"

Do not watch the petals fall from the

rose with sadness, know that, like life,

things sometimes must fade, before

they can bloom again." -

unknown

The cool mountain breeze blew through the mountain ranges carrying with it the scents of the valley into the magnificent Maracheli resident. White plastered walls rose high surrounded by beautiful hedges of red rose bushes and cedar trees.

A wide red brick pavement led from the front gate to the front steps of the house where white pillars rose high, sheltering the front oak doors from the raging elements.

Several guards in black suits and black turtle necks patrolled the grounds, occasionally stopping to mumble into their comms.

Violin music flowed from the front parlor as the fiddler skillfully plucked it into the tune of Nicolo paganini No.4. The music suddenly stopped as a strong feminine voice applauded.

"Very well Katrina, lets try No.6 now, shall we?"

The dark haired girl in a white and yellow sundress nodded back to the matronly lady as she started playing her fiddle. As the sweet melancholic notes of the violin flowed, tears flowed as well. Flowing freely from her green eyes and down her pale creamy cheeks. The woman peered curiously at her, at loss for what to do even as Katrina played on, oblivious to the concerned looks her instructor throwing her way, seemingly lost in a world of her own. The music calmed her. Flowing from her finger tips into the depths of her soul. Soothing her in a way that no one could understand. It seemed to speak to her pain while momentarily blotting it away.

She hit the final notes of the piece and turned to look at her instructor, wiping away the tears with the back of her hand.

"Well..." the instructor stuttered.

"I think that will be all for today."

Katrina nodded back to her instructor, dropping into a curtsey before leaving the parlor.

Mrs Beufont, the instructor, stared at the receding backline of the girl and shook her head.

"Such a young girl, yet so much sadness!"

She picked up her music sheets and stuffed them into her brown travel bag and began to walk back to the front doors with a slight limp on her left leg.

At the door, the butler helped her into her brown tweed jacket which barely closed at the front over her floral print dress due to her storky build, and the bowler hat went to cover her even more browner curls.

"Thank you, Mrs Beufont. See you again next wednesday?"

"Indeed Mr. Fredrick." She replied stepping out into the cool forest breeze.

"This way Mrs Beufont." A guard addressed her, walking her down the red brick pavement to the towering black gates that led to the outside world. She gave one more look at the imposing building she was leaving behind and heaved out a sigh, feeling quite sorry for the sad girl that was holed up back there.

"This way Mrs Beaufont, your car is waiting."

Another guard addressed her even as he gently guided her outside the compound through the massive front gates.

The car, was a taxi and as she came up to stand beside it, the driver turned around with a smile.

"Another beautiful day ma'am."

"That it is." She smiled back as she settled in.

"The usual route?"

"You know it. I wouldn't miss my bible study group for anything."

"Yea I know." He replied, releasing the handbrake to let the car cruise down the lane and into the highway.

The Maracheli residence  was quite a distance from the town and every wednesday, Mrs Beufont would ride up the mountain in the same taxi and ride down an hour later to oversee a bible study group at the local church.

She was a retired music teacher though every once in a while she would take up private students like Katrina while at the same time working at the church in town.

She never had children of her own and once had been the wife of the church's pastor but had been widowed at a young age. After that she didn't remarry pouring herself into her music and her mentees.

The taxi finally stopped in front of the church office and she handed over a few notes to the driver before picking up her bag and letting herself out.

"See you later Mrs B."

The driver called away even as he drove off into the town. She smiled waving at him before turning to walk up the front steps into the church building.

"Mrs B!"

"Mrs B!"

Two teenage girls rushed out of the building bubbling with excitement.

"Here let us help you."  One said relieving her of her bag while the other held out her arm to escort her up the steps.

"How is your leg today." The other girl asked.

"Its okay Janice. Thank you for asking."she responded to the tall slender girl who was holding her arm.

"So how was the class?"

"It was okay. Katrina is really talented. Her music is heavenly."

"Oh, I wish I could hear her play."The shorter and much younger girl that was carrying the bag replied dreamily.

Mrs Beufont patted the girl's brown locks and sighed.

" I wish you could to Bernice."

"But how? She is locked away in her castle with dragons guarding her."

" Bernice! They are guards not dragons."Janice protested.

"What! You have never heard of an allegory?"

"That's not an allegory!"

"Its not? Then what is it?" Bernice pouted.

"I believe it's called symbolism. And girls lets stop arguing. We have a class remember?"

"Yes Mrs B." They answered in unison.