The Chains of Humanity | Levi Ackerman

Chapter 3: Crystalline Beauty

The afternoon dawned upon the servants as Georges Kippermann stepped through the doors of his massive estate, his murky brown eyes glued onto the petite chambermaid that stood before him, her hands folded down neatly in front of her.

“My Eloquent Flower,” Georges strode up to the maid and held her dainty hands in his course, large ones. “It's wonderful to see your exotic face after such a long morning!”

“We are all happy the Master has returned home safely,” Saika murmured, smiling up at the man.

“Marvelous!” Georges chuckled as he patted her hand once more before walking in deeper into his mansion. “Thomas! What has the Chef treated me with today for lunch?”

“An exquisitely roasted turkey marinated in buttermilk and French spices, along with silky mashed potatoes and a fresh garden salad with a raspberry balsamic vinaigrette. You also have an option of roasted vegetables, stuffed mushrooms, and shrimp cocktail.”

“Sounds absolutely fantastic!” Georges chortled, his jolly appearance brightening more than ever.

“The party preparations are coming to a close soon,” Thomas informed the Master as they walked towards the dining hall. “After the interior, I will go and inspect the exterior of the estate to see whether the gardeners tidied up the place properly.”

“A wonderful butler you are, Thomas!” Georges laughed, walking through the door that Thomas had opened for him. “What would I do without you?”

Saika stood in the middle of the Great Room, her hands clasped together in front of her as she stared off at the Master. Her eyes watered as she took a shaky breath, and she disappeared upstairs to fetch Sylvester.

The small orchestra rested beside the grand staircase, tuning and tweaking chair and stand positions as their conductor frantically scoured through scores and scores of music, desperately trying to find the pieces Saika wished to rehearse. Two grand pianos were rolled to the side of the orchestra, as it would be needed earlier on in the party to perform before the soloist's piece. The servants dusted off the tops and propped the glossy black lids open full-staff before aiding the other musicians in their own needs.

As the girl made her reappearance at the top of the staircase, the orchestra members took their seats; the strings encircling the director in the front, the winds and brass placed immediately behind them, backed up against the wall.

Saika, now wearing an exquisite sleeveless black and red dress, shook hands with the conductor and the first chair violinist. The two men marveled at her youthful beauty, gazing at her dazzling face for only a moment before she turned around. The oboe gave the concert A, and Saika tuned her strings to the perfectly pure pitch. She tweaked the strings before turning her head slightly to nod at the conductor, who immediately started the orchestra in the introductory theme. The basses plucked a low note, and Saika crept into the piece with a mischievous air.

She glided her bow across the string delicately, releasing a rounded but passionate sound from the instrument. Her fingers shook expertly in her full vibrato, her eyebrows raising slightly as she finished the musical phrase. She pinched the string in the next sentence by putting a bit more pressure on the stick, but then released the sound and returned back to the soft, agitated melody that poured from her tormented heart.

Her chest soared as she flew her bow across the string, coming to an unaccompanied cadenza. The orchestra grew silent as everyone's eyes bore into her swaying figure, Sylvester singing pure notes as Saika's fingers pounded against his strings. The girl was lost in the music, and everyone else was mesmerized in watching her surrender to the haunting tune.  The musicians barely had time to reenter the piece, the conductor frantically trying to get their attention back onto his baton.