And maybe we were meant to go crazy again and again before we finally attain a semblance of sanity.

Life comes at you unexpectedly. Life throws scenes, twists and turns at times you would least expect. And through all that chaos, life gives you everything you've always wanted and you don't even realize it till the day it finally occurs to you that you are not found wanting anymore.

The past two weeks had been busy ones for me.

Gale consumed my every thought. When I woke up, I thought of her, when I attended meeting with my council, I thought of her. When I had another tense talk with Lady Karayan, I imagined how Gale would have reacted to it. When I waited patiently for news from the East to no avail right up to the point where I started thinking my spy was dead, I imagines the color of her eyes, those deep browns that I would have done anything to dive in and never come back up for air.

She was a growing obsession and after two weeks you would expect that she would be sought out by me but I didn't. It was strange. I had a single memory of her and instead of finding her and trying to make more, I clung to the perfection of that one memory and went crazy over it again and again.

People had a way of disappointing you especially if you have lived for as long as I did. I believe a part of me feared that if I were to meet her again, she would disappoint me just like everyone else and that high...that strange but welcome high that I felt for this past week would disappear again.

The thing with depression was depressed people were comfortable with being depressed. But now, just from one meeting, I had felt a high...it was like running naked through a flowery field on a sunny afternoon and letting the wind run past you. It was like laughing and playing again with reckless abandon as if one were a child with no worries at all in the world. For two weeks...I had felt.

But I was afraid. Ha! Funny isn't it? Kyryaan Kyle von Lukeberg, second born son of the great El Diavolul and Lady Patricia, Lord over the southern regions, a formidable ruler who had reduced armies to dust and conquered thousands of enemies across thousands of generations and yet, I was afraid to meet a girl but she made me feel again.

It was more of I was afraid I was stop feeling after se disappointed me rather than I was afraid of her per se. I wasn't still sure of what to make of her.

Lord Mba and I had been on several secret missions to see some people and Lady Karayan and I had been doing our normal regular ruling. She was back to normal but there was something different in the mansion. In the territory. Something powerful and fearful. It felt like something was about to happen and we were all going to bear witness for it.

The strain was getting too much though. Being Lord, waiting for news, trying to reject the foreboding feeling in the air and at the same time, trying to hold myself from unearthing everything I could about Gale.

Every time Lady Karayan smiled, I was tempted to ask her about her new slave. Even when she came and offered herself again after years to adorn my bed and I denied her again, I was tempted to inquire about Gale. I could have as well found out every single piece of information about Gale but I didn't want people to think I was interested in her. They might think she was a weakness to me.

The strain was consuming. Which is why for the first time in two centuries, after I gave up on my piano, I sought it out that night.

It felt like fate was pulling me there. Like I was supposed to be there. The emotions warred in me and I sought out one of the few things that I used to love...till just like most others I didn't.

It was one of those rush out of bed moments where you leave your bed in the middle of the night without purpose but you rush off in one direction, no explanations needed because you feel like that is where you should be.

The room had been sealed off for two years. It had been a storage room of sorts. Where things, old hobbies, old loves had been stored aside when I no longer had use for them. I used to have a grand room just for my piano. But then, when I lost interest in it too, I had it stored away. But today I sought it it.

The door opened with a slight click, the familiar key fitting in the familiar door and dust rose up like a huge blanket when the door scratched against the floor to open. I waited for it to settle and then got in. The oldness and muskiness of the room enveloping me. Servants were not allowed in her unless there were keeping something. These items were too personal to me.

I went straight to my piano. Lilura. A beautiful strange name for a beautiful strange piano. The name meant enchantment and even though it could not physically enchant anyone, when played by a good player, the notes could enchant you and draw you in. The body was big, shiny, smooth and carved with a master hand and the keys, despite not being tuned in centuries, still held their luster and played well.

I wiped the dust from the chair and the piano and sat on it.

I played the first key, then the second, not sure of which song to play but by the third random key, the song took me on its own and without realizing it, I went with it and disappeared from this realm to the realm of artists. The realm of inspirations where nothing and everything made sense and dreams, memories, thoughts and feelings were one and the same.

I was so engrossed in the music that I only heard her when she was already in the room.

Gale, the source of my obsession.

I felt the rush from the inspiration flowing within me, I still felt so high that everything was floaty, drifty and I felt like I could conquer the world. I had not felt this in so long. So very long. Could I credit Gale or could I credit myself, I couldn't be sure. But I knew she had a role to play. And she was here. After two weeks of not seeing her, she was here.

