It was early in the morning. The sun had not risen yet and the usual mist was upon the great chateau of General Simons. You could not see where the smooth hills and the never ending green sea began, nor the sandy road with its new purple color. The pink trees in the august garden were bowed to the earth with wetness. A heavy dew had fallen.
Through the large halls of the vast chateau, a song could be heard, quietly. Its melancholy resonated in the hearts of the servants, who were much pleased to hear their dear child play.
Again and again the red-haired girl would stop impatienty, waiting for the sun to take His place on the hidden sky. Then again her fragile hands would touch the piano, one of Chopin's masterpieces unveiling the atmosphere.
The girl's name was Simone, and that day was to be the most important of her entire life. She had her hair combed almost to perfection, with futile fresh flowers decorating it. Her white dress, made of the richest silk, gently wrapped her skin. A big smile lightened her face, her eyes reflecting true innocent happiness.
Everywhere, even on her Great piano, vases of flowers were placed. Simone found that beauty and scent were the best of friends when there were good news to be spoken of.
She suddenly rose from the bench and stumbled to the window to see the mighty ball of fire arrive.
"Finally!" she shouted, then covered her mouth with her hands. The sun and she were the only ones awake.
She started pacing around the room in excitement and nervousness when the face reflected in the silver mirror that hang over her dressing table caught her attention. Coming closer, she started examining it.
With her breathtaking cloudless sky blue eyes and flaming red hair, her beauty was quite adored among the high classed. They marched proudly on the streets in her company, invited her to the theater regularly, and found dinner without her a bore. They enjoyed looking at her, or rather seeing a reflection of themselves in her. As long as she was with them, they were beautiful too.
But Simone did not think highly of her attractiveness. Actually, she was quite oblivious of it. As she was watching herself in the mirror, she wished she wasn't so pale. That her hair wasn't so noticeable. She inherited all of her appearances from her father, nothing from her mother.
She was interrupted when a maid knocked on the door to announce that it was time for brunch. The guests were here. She could not believe that it was time for her big announcement.
She ran and jumped like a little girl down the heavy oak stairs lined with an exquisite red carpet, but stopped before going down the last flight of stairs. She was facing the great hall, most importantly the guests. She had to behave like the well-natured young woman that she was raised up to be.
At the bottom of the stairs stood the respectable Isaac Delahaye, his aristocratic wife and little daughter.
Her uncle Luuk and his wife were also there, as was her mother's friend, Sophie Van Dijk and her husband.
After everyone was greeted properly, they were led into the dining room. It was perhaps the biggest room in the chateau. Its signature was a marvelous crystal chandelier that hang over the dining table.
Even though the atmosphere was chaotic with laughter and maids running around to deliver the brunch in time, Simone felt that something was missing. She was still in the grand hall. And the second she remembered, a mellow voice came from behind her.
"Is it possible that you were waiting for me to join you?" Ariën laughted, lighting up his cigarette.
Ariën was Simone's older brother. He was a modest but clever man, with a fierce love for solitude.
