Bastian
Chapter 159 - Curtain Call

✧Curtain Call✧

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“The master will be returning home early, this evening, and has left instructions to prepare a formal dinner,” Dora said to her.

   Odette nodded and began tidying away all her sewing materials. The lace she had worked on for most of the day had taken on a life of its own, not looking anything like the pattern she was attempting to follow. The back was so tangled with loose thread, it would take a huge amount of effort to unpick it all and start again.

   “I could let the master know you’re not feeling well,” Dora said, looking to provide her with a way out.

   “No, there’s no need,” Odette said calmly. “I’m fine.”

   Over the last week Bastian had changed his usual routine. He was coming home earlier each evening and had dinner with her who couldn’t find anything of note to have warranted such a change. It didn’t matter to her, after today, she wouldn’t need to act out her part.

   “Very well,” Dora said with a bow and left.

   Odette made ready for the evening. While one maid filled her bath, she and another maid picked out a dresses for the evening. They were laid out on the bed, their vibrant colours and patterns looked like a field of wild flowers. There were matching shoes and accessories. It seemed overly extravagant for a simple evening meal.

   This time tomorrow, she would be leaving and this time, hopefully, for good. Odette’s mood lightened a little at this realisation.

She steeled his anxious heart countless times, and now the moment was here. If she retreated now, she would rest in tomb-like peace forever.

What should she fill her emptiness with? Finding the answer was tough, but one thing was clear: she wouldn’t surrender to sorrow and pain, leaving only one option.

   Odette stepped toward the bed and listened to the advice of the maids who were preparing her outfits, with much contemplation, she chose a blue, silk dress and a diamond necklace. It was her first proactive choice in a week.

   The maids, encouraged by the sudden change in their mistress, bustled around her. From the bedroom to the bathroom and back again, the bustled around Odette like a small swarm of very energetic bees. Sunset drew nearer.

   The sound of the comb gliding through her hair filled her ears. She felt like foolish woman who had allowed herself to be trampled on too many times. She couldn’t let go of her regrets as she prepared for the evening.

   Odette looked at herself in the mirror of her vanity. She barely recognised the girl that looked back at her. It was so easy for her to play the roll of a downtrodden woman, someone who had known nothing but unhappiness through foolish love.

   Bastian had become more like the sea of Ardenne in the spring time. Cool and gentle, deep and tranquil. He lingered at a distance from her, no longer rushing at her nor retreating from her. She felt it was impossible for him to realise he was being deceived so long as he kept that distance.

   So what was the reason for the change in his behaviour? The thought came unbidden to her mind, but she tried not to linger on it.

   So long as Odette didn’t do anything to arouse suspicion, then that should be enough. Odette concluded that any further judgement was a waste of her thoughts.

   Just as the maid finished braiding Odette’s hair, Dora came into the room. “The master has returned,” she said, she sounded excited.

   Ignoring the maid trying to tie off one last braid, Odette got up and moved to look out the window. A cream coloured car, with gold wheels, approached the driveway.

   Odette turned back to the mirror for one last look at herself and after rearranging a stray strand of hair, adjusted the sit of her jewellery, she strode from the bedroom as graceful as any swan.

The final night had arrived.

   It was time for the curtain call.

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Dinner started earlier this evening.

   Bastian pulled out a chair for Odette then took his own seat at the table. Lovis came out with the appetizers and informed them that the main course would be ready shortly.

   “Take your time, Lovis, we’re not in any rush,” Bastian said.

   He had returned from his meeting with Admiral Demel, and the Joint Chiefs, a lot earlier than expected, so was well prepared for dinner not being ready quite yet.

   “Yes, do not rush on our account,” Odette added with a soft smile. Her smiled looked refreshed, like a splendid jewel.

   Bastian slowly sipped his aperitif as he looked at her, but Odette was catching the last of the landscape before the sun set fully and darkness blanketed the landscape. When she looked back, their eyes met across the table. Odette smiled shyly, her cheeks going red as she averted her gaze to the appetiser in front of her.

