by Paige Watson
“You should have seen him last night when I told him you wanted to talk to him. He looked like he’d just won the lottery,” I said as I pulled on my clothes.
“Really?”
“Oh yeah. He was across the hall and in the room in one step.” We finished our makeup and hair in no time, and Caroline rushed out the door to meet Noah. I could hear the two of them talking down the hall as I closed my door. As soon as I stepped into the hall I saw a note taped to the door of Conrad and Noah’s room. Meet me on the terrace, fifteenth floor. Love-C. I sprinted to the elevator as fast as my feet would carry me.
When I stepped out onto the terrace, I was met with a lush display of greenery. Delicately trimmed shrubs decorated every nook and cranny of the veranda. I spotted Conrad sitting on a blanket, next to a hammock. Tree limbs hung over our heads, forming a living roof above us. A silver tray lined with food sat in front of him.
“Hi.” He moved over and I sat on the blanket beside him. “I wasn’t sure what you’d want to eat, so I ordered a little bit of everything.”
“Thank you.” He leaned in to kiss me on the cheek and handed me a glass of water. I took a long drink and grabbed a strawberry from a bowl in front of me. The terrace was completely deserted except for the two of us. “It’s really pretty up here.”
“Yeah. I like it. It reminds me of the orchard on the grounds of the castle. We always used to sneak off and meet up in the orchard so we could be alone together.”
“It was my favorite place,” I said, spreading some chicken salad on a croissant.
“Mine too. Actually, any place where I was with you was automatically my favorite.” I studied the scar that ran up his arm as I ate. The curving white mark forced me to think of the sweet girl who’d put it there.
“Did Cecily ever forgive me for taking you away from her?”
“Cecily was still very young when I died, but she never harbored a negative feeling towards anyone.”
“But they hated me.”
“They were very upset, but they didn’t stay that way forever. I know all you remember right now is how my mother treated you when you told her I was executed, but you should allow yourself some time to remember everything. You’ll see their feelings changed as time went on.”
“I just wish I could go back in time and make it up to them.”
“I know. And they knew you did everything within your power to keep it from happening. The fact they both loved you dearly never changed the entire time they knew you.”
I nodded my head as I finished the rest of my sandwich. I didn’t think I would ever stop feeling guilty over taking Conrad away from his family, and I didn’t think I ever deserved to. Either way, there was one thing I could do to help atone for my sins; each day we spent together I should try my best to make him happier than the day before. “I hope so.”
“They loved you. You couldn’t control everything that happened back then, but they always cared for you.”
“I won’t let them down again,” I said.
In a flash, he jumped up from the blanket and gathered me in his arms. “Let’s see how strong that hammock is.” The hammock proved to be quite sturdy as we both laid on it. It swayed slightly as we stared up at the leaves. His hands rested against my waist and he smelled like cinnamon.
“You smell nice,” I whispered.
“So do you.”
My eyes closed and I could still feel the hammock wavering back and forth, like a rhythmic lullaby. As I slept, I dreamed of the past.
A white shirt sat on top of my lap and my right hand held tightly onto a sewing needle. I pulled the thin needle through the material, fastening a button to it. I’d stolen the shirt out of Conrad’s room earlier that day. I wanted to fix it for him as a surprise. It was a small token of my gratitude for what he’d done for me, but I knew he would still appreciate it. My lips spread into a smile as I thought of how happy it made me just to set my eyes upon his face. A few days ago he’d saved my life. He pulled me from the water where I would have surely drowned. I’d thought about walking into the river before. I considered stepping into its icy waters and allowing myself to be consumed by them. For years, I longed for some sort of end to my suffering. I longed to be free, but the day I met Conrad, I was filled with the desire to live.
A heavy knock sounded on the door to my room and I rose from my chair to answer it. Before I could open it, Conrad burst through and slammed the door shut behind him.
“Who are you?!” His voice quavered with anger as he spoke.
“What are you talking about? You know who I am.”
“Tell me who you are, right now!” he shouted. His tone of voice startled me and I clutched onto his shirt, hoping it would give me the strength I needed to answer him. “Tell me!”
“I am Isabella, and you need not address your queen in such an informal manner,” I declared.
“You’re lying,” he said, taking a step toward me.
I could feel my body begin to shake as he moved closer to me. I wanted to tell him the truth; I wanted to hear his lips utter my true name, but I couldn’t. Adam would never allow me to tell him our secret. “So after everything I’ve done for you, you accuse me of being a liar?” I whispered.
“I—I just want the truth,” he replied, his fury now diminished.
“And I’ve given it to you.”
“Have you?” He turned from me and walked over to the window on the other side of the room. “I overheard Guy and Marie talking about you the other night. They didn’t know I was listening to them, otherwise they would have ended their conversation. They mentioned something about primums. What does that mean?”
“It’s nothing.”
“Nothing?” he snorted. “You must think very little of me to think I believe you.”
“You know I think nothing of the sort,” I replied.
“Then prove it. Tell me what I want to know.”
“I can’t.”
“You said before you thought I could save you from centuries of emptiness. How can you mean centuries?”
