My heels echoed on the marble floor as the drawbridge behind us closed shut. I could only look ahead as we walked down a massive hallway lined with what I assumed where guards.
They didn’t move or stir as I followed Mr. Fierro down the hall. About midway down there were two corridors on either side. They were labeled in about 20 different languages.
East and West.
An older woman with bright blonde hair appeared from the East wing, a keen eye on her watch, two younger women also followed behind her. They were all dressed in simple yet elegant dresses almost like bridesmaids.
They smiled as they got closer and the younger women took the heavy bags from me and headed in the West direction.
I followed Mr. Fierro and the woman towards the East.
“My brother took a leap of faith when he agreed to meet with you, Fierro”, said the woman.
“I can assure Victor that I would not intentionally be late.”
“My twin brother has no patience”, said the woman
“Is that so, Victoria ?”
At the end of the East Wing,
“THRONE ROOM’
Was engraved on the front.
I stood at the door way as the doors opened. From the back it looked like a lecture room with forum seated desk. Down the center aisle instead of a podium or projector was a long dark oak desk.
There was one rather unimpressive red chair with delicate bronze arms in the middle. Seated in it was an inattentive man who had the same blond hair as Victoria, his was curly even from the distance I could see his dark brown eyes held little attention,The relation between was undeniable.
Age however was irrelevant. They could have been mother and son.
None of the seated people turned at our entrance, but
something made me freeze at the door as
“Victor”, announced
“Our late guest ?”, Victor questioned.
“My apologies”, started Mr. Fierro his eloquent voice sounded less melancholy, “I’m afraid my watch does not keep very good time—“
“And your guest ? Does her watch not keep time?”
Although I could not see he face, Mr. Fierro seemed for a second to be confused. Carefully turning to following Victor’s gaze to where I was standing.
Mr. Fierro fixed his on me for only a second before turning back to the twins. It was then that it occurred to me that I had inaccuracy assumed I should follow Mr. Fierro.
“She is just my servant”, he said, “not a terrible smart one, I’m afraid”, he said more to me.
“Nonetheless”, Said Victor, “Today’s Assembly is out of session. Perhaps you can attend the next one”
“When will that be?”
“Eight days”, they both said at the same time.
Somewhere a silent signal sounded at the people seated gathered their items and filed out the doors.When the crowd thinned I saw that Victoria and Victor must have fled out of a back door as Mr. Fierro and I were alone
+++
For a moment I tried to forget why I was rushing down the hall trying to keep up with Mr. Fierro’s quick steps.
As our shoes tapped in unison I was inexplicable drawn to the beauty inside the palace walls. The high ceilings were octagonal shaped each one sporting a fresco that would do the sixteenth chapel shame.
The floor had bright blue and white decorated tile that reflected everything around it. We passed what must have been the sixth marble bust when a draft of wind pulled in. I backtracked and realized what I had assumed to be a beach side painting was an open window.
I reached out to touch, just to make sure, as my hand
touched the warm air, I could almost feel the spray of the sea that lay below
it. The beach was empty except for a few starfish.
Of all this I couldn’t believe the ocean (or whatever they called it here) was only a few feet from me.
I broke myself away from the window and looked down the hall. Mr. Fierro was gone.
“Mr. Fierro ?”, I called but not to loudly.
I went a few feet in the direction I assumed he went in when I was met with 2 corridors
SOUTHWEST
SOUTH EAST
Followed by a door labeled ‘ STAIRCASE’
“Oh, no, I said to myself.
My first thought was to wait for him to come back for me but chances were he forgotten I was here. I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of thinking I could not find my way around.
The halls were erriely quiet.
I pushed open the door that lead to a stairwell and continued. After 3 flights I began to hear voices. The door at the bottom floor swung open on it's own.
I was standing in a courtyard, a locked gate more than a few feet away with a city street. I Could hear the ocean behind me.
“Hello ?”, I called but none returned my call.
The gate appeared to be the best way out, and although it lead to a strange city, I was willing to take the risk.
“The gate is locked”, a familiar voice said.
I looked up and saw the man from earlier, Victor, holding peering down from a balcony.
“Wait”, I called up, I’m a little lost”
I hurried back through the door I had arrived in and minutes later I was standing side by side with Victor. All of this was beside the fact as I couldn’t’ t help but to notice he was holding my red suitcase.
“Where did you get that ?”, I asked
“It was on the lawn, I think you dropped it.”
“Something like that”, I said as I took it from him, “Mr. Fierro honestly wanted to be on time, you know”
I didn’t know why I was defending him but Victor seemed to considering this.
“I did give him a second chance”, he said, “after the holiday.”
“Holiday, it's October isn't it ?”
“Just a little Hollow's Eve ball.”
I wondered if he saw the Irony.
We passed another window and I slowed down slightly for another gaze out the window. Victor seemed to notice.
“Water is beautiful”, I said
“Well, it’s no River Styx but I like it ?”
