That evening and the next flew by and Fillip was preparing for church while we prepared for our private ceremony at home in front of the fire.
"Well you are off are you Fillip?"
"Yes good sir. I am."
"Do you wish me to come later to collect thee?"
"No sir, Synnove has already declared her willingness to do so. She thought she should show her face in town and let the Reverend know that she still exists." My father snorted a little laugh.
"Well considering the fineness of the night, and the full moon to light the way, I see no reason to keep Synnove back. Very well you two. We shall see you later Fillip, may God be with you on your journey this night to His praise." Fillip nodded and was out the door.
The rest of the night drug along. I couldn't keep my mind focused on what my father was discussing with us; I kept looking to the clock to see if it was time to depart yet. Finally, Father gave the orders to hitch the horses and I was excused to dress and be on my way.
Our horses are very well cared for and sure of foot as they cantered easily towards the town. They seemed to enjoy the feeling of the wind blowing through their manes as much as I did, and it was not long before we reached the boarder of the town, where I had to pull them up. They pranced up to the church just as the towns fold began to pour forth from the grand double doors like a dull grey swell in a river of candlelight. Fillip was one of the first out, as he always sat as close to the front as possible: the ever attentive student of our Reverend. From behind him, instead of the Reverend, emerged an expensively attired gentleman, supporting the arms of two of the local lasses. Each giggling and carrying on with their curling blonde hair as much as decorum and the church would allow. The other young ladies of the church shot them envious looks of hatred, including the Reverend's own two, and very plain, daughters.
The threesome paused as the gentleman did to apparently continue speaking to Fillip. They seemed quite deep into their little discussion when Fillip finally noticed me fidgeting with the horses and looking on with my own nervous interests. The European followed Fillip's nod of notice to catch sight of me.
"A friend of yours?" The gentleman smiled and nodded to me. My heart nearly melted. He was certainly tall, one of the tallest the town had ever seen, and he was certainly handsomely built, carrying himself with pride. I guessed him at six feet, four inches but I later learned that he was six foot three inches. His chestnut hair was long and tied carefully back from his pale face to reveal crisp grey eyes with green flecks that grabbed your attention and held it to them like the devil holds us in temptation. He was simply an amazing creature to me. He was unnaturally handsome; infinitely more so that anyone could have thought my eyes. I stood no chance, I decided; best to go at it all with a level head.
"Yes, she is. Her father and my Aunt, as well as we, farm together. We are well aquatinted as we grew up together."
"Oh is that so. I hope it will not be forward of me, but pray tell me the child's name sir."
"She is Synnove of Cearo Blythe Farms, that is the name shared between the two." Fillip saw the spark of light that lit in his eyes and what he could only believe to be a wave of relief that spread over him before he was able to speak again.
"It is an odd one, Sorrow Bliss Farms. But it must work well for you. I hear that yours is the envy of all the town." He dropped the arms of the ladies that hung from him, returning them gratefully to their families. "And it seems that the lady also has a strange name," he seemed to speak to Fillip as he approached and looked to me. "Synnove, Gift of the Sun." He offered me his hand; I rose and took it with ease, though possibly not calm. The local lasses and ladies stared in disbelief and jealousy before turning their noses up and walking to their respectable homes.
"I think my Father meant it as a sort of pun. Gift of the Son our Lord." A strange ease overtook me as he helped me down from they wagon. There was nothing like looking into the intensity of his grey eyes and they held mine to them. I was suddenly remind of a moth's attraction to the flame. There was something tragic in them. It puzzled me immensely. I felt that I knew what it should be; some ghost of a memory.
"I am sure that he did. Though, where is your mother child? Why was it not she who named you? Or is that the tradition of your people?" Fillip looked uneasy, not knowing how I would respond; I could be sensitive to her death at times. He picked up on it quickly. "I apologize, I have been very rude to ask you such a question when we have not even been properly introduced. I am Sebastien Diocletian."
