The Prodigy Slave, Book One: Journey to Winter Garden: (Revised Edition 2020)

by Londyn Skye

  With a look of awe on his face, James’s eyes panned slowly up her entire body again. When he reached her face, he gazed into her eyes. “My God, Lily. You … Are … Stunning,” he said, after finally remembering how to string a few words together. “Absolutely stunning.” He had yet to even blink, for fear of interrupting his view. Isabel gave a girlish giggle, but he did not even hear her. To James, nothing else in the room existed except for Lily, whose brilliant smile lit up the room after his compliment.

  “I certainly agree with that,” Anna Mae said, smiling and stepping up beside Lily.

  James’s body certainly agreed too. Having forgotten that there were two others in the room, it had instinctively reacted to what he was seeing. He cleared his throat, looked around, and suddenly remembered that there was a need to gather his composure before he embarrassed himself any further.

  “C’mon, Isabel. Let’s you and me go on down to our seats,” Anna Mae said, wanting to give James and Lily a moment alone.

  “Okay, mama.”

  “I just know you’s gon’ be incredible tonight,” Anna Mae told Lily as she gave her a hug.

  “Thank you for everything today, Ms. Anna Mae, and you too, Isabel.”

  “No problem,” Isabel replied from the doorway. “And good luck tonight!”

  “Thanks, Isabel.”

  “I’m glad to help suga’,” Anna Mae told her. “Now, you go on up there and show them folks how piano playin’ is really done, ya’ hear?”

  “Yes ma’am,” Lily answered with a smile.

  Anna Mae kissed her on the cheek, and she and Isabel departed from the room, finally leaving Lily and James alone. Lily watched the door close and then turned to look at James, who had still yet to remove his eyes from her. They stood there quietly for a second, staring at one another. While they were dressed as elegantly as ever, they both found it hard to turn away, especially in the absence of other people.

  Lily suddenly smiled nervously when she began to feel self-conscious. When she did, James’s demeanor quickly changed, like he had finally snapped out of a trance. He stepped closer to Lily, wanting to be nearer to the intoxicating scent he smelled on her. “You really do look phenomenal, Lily,” he could not help but tell her again, still helplessly absorbing every inch of her.

  “Thank you, James. That’s awful sweet ‘a you,” Lily replied shyly, blushing a little. “Y-you look wonderful too.” She had certainly noticed how his rugged features of the past few weeks had been traded for a fresh, clean-cut look. Whether dressed in fine linens or shirtless, clean-shaven or with facial hair, Lily was impressed by James’s strapping good looks in all cases.

  “So, umm, how’re you holdin’ up?” James finally asked her, in a desperate attempt to turn off a certain part of his body. “Much betta’ than last night, I hope,” he added, referring to an unintended encounter they had the previous night …

  After several weeks of draining work in the fields, James had gone a lengthy amount of time without being awakened by the ghastly reoccurring nightmare that had become an unfortunate part of his life. His streak, however, had ended the night before. As usual, he found himself wandering into Lily’s room to check on her. He had walked in quietly, not planning to stay long. After a few minutes, he opened the door to leave until he heard Lily’s voice call out to him in the darkness. “Please don’t leave,” she had said.

  James stopped and turned around, his heart pounding, quickly spreading the heat of embarrassment throughout his entire body. “I-I’m sorry, I w-was just…”

  “Please stay,” Lily requested again.

  “A-are you sure?”

  “Yes, please. I can’t sleep, and I really don’t wanna be alone.”

  Without contemplating it any further, James happily fulfilled Lily’s request. He closed the door back softly and pulled a nearby armchair closer to her bed to sit in. “Bein’ wide awake this time ‘a night doesn’t seem like you at all. You usually sleep like a baby … I-I assume,” he added, not wanting her to know that he had visited her while sleeping on multiple occasions.

  Lily sat up and lit the oil lamp on the nightstand. “I know, but … It’s just…” she sighed. “I know it may sound childish, but I’m a little scared.”

  “Scared ‘a what?”

