As soon as Vincent and Catherine, were far enough away from the tunnel main, an amused Vincent turned to a giggling Catherine, and asked, "Would you like to rest for a moment Catherine? We no longer have a concern of crossing paths with anyone at this point."
And because Catherine needed a break, she stopped, and as she leaned against the tunnel wall, she excitedly answered, "Oh yes Vincent...I need to catch my breath!"
After setting the plate and decanter down, Vincent turned to Catherine, and said, "Of course."
As Catherine smiled up at him, she decadently said, "I feel like a naughty child slipping away from Winterfest like we did Vincent, like we are on some secret adventure, in a mystical magical place!"
As Catherine looked up and around, she then expressed, "I envy you living here."
As Vincent for a moment looked at his world though Catherine's eyes, he nodded an appreciative nod, and said, "Yes...life is good for us here..."
And because Catherine was beaming as she smiled up at him, Vincent felt empowered knowing the happiness he found there in her eyes, was because they were together once more.
And then as Vincent leaned his forehead to hers, he told Catherine what was in his heart.
And so tenderly, Vincent said, "There are no words for all I am feeling because you are here with me now. This past week, has reaffirmed and verified the fact...we are a part of one other, I felt grief stricken, and small in my vast aloneness. I don't ever want to lose you again."
In reply, Catherine devotedly, said, "You won't lose me Vincent...how could you, when its like you said, we are a part of one another."
To which Vincent, thoughtfully said, "Yes..."
Catherine then smiled in a beguiling manner, as she said, "I have caught my breath now Vincent."
As Vincent brushed the hair from Catherine's eyes, he replied, "Very well."
Vincent then handed Catherine the decanter to carry, while he took a torch from the tunnel wall, knowing it would be the last lighted torch available, as they continued farther out.
Stepping up to the chamber's threshold, Vincent moved into the darkness first, wanting to place the torch into its riveted brace for lighting. He then lit the candles within the chamber, before going back to the doorway for Catherine, to guide her inside the candle lit chamber along with him.
As Catherine looked around, she at once felt the magic of this place touch her heart. Experiencing the feeling that one procures, when you finally arrive back home again, after a long, long journey.
And so, with heartfelt emotion, Catherine said, "I love it here."
Vincent hesitated a moment, before he voiced the concerns he had. And so softly he said, "I...hoped, the last time we were here together, had not tainted your memory of this chamber."
As Catherine looked solemnly at Vincent, tears filled her voice as she said, "Nothing could ever taint the way I feel about this chamber Vincent...nothing."
Vincent then took in a deep breath, and sighed, saying, "I could not be more thankful this is so Catherine."
As Catherine looked toward the table, in an awing tone, she noted, "Our statues...still side by side, just as I had placed them on that day."
Catherine thought back on the moment she put them there beside one another...she wanted Vincent to see that people, and things can be different, but still be beautiful, just as their two replicas of Cupid and Psyche were so beautifully different from the other.
And so Vincent nodded, as he revealed, "I vowed I would never move them. They would stay there, as you intended...for always."
Sweetly Catherine said, "What a lovely thought..."
Catherine then cleared her voice of emotion, and lightened the conversation, as she held up the decanter and asked, "Have you any glasses?"
Upon hearing Catherine's request, Vincent looked about, and then walked over to the little table near his bed, and regretfully said, "Only one cup I am afraid."
In reply, Catherine in her softest voice, said, "That will be just perfect."
As they lovingly looked at one another, Vincent took the decanter from her hands, and looked downward as he poured the cider into the lone cup they would share. And as he did so, he felt Catherine's eyes upon him.
And so as Vincent raised his eyes, he handed Catherine the cup, and acknowledged, "You were looking at me."
To which Catherine replied, "Yes...just like you look at me sometimes."
As Vincent reached out to tenderly touch Catherine's cheek, he said, "I look at you for the same reason an artist looks upon a sunset, a gardener may inspect his nurtured rose, or the way a parent looks over their newborn child..."
Vincent then took her hand, and as he marveled at the graceful lines of it, he continued, "...I look at you Catherine...because I am captivated by this perfect beauty you own."
Catherine then reached up to wipe away the glistening tear from his cheek, and sweetly she replied, "That's why I look at you too."
As Vincent lowered his face, he felt humbled by the emotions he could not hide, and the feelings he had no words to express how thankful he was Catherine saw him this way.
Lowering her eyes, Catherine sipped from the cup, and offered it to Vincent, and as he placed his hand over hers, they together lowered the cup.
The look they now shared, melted all the pain of the last week away, and somehow they had been able to find their "once upon a time" once again.
Vincent then brought Catherine to him, where they gave to the other, all and beyond, of which they would ask of each other.
Protectively holding Catherine, Vincent wanted to replace any uncertainties which remained within her trust, with a secure and loving new beginning.
As Catherine, who was feeling quite enchanted, traced Vincent intriguingly dimpled chin, she told him, "I missed being here with you, being a part of your world, I missed the endless sea of books, the intriguing artifacts, the scent of burning candles..."