   She was a woman that shone most beautifully when she told a lie. Bastian swallowed his wine with a sense of emptiness that came with that fact. It was so obvious what Countess Trier was planning when she recruited Dora to her cause. It had to be about Odette and now that the tail had been caught, it was time to dock it.

   At least, that was what Bastian had intended until he received news while in the meeting with the Joint Chiefs. Theodora Klauswitz was seeking to cultivate all of Jeff’s hidden assets and flee abroad. He knew she was fleeing because she bought a single, one way, ticket to a far off land. She was acting exactly as Bastian predicted.

   But how do I protect Odette from the fallout? He asked himself as he watched Odette carefully take the food from her fork.

   Noticing him looking at her, Odette fixed him with a hard stare. “How long do you plan on disobeying the Emperor?” she said flatly.

Bastian glanced at her and ate silently. Odette easily understood his response through his quiet demeanor.

“You accomplished all of this through great effort.” Odette surveyed the opulent banquet hall, focusing on the hero’s honor symbolized by a brilliant medallion.

   Only after escaping from their spiral into the abyss, were they able to finally see the reality for what it was, what they had lost because of each other and what they might continue to lose, but it wasn’t too late.

   Even though he had been ostracised for his behaviour, Bastian was still in a strong position. He was the Emperor’s favourite war hero, a successful capitalist that kept getting richer each day and after sorting out this marriage, he would be able to recover his honour and reputation.

   So maybe they could still have a good farewell.

She harboured this hope cautiously and waited for his answer, and with the arrival of the night’s darkness, Bastian finally turned his gaze back to Odette after a considerable wait.

   “How about we leave Ardenne first,” Bastian said.

   “What’s going on, Bastian?” Odette said.

   “Nothing,” Bastian said calmly.

   There was a note of hesitation in his voice and a forced smile on his lips. She got a sense of his true feelings through those small cracks in Bastian’s otherwise smooth and cool persona.

 Odette was able to act the part and fool most of the world, but her acting was noticeably clumsy and lacking in experience. After being deceived by her numerous times, Bastian knew he needed to become a much better actor. So he can deceive the woman who was trying to deceive him, and thus deceive himself.

   “Look, living in this mansion will only make your heart suffer. Go to Lausanne or another place with villas, if you can’t handle being here any more, then why don’t you go on ahead of me. I will meet you later, once I have cleared up the work that still needs doing here.” Calmly, Bastian filled his empty wine glass and said.

   He would do anything to protect Odette, that belief was as resolute and as strong as ever, but he had his limits. Recent defeats taught him that and left him feeling inadequate to protect her. If he were to continue making these mistakes, he would lose Odette forever.

   Realising this, Bastian changed Keller’s mission. He had objected, of course, but it was time to bring these investigations to their natural conclusion. He simply could not let her go and he certainly could not bring himself to send her away,  even though he knew everything.

So, he decided to close his eyes, biding his time until they could return to square one. He was willing to be deceived if it meant protecting her, yet, his foolish heart continued to harbor thoughts of revenge.

   He wished he could take her away from all of this, run away and never look back, start again. He was her husband and she his wife. If they could only live in such a place where it was only them two, maybe then they would be able to forgive each other and start over. Lead a relationship of love and compassion for each other. Yes…. if only your heart was the same as mine.

   “Yes, I think that would be nice,” Odette said.

   In the moment where that quaint hope felt absurd, Odette agreed with him. Her eyes shone in the candlelight, and her lips drew into the gentle curve of a smile.

   Bastian mocked her smile with his own and stared at Odette, who seemed to have regained her original skills of deception. Seeing her behave like this made Bastian feel like he had already pushed her too far, but perhaps tomorrow, something might change. The lingering remnants of feelings he hadn’t entirely let go of clouded his judgment. 

He lingered on the illusion for a little longer, wishing above all else that it could last. 

His gaze remained fixed on her beautiful face, where her fake smile concealed her truthful  eyes.

*.·:·.✧.·:·.*

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