  “Tomorrow night,” she replied.

  “The show?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Well, from what I’ve seen, you and William have prepared well. So why the fears?”

  “It’s not that at all. I feel like we’re well-prepared despite all the last-minute changes.”

  “Then what’s botherin’ ya’?”

  Lily leaned back against the headboard and drew her knees up to her chest. “It’s just that … Well, all my life most people ain’t neva’ bothered to look at me for more than two seconds. It seems like most folks don’t even really see me. It’s like they’s lookin’ right through me or somethin’. I dunno, it’s hard to explain, but it’s almost like I don’t even exist to most of ’em.”

  After all James had put Lily through, he hoped that she had not grown to feel that he viewed her that way as well, but he figured she would certainly be justified if she did.

  “But tomorrow,” Lily continued. “A whole audience full ‘a people gon’ finally see me. Not the servant that most folks look right through. They gon’ see, Lily … And that scares the hell outta me.”

  After many years of repressing it, James’s instinct to comfort Lily finally resurfaced. He suddenly took her hand into his without any hesitation. “Lily,” he began. She looked down at his hand covering hers as he continued. “Anybody who doesn’t love who you are afta’ they come to know you is a damn fool. Let those who choose not to love you wallow in their stupidity and neva’ worry yourself ova’ their foolishness. You need only to sit at that piano and pour your heart out onto those keys, just the way you always do. You shouldn’t concern yourself with anything more than that, ya’ hear?”

  James’s words immediately struck a chord in Lily and calmed her racing thoughts. She said nothing in return at first, though. She simply sat quietly for a moment, enjoying the feel of her hand in his. His words and the simple gesture had quickly evaporated all of her reservations and suddenly fueled her desire to share her current intimate thoughts. “More nights than I can rememba’, I’ve dreamt ‘a you sittin’ quietly at my bedside.” She finally looked over at James. “In those dreams, your presence always brought me so much comfort…” Lily suddenly paused and closed her eyes when she felt him begin to caress her hand. “But even more so in reality.”

  James was astounded by Lily’s confession, but it also made him wonder if her dreams were not really the place she had seen him. He thought perhaps this was not the first night she had caught him there at her bedside. That possibility initially made him feel a hint of embarrassment, but knowing that it was a comfort to her quickly settled him.

  “Will you stay with me a while?” Lily asked. “Jus’ ’til I fall asleep.”

  “Of course. I’ll stay here as long as you need me to.” He took her covers and lifted them up with his free hand. “C’mon, lay back down. You need your rest.”

  Lily slid under the covers, arranging herself in a way that she did not have to let go of James’s hand. “Thank you, James,” she said yawning, her body already giving in to sleep.

  “You’re welcome.” When Lily closed her eyes, James blew out the oil lamp and stayed there holding her hand until it grew limp and he was certain that she had drifted off into a deep sleep.

  … Lily was truly appreciative that James was willing to stay by her side for as long as he did. And now, as she stood in the middle of her room alone with him, she wanted to be sure that she expressed that sentiment. “Thank you for stayin’ with me last night. I thought I’s gon’ be up ’til mornin’, but your kind words put me so at peace. I slept well and I owe that to you.”

  So did I, James thought to himself, suddenly feeling that he was the one who should be thanki
ng her for all the nights of peaceful sleep. But he kept that to himself for the time being. “Anytime, Lily … Anytime,” he replied, holding back the desire to touch her face.

  “Well, I betta’ get down to the amphitheata’,” Lily said, trying to find a way to get James to stop looking at her in that certain way that always ignited her insides. “I’m sure William’s probably worried to death about startin’ on time.”

  “Yes, you’re right, I guess we should get goin’,” James replied, shaking himself from his fantasies and remembering there was a show to do. “May I have the honor of escortin’ you?” he asked, extending his arm.

  “But of course,” Lily smiled as she slid her arm into the crook of his elbow.

