Krysta's Sanctuary

[Krysta Hedwig]

Krysta stepped silently into her room. It had changed somewhat since she had last been in here. There was no bed and of course: no Danika.
Instead the room was dimly lit by candles with plants growing in one corner. In another sat a drinks cabinet. It was to this that she went first. She poured herself a scotch and walked back into the centre of the room.
Megan had inspired her. You see Krysta had very much played down her musical abilities, shy as she was. But somehow the encouragement she'd been given by her new friend had sparked a new flame of creativity and inspiration in her.
She had been writing songs since she was small and was a relatively accomplished pianist and cellist.

So it was no surprise when a stunning mahogany Strat cello appeared in the middle of the room with a music stand and playing chair. She smiled fondly. Behind her a grand black Steinway materialised and she smiled again, walking over to it. She slid onto the red piano stool and lightly ran her fingers over the keys. She smiled sadly as memories of her father came back to her. He had been an incredible musician and it was from him that she got her talents.
She used to sit beside him as he played her songs, steadily learning the art for herself. They were the fondest memories she had of him.

Hesitantly at first she began to play the first few lines of Moonlight Sonata, the beautiful mellow tones of the instrument taking her by surprise and filling her with warmth. It was a beautiful piano.
She stopped after a while and stared at the keys. Choosing one of her father's favourite songs she began to play and soon her dulcet tones joined in as she began to sing.

If a picture paints a thousand words,
Then why can't I paint you?
The words will never show the you I've come to know.
If a face could launch a thousand ships,
Then where am I to go?
There's no one home but you,
You're all that's left me too.
And when my love for life is running dry,
You come and pour yourself on me.

If a man could be two places at one time,
I'd be with you.
Tomorrow and today, beside you all the way.
If the world should stop revolving spinning slowly down to die,
I'd spend the end with you.
And when the world was through,
Then one by one the stars would all go out,
Then you and I would simply fly away



She held the final note perfectly, her eyes closed as her fingers ran lightly over the keys and ending on a lilting chord.
Tears streamed down her face and her hands slipped from the keyboard and she sobbed gently.

[Krysta Hedwig]

After a while as her tears subsided she left the piano and crossed over to the cello. Sitting down and sliding it into place between her knees she lifted the bow and ran the fingers of her left hand down the white horsehair. It was fully rosined up and ready to play. Finally she placed the bow to the strings and began to play one of her favourite pieces: 'Danse Macabre'. It wasn't the same without a full orchestra, but she enjoyed it all the same. Lifting the mood slightly she played 'Variations On A Theme' and finished off her set with Dvoøák's Cello Concerto in B Minor and both Bach and Boccherini's Minuets. It was strange how she took to the instrument. She had neglected it for such a long time.

She passed to the drinks cabinet again and poured anoher scotch, throwing in some ice cubes and sipping it. An armchair and an open fireplace appeared against one wall and she walked over to it. As she sat down the chair adjusted to fit her shape and she sighed. Beside the chair a small table appeared along with a pipe and a box of tobacco. She smiled wickedly. She placed her drink down and took up the pipe, lighting it by squinting at the tobacco. It burst into flame under her gaze and she drew on the pipe. The smell instantly hit her and she closed her eyes. The smell made her think of Grandad. He always had a pipe going and she loved the rich, woody smell, so different from cigarette smoke.
She sat for a while gazing into the fire, puffing occasionally on the pipe. She felt like an old man but she didn't care. She felt peaceful.

[Alexandria Silverton]

Megan approached the door, adjusting the guitar case on her back and fixing her hair. She knocked on the door just to be polite and walked into the room. She stopped when she entered and looked around, this place was amazing. She saw a piano and a cello in the room and smiled, she figured that those were the two instruments that Krysta could play.

"Wow, Krysta..this place is absolutely amazing" She said, when she noticed Krysta sitting in an armchair in front of a fireplace. She took off her guitar case and held it in her hand.

[Krysta Hedwig]

Krysta looked up when Megan came in and smiled.
"Hi Megan, come in. Want a drink?" she asked waving her hand at the cabinet. A glass flew out and the scotch bottle poured itself. Another flick of the wrist and the class flew serenely over to the girl in the doorway. She was getting better and better at this. Ever since she turned 17 it had been a cinch.
"Ooh, you brough your guitar!" she exclaimed and sat up straight, laying her pipe down on the table. "Can I see?" she asked.

[Alexandria Silverton]

Megan walked further into the room and she took the glass that Krysta had sent over to her. "Aye, thanks" She said and smiled. "Of course you can see my guitar" She said, kneeling down to open the case. She opened it and took out her dark cherrywood acoustic guitar which she had made by hand. She handed it to Krysta for her to get a good look at it, there was gold on it, and her initials on the top of the neck, the letters were M.S. which stood for her first and middle name, Megan Savannah.