Thinking on what she had just said, Catherine sat up with a start, and said, "Candles! Oh Vincent...that reminds me, I forgot my Winterfest candle in the Great Hall! I don't want to lose it! It is because of my candle, we are together again!"
Upon seeing how important Catherine's candle was to her, Vincent calmly said, "We shall stop at the Great Hall, when the time comes for me to escort you home."
Thankfully she said, "That would be wonderful Vincent. And as much as I hate to say this...but I think that time has come. I feel as if it is very late into the night."
Vincent sighed in agreement and said, "Yes Catherine. We should prepare ourselves, however...first..."
Vincent then went over to the little table, where he had set the plate of food, and brought it back, along with the cider.
As Catherine looked over the plate, she said, "Everything looks so good! All these indulgences. I feel a bit guilty..."
To which Vincent thoughtfully relented, "I cannot deny feeling the same way, but then I thought better of it, realizing it would be more appropriate to say how Blessed I am feeling instead."
Catherine couldn't help but agree Blessed is the right term to use...because they are being smiled upon tonight, with the worse behind them now.
So, as they enjoyed their "Picnic Feast", they spoke of the events of the night, the beautiful dresses, discussed the great turn out of the Helpers, and of how truly wonderful it all was.
And so sadly, the time had come to leave, and so as they put out the last of the candles, Catherine told Vincent, of how much she hated to leave "his" far off little chamber.
Knowing, he had cruelly taken away her ownership of this chamber, on that dreadful night, he stepped up to her, and corrected her, by saying, "This is "Our" chamber Catherine...and will always be so."
Vincent then took the torch from its brace, and they then traced their steps back through the Chamber of the Winds, and into the quieted vacant Great Hall.
As Vincent took Catherine to where she had left her Candle, she suddenly stopped and looked up at Vincent, and in a hushed tone, said, "I think I can still hear music echoing from somewhere. Do you hear it too?"
To which Vincent, mysteriously answered, "Yes...I hear it."
And because Vincent thought one last dance with Catherine tonight would be divine, he shifted his stance, and elegantly presented his hand to Catherine, and asked, "Will you dance the last dance of the night with me?"
With joy beyond words, Catherine smiled at her Vincent, and said, "Yes, I would love to."
Click here to see The Last Dance
And so our fairy tale couple, danced to the music they heard.
Whether it was imagined, real, or magical, it didn't matter, for they both heard it.
And Vincent and Catherine would claim this melody as their song, from this night forward, until the end of time.
The End
To be continued in Treasure of my Heart!
And because Catherine needed a break, she stopped, and as she leaned against the tunnel wall, she excitedly answered, "Oh yes Vincent...I need to catch my breath!"
After setting the plate and decanter down, Vincent turned to Catherine, and said, "Of course."
As Catherine smiled up at him, she decadently said, "I feel like a naughty child slipping away from Winterfest like we did Vincent, like we are on some secret adventure, in a mystical magical place!"
As Catherine looked up and around, she then expressed, "I envy you living here."
As Vincent for a moment looked at his world though Catherine's eyes, he nodded an appreciative nod, and said, "Yes...life is good for us here..."
And because Catherine was beaming as she smiled up at him, Vincent felt empowered knowing the happiness he found there in her eyes, was because they were together once more.
And then as Vincent leaned his forehead to hers, he told Catherine what was in his heart.
And so tenderly, Vincent said, "There are no words for all I am feeling because you are here with me now. This past week, has reaffirmed and verified the fact...we are a part of one other, I felt grief stricken, and small in my vast aloneness. I don't ever want to lose you again."
In reply, Catherine devotedly, said, "You won't lose me Vincent...how could you, when its like you said, we are a part of one another."
To which Vincent, thoughtfully said, "Yes..."
Catherine then smiled in a beguiling manner, as she said, "I have caught my breath now Vincent."
As Vincent brushed the hair from Catherine's eyes, he replied, "Very well."
Vincent then handed Catherine the decanter to carry, while he took a torch from the tunnel wall, knowing it would be the last lighted torch available, as they continued farther out.
Stepping up to the chamber's threshold, Vincent moved into the darkness first, wanting to place the torch into its riveted brace for lighting. He then lit the candles within the chamber, before going back to the doorway for Catherine, to guide her inside the candle lit chamber along with him.
As Catherine looked around, she at once felt the magic of this place touch her heart. Experiencing the feeling that one procures, when you finally arrive back home again, after a long, long journey.
And so, with heartfelt emotion, Catherine said, "I love it here."
Vincent hesitated a moment, before he voiced the concerns he had. And so softly he said, "I...hoped, the last time we were here together, had not tainted your memory of this chamber."
As Catherine looked solemnly at Vincent, tears filled her voice as she said, "Nothing could ever taint the way I feel about this chamber Vincent...nothing."
Vincent then took in a deep breath, and sighed, saying, "I could not be more thankful this is so Catherine."