“I didn’t know what I was saying that night.”
“Then consider this my last night as one of your guards,” he answered. He walked over to my door and grabbed the handle. “How am I supposed to protect you if I don’t even know who I’m defending?”
I could feel panic rising in my chest as he started opening the door. I didn’t want to lose him. “Please stop,” I said. He shut the door and turned to face me. “I’ll tell you everything you want to know, just don’t leave.”
“Who are you?”
I walked over to him and took his hands in mine. “I’m not Isabella; I was given that name when I was born, but I have been born many, many times. Ferdinand is really Adam and I’m Eve. Primum means original. Guy and Marie refer to me as a primum because I was the first woman God ever created, and the first one to be reincarnated,” I said, taking a deep breath. “To atone for my sin in the Garden of Eden, God declared Adam and I should be reborn endless times in order to help influence mankind to follow him. However, he didn’t want anyone to know and that’s why Adam and I must hide our true identities.”
“You could have told me,” he whispered.
“I wanted to, so badly. I wanted you to know the real me.”
“How is it Guy and Marie know who you are?”
“They’re my secundae. They were reborn in order to serve as my protectors. They help protect me and conceal the truth of my identity. Kittarina and Michelangelo are secundae too. The four of them have protected me for centuries.”
“I want to become one of your secundae. I’m already one of your guards, and you know I’d gladly risk my life to protect you.”
“I tell you I’m Eve reincarnated, and you don’t hesitate in believing me? Why is that?”
He squeezed my hands gently. “I know you’re telling the truth; I don’t know how, but I can feel it.”
“And without a second thought you want to be one of my secundae?
Why?”
He set his palm against my neck; the warmth it emanated washed over my entire body. “You know why, Evey.”
“Please, humor me.”
“If you’re destined to be reborn over and over again then I want to be there with you,” he replied. “I will always protect you Evey.” I didn’t reply, but instead wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling
our bodies together. I held onto him, my grasp on him firm, but our embrace ended and he backed away from me. “I apologize for yelling at you, I realize now it wasn’t my place to say such things.”
“Conrad,” I said, holding his hands in mine. “You have risked your life for me numerous times already. There is nothing you need to apologize for and I want you to know you can always be honest and speak your mind with me. Do not think of me as only your queen, I want you to think of me as a friend as well.”
“I will, My Lady,” he answered, looking at our interwoven fingers. “Why me? Why am I the one to save you from centuries of emptiness?”
“The first time I saw you, there was something in your eyes, telling me you were the one and I knew, in that moment, I needed you.”
“I understand the feeling,” he smiled.
My gaze was fixated on his blue eyes, but the soft sound of voices began to surround us. I knew if I focused my attention on the voices for even a second, the scene around me would be gone. I enjoyed these views into the past. They allowed me to watch Conrad and I as we fell in love with each other; they helped me regain my memories of him. The voices sounded again becoming increasingly loud with each passing moment. I let out a deep breath and rescinded from the haze of my dream. When I opened my eyes, I saw Conrad and I were still in the hammock, while Caroline and Noah were sitting on a bench to our left.
“What time is it?”
“It’s almost six,” Noah answered. “We should probably head downstairs to get ready for the fundraiser, it’ll be starting soon.”
“I almost forgot about that,” I said, sitting up. Our picnic had been cleared away and small candles flickered everywhere on the terrace. I could only imagine how much more beautiful it was at night, compared to the daytime. I didn’t want to leave the comfort of the hammock, but when the others started heading for the door, I had no choice but to follow. Caroline and Noah stood close to one another on the elevator ride back down to our floor. Conrad and I exchanged a quick smirk as we watched the two of them. The boys escorted us back to our room, it seemed neither of them wanted to be parted from Caroline and I. When we finally reached the door of our room, they followed behind us, crossing the threshold.
What are those?” I pointed to two clothing boxes that sat on the small dresser on the left side of the room.
“Oh, I took the liberty of doing a little shopping for all of us. The fundraiser has a certain type of dress code, and I figured we’d all need something to wear. It’s a black tie event, so the men are required to wear suits and ladies wear gowns,” Noah answered.
“Holy shit,” Caroline walked over to the box, and her fingers skimmed its surface.
“What is it?” I walked over to stand beside her.
“You got us Armani?” She looked at Noah incredulously.
“It’s just clothes,” he said with a shrug.
“No, it’s not just clothes. It’s freaking Armani. There is a difference.”
“Well I hope you like what I picked out; I think I was able to pick out something that fits both your tastes.” They both watched as we looked at the Armani boxes with excitement. “The fundraiser party doesn’t start until eight, so we have two hours before we need to leave for the caput’s apartment. Meet us downstairs in the lobby at eight and we’ll all leave together.”
“Ok, thanks,” I said.
“Yes, thank you so much.”
Noah nodded at us and turned to walk to his room. Conrad kissed me on the cheek and shut the door behind him as he left.
“Open them together on three?” I stood in front of my box as Caroline stood before hers.
