Double Star

by Cindy Saunders

  “Real horsehair?”

  “What else would it be?”

  She was used to playing before a group, but playing to one? She pushed her anxiety aside and decided on Rachmaninov’s “Vocalise,” the piece she’d planned on performing at the interview. She plucked at the strings while turning the pegs on the fiddle’s scroll. When it was tuned to her satisfaction, she placed the rest under her chin and began.

  The similarity between this fiddle and her violin was amazing. She lost herself in the song; her arm moved back and forth as the bow connected with the strings. The piece came to life with little effort. Her body moved to the music and, at the crescendo, she was on her toes. She’d never felt so inspired. As she played the last note she opened her eyes. Thea and Meg stood beside Liam.

  “That was beautiful, my dear,” Thea whispered. “It has been too long since we have heard music in this house.”

  Liam nodded. “You are quite talented.”

  “Thanks. I love that piece but I think we need something a little lighter. How about this?” She began to play one of David Garrett’s rock symphony pieces—Aerosmith’s “Walk this Way.” The bow flew over the strings. Meg’s head bobbed up and down, Liam tapped his foot, and even Thea looked like she might begin to dance. When Ally finished, Liam got to his feet and they all began to clap.

  “Thank you, thank you.” She took a bow. “That felt great. Thanks for letting me play it.” She handed it to Liam.

  “Keep it for now. I think I have found my bargaining chit.”

  Ally sat on the bed and looked at the fiddle. It really did have an awesome pitch. She turned it over in her hands and something on the back caught her eye. She leaned close to the lantern and held it at an angle. Carved into the wood were the words:

  William, always remember the power

  and the magic of music.

  Love, Mom

  William, she mused… Liam. So he did play the violin… fiddle. His mother had given this to him, yet he so easily handed it to her. She didn’t know him well, but knew enough to understand the complexity of the gesture. He really was a nice guy. So were his friends.

  Where would they fit in, in her world? Shane, intimidating but good-natured. Defensive end or class clown. Either way, he’d attract friends like a magnet with his easygoing nature. Ian? He was harder to read than the others. Quiet, but brave and smart. Honor club maybe, or quarterback. Something that required brains and brawn. Oisin. She smiled. He’d fit in with the pseudo-hippie crowd, trying to sniff out a good time wherever he could find it. He’d hang around the school, ditch class, and chase girls.

  Then there was Corm. A member of the poetry club, surely. Soft spoken, but not shy. He wouldn’t pretend to be something he wasn’t just to fit in. He’d avoid all the drama. The girls would love him but he wouldn’t get involved unless it was something special.

  She put the fiddle beside her. What about Liam?

  He’d fit in anywhere. He was smart and had a sense of humor—when he let his guard down. The girls’d be all over him, but she didn’t see him as a flirt. Which brought her to Olivia. In a different place, could she and Ally have been friends? Would Ally have been friends with any of them back home? She didn’t think so but, there was one thing she was sure of. She felt safe with them. They’d choose the right path, regardless of the consequence. A virtue that was, sadly, lacking in her world.

  ***

  Liam was anxious to hear from his father. The misuse of the portals had led to dire circumstance. He had never thought about such things before. Living in the forest did not bring those kinds of ideas into focus. His father had certainly been distracted at the fair. And what, if anything, did this have to do with Ally?

  The thought of her caused something inside to stir, like dry leaves lifted by the wind that slowly settle back to the ground. She was quirky and unpredictable but she had made the fiddle sing, something he had never been able to do. He would allow her to hold onto it while she was here. He thought his mother would have approved. In fact, he knew she would have.

  His mother loved music. When she was alive, there was rarely a time when their house was not filled with its sound. She often told him music lifts the soul—that a song in your heart will make even the darkest of times bearable.

  That was a bunch of rubbish. Was she carrying a tune all the way to her death?