  James felt a sense of pride having a woman of Lily’s caliber on his arm. He walked in a way that exuded that fact as he began to guide her out of the room like an upstanding gentleman. Lily, too, walked tall and confidently on his arm down the grand staircase, suddenly feeling like a princess on the arm of a prince as they made their descent. James stole glances at her while she walked alongside him. He did not see or feel an ounce of nervousness in her at all, which consequently relaxed him. To James, Lily seemed like a completely different woman than the one he had spoken to the night before, who lay awake well after midnight drenched in fear. He hoped that fact could be attributed to her growing confidence, as well as the pleasantries of her day.

  Before heading backstage, Lily stopped in the library so that she could warm up on the piano for a few minutes. James watched on, unexpectedly becoming emotional while thinking of what Lily was about to accomplish in front of a crowd full of people. When her warm-up drills were complete, James offered a hand to help her stand. He smiled at her as she rose from her seat, still thoroughly entranced by her beauty. He then continued guiding her like a gentleman out of the house and through a long makeshift tent that led from the porch to the backstage area of the amphitheater. When they made it to the staging area, they both stopped and watched as William ushered everyone to their positions and gave last minute instructions.

  James turned to Lily. “You ready for this?”

  She truly felt calm and collected, especially while he stood there beside her. She took a deep breath and exhaled. “Ready as I’ll eva’ be, I s’ppose.”

  In the chaos of trying to get everyone in place, William turned and caught sight of Lily and immediately froze. Wondering what it was that stole his attention, one-by-one, everyone in his vicinity began to turn in Lily’s direction as well. Even Austin, the scheming percussionist, did a double take when he saw her. When all eyes were finally on Lily, complete silence came over the room.

  William instantly abandoned everything he was doing and made his way toward Lily with a smile creeping onto his face. His eyes began to mist with the reflection of her beauty dancing in them. When he reached her, he took both of her hands into his. His smile was so wide his kind green eyes had nearly squinted shut. “My darling, you are truly a vision.”

  Lily’s cheeks flushed red. “Thank you, William.” She smiled and gave him a warm embrace.

  Like everyone in the room—including Austin—James still struggled to take his eyes off Lily while they embraced. James wanted to be sure that every detail of the night, especially Lily’s beauty, stayed locked away in his memory forever. When William finally released her, James then took Lily by the hand, wanting to say a few words before he departed. “I can hardly wait to see you up there. You’re gonna be amazin’ tonight. I really do believe that,” he said, finding it hard to fend off his desire to kiss her, even as everyone watched. “Good luck.”

  “Thank you,” Lily replied, her face lighting up in a smile filled with appreciation.

  “Come now James, time is of the essence,” William interrupted. “I promise you’re leaving her in good hands.”

  “I have no doubt about that,” James replied, placing a firm hand on William’s shoulder. “Good luck to you too.”

  “Thank you. Now get going, my boy. We have only moments to spare.” With that, James headed toward the stage, checking first to be sure that all the other performers had already settled into their positions.

  After James left, William once again turned his attention back to Lily. He raised one of her hands and kissed the back of it. “I have all the confidence in the world that you will be stellar tonight,” he told her, caressing her with uplifting words as he so often did.

  “Thank you, William.” The smile had yet to fade from Lily’s face. It was a symbol of how wonderful she was feeling, inside and out. All of the rare opportunities that William and James had blessed Lily with in the past few weeks suddenly brought forth another surge of unadulterated joy within her. This, however, was an opportunity unlike any other. Her two leading men had given her a chance to do something that no other Negro, slave or not, had ever been afforded the luxury of doing. Lily felt humbled and honored by that fact, and she wanted to perform in a way that proved she was worthy of setting such a monumental precedent. But more than anything, she wanted every note on this epic eve to convey to James and William that all of their efforts were not in vain. “I promise you that I’m gonna give it my all tonight, William. But no matta’ how tonight ends, I just want you to know how truly grateful I am to you for all ‘a this.” Her voice cracked as her emotions began to rise. “I don’t think there are words to describe how much this all means to me.”

