” He held her tighter than ever, gently lowering her down to the pillow, holding her as he lay down beside her.

His body responded to her touch, as he knew it would. He knew that this would not end well, and yet he did not resist, as she reached behind her, slowly rubbing her hands up and down his manhood. He closed his eyes, breathing deeply as he felt her pull at him. A growl came that surprised him, and with a bit more force than he meant, he rolled her over, his fingers roughly finding her clit and rubbing briskly, already wet with juices.

She moaned, closing her eyes and begging him with her expression.

This was not like the last time, gentle and loving. This was rough; their hands tearing at each other, nails drawing blood. She bit down on his shoulder as he thrust into her again and again, his eyes closed, his mind elsewhere, somewhere else, with someone else.

No words escaped, only sounds of ecstasy as she moaned, again and again. And then without warning, he thrust into her one last time, giving a shuddering cry, and came, pumping inside her.

She cried out as well, wrapping her arms around him, and screaming at the top of her vocal pitch as she clenched around him again and again.

***

Finally, they fell off each other, panting, their sweaty bodies attempting to reach normal vitals. She rolled over, her bare shoulder glinting in the moon light, away from him. He had never felt so alone. And neither had she.

***

Alaric was careful to make sure that he was awake within the next couple of hours, in case of Madeline came down. He wanted to care so badly that his head pounded, was hazy with lack of energy and sleep, but instead he gently shaking Rahab back to consciousness.

“That’s what you get for staying out all night” He said with a soft smile as she batted his hand away. “Come now, I’ll make you some breakfast.”

“Alaric.” She reached her arms up and he hugged her for a brief moment. “I’m sorry.”

“Leave it be, Child.” He said, softly stroking her hair. “I knew the words were there long before you said them. It’ll will always be alright. And I will think of you.”

“6 months.” She whispered, drawing back. “He’s booked the church in 6 months”

Alaric’s eyes flickered the unfinished opera on his organ.

“6 months it shall be then. You have to promise me something though.”

“What?”

“I’m writing again.” He got up. “Don Juan…. I’m getting terribly cynical, aren’t I?” He fingered the Theatre when he got to it. “Promise me you’ll stay to perform the part I’ll give you…”

“Alaric, A new opera in the season? By the time we start rehearsals, it will be 3 months from now, opening night another 3 months, and then the show alone will run for…”

“In 6 months you will be off and married, Rahab. Trust me.” He smiled painfully, and she nodded, seeing the gears turning in his head.

“What are you thinking, Alaric?” She asked, after a time. He shrugged.

“I’m not sure…I just feel like I’m losing my…” He looked at her and almost cut himself off. “you.” He said. And then with a sweep of his cape, he was gone into another cavern, and she was left alone in silence.

***

“Daddy!”

“Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!” Alaric grumbled getting up from the organ bench. “Next time somebody calls my name, it won’t be pretty.”

“Was it ever?”Rahab asked, from across the room, where she was working on her studies, perched on his bed. “And your name is not Daddy!”

“To her, it is. Yes, Mary, what would you like?” He reached the lake and crouched down gently, to where his temporarily crippled daughter lay in the boat, drifting, relaxing and working as well.

“Out”

“Ah.” With the practiced ease of 2 days, he reached down to help her out.

“Alaric, I thought you kept this tea box stocked?”

Alaric nearly dropped his daughter to turn to Madeline.

“Um…” He said, looking around, at Mary and her mess, Rahab and her stuff, Madeline and her belongings. “Ladies, as much as I love all of you…it’s getting rather crowded down here.”

He was met with simultaneous whining from the children, and a look for his incipient wife.

“Alright…Not like what I say matters. But bear in mind when a very angry piece is played in Don Juan, you are all the inspiration for it.” His footsteps were light as always as he went back to the organ, but his body language showed otherwise. “I think I need a male down here.” He muttered, and went back to writing.

***

“Ladies” It had been 2 days since Alaric had grumbled and grunted about being so crowded, and he had enjoyed his time alone since then, but had not forgotten his comments. Today, he swooped down into box 5, to find Mary, still on crutches with a fractured bone, and Rahab, much to Alaric’s disappointment, left out of another dance because of her lack of skill, watching the rehearsal below.

“I wish I could dance this one.” Mary said, watching the particularly beautiful piece being rehearsed.

“In time. You have to let it heal. Better time off now than never dancing again.” Alaric took a seat in the chair behind them, scanning the stage. “Where’s Mom, Mary?”

“Auditioning some male dancers for a new role. Backstage left,” Mary said, stretching very slightly as not to injure herself.

“Didn’t she do that yesterday?”Rahab turned to her friend, and Mary was about to answer when the voice of the supposed angel shattered the semi-quiet. Carol was off to the side, warming up her voice. Alaric leaned forward a bit, and Rahab rose in disgust.

“Want to stay, Mary? I’m going down to watch the auditions.”

“You’re being a child, Rahab,” Alaric said, without taking his eyes off the stage. “I do hope the Madame picks a dancer with intelligence.”

“She’s not going to pick someone based on whether they can be drinking buddies with the Recluse Composer,” Rahab replied, and then shook her head. “Sorry. I don’t think my mood is wonderful.” She turned to leave.

“We’ll talk later, Rahab” He called.

“You always say that, but it never happens.” And then she was gone.

“Do you really like her, Daddy? Carol?” Mary turned around to her father, and Alaric sighed.

“She has the voice of an angel, and music is everything. Beauty is what I surround myself with, Mary, to make up for...” He trailed off, settling back. He had never really discussed anything deep with his daughter.

“But why don’t you love Mommy?” She asked. “Why can’t we stay down with you forever, and live like a family?”

“Because it wouldn’t be like a family.” He replied. “You should almost stay away, Mary, try to grow up normally.”

“But I love you, Dad!” She protested. “Don’t you love us?”

It struck him hard. This was echoing Rahab’s conversation with him almost exactly.

“Oh, Mary.” He reached a gloved hand to her cheek. “Of course I love you.”

“Then why?”

And the master of tricks, of magic and seduction, beauty and architecture, intelligence and skill, could not provide an answer to the innocent blue eyes that shone back at him.

***

“I hurt.”

Alaric barley turned around from the organ. He wasn’t in the mood to deal with anybody, or anything today. Mary’s comments, and his inability to answer yesterday had well…shaken him.

“Well, there are several reasons for that, Rahab.” He glared as she came to his side. “Could it be that you are pushing yourself to insanity trying to be a dancer you cannot be, or that you’ve spent 3 nights in a row now sleeping with your fiancé?”