As Catherine looked toward the table, in an awing tone, she noted, "Our statues...still side by side, just as I had placed them on that day."
Catherine thought back on the moment she put them there beside one another...she wanted Vincent to see that people, and things can be different, but still be beautiful, just as their two replicas of Cupid and Psyche were so beautifully different from the other.
And so Vincent nodded, as he revealed, "I vowed I would never move them. They would stay there, as you intended...for always."
Sweetly Catherine said, "What a lovely thought..."
Catherine then cleared her voice of emotion, and lightened the conversation, as she held up the decanter and asked, "Have you any glasses?"
Upon hearing Catherine's request, Vincent looked about, and then walked over to the little table near his bed, and regretfully said, "Only one cup I am afraid."
In reply, Catherine in her softest voice, said, "That will be just perfect."
As they lovingly looked at one another, Vincent took the decanter from her hands, and looked downward as he poured the cider into the lone cup they would share. And as he did so, he felt Catherine's eyes upon him.
And so as Vincent raised his eyes, he handed Catherine the cup, and acknowledged, "You were looking at me."
To which Catherine replied, "Yes...just like you look at me sometimes."
As Vincent reached out to tenderly touch Catherine's cheek, he said, "I look at you for the same reason an artist looks upon a sunset, a gardener may inspect his nurtured rose, or the way a parent looks over their newborn child..."
Vincent then took her hand, and as he marveled at the graceful lines of it, he continued, "...I look at you Catherine...because I am captivated by this perfect beauty you own."
Catherine then reached up to wipe away the glistening tear from his cheek, and sweetly she replied, "That's why I look at you too."
As Vincent lowered his face, he felt humbled by the emotions he could not hide, and the feelings he had no words to express how thankful he was Catherine saw him this way.
Lowering her eyes, Catherine sipped from the cup, and offered it to Vincent, and as he placed his hand over hers, they together lowered the cup.
The look they now shared, melted all the pain of the last week away, and somehow they had been able to find their "once upon a time" once again.
Vincent then brought Catherine to him, where they gave to the other, all and beyond, of which they would ask of each other.
Protectively holding Catherine, Vincent wanted to replace any uncertainties which remained within her trust, with a secure and loving new beginning.
As Catherine, who was feeling quite enchanted, traced Vincent intriguingly dimpled chin, she told him, "I missed being here with you, being a part of your world, I missed the endless sea of books, the intriguing artifacts, the scent of burning candles..."
Thinking on what she had just said, Catherine sat up with a start, and said, "Candles! Oh Vincent...that reminds me, I forgot my Winterfest candle in the Great Hall! I don't want to lose it! It is because of my candle, we are together again!"
Upon seeing how important Catherine's candle was to her, Vincent calmly said, "We shall stop at the Great Hall, when the time comes for me to escort you home."
Thankfully she said, "That would be wonderful Vincent. And as much as I hate to say this...but I think that time has come. I feel as if it is very late into the night."
Vincent sighed in agreement and said, "Yes Catherine. We should prepare ourselves, however...first..."
Vincent then went over to the little table, where he had set the plate of food, and brought it back, along with the cider.
As Catherine looked over the plate, she said, "Everything looks so good! All these indulgences. I feel a bit guilty..."
To which Vincent thoughtfully relented, "I cannot deny feeling the same way, but then I thought better of it, realizing it would be more appropriate to say how Blessed I am feeling instead."
Catherine couldn't help but agree Blessed is the right term to use...because they are being smiled upon tonight, with the worse behind them now.
So, as they enjoyed their "Picnic Feast", they spoke of the events of the night, the beautiful dresses, discussed the great turn out of the Helpers, and of how truly wonderful it all was.
And so sadly, the time had come to leave, and so as they put out the last of the candles, Catherine told Vincent, of how much she hated to leave "his" far off little chamber.
Knowing, he had cruelly taken away her ownership of this chamber, on that dreadful night, he stepped up to her, and corrected her, by saying, "This is "Our" chamber Catherine...and will always be so."
Vincent then took the torch from its brace, and they then traced their steps back through the Chamber of the Winds, and into the quieted vacant Great Hall.
As Vincent took Catherine to where she had left her Candle, she suddenly stopped and looked up at Vincent, and in a hushed tone, said, "I think I can still hear music echoing from somewhere. Do you hear it too?"
To which Vincent, mysteriously answered, "Yes...I hear it."
And because Vincent thought one last dance with Catherine tonight would be divine, he shifted his stance, and elegantly presented his hand to Catherine, and asked, "Will you dance the last dance of the night with me?"
With joy beyond words, Catherine smiled at her Vincent, and said, "Yes, I would love to."
Click here to see The Last Dance
And so our fairy tale couple, danced to the music they heard.
Whether it was imagined, real, or magical, it didn't matter, for they both heard it.
And Vincent and Catherine would claim this melody as their song, from this night forward, until the end of time.
The End
To be continued in Treasure of my Heart!
| Master of my Heart! By Sharon Holtz Chapter Twenty-Three Final Chapter _________________________________________ |
