Lise’s POV

“Now that she is gone, I can change the place back again,” Rosalinde said with a smile on her face. She snapped her fingers and suddenly we sat back in the bright 19th-century salon.

The first thing I noticed was that time had started to move differently than what I had become accustomed to since I died. Before being bound every moment was at the same time but now the time seemed to flow more in a linear way, just like when I was alive but not quite the same. It was hard to put into words.

“I pity you for the task you have taken upon you. You do realize that you will have to make her give up on you to accomplish it?”

I nodded. She had told me that before sealing this pact. An immense sadness suddenly rushed through me, and tears were rolling down my eyes. She was right, but I did not feel ready for that yet. Now that we were reunited, we had some time left, didn’t we?

The dead stand still, and the living move forward.  It was the basic law that separated our two worlds. The two of us had cheated that law by having Rosalinde bind me to her. I had only had an interaction with another ghost since my pact was with Rosalinde and not with Fleure. A pact that came at a price, but nevertheless I was grateful that she even offered it. It had allowed me the chance to stay on this side for a little while longer and see the one I had loved most off.

Rosalinde had been thoroughly convincing when she explained to me that there was no longer a way for me to make Fleure happy in the way she wanted. We were part of different worlds now. I could be a part of the process and the events that would make her happy, and I had agreed that would be enough for me. Almost nobody got this kind of chance even if I knew that it would hurt me beyond words to do it.

Suddenly a new rush of emotions was flowing through me, and it took me a moment to realize that these weren’t mine. I was experiencing Rosalinde’s thoughts and emotions. It felt impossible to put into words how intimate that experience was. Could she do the same with me?

“That’s right. As long as you are my familiar, we will share our thoughts and emotions to a great extent. I put it in as part of the pact you signed. It’s to make sure that neither of us gets cheated. I am happy to learn that your intentions were absolutely pure. I hope for you that Fleure will stay the same. Otherwise, you will end up like me. Mortals change. It was a lesson that I had to learn the hard way.”

Hatred toward a person named Helmond, someone I never met started to flow over me. “Helmond the betrayer,” I whispered.

Rosalinde’s eyes turned sharp. “Don’t mention him! If he wasn’t dead already, I would make him suffer until he died again! NEVER TRUST A MAN!”

She viciously spouted. I could feel the heartache of his betrayal and several images of the horrifying things he did were flashing through my mind. Rosalinde never had the choice like I did. Her grave had been desecrated and she had been forced by a living person’s ritual to be here, only to be treated as an object from then on. Feelings of neglect, but mostly loneliness started washing over me. It was just too terrible what had been done to her, but worst of all was that loneliness. She had been alone for almost 200 years.

So, I gave her a hug and said “At least you don’t need to feel lonely anymore. The both of us are here now.”

She looked up at me with bright eyes, as if she had been waiting for those words for a long time. I could feel a warm rush flow through me and I felt like I was sparkling.

This situation had only started a couple of minutes ago and was already becoming problematic. Was that how I saw her or how she saw me? I searched my heart, and immediately found my feelings for Fleure inside. At the same time, Rosalinde started blushing heavily and suddenly shouted “We are both girls for crying out loud! You might think this is normal, but where I come from it most certainly isn’t, so please, keep those kinds of thoughts to a minimum!”

"But I wasn't..."

Aunt Christina’s POV

As Fleure played her last note everyone in the hall started applauding. I remembered the last time I went to one of her performances before the accident. Even though I knew she had become better, this was just incomparable to how she played before. Even though I heard her practicing at home, the way her music cut right through my soul today was absolutely crazy. This had been a performance of the highest level. I had seen worse performances of soloists that got to play with Tim back in the day.

When she played Hilde’s song and dedicated it to her, I had gotten so emotional that I cried my eyes out. I felt grateful that Inge had been there to support me and hold my hand throughout the rest of the concert.

After Fleure’s last note, I released her hand to clap too, and got up to start a standing ovation. Many people in the hall joined in and I could see Sara and her friends watching amazed at what they had just witnessed.

“Hilde and Tim would be so proud,” I said out loud. Tears of happiness were running down my eyes again as I witnessed Fleure take a bow. Inge gave me a shoulder pat. She was such a supportive partner. I had a hard time believing her relationships had always failed but I considered it their loss. I wasn’t planning on letting her go.

Fleure disappeared backstage but she had a strange smile on her face. I could see that she was happy. Happier than she had been in ages. Forcing this exam on her seems to have been the right choice.

I took Inge by her hand and dragged her with me. “Come! It’s now or never!”

“What are we doing?”

“We are telling her about us. It’s about time for that isn’t it?”

Inge stopped me in my movement.  “No, it isn’t, and we shouldn’t,” Inge replied. “I should have told this to you before, but I risk my career on ethical grounds if your plan backfires. We should at least wait until she hasn’t been my patient for a while.”