  “No worries, my dear.” William moved his hands to the sides of Lily’s face. “Sometimes words are not necessary to convey one’s sentiments. Trust that I have felt the sincerity of your gratefulness and the depths of what this means to you long before you ever whispered it. And tonight, I know this audience will feel it too.”

  Lily gave William a final hug and fought the urge to cry again, not wanting to ruin the make-up that Anna Mae and Isabel had worked nearly an hour to put in place.

  “Now then,” William said, pulling back to look at Lily once more. “Are you ready to begin your journey?” he asked, extending his elbow.

  Lily interlocked her elbow with his. “With all that you’ve instilled in me, I feel like I’m ready for anything.”

  Arm in arm, the pair then made their way to their places onstage.

  * * * *

  The remaining sliver of the sun cast an orange glow on the horizon just behind the massive audience awaiting “The Return of William Werthington.” With the sun in perfect position, James knew it was now the precise moment to make his way out in front of the packed amphitheater. Many women, old and young, sat up tall in their seats when he finally stood at the forefront of the stage with the remainder of sunlight bouncing off him at all the right angles. Their colorfully decorated hand fans began to pick up speed as thoughts about him began to dance in their minds, thoughts that those with husbands would certainly deem as inappropriate. When the chatter and fidgeting stopped, and James had everyone’s attention, he began the show with the brief and simple introduction that William had requested. “Ladies and gentleman, afta’ ova’ ten years away from the stage, I give you the world-renowned…” He waved his arm to the right. “William Werthington.” James then abruptly took his seat in the front row. He had not yet seen the finalized version of their show, wanting to be just as surprised by it as the rest of the audience.

  Walking with the confidence of a polished professional, William made his way on stage. The very moment he was visible, the entire audience stood and applauded to show their appreciation of his much anticipated return. William stopped and stood just in front of his grand piano and took in the applause with gratitude. He then bowed, tossed his short gray coattails out behind him, and sat down on the piano bench. It was at this very moment that William’s nerves hit him full force and he said his brief prayer for Lily. After begging God to shower her with a wealth of blessings, he gracefully struck the keys to officially begin the show. Everyone instantly recognized the well-known tune he began to play and roared into another round of applause. William could feel
that he was already starting to draw them in the way that he needed to. Lily recommended the clever song choice to start the show, figuring it would instantly remind people of why William and his music had become such a worldwide sensation. He was playing a solo piece that he had originally composed as a boy before he had learned to incorporate the harmonies of accompanying instruments. It was by far Lily’s favorite song to hear him play and still remained a popular tune that was performed by no other the way William was capable. After decades of playing this particular number, his fingers automatically danced in a beautiful, elegant cadence. Although on this occasion, unlike in times past, William intentionally paced the song slowly, wanting the ending to coincide with the exact moment that the sun dropped completely out of the sky.

  The very minute the sun sank below the horizon, William’s melody suddenly transitioned into one that was just as dark as the night sky had quickly become. A large red curtain then began to sweep slowly from the left side of the stage. By the time it passed William completely, he and his piano were gone. As soon as he disappeared, the fire in the tiki torches at the end of every aisle snuffed out in unison, causing the audience to gasp. Now engulfed in pure darkness, the crowd was left only able to hear the extreme musical mood change being played by the seemingly invisible William.

  When the night sky became even more prevalent, the deep acoustic sounds of the cello began accompanying William’s sullen melody, followed shortly thereafter by the soft tap of the timpani. The violins, French horns, oboes, and all other woodwinds softly joined in, cuing the percussion to begin a long-drawn-out ascent of power and intensity. In the midst of the timpani’s rising reverberation, a sudden flash of light appeared and faded away onstage in the background. It appeared like lightning with the powerful sound of the percussion as its rumbling thunder. With every other beat, the sudden flash of light illuminated and faded away quickly, each time revealing a sheer satin sheath that hung like an enormous curtain from the top of the raptors clear down to the floor. It stretched from one end of the stage to the other, just behind where William’s piano once stood.