[Krysta Hedwig]

Krysta's eyes lit up when she saw the guitar. The wood it was made from was beautiful and it as a natural varnish, not that coloured acrylic stuff you see on so many guitars.
"It looks lovely." she exclaimed. "Does it sound as good as it looks?" she asked, hinting that Megan should play something.

[Alexandria Silverton]

"Hmm, I'll let you find you then" She said and smiled, taking back the guitar, setting down the glass in her hand, she grabbed her pick. "Alright, this is an old song I wrote quite a few years ago, its strickly instrumental, so you can hear how lovely this guitar sounds" She said before she began to play the opening notes of the song, she always loved how it sounded, as she continued to play, her elegant fingers played about the frets on the neck of the guitar.

[Krysta Hedwig]

Krys listened with a faint smile on her face. The guitar sounded wonderful: no mellow and rich, not a hint of tinniness to it. It was the sign of quality craftmanship...and someone who knoew how to play of course. The piece she played was lovely; elegant and imaginative. She had been planning to play Megan some of her own songs but now she was worried she would make a fool of herself.
"Wow, Megan that was lovely." she said when the music stopped. "And your guitar sounds fantastic. Who made it?" she asked, wondering if it was Irish.

[Alexandria Silverton]

"I actually made this guitar myself, that's how I got it the way I liked it with the gold on it and my initials on the top of the neck" She said, and smiled, putting the guitar back in its case and tossing the pick back in the case, grabbing the glass back in her hand, taking a sip from it. She was wondering if she would ever get the chance to hear anything that Krysta had wrote, she had an idea that she wouldn't get to hear anything anytime soon.

[Krysta Hedwig]

"You made it yourself?" Krys asked incredulously with a laugh. "Blimey. You're a girl of many talents." she added with an impressed grin.
"So...how are you planning to cure my stage fright, then?" she asked, challenging Megan a little. "You've got your work cut out for you, I hope you realise that." she chuckled.

[Alexandria Silverton]

"Aye that's me, the only talent I can't seem to get is how to get someone to fall for a girl like me" She said and took another drink from the glass she was holding. "Hmm, that is too easy actually, I am going to have you perform here for me, I realize that you will become nervous, but you will come to be more confident in yourself each time" She said with a soft smile.

[Krysta Hedwig]

Krys groaned slightly and grinned.
"I was afraid it would be something like that. What do you want me to sing?" she asked hoping it was something she knew well. "Can we start off singing together, so I can ease into it. It won't be as bad if we're both singing."

[Alexandria Silverton]

"This is something I don't believe you would know, unless I am wrong, which I usually am by the way." She said laughing. "Its a song called My Immortal by a muggle band called Evanescence, I can play it for you once so you hear how it sounds, then you're going to sing it" She said and smirked, handing Krysta the sheet music for it, so she could look over it, picking up her guitar and putting the guitar strap over her head, resting it on her shoulder. She got her pick and started to play the opening notes.

I'm so tired of being here
Suppressed by all my childish fears
And if you have to leave
I wish that you would just leave
'Cause your presence still lingers here
And it won't leave me alone

These wounds won't seem to heal
This pain is just too real
There's just too much that time cannot erase

When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
And I held your hand through all of these years
But you still have
All of me

You used to captivate me
By your resonating light
Now I'm bound by the life you left behind
Your face it haunts
My once pleasant dreams
Your voice it chased away
All the sanity in me

These wounds won't seem to heal
This pain is just too real
There's just too much that time cannot erase

When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
And I held your hand through all of these years
But you still have
All of me

I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone
But though you're still with me
I've been alone all along

When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
And I held your hand through all of these years
But you still have
All of me

She played the closing notes of the song, and then took another drink from her glass.

[Krysta Hedwig]

Krysta took the sheet music and had to stifle back a laugh. She knew the song well. Living with Kit meant listening to Muggle music and Evanescence was a band she quite liked. This song inparticular was one of her favourites and hse loved singing it. Maybe this wasn't going to be so bad after all.
She politely listened to Megan play and sing and clapped when she finished.
"Lovely." she said. "Though I have a confession. I do know this song. Kitania plays muggle music all the time becase she was raised by Muggles." she explained smiling enthusastically. "Well knowing the song already means I'm a bit more confident." she confessed. She took a deep breath.
"Ok, let's go for it." announced Krys, biting the bullet.

[Alexandria Silverton]

"Well then, since you know the song, it'll be easier for you. Now, close your eyes and pretend there is no one here but yourself. I will sing though I will join in after, and I will play my guitar, now focus on the song and nothing else." She said very calmly. "Remember, just relax and you'll be fine" She added softly. She played the opening notes to the song again and waited for Krysta to begin.