I had trouble registering what I was hearing. “Then why did you do it?”

“Why did I do what?”

“Why did you ask me out in the first place? Could you not have waited? Why did you come here today? What if Fleure finds out?”

Inge looked quietly at the ground like I had caught her doing something bad. It was very uncharacteristic since she had a strong personality. “Because I fell in love with you,” she whispered.

Nastya’s POV

I had tried to listen to her music from a technical point of view, but I had utterly failed. Her music had completely blown me away and her music had led me to a dark place that I thought I had locked away for good. I remembered my father and all of his little movements and the grief I felt for him but also that terrible feeling of reaching out to someone that has already left. His slow descent into madness until he finally gave up.

Fleure’s music touched my very soul. It had a melancholic sadness but at the same time, I felt sparkles of hope inside. Her version of Für Elise on the other hand was played like a maiden in love that could only hope to one day meet her lover again.  She was such a tender girl. My heart was beating super-fast just thinking of what I just experienced.

How did she manage to shake me up like that every time I heard her play? Even in my dreams, I relived the time we played that duet together. She was the only one capable of stirring me up like that and making me lose my calm. I had been in doubt about what it meant to feel like this until it was crystal clear to me. She was without a shadow of a doubt destined to be my rival!   

Well, she had gone and done it now. She had lived up to my expectations. Her performance most certainly rivaled mine. All depended on the jury now whether they would favor my technical approach or the music as a language, projecting feelings-approach that Fleure had clearly taken.

In view of our backgrounds, it was rather strange. Since Uncle Tim had been a big advocate of the technical approach that I followed and Fleure was clearly a follower of the music as a language approach my father and grandfather used.

I wondered if Fleure remembered the days we played together when we were kids. It was truly unbelievable that she was that same girl. I wanted to ask her about that, but I could see she wasn’t up for it. Maybe someday… She used to be such a shy crybaby back then, hiding behind Uncle Tim’s legs. It was hard to merge that image with the fiery fierceness and passion that exuded from her music now.

Sara’s POV

“I knew it. I am no match for something like that.” Fleure’s performance was brilliant. I was happy for her. But at the same time, I thought it was depressingly brilliant. How was I ever going to match something like that?

After my own performance, I had hoped that I had closed the gap a little bit between Fleure and me, but it was clear that had been a pipedream. I had spent nearly all my free time practicing and incorporating what she taught me, only to be faced with the grim fact that my goal was only getting further and further away.

“I’ll never earn to play that duet at this rate,” I whispered to myself.

“What duet?” Axelle suddenly asked. Oh no, she will probably think I am some kind of freak now that is mumbling to herself, I would not want that. I was hoping to make another friend, so I quickly started to explain.

“Oh, it’s a promise Fleure made a long time ago. When I catch up to her, she’ll play a duet with me.”

Axelle poked my side and said “Have you asked her? You are pretty great on the cello yourself you know. I am pretty sure she’ll just do it if you ask.” I was relieved to see that she didn’t categorize me as a freak and started blushing a little at her compliments but I imagined how I would feel if Fleure said no.

“NO! I don't know what to do if she says no!”

Axelle looked at me with a frown and said, “With that attitude, you will never achieve anything. A “no” is something you have already, a “yes” is something you can obtain.” She was clearly disapproving of what I just said, so I decided to divulge my reasoning.

“I’m just not so sure she would perform with me. If I’m honest I am a bit afraid to ask. I’ve never seen her perform with anyone but Lise and after she died... Well, she even refused to perform with a pianist today because I know she keeps that place reserved for Lise.”

Nastya, who was sitting near us, suddenly got up out of her chair and walked away. Even though she looked as stoic as always, I noticed a faint blush on her cheeks. Thinking about it, I decided the nerves about the results were probably getting to her. From everything we had seen the top score would be between her and Fleure after all… And with her declaring Fleure a rival, she might have lost that competition.

Axelle had ignored the fact that Nastya got up and left and continued our conversation.

“Is that why Fleure played all her pieces alone? She’s a peculiar one, isn’t she?” Axelle asked pensively.

Thinking of everything Fleure did for me in the last months, I nodded happily. “Mhm. She’s a great friend!”

“If she is such a great friend, I am sure she’ll play with you!” Axelle said while rubbing my head. She was right, wasn’t she?

I felt a smile come on my face and said “Thank you! It seems like you are going to be a great friend too!” and I gave her a hug in response to the pats.

When I released her, Axelle was blushing and looked completely frozen and stiff. “C-cute...” She uttered, before shaking her head and regaining her composure.

Yati

Hi everyone!

I hope you all enjoyed this short intermezzo. Make sure to tune in next Friday for the final chapter of the first volume!

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