  Stop it, Liam. Live your life. His mother’s voice caught him by surprise, but he listened. Fate stepped in and I could not get out of its way. The time is approaching when you need to be strong and put this behind you. I will always be with you, to give you strength.

  He laced his hands behind his neck and stared at the ceiling over his bed. “I will try, Mom.” In good conscience, he could not commit to anything more.

  Chapter 17

  The bird was strong and flew at a swift pace. Caleb held on and a few hours later, she entered her hole. How long before someone realized there was a visitor… or two? He heard footsteps on the stone stairway and disappeared in the shadows.

  A man struggled to catch his breath. “Raya,” he said. “What brings you at this late hour?” He removed the canister from her leg and after reading the note, let out a heavy sigh. He slowly walked down the stairs, leaving Caleb and the bird alone again.

  Caleb changed into his human form and looked around. An empty burlap bag was in the corner, “Property of the Council of Gilgamesh” stenciled on the fabric. Ah, so this is where I am. But why?

  The boy’s father, the Master said, breaking into his thoughts. His sudden appearance startled Caleb. This will work to our advantage.

  “How?” Caleb said. “The girl wants only to go home.”

  Leave that to me. Return with the bird, but make note of your location. You will not be carried when you return here again. eHe H

  He and the bird arrived back in Pembroke at an early hour, and Caleb entered the house through a tiny aperture in the eaves.

  ***

  Yawning, Ally stretched her limbs, and then did both again. She hadn’t slept that soundly in a long time. I didn’t even get undressed last night… not that I’ve got anything to change into. She needed to do laundry and made a mental note to find out where, and how, they did it here.

  After she filled the reservoir outside, she slipped into the washroom and began to pull on the pump. Warm water splashed into the large tub but, despite her efforts, trickled to a stop when the tub was only half-full. Well, better than nothing. She got in and draped her arms over the sides.

  “Ssshh, Pilotte,” she said half-heartedly when the dog began to bark. It would take more than that to get her to rush right now. She stared dreamily into space until slight movement in the corner of the room caught her eye.

  “You again?” A large spider crawled down a silk thread. “Shoo!” She splashed water toward it and covered herself with her hands. It was only a spider, but something about it gave her the creeps. It was like it was watching her.

  ***

  When Liam heard Ally at the back door, he descended the ladder from his loft and joined her outside.

  She was sitting upon the stone bench in the garden. “Raya’s back.”

  “I can see that.” He pulled the canister from the bird’s leg and read the note from his father.

  “What does it say?” Ally asked.

  “He is leaving Gilgamesh to gather more information. He requests we remain here until we hear from him.”

  Her hair, still wet, hung in ringlets around her face. The rose color high in her cheeks, was nearly the same shade that defined her lips, and her blue eyes sparkled.

  “What’s your father like?” she asked.

  He walked to the bench and sat beside her. “He was actually quite a bit of fun, until my mother fell ill. Then, he became relentless in his search for answers. Because of his passion, the council offered him a position. He is supposed to represent our best interests, to watch over us, but he was not even here when she died… nor was I. We see him occasionall
y, but it will never be the same.”

  Ally nodded but remained silent.

  “What are you doing out here at this early hour?”

  “I came outside after my bath, which was awesome by the way,” she said. “I can’t believe how beautiful this is. It was so quiet—I thought I heard the trees singing. It sounds crazy, but everything seems so alive… the way the dew glistens on the ground, the color of the flowers. It’s really intense.”

  He knew what she was referring to. In the right frame of mind, you could hear more than just the trees. The forest had affected him that way when he was younger but, over the years, it lost its magic. Why had he allowed that to happen?

  “It is beautiful,” he said.

  “The air smells so clean,” she turned up her nose and inhaled loudly. “Oh, speaking of clean, I really need to wash some clothes. How do you do laundry?”

  She was still wearing his mother’s pants and shirt, and something fell into place. “After I cook breakfast, I will show you,” he said and got to his feet.