Looking a lovely as a dream in a pale, billowing nightdress that clung to her top form revealing perfect full breasts. I averted my gaze from them out of respect.

It must have been the high, but I found myself in a strange mood with her.

She wanted to apologize but I stopped her...I touched her lip with my tongue and I sucked in a sharp breath immediately.

Her lips were lush, pink and as soft as pillows and yet warm. So warm. It was one of the things that reminded me just how mortal she was. Touching her sucked the air out of me as if I had been zapped right through by a smaller lightning bolt in a nice way. If at all that made sense. I pulled my hand away.

We spoke some more and I don't know where it came from, maybe it was her company, maybe it was the way she spoke of my music like it was the most beautiful thing but I found myself saying:

"I want to show you something tomorrow. I will find you." I said with what I wanted to be a smirk. Beside her, I was like a fumbling school boy and I didn't want her to see that. This strange woman. This witch. I should trust her enough to be alone with her and obsessing over her. But here I was.

I had to find out if she was a spy for Duncan or not. Tomorrow I would. But today, while I still felt a high from feeling and while the rest of the mansion slumbered, I was going to be someone else entirely and enjoy her company.

"Where do you want to take me to?" She laughed a small adorable laughter that communicated her uncertainty but curiosity and I smirked in response.

"Patience flower. You'll see." I replied mysteriously and she laughed again. Her laugh was gradually becoming one of my favorite sounds. I definitely had to make her laugh again.

"Would you care to share a wine with me?" I asked her as I moved towards one of the cupboards in the room. There was some old wine here as well. With old glasses.

"Kyle. It's in the middle of the night and I'm not sure we are allowed to." She admonished playfully but the last part of her statement struck me. Allowed to? Then it hit me. She probably thought I was a slave like her. For some reason, her not knowing who I was, was very comforting and I didn't correct her. It was like living as someone else. Plus, I doubted if she would be this comfortable with me if she knew who I was.

"Like you said, it's the middle of the night. Perfect for wine. And there's no one around. I think we can get away with having a little wine." I turned and winked at her and she seemed to flush, trying to choose between being a good slave or having one reckless night. I made the decision for her, afraid that she may choose to be a good slave. I wasn't ready to let go of her company just yet.

"Come." I said as I poured some wine into two glasses and cleaned up a second seat for her. She seemed to fight an internal battle with herself but then she sighed, and came towards me and sat down. I offered the glass to her and she took it.

"A toast." I started and finally, she giggled again.

"To what?" She asked as she held her glass up. I could feel my eyes twinkling.

"To reckless behavior." I finished and she laughed.

"You are right. Drinking someone else's wine in a strange room is reckless behavior but cheers." Then we toasted and brought the glasses to our lips. The whole time I was watching her, watching her mouth move. How could one person be so beautiful? It was unfair to the rest of the world. When she set her glass down again, seeming to notice me staring at her, she changed the topic.

"Where are we though?" This time I was the one who let out a little genuine laugh, the sound strange to my ears. She made me laugh.

"That was not the first question I would have expected you to ask but I shall answer your questions however best I can. Only if you agree to answer mine too. It can be our little game." I said with a small mischievous smile. This brought her attention back to me and I saw a curiosity awaken in her.

"Alright then. Where are we?" She asked with a small smile and brought her wine glass back to her lips, watching me. I glanced at the room and back to her deciding there and then that I would conceal my identity for as long as I deemed it necessary without lying to her.

"In a storage room."

"Oh." She said, realizing then that it should have been obvious. I smirked.

"How did you find this place?" I wondered curiously. Not many people were allowed up here. I didn't mind her being here but it was strange.

"I really don't know. I just found myself here and drawn to the music. Almost as if I was supposed to be here." She explained.

"I see."

"Where did you learn to play like that?" She was now invested in the questions. I liked it. I never got to talk with anyone like this.

"My aunt taught me. Amora. Actually she taught all my siblings and I." I replied, feeling a smile rise to my face as I thought of Aunt Amora, my powerful witch aunt. I missed her. I thought she would recognize Amora's name but apparently she didn't know me or my family. It was strange.

"You have or had siblings?" She inquired curiously

"That is two questions in a row Flower. And questions that lead to other questions. I shall answer, but you owe me two questions in return as well." I started with a wink then leaned in conspirationally towards her.

"Growing up, I had four siblings. We were 5."

"Were?" She picked up fast on my tense. I smiled.

"Tut tut flower. I still have two more questions before you can ask any." She pouted, a cute little gesture and I felt something warm grow in me. Things were going to be interesting with her around.

And maybe, we were meant to go crazy again and again before we finally attain a semblance of sanity.