“Very funny”, I said
“I prefer the pool on the roof.. . but it’s closed this time of year.”, he said with a wink
Victor easily navigated through the giant maze that was this palace.
He headed down the
southwest corridor and Inserted a key in a locked door. I expected to see more
empty halls but I could feel the traction of carpet underneath my feet and I
was standing in what appeared to be a luxurious hotel hallway.
We continued down the hallway took a turn left.
Instead of numbers or letters each room door had a single name plate hovering just over the peep-hole. One in particular had Fierro written across it.
I reached to knock when Victor pressed a little gold doorbell. It made an elegant chime and right on cue the door swung open.
Mr. Fierro’s dark eyes looked to victor and then to me and back again. Although he didn’t show it I knew he was surprised.
“She must have wondered off”, Mr. Fierro explained as if I were a child, “I’m terribly—“
“No need”, said Victor, “You are quit a delightful woman”, Victor said to me.
I smiled, for reasons I wasn’t even sure.
“Ms. DeLune has work to attend to”, Mr. Fierro who seemed none to amused, “Thank you,Your Majesty”
Your Majesty?
Mr. Fierro led me inside and shut the door quickly.
“That was the king?”, I asked.
Mr. Fierro nodded.
Although being complimented by royalty was not all to unusual, it was the personal interest he seemed to have me slightly smitten.
And Mr. Fierro seemed to be jealous.
+++
The hotel room was impressively elegant with white furniture
and fireplace. The mirror in the hall had been covered with a piece of equally elegant fabric.
There was a winding staircase that lead to an enclosed glass balcony with a view of the ocean.
I walked around the suite while Mr. Fierro was down the hall in the phone booth. As far as I could tell there was only two bedrooms. I descended the stair case just as he reentered
On the penultimate step I began to notice a sweet floral
fragrance in the air. It was the
familiar scent of the red and green house on
“Ms. DeLune”, he called.
“Yes, sir ?”, I said in a rather bored tone.
“I will be very busy preparing for the next Assembly. Please try not to do anything other than what I tell you—“
“Aren’t you already prepared, Mr. Fierro ?”, I said, “you’ve already written your speech.”
“Revisions are always necessary, Ms. DeLune. As I am sure you realized we will be staying a few extra days.”
He reached into his pocket and took out a silver key and extended it towards me.
“You’re giving me a key to your room ?”
“No, this is for your room”, he said, “Take the lift down to level D room 16.”
He handed me a to do list and ushered me out the door.
The Lift was easy enough to find, I scanned the rows of buttons until I found a the letter D and I was on my way.
The lift lurched a little and I held on tightly as it descended from the fourth floor, pass the ground level past the maintenance level and towards D.
I steeped out into a dimly lit hallway. The grown beneath me was worn pebbles that moved with each brush of my shoes.
Lining the hallways was what appeared to be doors. Each door had columns of rusty iron filled in with cement and a key hole.
I could hear chattering and saw a few men and women standing outside “the rooms”. Many of the women were wearing the dresses I had seen earlier; many of the men seemed dressed alike. Some just seemed to be standing and staring.
I found room 16 and upon closer inspection I realized where I was.
Level D.
Dungeon.
The room itself was quite beautiful and carved out of sandy stone. A relatively comfortable bed and dresser decorated the cell.
I head the sounds of boisterous laughing coming from the other servants a few men ran passed speaking in loud tones about a fight.
I shut the door which only seemed to amplify the outside sound and turned over Mr. Fierro’s list and scribbled a drawing of a piano on it.
Nailing it to the wall with the sharp end of Ms. Ginger’s earring I sat on the bed facing it.
I was only eight days away from my Piano.
+++
The next day I met Mille, she was from a place called Old City. She resided in the room next to me and worked in the Palace. She was a little older than me and although not the most talkative she showed me how to get in and out of the Palace.
She explained that The fifth floor served as the business wing of the Palace while the fourth, third and second floors were used to house guest. The first floor, she explained, was for entertainment, lounging, checking in and Palace tours.
The City of Bordeaux despite the modest interior of the palace was a busy city filled with shops, theaters and taverns. Everyone seemed to have assimilated to modern fashion, the few who didn’t received a few curious glances
Everyone in the City seemed to do everything to get away from the reality of eternity, playing alive, I guess; People ate three times a day, slept at night, there was even a pharmacy.
With help from a detailed map I had completed my to-do list and spent a large amount of time, just wandering. . . but not getting lost.
I padded back into the palace well into the afternoon,The elevator to the fourth floor seemed to take forever; Mr. Fierro’s door was slightly ajar so I knocked while pushing it open.
Mr. Fierro was kneeling in front of the coffee table. The
white box he had when we arrived lay open on the floor. A few left over petals were strewn on the
tissue paper, while the roses were being arranged in a glass vase.
“Take these to
“How do I find her ?”