"Your name is unusual too, good sir. You have the name of the saint and of his murderer." Sebastien smiled.
"My name is spelled slightly different, my parents did not see fit to be quite that original. But you charm me; you recognize the names of both!"
"Your family must be roman then, I should think."
"We do go back to the Roman Empire, but I currently reside in Athens, and when I am not there I can normally be found in London. And please! If it is not out of order, please call me Sebastien. Such formalities in this country."
"A traveler are you?"
"Yes, I am. I'm also known to spend large amounts of time in Rome and Naples. I love the freshness of the Mediterranean. Rhodhos is beautiful this time of year."
"I think you are also an egotist." I smiled villainously, Sebastien laughed. Fillip shifted nervously.
"No, fair lady. I am, rather, desperately trying to impress you, but I see that it is not working."
"Sebastien's lodgings are on the edge of town; the cottage off of Old Whittaker's farm, at the beginnings of our road," Fillip cut in. "I have offered him a ride home with us. No need to go walking in the damp at this time of night when one can be snug at home in front of the fire, even if one doth prefer the night." Now Fillip sounded slightly jealous as he handed me back up into the wagon.
"Is that so, then you shall have to come for a tour of the farm tomorrow." I winked at Fillip, knowing full well that it would drive him mad.
"Fair Synnove, I would enjoy that greatly, but I am predisposed during the daylight hours. Won't you and yours come for dinner at my lodgings instead, or perhaps for tea and cake?"
"Puritans, or, at least, of our sort, rarely partake of sweets sir." Fillip replied bluntly.
"Well then I shall have to play the role of a devil and tempt you all. Do come, it would be very rude to turn me down, and you can school me in your ways of comforts." He smiled honestly at Fillip, and he found that he could not say "no" to him, and the time was quickly fixed upon.
The journey to Whittaker's Cottage passed much too quickly. Sebastien spoke calmly throughout of whatever I asked, as I imagined he did to all of the pretty girls in the town, and others that he had been through. But as much as I resolved and thought to distance myself from him, I found that I simply could not. His eyes and nature simply would allow it. He called out to the good and the devil in me as his ghostly white hands took one of mine and kissed it goodnight and wished us God's speed. Fillip had shaken hands with him pleasantly and reaffirmed our meeting for the next night. He had even seemed to enjoy Sebastien's happy antics after he was through with impressing us.
"Well Synnove, I think you hath managed in a half hour's time, to secure yourself a steady admirer and he hath made one for himself out of you in even less time."
"Do not be silly Fillip. He has an entire town, nay the world to choose from. Why would he look at me?"
"Don't be coy, Synnove." He half-laughed and half-grumbled. "But if I must lose you to someone, I shall only lose you to someone such as him. Someone who can get you out of here, and make you happy in that respect at least."
"Fillip, you are a fool and you are my brother. You shall never be anything less." I hugged him as we rounded the last corner of the drive and approached our own home.
"Sometimes I wish I could be Synnove, but I know your heart, and it will never be changed." He was silent then and a wistful smile crossed his lips as he kissed my cheeks before helping me down and then set about caring for the horses.
That night I dreamed of a beast. A beast that drank the blood of a deer that it caught in the forest and then left the carcass for the scavengers. A beast that whispered my name like the breeze, and it stirred me with a hunger I had not known before, in my bed. I awoke rapidly, the summer night's winds blowing in languidly from my open window and up the sheets over my legs. My loins had awakened to the call of the beast, but my heart and mind flew to the memory of Sebastien's eyes. I got out of my bed and leaned out the window, sure that I would see the cloven foot monster standing below it calling my name to the four winds. The moon was full and beautiful overhead, illuminating the meadow. Coyotes fed on a deer along the edge of it. I sighed at myself as I closed the window. I must have heard them howl at the kill and the scream of the deer as they took it down. I returned to my bed and slept with ease.
