***
The singing had been going on for a few hours now.
It started very early that morning, a low hum among the stirring of the slowly awakening capital, and slowly built as different tones, different voices, added themselves to it. It was discordant, out of tune, and uncoordinated, some voices were out of step with others. The melody itself was jarring, sliding inconsistently from sharp to flat. And it didn’t even sound to Catalin like they were singing the same words.
He hid himself behind one of the column that adorned the open-air hallway to the servants’ quarters. “No,” he said firmly, peeking around it and glaring before retreating again.
“Catalin, we have to stay inside.” Eliade crossed her arms, attempting to look firm. But something in her tone seemed unsettled. “Father said.”
Catalin ignored her, focusing instead on the strange song. “What’s that?” he asked, pointing in the general direction of the noise.
“I don’t know,” she responded, desperate, “but we have to go back inside. We can’t stay out here.”
“Why not?” Catalin whined, stamping his foot. “I want to!”
“Catalin, I swear…” Eliade strode down the hallway, ready to chase him if she had to, but stopped when one of the maids opened the door behind her.
“Lady Eliade…” the maid swallowed hard. “There’s a visitor for you.”
Eliade turned around sharply. “You were told not to let anyone in.”
“Forgive me, lady, but…” Trailing off, the maid stepped aside, allowing the visitor out into the hall. Catalin peeked out from behind the column, his eyes traveling up the battered black and gold uniform until they landed on the familiar face.
“Celeste!” For some reason, Eliade didn’t sound happy, like she usually did. “W-What are you…?”
“Eliade.” The clipped voice kept Catalin in his hiding place. “I need to see your brother.”
“Celeste, what are you doing here?” Eliade approached her slowly, like one would a cornered animal. “I heard… I heard that the Empress… shouldn’t you be…?”
“Is Catalin here?” Celeste repeated, an odd, frozen smile stretching her face. “I need to talk to him.”
“Celeste, what’s going on?” Eliade begged. But Celeste didn’t seem to hear her. She was looking around her younger cousin’s shoulder, directly at the line of columns.
“Hello, Catalin.”
Hearing his name called, Catalin tentatively ventured out into the hallway. Finally, he smiled shyly, pleased at being addressed by Celeste directly. “Hi.”
Celeste stepped around Eliade, bending down until she was at his eye level. “I want you to do your cousin a big, big favor. Can you do that for me, honey?”
“Yes,” Catalin answered.
“Good… that’s a good boy. Now…” She reached behind her thick cloud of black hair, her hands looking for something at the nape of her neck. She withdrew a gold pendant on a long, black chain, and reaching forward, put it around Catalin’s neck. “Can you hold onto this for me? And promise never to tell anyone that you have it?”
“Celeste!” Eliade sounded horrified now. “You can’t—”
“You promise, Catalin?” Celeste shut Eliade down without raising her voice, tucking the pendant down Catalin’s shirt. “This is going to be a secret, just between the two of us.”
“Mmmhmm!” Catalin nodded vehemently, sticking out his pinky. “Promise!”
Celeste laughed quietly, wrapping his pinky in hers. “That’s good. Take good care of it.” She kissed him on the cheek, her smile faltering for just a second. “I’m sorry to make you do this for me.”
“Celeste?” Catalin blinked up at her, sensing the small flicker.
“I have to go now, sweetie… I’ll see you soon, okay?” Celeste rose to her feet, immediately turning to leave.
“Where are you going?” Eliade asked, stepping into her path. “They’re going to be looking for you out there!”