  He made them each a three-egg-and-cheese omelet with fried ham and, when he looked up, her plate was clean. “Are you not going to burp? You will offend me if you do not.”

  She took in a breath and belched.

  He smiled. “Pack the clothes you need to wash. I will meet you outside.” As he walked toward the barn, Meg ran up from behind.

  “Where are you going?” she asked.

  “Ally and I are taking a ride.”

  “I want to come.”

  “You may join us as far as Sara’s. It has been nearly a week, and they will be wondering what happened to you. You need to get back to your lessons.”

  “Cool!”

  Cool? What did that mean?

  Liam led the horses from the barn and handed Ally the reins to Chestnut and Shilo. “I will be right back.” He went to his room, unsure of where they would be but, under his bed, he found the tin. Most of the charcoals were dry and would no longer serve their purpose, but he found a piece that was still soft and placed it in his pocket.

  He stopped in the kitchen on his way out, and saw Thea busy chopping roots.

  “Are you off somewhere, Liam?” Her eyes twinkled, a faint smile on her lips.

  “Aye,” he replied. “Here is the note from Dad.”

  She took it from his hand. “And here is some lunch for you and Ally.”

  “How did you—?”

  “Ally mentioned you were taking her to clean her clothes.”

  “Aye.” He smiled and kissed her cheek.

  “Tell my daughter I said hello.”

  Liam watched Ally as she mounted Chestnut.

  “Why are you making that face?” she asked.

  “I need to show you how to ride in the proper manner. It is no wonder you are sore. Look how I sit in the saddle. See how I am aligned? Keep a straight line from your shoulders to your hips to your ankles.”

  She stiffened and sat up straight. “Like this?”

  “Yes,” he said slowly. “Keep only the balls of your feet in the irons. Pull yours out a little. If you get thrown, which is highly unlikely on Chestnut but possible, you do not want to get caught up and break your ankle.”

  “Highly unlikely but not impossible… great.” She slid her feet out of the stirrups.

  “Good, now push your heels down—your toes should be pointing up.”

  She looked at him and rolled her eyes. “How did I manage to stay on at all without all this instruction?”

  “She told me she knew how to ride,” Meg said.

  “She obviously lied, Meg. Look at her.”

  “Shush, you two. Let me get the hang of this.”

  He gave Pollux a gentle nudge. “Now relax and let your body flow with the horse. We will take it slow so you can get accustomed to the feel. Once you are comfortable, we will try a trot or a canter.”

  By the time they reached the Acrisius family’s house, Ally was looking more at ease in the saddle.

  Sara ran into the yard. “Meg! I hoped you would come by today.”

  Mr. Acrisius walked from the barn and opened his arms to Meg. “You have missed a few days,” he said.

  “May she spend the night, Dad?” Sara asked. “Please.”

  Mr. Acrisius tipped his hat. “Liam.”

  “Nice to see you again, sir.”

  “I hope you will allow Meg to stay for at least a day. Sara has missed her and, if Sara is missing her, I am missing her, if you take my meaning.” He winked.

  “I do and that would be fine, although she did not bring a change of clothing.”

  “Yes I did, Liam,” Meg said.

  Mr. Acrisius smiled. “It appears they had this planned all along.”

  “I apologize,” Liam said. He turned and introduced Ally. She was trying to remove her left foot, which had become wedged in the stirrups.

  “Nice to meet you,” she finally said.

  “And you as well.” Mr. Acrisius walked over and withdrew her foot. Ally smiled at him and shook her head. “Do not worry, my dear, it could happen to anyone.”

  “When would you like me to return for Meg?” Liam said.

  “I think two days should be enough. That should provide ample opportunity for them to get reacquainted, and to allow Meg to catch up on her studies. She is a bright one, Liam.”

  “Of that, I am well aware, sir.”

  “We will bring her home in the evening. Please give my best to Thea.” Ally was now attempting to disentangle the reins. “And good luck.”

