Interlude: Love advice

Tory's POV

Tonight had been nothing like a normal performance, but I felt like this was what playing this music must have been like when it was written. A waltz was written to dance on. So of course people would be dancing and laughing while you play. Not sitting on a chair while keeping silent, the way classical music was performed these days.

It had a really special atmosphere and I was glad I was offered this experience. I wonder how Mari was doing in the kitchen. She was complaining earlier that she had to work with that terrible Pierre, so I hoped things were working out for her too.

After my first performance, I made my way to a special room to rest. I needed this. I got way too elated seeing everyone dance to my music in those beautiful dresses. It was important that I calmed myself down as much as possible before I started the second part.

When a butler came to inform me that the second part was slightly delayed due to some last-minute spectacle organized by the host, I decided to take a walk around the estate.

These gardens were magnificent. The non-symmetric way everything was organized reminded me of the playfulness in Grieg's lyric pieces and the wonderful world they always created in my imagination as I played them.

I was walking around a pond when I noticed a beautiful blond woman crying. When she noticed me she looked shaken “Y-your the pianist. Keep this a secret. You never saw me here.”

“If that is what you want. I just came outside to get into the mood for my second part. But is everything alright?”

“I just made an utter fool of myself and was defeated by a little girl. Someone of my stature... It was really scandalous. Just after I made a vow to decide things for myself from now on.”

“Sounds, like you had it tough. Well, you have me at an advantage, since I do not know who you are, if you want to talk to a stranger, I can listen.”

The woman chuckled. “You know, you are the second person not to recognize me today. The other one was the little girl I just told you about.”

“I'm sorry. I am probably supposed to know you, but I only moved to this country a few months ago. So even if you are famous here, I might not know you.”

“Don't worry, I wasn't. It's refreshing to have someone talk normally to me from time to time.”

I let out a sigh of relief. The last thing I wanted to do was offend someone well-known since that could only spell trouble in the long run.

“You seem like someone honest. I'll take you up on that offer and tell you my story if you promise to keep this conversation a secret.”

I nodded. I could keep a secret.

“My childhood friend has started a relationship with a girl.” I nodded. “Back in the day, when we saw each other a lot, my friend used to count on me for everything and I would be there to protect her. She was a bit like a little sister to me. Her girlfriend is this really famous girl, that seems to be successful in anything she does. She seems really powerful and she seems to be playing political games in high circles, reshaping the country. So when I found out some horrifying stuff about my friend's girlfriend, after she tried to use me for her cause, I decided to confront the girlfriend. But it seems I was being played, and the information I got was wrong.”

That sounded like some big shot issues, that I did not know much about.

“All you wanted to do was protect your friend. I do not see what you did wrong. From what you are telling me, you even gave the girlfriend a chance to defend herself and didn't go immediately to your friend. It's already more than most people would do.”

The woman looked at me with a smile. “But I made such a fool out of myself. What will my childhood friend think of me now? She might even come to hate me.”

I couldn't give her any guarantees on how her friend would take it, but I answered “I would have been really glad to have a friend like you. Let me tell you the story of my childhood friend.”

I told her about how my childhood friend, Arisu, had cast me out as filth the second I told her I had feelings for her.

The woman's eyes grew big “You like women too? Tell me more about that? How did you find out you liked other women? I'd like to understand my friend better.”

I looked at her and said “There are a few girls at this party that will probably be able to give you a better answer to this question. For me the answer is simple. I just fell in love. First with Arisu, and now I'm in love with Mari.”

At first, I thought this woman was playing a prank on me with this question. She should be old enough to know about these things, but the woman looked at me with honest interested eyes. She even looked a bit naive, like a sheltered girl that had been protected from certain aspects of life.

“I know it is different for everyone, but for me, when I think of Mari, I know she is the most important person in my life. I want to treasure her, I want to protect her, and when I think of kissing or touching her, my heart starts beating really fast. The second I am with her I feel complete, the second she is gone, I look forward to the next time we get to spend time together.” I started laughing “Which will hopefully be after my second performance, as soon as she is done. She is the chef here tonight.”

The woman smiled at me “It must be nice to feel like that.”

She closed her eyes and thought for a second.

“I think I might feel something similar for my childhood friend.”

I couldn't help but get a smile on my face.

“Well, that explains why you were crying.”

The woman looked at me with upturned eyes. “What do you mean?”

“You lost a battle with your rival. Even more, you thought of genuinely saving your lady in distress, but instead, you made a fool of yourself in front of her. Anyone would want to go and cry if that happened.”

“Then what do I do now?” She asked.

“Since you mentioned political games, I would make sure my friend is happy. I would think that is the most important part. If she is, I think I could be able to be happy for her and watch over them from afar. But it is up to you. Will you let the war end with a single battle, or will you fight another?

“My great-great-grandfather would turn in his coffin I would let a war end with a single battle. He led the Belgian forces to victory himself at Ieper in WWI.”

The woman seemed fired up completely. I was happy to have helped her.

“What's your name, Ms. Pianiste?”

“Tory Yaki” I answered.

“I have to go now. The queen can't be seen leaving a venue crying like a little girl. If you remember your promise to keep this conversation quiet, the queen will remember your kindness. I look forward to seeing you at the Queen Elizabeth competition, and will tell my acquaintances to keep an eye open for you.”

I was completely baffled by what she had just said. By the time I got myself back together, she was already back near the entrance. What just happened? Did I just give lesbian love advice to the queen of this country?

It was time for me to head back to the stage. It was about time for my second performance, but my mind was still wandering about what had just occurred.

When I arrived at the stage I saw it was being cleaned, and there was this huge ice statue of Claire dressed as a knight standing on the stage. What the hell happened here? I needed to ask someone about that later.

I announced the second performance and went to the piano. After the music started, I could see in the corner of my eyes that people were dancing. The sparkling colors of swirling dresses added to my mood, so I tried to play the waltzes as joyful as I could while imagining beautiful blossoming flowers in a rose garden.

When I was getting to the end of my second performance, I heard a loud commotion coming from the crowd, so I looked up. I was horrified by the view.

The queen was holding Anna bent over her arm while holding her leg. I could not really tell if they were kissing or not, and next to them stood Claire, clearly furious.

The pieces of the queen's story started to fall together in my head. I put my hand on my throat. I was feeling nauseous. “D-Did I just make this happen?”