I can see Montfort Church with its needle-like tip top towering the white skies like a bickering sound, longing, calling me to love its majestic prowess. It was a very cold day yet, my heart is pounding, warm with the wind’s touch, kissing my cheeks with great gusto.
I was very young and naïve. Dubbed as the prettiest girl in the land by my mother, it was a great dream for me to watch in amazement, the noble march of princes’ and princesses where they parade their crowns and colorful garments as if inviting me to join them. Handsome nobles and beautiful princesses who wave at me with pride, at Saint Paul Vil.
One day, rumors had that, King Crono, announced to have a feast in commemoration of the late Queen Grisel, and to also favor the Prince, of his upcoming coronation, taking over King Crono’s rule. Everyone was invited including the townspeople but Lady Beatrice, who believed to have special powers. She was the King’s cousin and aunt to the Prince. So angry, Lady Beatrice, swore to make the King pay. So after mumbling a phrase, there an invisible wind strongly blew over to the castle and locked the King and everyone in it. Thus, left the Prince alone with his maid. A story my mother told me when I was six years old. Now, I just turned 18 years old and very much aware what’s true and not. I don’t really believe in fairy tales but what I do believe in are my own intuitions in life.
It’s true though, that I saw those parades of nobles but since very young, I didn’t know whether they are what they seemed to be, real.
A lot has changed since then, when I turned 18, I grew to love art and became a full pledged artist, restoring museums and castles, putting my great imagination to work. I was hired to restore Castle Maximillian and the stories my mother told me were very true. The palace was indeed a great work of art.
“Maria Pio!?”, a saucy attendant said. “Yes, I am here for this castle’s restoration, where should I need to go though?”, Oh!, right this way, please!, the attendant, leading me to a narrow entrance not that old but grotesque with weird prints, very odd for 60-year old palaces. “I’d like you to meet Madame Teresa, she is the caretaker of the place since ages. Madame!, this is Maria Pio, the artist who will make wonders for our palace, the attendant placing his hand up front as if introducing Madame to Maria and vice versa. Madame Teresa, a lady not more than 60 years, hair neatly woven up, with face soft and white toned, cheeks, a bit red. Her outfit and stature connotes nobility and pride. “A pleasure to meet you, Ms….!, the Lady said.
“Maria Pio”, the pleasure is all mine, I’m at your service!, Madame Teresa, right?. Oh, enough of the pleasantries, just call me, Tessa, please!. Okay, Tessa, then! I willingly agreed.
Tessa led the way towards one room to another, there was about 20 rooms, 10 on both sides. I was so happy to see the walls and tapestries, delicately hand crafted, chandeliers all lit up and in gold. Tessa then advised me to stay in one of these amazing rooms, for the span of 30 days, for the castle’s restoration period. I have my group with me to help out with the sorting out of colours, pictures, restoring of the walls paintings or carvings. Though the palace had been there for many years, the keeper really did a good job on maintaining the place’s beautiful features, as if real live human beings.
“Maria, I advised my chef to prepare you and your friends (about five of them)meals and if you need anything else, tell Rolando, our butler, okay?. Okay!. I better go right ahead and please, make yourselves comfortable, Rolando here will escort your friends to the other rooms, Tessa said with authority. Thank you, Ma…., sorry, Tessa!. I reiterated. See you tomorrow guys!. Right! See you then, good night, sleep tight, Maria!, Paolo, Sheena, Mike, Joms and Nica, said as if in a chorus.
Not much to see, it’s pretty dark outside!. Hmm! I wonder what happens out there. It’s glim and a little bit scary, really. This place seems lonely, the atmosphere breathes silence, broken heartedness. I wonder, maybe it’s what I feel inside not the palace. When I was younger, mother said my father needed to leave home for important matters because he held a high position in the palace courts. I would always imagine how he held me in his arms and played with me when mother was away for work. Ringgg, ring!!!, Ma, hi!, how are you?, I said calling my mother on Skype. Okay!, yes I’m here finally, it’s a bit gaudy yet, the castle is still beautiful as it was when I saw it before. Alright!, thanks, see you then, I love you!. Haay! Need to take a shower, how come it’s hot in here, hmm, maybe the wonders of having a fireplace, better than heaters, hehe! While Maria is sound asleep in bed, one of the paintings seems to move, as if looking at her profoundly.
Good morning!, Tessa said seated in a long table for breakfast. Ham and eggs are the food I saw fist that urged me to join the Lady in the table. Yes, thank you!. I replied. Your friends seem to have enjoyed their night’s rest, they’re not up yet!, Tessa wondered. Oh! I’ll be checking the grounds first and they will here later, their just fixing some of our stuff to use for the restoration, I added.
Just before our travel to St. Paul Vill, to Castle Maximillian, our company already sent for a hummer with computers, paints, ladders and a small fork lift to help them for ceiling restorations. Hmm! It will be hard for me to reach the top! Anyway, what’s that staircase over there? I wondered why it’s locked. I murmured. The castle is about three floors high, and pretty fancy. This is going to be a challenge. Mom would sure love the place. Hmm!
Tessa toured us to the palace grounds wider than a football stadium , there’s a garden with flowers in bloom and a fountain in the middle with an angel pouring the water gently. We’re in charge of fixing the castle or palace since the inward and outward beauty seemed to have faded through the years. I remember 10 years ago that colors are still vivid, silver, gold and dark red. When the sun touches the palace the colors appear to shine like crystals sparkling in the waters. Wow, the skies are so beautiful matching the place’s beauty and extravagance. One thing though, I feel there’s something more to this place than behind its grandeur.