  “Aye. I am afraid I might need it.”

  ***

  Following Liam’s lead, Ally concentrated on riding properly. He slowed Pollux and waited for her to join him.

  “We can temper our pace for a bit,” he said once she was by his side.

  “It’s just so beautiful… the forest… the sky… the color of the mountains in the distance. I’m sorry I’m slowing us down but I’m too busy looking around.”

  “Do you not have any of this where you are from?”

  She sighed. “We do. I suppose that’s the problem. I don’t know how things are here, but in my world, there are a lot of distractions. I became too busy to notice. I forgot about things like this.”

  “I, too, am guilty of allowing distractions to blind me to my surroundings. I regret losing focus.”

  “Let’s rediscover it together then,” she said and lifted both arms to the sky. “Wooo Whoo!” she shouted, and laughed. “That’s been dying to get out.”

  “Really?”

  “Go ahead, try it.”

  He took a breath and a half-hearted scream escaped his lips.

  “Oh, come on. Look at the size of you. You can do better than that.”

  He closed his eyes and drew in his breath. “AAHHH!” he shouted. His voice echoed off the ledges on either side of them. He looked at her and grinned. “How was that?”

  “A little more intense than I imagined, but you get a ten.”

  “A ten?”

  “You know, on a scale of one to ten, that’s a ten.”

  “I have no idea what you are talking about, but you are right. It felt good.” He pointed to a path that led into the woods. “We are going to turn off the road up here. There will be hanging limbs and branches, so be careful. And please, for now, look where you are going.”

  “I meant what I said about enjoying the ride, but all this way to do laundry?”

  “No. We typically clean our clothes at the house or at the creek, if the weather permits. But this is a special place… one I have not visited in a long time. I think you will like it.”

  The path was difficult, but she managed to stay on Chestnut. “Is that Corm?” she asked when a large bird flew overhead.

  He laughed. “No.”

  “I like him. It’s too bad he’s going through a rough time.”

  “I regret that as well. But Corm keeps his perspective about such things. His emotions do not control him. He sees things as they are, not as
he wishes them to be, regardless of the circumstance.”

  “I like all your friends. You’re lucky.”

  “Please,” he said, “do not tell me you are without friends.”

  “I have a few… not many. Actually, only one. Kind of like you and Corm. Her name is Stephanie.” With the mention of her name, Ally realized just how much she missed her friend. She needed to remember every detail so she could tell Steph all about this place when she got home.

  “There’s magic here, isn’t there?” she asked.

  “It is always present, but you will not see it if you do not look.”

  Perhaps, but she could feel it. She had sensed it all morning and it was… wonderful.

  The path ended at the edge of a meadow the size of ten football fields, and it was full of tall, beautiful flowers in every shade imaginable. It looked like a giant rainbow and above them were hundreds of butterflies, their wings brilliant with color.

  “This is so cool,” she whispered.

  “Cool? Meg said that earlier. What does this ‘cool’ mean?”

  She chuckled. “Cool means… wow, unbelievable, fantastic.”

  “I see. Then it is very cool. I felt the same way when I saw it the first time.”

  “Wait!” she called when Pollux began to move forward.

  “What is it?”

  “I want to remember this and I don’t have a camera.” He looked at her, confused. “Never mind. I need to draw a picture with my mind, with all my senses. Then, when I’m eighty years old, I’ll be able to remember what all this looked like, what it smelled like, even you.”

  She closed her eyes, cleared her mind, and then looked out on the meadow. She saw how the colors of the flowers faded perfectly into one another... red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, and white. The butterflies. One came close and she saw the intricate detail on its wings. The sun, high in the deep blue sky, golden and full of warmth. The breeze that caused the flowers to sway in unison and brought their fragrance to her nose. A long moment later, she inhaled deeply and allowed all the beauty to travel to her brain for safekeeping. “What kind of flowers are those?”