Alastair awakens in the All Hallows church. He rises, stretches, and takes a look around his small room. Considering the fact that he was dead, and now a parasitic monster, life was quite good. The teachings of the Testament were showing him his place in the world, and he had a caring siress to guide him.
The case of his classical guitar catches his eye, and he is reminded of the announcement about the next court. He hadn't performed in weeks, since his Embrace, and had hardly practiced. With an affectionate smile, Alastair unfastens the latches, opens the lid, and lifts the fine instrument from its case. He takes just a moment to run his fingers over the headstock and admire the Spanish craftsmanship. This guitar had been a gift from his favorite relative, Uncle Aloysius, on his sixteenth birthday.
With light step, Alastair grabs his chair by the back and carries guitar and seat out into the chapel. He sits down, composes himself, and begins to play. The piece is Bach's Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring, and a smile visits Alastair's face as he plays its lively, joyous triple-meter melody against the stately bassline. The music echoes throughout the chapel, and Alastair remembers why he loves this piece of wood so much.
Mariel looks up, hearing the beautiful music. She glides into the chapel quietly, waiting for the piece to finish. She is proud of her adopted childe.
"That was wonderful, Alastair! Do you know Bach's C Prelude from the WTC*? I could sing a duet with you if you do."
Alastair screws up his face in concentration. "Sure, I know it. I just can't recall the last time I played it on anything but a piano. I know I had an arrangement in that book that I..." He opens his eyes and laughs. "Oh, bless it all. I'll make up the bits of the arrangement I can't remember. Sure, let's give it a go. I can't wait to hear you sing, ma'am."
He begins playing the tune, leaving the guitar's upper strings mostly untouched so as not to interfere with Mariel's singing. He remembers the bass line well and uses that to build harmonies on the middle strings. He has to make most of the harmony up, and chuckles when he barely saves an awkward sounding phrase. His eyes are lit up, and he is visibly happy to be playing with Mariel.
Mariel sings Gounod's "Ave Maria" on top of the Bach piece. She has a true bel canto voice, and the effect of her pure, clear voice is mesmerizing. She sings like an angel.
Alastair lets the last notes ring, places his right hand on the end of the guitar's body, lifts it, and rocks the instrument back and forth a few times to create a subtle vibrato effect.
He replaces the guitar on his lap and throws both arms around its neck in a casual embrace. "That was wondeful, Miss Mariel." His eyes are full of admiration as he looks into Mariel's green orbs. He looks down and chuckles, "And a lot of fun for me. It's been too long since I played this old thing. I've been busy with certain life changes, I suppose." Alastair smiles--just a little sadly--at the floor, then looks up. "What do you think about the next court featuring performances and art? It sounds great to me."
Mariel makes a face. "I have to figure out what to do. And then what to wear. And whatever I pick has to be done perfectly. It's going to take a LOT of work."
Alastair's smile gets even larger. "You're going to perform? That's great! Especially after what I just heard. Or were you not going to sing?" He tilts his guitar back into playing position and idly reels off a few arpeggiated chords. They sound like the opening chords of Kosma's Autumn Leaves.
"Well, I'm thinking on it." Mariel begins organizing the catechism materials she has prepared for Alastair and Heathcliff.
Definitely Autumn Leaves. Alastair lets a dominant 7/flat 9 chord echo unresolved. He looks thoughtful for a moment. "Miss Mariel? Do you think I could... compose a piece for court?" Now that he's said it, the words come tumbling out. "I have a theme I never finished working on, and I think I know what I want do with it now, and I should have plenty of time to work on it."
"I think that's a fine idea, sweet childe o' mine," said Mariel with a smile, running her hand through Alastair's soft hair.
Alastair is so excited, he looses a chuckle that's almost a giggle. "Great! I promise you'll like it." He looks over at the papers Mariel had been shuffling. "What have you got there?"
"Stuff to teach you and Heathcliff. Catechism. The word makes Mariel shiver. I'll try to make it interesting. Go ahead and keep playing while I'm working; I like it."
End scene
(*Well-Tempered Clavier)
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