“One, two, and three,” she said, tearing off the lid of her box. I tore the lid off mine and we each pulled out sheets of tissue paper. I let out a gasp as I pulled an emerald green dress from the box. The dress was made of chiffon, and the material flowed to the floor in waves of green. I held it up to my chest and looked in the mirror in front of me. It was so beautiful it made me gasp. The bodice was cut into a sweetheart neckline. I turned to look at Caroline. She was holding a purple dress made of satin. The dress had delicate straps which ran into a plunging neckline.
“Oh, Caroline!” I said, touching the fabric of her dress. “That’ll look beautiful on you.”
“The color on yours,” she said, pointing at my dress. “That contrast with your hair is amazing!”
“Ok, I am officially excited about getting all dressed up tonight.”
“Me too,” she said. “Oh my goodness; he got us shoes and they’re Armani too. I think I love that man.”
I laughed as she caressed the black heels sitting in her box. “You really are too much sometimes.” I looked to my own box, a pair of gold heels sat in mine. “Noah does have exceptional taste though. I give him points on that.”
She smiled at me and went to the closet to grab two hangers. She hung both of our dresses up before grabbing my hand and pulling me into the bathroom. “We’re going to knock those boys’ socks off when they see us!”
“I can’t wait,” I smiled.
We both showered and dried our hair before starting on our makeup. I curled Caroline’s golden hair and pinned it to the back of her head in loose curls. She put on a pair of sparkling black earrings and set to work on my hair. She curled my auburn locks and brushed them into smooth waves. It reminded me
of the retro hairstyle worn by Lauren Bacall in the old movies my mother used to watch on TCM. I looked at the clock and saw we had ten minutes to dress and meet the rest of the group downstairs in the lobby. I pulled on my green dress and waited as Caroline zipped it for me. The gown’s bodice fit well and the material was gathered across the top, accentuating my curves. The dress fit tightly through my thighs, before gradually fanning out into a small train. I fastened my heels and walked in front of the mirror to look at myself. My necklace was the perfect adornment to wear, complimenting the dress and my hair. I was surprised at the reflection gazing back at me. The light fabric of the dress flowed, as I walked around in a circle.
“You look radiant!”
“Thanks,” I said, turning to Caroline. She was pulling her dress up, and I walked to her to zip it up. She turned around to face me.
“Well?”
“Wow, you look beautiful!” I pushed her toward the mirror. “Go and have a look.”
The dress cut into a deep V in the front, and the purple satin fit her body like a glove. She was a few inches taller than me in the heels and looked like a runway model. “Not too shabby,” she said, turning to look at the back of her dress.
“We better start heading downstairs. We don’t want to be late,” I said, heading toward the door.
We left the room and headed straight for the elevators. I felt nervous to see Conrad so dressed up and found myself hoping he’d like my dress. We stepped out of the elevator and proceeded to walk to the lobby. Conrad and Noah were talking to each other, with their backs to us. They both had on expensive looking black suits. Milton was standing off to the side of the lobby, beside Helen. Helen had on a short red dress made entirely of lace. It was practically see through in some parts, but she was still stunning. I could feel a wave of self-consciousness spread over my body.
“She does look very good,” Caroline whispered. “But you look beautiful and there’s a big difference.”
I smiled at her and continued on my path to Conrad. It seemed they sensed our presence, because they both turned around to face us. A wide grin spread over Conrad’s face as he looked at me. His suit was black and it stood out against the crisp white of his shirt. Thin lines of silver cri
sscrossed over the material of the tie.
“Hi,” I said with a smile.
“Hi,” he said, staring at me. “You look—” He set his hands on my waist and continued to look me up and down.
“I look what?”
“We’ve been together 500 years and you still take my breath away.” His lips pressed against mine softly. “You are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen in all my lives.”
“I know exactly what you mean,” I said, staring back at him. His finger traced the chain of my necklace, continuing all the way down my chest, to the top of my gown. My heart jumped at the way he felt against my skin.
“Well, aren’t you going to say anything?” Caroline was standing in front of Noah, with her hands on her hips. My attention was drawn from Conrad to her. I looked to Noah. He didn’t answer her question but instead continued to stare at her. He took a step to her, erasing the space between them. He started to shake his head no. “So you aren’t going to talk to me now?”
“Of course I’m going to talk to you, but to be quite honest, I think I’m just going to keep staring at you for a few more minutes.”
Caroline’s cheeks flushed and she removed her hands from her hips. “Oh,” she said. “Well, in that case, look all you want.” He took her hand in his and bowed slightly as he kissed it. Caroline wrapped her arm around his, and Noah escorted her out of the lobby, heading towards the car. Helen and Milton stalked after them, leaving Conrad and me by ourselves.
“My Lady,” he said, holding his arm out to me.
“Thank you, my knight,” I replied, taking his arm.
“When did you remember that’s what you used to call me?”
“I don’t know; it just came out. Why? Do you not like for me to call you that?”
“I don’t mind at all. Although, I do have to say my name is my favorite thing to hear you call out,” he said.
“Well,” I whispered in his ear. “I’ll be sure to remember that for future reference.”
