Meanwhile, Vincent remained still for a moment, as the reality of Catherine's presence registered with him, and he began to fathom she was really there.
As Vincent walked through the pathway that had opened up for him, he softly repeated her name once more, and said, "...you are here..."
It was then he saw she had her Winterfest Candle! And so in wonder he noted, "...you have the candle I intended to give you..."
To which Catherine tearfully nodded, and said, "It was my friend Jenny you helped tonight, and she found this candle you had dropped..."
As Catherine began to descend the steps, she continued, "...and the moment I saw it, I knew it was mine."
Catherine then continued, "There were footprints in the snow on my balcony..."
With acknowledgment, Vincent nodded as he sorrowfully said, "Yes...I was there."
With a sad regret, Catherine responded, "I wish you would have stayed..I would have loved, if it had been you, who gave this candle to me..."
As Vincent looked into Catherine's eyes, he with wonderment said, "And yet, despite everything, your candle found its way to you...and now you are here."
Catherine now stood before him, and lovingly said, "Once I realized you had come for me tonight Vincent, I could not stay away."
Vincent, knew his voice would quake if he tried to speak, so he instead, with a gracious elegance, put out his arm for Catherine.
Silently Catherine accepted it, and together, they walked through the crowd.
A pin could have been heard, if one were to be dropped, and everyone was so happy at this reunion, that tears were falling in abundance by one and all.
Then the silence was broken by Joseph, as he stood small in the middle of the large crowd, and exuberantly said aloud, "Awesome!"
Everyone began to nervously laugh, feeling so happy for the comic relief, and Jacob then in agreement with Joseph, said, "Out of the mouths of babes. AWESOME indeed!"
And so Catherine looked at her Dad, who was affected too by this enchanting couple, and so too were Peter, Jacob, and a teary-eyed Mary.
Taking charge now after a very stunning happenstance, Jacob cleared his voice of emotion, and with pride, asked his son, "Vincent, with the arrival of Catherine, the circle is now complete. Shall we begin?"
In reply, Vincent did a gracious half nod at Jacob, and humbly said, "Yes Father."
And so the procession began, and there, as one of the celebrants, was an awestruck Charles!
Yes indeed, Charles this sophisticated learned man, found himself, below the city, the city he had lived in all of his life...walking in a procession to Winterfest!
And, to top it off...his Daughter was the heroine of this "Fairy Tale". How could he NOT be enraptured by all of this enchanting rustic opulence?
And Catherine too, was charmed by it all, and in combination of her reconciling with Vincent, all this pomp and circumstance in honor of Winterfest, had her captivated...and as she looked back to smile at her Dad, he, with a wink, smiled back!
Meanwhile, Brigit from the sidelines, watched Vincent and Catherine together, and thought to herself, "Looks like me pal has a happy endin'!"
Pascal then with hope asked her, "Brigit, may I escort you on to Winterfest?"
As a humbleness settled upon her, Brigit, looked at Pascal, and a fondness for her persistent wee suitor suddenly warmed her heart, and she looked at him now...through different eyes.
And so as Brigit curtsied, she smiled and said, "I'd be honored Pascal...and 'tis PASCAL, with an "A" to be sure."
Proudly, Pascal took Brigit's hand, and led her on to the celebration, and then thoughtfully warned, "Now I know you don't like the Chamber of the Winds Brigit, but it's the only way to get to the Great Hall, so Mouse came up with this invention to help! So when we get closer, I have this clear plastic overthrow you can put on so you won't mess up your fancy hairdo, or get sand in your pretty eyeballs."
Since Brigit did spend so much time on her hairdo, she happily accepted the clear covering, and said, "Well I thank ye fer yer thoughtfulness Pascal! I believe that should do the trick, I must thank Mouse later on too."
Meantime, Rebecca walked with Jamie, Laura, and Brooke, behind Pascal and Brigit, and the girl's couldn't help but raise their brows a bit, as they pondered the boldness of Brigit's low-cut dress! But because of her evolving relationship with Vincent, Pascal and Jacob, somehow having her there with the community tonight...seemed right.
Just then, Mouse caught up with the four satin clad cuties, and said, "Isn't it good Catherine came to Winterfest?"
To which they all agreed with him, and then Jamie suddenly gasped, as she caught sight of Arthur on Mouse's shoulder, and reprimanded Mouse by saying, "You know you are not supposed to bring Arthur to Winterfest! I heard Father warn you!"
To which Mouse pouted and said, "I am dropping Arthur off at my chamber when we walk by!"
And then Rebecca anxiously added, "You better Mouse! He nearly ate half of the fruit from the horn of plenty last year, before we could stop him!"
Tickled by this story, Brooke laughed as she added, "Not to mention, he drank some of the fermented cider! Remember how funny he was acting?"
To which Laura then decadently signed, she thought Mouse drank too much of the hard cider last Winterfest AND was acting very funny too!
Upon hearing the two girls comments, Mouse felt insulted, and then argued, "Did not!"
But then Mouse sheepishly looked downward, before he admitted, "Well...OK fine, maybe I did."
They all laughed at Mouse, and he even laughed at himself too thinking back on last years celebration.
And it was then Brigit looked back, intending to thank Mouse, when she caught sight of Arthur! Well Mouse saw the look Brigit gave his little buddy, and said, "Don't worry Brigit, I am holding Arthur."
To which Brigit, after calming herself replied, "I'm not worried Mouse. I know ye understand me fears...but in truth, I wanted to thank ye fer me cover! I think it will work like a charm!"
The other girls saw Brigit's cover, and told Mouse they could have used one too, since their dresses were so pretty this year!
Feeling quite proud by all this attention, Mouse replied, "Sorry didn't have that much clear stuff, but maybe next Winterfest!"