“She’ll be in the ballroom”, he said as if I should have already known
“Where is that ?”, I was getting frustrated
“first floor”, he said looking up at me.
“Yes, Sir”, I said looking more tired than I actually was.
“And, Ms. Delune”
“Yes, Mr. Fierro”
He moved to sit on the couch, slipping on a pair of glasses that I had never seen.
“Do remember keep your hair back”
I ran my hands threw my loose hair that now spilled down to my lower back
“Yes, sir”, I said
I felt strangely out of place on the first floor. The lift opened up to a rather hectic scene with a large concierge desk and lines of people checking in and out of the palace. I followed the signs towards the ballroom.
A line of men dressed in black suits were waiting outside, I approached them cautiously.
“I’m looking for
On any other occasion the men’s unfavorable glances would have frightened me but they were nothing compared to the cold gaze of Mr. Fierro.
Once of them stepped inside and opened the door.
Victoria and Victor stood like little dots compared to the massive size of the opulent ballroom, the chandelier that was being raised looked to be bigger than my room. I couldn’t stop looking as I approached them in the center.
“Ms. DeLune ?”, said Victor, remembering my name.
“Clara, is fine.”, I said turning to
She took the card first and read it over twice before taking the flowers.
“These are beautiful”, she said
“First kiss roses”, I remembered watering them one day in the garden.
She nodded her head and opened the white box. I watched as a few rose bulbs scattered from the box and onto the floor. I chased after them.
“Clara, leave them”
Victor’s light voice carried through out the ballroom.
“Start what ?”, I had clearly missed something
“Planting the rose bulbs”, she gestured to the note in her hand, “like It says on the note.“
“Oh, of course”, I pretended to know what was written on the note.
I backed out slowly, trying no to trip over myself. Victor offered me one last wave as the door closed behind me.
+1+
Sleep didn’t come easy that night.
Just being in the Palace and with someone like Victor who,
reminded me so much of Peter.
Peter's and I engagement had grown out of a long term friendship, mutual love for the arts and our families He’d been my date to my cotillion and countless conservatory events. I could easily count the number of times we had kissed.
That didn’t mean I didn’t love him.
I turned over as a new wave of conversation and laughter crept through the walls. Slipping on a pair of flats I decided to take a walk down the hall.
I circled around the women’s hall twice before I found myself walking towards the lift.
The lift opened on the fifth floor and almost in a daze I walked towards the door marked stairs.
The door opened with a loud creak. I walked up the stairwell till I reached another door that lead to the roof, the door was propped open. A ‘Closed’ sign hung on the door.
But I knew better
Remembering Victor’s little wink about the roof being closed.
The rush of night air hit me before I could step through. The starry sky seemed unrealistically close as I stepped onto the roof.
The faint scent of Chlorine and stone wafted in the distance, I followed it towards the massive pool. A few keystone lamps light the way towards
the spanse of water that was covered by a Grecian stone archway.
I carefully sat down on the water’s edge and let my foot dance across the water. slowly letting the buttons fall loose from my ruffle front dress. The cold weather blew through the silk chemise I wore underneath.
I shimmed out of the dress and considered taking the plunge.
My other foot rested in the water, Just making ripples.
Then I head splashing.
“Victor ?”, I called
Had he been waiting for me ?
"Hello ?", I called again.
I looked to the far end of the pool and saw a neat pile of folded clothing resting on the edge, I hadn’t noticed before. I took my feet out of the water as a hand reached out of the water, resting inches from my leg.
A very pale, very white hand.
I gasped as the familiar face of the last person I wanted to see surfaced. He opened his water logged eyes suddenly aware of my presence.
“Sir, . . .I couldn’t sleep”, I confessed for reasons unknown to me.
He moved a few strands of wet hair from his face, his eyes trained on the tile floor. I was at my wit’s end trying not to look down.
Mr. Fierro moved a little closer in the water until he was infront
of me. I was careful not to react as he came closer, his shoulders rising
between my knees. He ran his fingers over the silver ring on my left hand, his eyes ran over the rings engraving a few times.
“What does this mean ?", he asked
"It's personal I said", taking my hand back, "My father gave it to me."
Taking a deep breath I let the water consume me. Once fully submerged I pushed myself towards the bottom of the pool. The need to breath quickly dissipated and I allow myself to suspend beneath the surface.
My arms and legs felt light and I was surrounded by the calm blue water. The only sound was water gently passing over me. I don’t know how long I floated there, inches from the bottom, but I could have done it forever.
I began to reach for the surface letting myself glide just
inches from the top. I closed my eyes
and pretended I was alone, pushing the
water underneath my arms.
We swam tranquilly over the water’s surface, carefully not to invade the other’s space. It was so silent and still I could have fallen asleep. Drifting on my back I fixed my gaze at the star filled sky for hours. The world to me now was the black sky and blue water.
For the first time since I died, I felt like I was in heaven.