♛♡♛

allow me to take your hand,

and show you what lies beyond the world

world

noun /wərld/

the earth, together with all of its countries, peoples, and natural features

We sneaked out the way we got in. As much as I believed that not many people were there, we still had to be careful. I knew that we could not go to places that my parents were most likely be, but we could still explore quite a portion of the mansion. After all, I am one to explore, right?

“We cannot go to several rooms,” I whispered to Vega. “But, I will take you on a more adventurous tour.”

Vega’s eyes shone when I told her that, as if the prospect of exploring with the risk of being caught was interesting for her.

Perhaps, it was.

Me, I am a wild person at heart. Anything about exploration is something that ignites unbearable excitement in my heart. So, of course I would understand her exhilaration. An adventure would not be enough without an obstacle or two.

Well, anyways, that is beside the point.

The first place I took her around was, of course, the garden. It was the first place we set our foot on too, since my window was facing directly to the garden.

To say the garden was spacious would be an understatement. I did not—do not—understand the point of hoarding such a large area, but it was undeniably pleasing. There was a gazebo in the middle of the garden that had no lighting. Not only the gazebo, though, as the whole garden had little to no lighting. Well, it was not a problem, as I have memorized the garden on top of my head. I know every nook and cranny of the mansion that I could maneuver in the dark of the night.

How, you may ask?

Well, I used to play hide-and-seek with Cygnus here until dawn. We would discover the most bizarre and unpredictable hiding spot, hide, and then get found. Then, we would proceed to find another hiding spot.

I once climbed a tree, and then fell because the branch could not hold my weight. I got bruises and a broken bone, but Cygnus laughed at me a whole minute before alerting an adult. The other time, Cygnus hid behind bushes, but there turned out to be a colony of fire ants. They wound up crawling and biting him, and I laughed as I ran away from him to find a servant to help him.

I took my hand out for Vega, and she accepted my hand without hesitation. I guided her in the dark, sauntering blindly on the path that I knew so well. It was as if memory was guiding me, welcoming both of us in a place of nostalgia.

Even with a bright full moon, it was still night time. So, we could not see much of the beauty around the garden. We decided to not take too much time and went about our way.

“What a shame, but we can’t see much,” I told her. “Should we explore the rooms?”

Vega agreed, and we sneaked into the main building through the window of one of the guest rooms. That particular guest room was the one where Cygnus, Deneb, and I used to visit. It was right below Deneb’s room, and was the farthest Deneb was allowed to go with us. In that room, we would pretend that we were in an entirely different place, and Cygnus and I would tell Deneb of our adventure today. Then, Deneb would tell us something she learned that day. It was like a little barter between two informants.

Vega was one that was easy to please. Every little detail about the mansion left her in awe. Her sparkling big eyes shone as though she discovered a mountain of treasury. Oh, how adorable. Perhaps, I used to have that amount of curiosity, too.

While she was admiring a landscape picture our grandparents purchased from a famous artist, I approached her from behind. “There is a place I wanted to show you,” I said, startling her. She was immersed in the painting that she might not have realized I was right behind her. Without a word, Vega nodded and followed me.

There was a place I wanted to show her. The place did not hold many of the happy memories, but there were several mixed memories in it. Also, I thought, Vega’s beauty belongs there.

We entered an enormous hall. The lights were off, with only the moonlight illuminating the room through multiple arched windows. The reflected light on the marble tiles made the room even brighter, despite having no internal source of light.

As someone who lived there for so long, I knew where the light switches for the chandelier and the lights were. However, it was not like I could turn them on, no? Fortunately, the moonlight was enough.

I gazed up to the chandelier—as beautiful as ever—and spotted the patterns on the dome-shaped ceiling. I had forgotten due to not paying attention to the room, but I recalled the history behind the patterns and mural-like decorations. A heroic story of my ancestors at the beginning of the rise of Zelinda.

If my ancestors were to see the fall of the Zelinda, how would they react? If my ancestors were to witness how their heirs succumbed in greed, how would they cry?

I could not think of anything like that.

“This is the ballroom,” I explained, instead, closing the door behind us softly. I needed to talk. Otherwise, these thoughts would corrode my mind. “We—” shoot. “Uh—people—hold parties, dances and get togethers here.”

Fortunately, Vega was too enchanted to notice my slip-off.

I looked around once more. In this place, I learned how to dance out of boredom. Cygnus and Deneb taught me, laughing at my clumsy steps. In this place also, Cygnus and Deneb’s wedding was held. We decided to hold a small wedding in the ballroom instead of the church as to not attract any attention, but it was also Deneb’s wish to hold a small, and simple wedding with her closest family. In this place, too, we held a banquet where I met my—Deneb’s—fiancé. I introduced myself as Deneb, feeling bitterness in my mouth as the name slipped out my mouth. Then, I wondered, whatever had become of the people involved? How was Cygnus? How was Deneb? How was the gentleman of Camerarius? How was this silly and corrupt family of Zelinda?

But, here is the thing. I landed my gaze back to Vega, and everything flew off my mind. She stepped into the ballroom, followed by her footsteps echoing gently in the vacantly spacious room. Oh, her beauty belonged there. She fit the picture of perfection—no, she was the perfection itself. If the king were to see her, he would bow down with dignity. Maybe I, too, would bow in dignity.

I followed and stepped in front of her, bowing graciously as I offered my hand to her. “Vega,” I said, smiling gently. “Shall we dance?”

Vega’s smile stretched further, and she chuckled. She accepted my hand, clumsily, and said, “With pleasure.”

hold my hand,

because I will never let go of you

little dancers of the music box.