Since this opened a bit of conversation, Brigit guiltily said, "I feel badly that I am the only one to 'ave protection."
To which Rebecca said, "Oh don't feel bad Brigit, truthfully we are used to it, and I think it's part of the excitement of Winterfest!"
The other girls chimed in too, and as Brigit was in unison now, they all enjoyed their walk onward, laughing and talking together.
Next...behind them, followed Kanin and Olivia, and as Kanin looked at his wife, he marveled, "Olivia, you look beautiful tonight!"
In reply, Olivia, with a mock shyness, set her poor unsuspecting husband up, as she sweetly asked, "You like my dress Kanin?"
To which Kanin enthusiastically replied, "OH yeah!"
With umbrage, Olivia then curtly said, "Oh really! I didn't think you even noticed my dress, after I saw the way you looked at BRIGIT'S!"
And because he was unexpectedly sucker punched, Kanin defended himself, by saying, "Brigit's dress? I didn't even notice it!"
To which Olivia then spewed, "You may not have noticed the dress, but you sure noticed what was in it!"
Realizing he may have gawked a bit when he saw Brigit, Kanin then tried to soothe Olivia by saying, "You know no one is more beautiful to me than you...and I am sorry if I was looking, I shouldn't have, but Olivia, a little sideways glance at Brigit, couldn't have gotten you this mad at me! What is really wrong?"
Upon hearing her husbands kind words, Olivia broke down as she said, "Oh, I don't know...I just feel so, so FAT! I wanted to look really nice for you tonight, and instead of looking like Cinderella, I look more like a big fat pink marshmallow!"
To which Kanin said, "Awe, you do not...you look like a princess to me..."
But because Olivia was on a roll, she butted in to say, "...and on top of my weight problem, well I just don't feel like myself anymore! I used to be energetic, and now, I am so tired all the time from chasing after Luke!"
As Kanin tried to commiserate with his wife, Olivia continued on to say, "And also, well it seems like you and I, are never alone any more, and when we are, you just wanna sleep!"
As Kanin lovingly put his arm around Olivia, he was able to finally have a say, and so he tenderly said, "You are right...after I work all day on the new tunnel, and then Lukey wants to play when I come home...so I muster up some energy for him, so you can have time to yourself."
Kanin then agreeably said, "And then...as you said, I do conk out early at night. I guess it is just the way our life has evolved. Building a family is hard! But I only love you more for all you do for us...not less. And let me tell you one more time, you are not fat...Olivia, I think you are beautiful."
As Olivia wiped her tears away, she then smiled at her husband, as Kanin lovingly added, "Perhaps we need to set some time aside just for us..."
With a compliant nod, Olivia smiled sweetly at her husband and as a calm tranquility settled on this couple once again, she said, "Yes...Kanin I would like that."
Meanwhile, behind Kanin, and Olivia, walked Lin, Henry, and Dr. Wong.
With a smile, Henry turned to his wife and teasingly said, "It looks as if Vincent, and Catherine have managed to work things out Lin...without your help!"
In reply, Lin looked suspiciously at her comedic husband, and said, "You make it sound as if I am a busy body Henry!"
To which Dr. Wong looked to his Grand-daughter, and smiled as he said, "Imagine anyone thinking that!"
And so with a pout, Lin defensibly surmised, "Well, sometimes love needs a little help now and then, and I only tried to help! Besides, Vincent said he does not blame me for the misunderstanding that occurred."
And then Lin flirtatiously added, "Is it so wrong that I only wanted them to be as happy as we are."
As Henry kissed Lin's hand, he lovingly said, "Not wrong at all...you are very sweet. The important thing is that Catherine is here now.
Affectionately, Lin hugged Henry's arm, and said, "Yes...and I cannot tell you how happy I am!"
In agreement, Dr. Wong nodded and said, "Yes Dear Grand-daughter, we all are."
As everyone walked along but a little way on the journey to the Great Hall, Vincent looked thoughtfully at Catherine and privately said, "I have so much I want to say to you, however I feel the whole community has an ear poised in readiness to hear what we may say to one another."
As Catherine discreetly looked backward, and as she in agreement, saw all the eyes WERE anxiously on them, she smiled as she whispered, "I think you may be right..."
Vincent himself let go a slight smile as he softly said, "At the risk of being overheard...I will say what is in my heart. Catherine...Your being here, indicates to me, you have forgiven me, for having all of my destructive insecurities."
To which Catherine in turn, answered, "There is nothing to forgive...how can I fault you for looking out for me."
And so together they walked along, when with care Vincent cautioned, that they were about to enter the Chamber of the Winds. To which he then advised, that Catherine may need her coat, as it was quite blustery there.
And so Vincent helped Catherine on with her coat, and readied themselves for the passage.
Meanwhile, all the other celebrants carried their unlit candles, as they together, descended the long winding rustic stairway, shielding their eyes from the whipping, swirling, gusts of wind...
WINTERFEST PAGE
Over to see photo and Click on link too
...till they finally reached the bottom, of the chamber's floor. And it was there, that they all stood expectantly, at the threshold of the Great Hall, as they waited for Vincent to remove the huge timber from the hatch, which held the doors securely closed.
Over to see photo and Click on link too
Excitedly they all watched as he effortlessly set the weighty timber to the side, and for a moment he looked at Catherine, in a manner of much like a little boy, who hoped maybe he had impressed her by his strength. He then turned back to the task at hand, and pushed the enormous doors open into the darkened Great Hall.
Over to see photo
Vincent then approached Catherine, and the way he looked at her, was as if they were the only two on earth, when he protectively asked her, "May I lead you through the darkness?"
To which with an impassioned reply, Catherine answered, "There is no darkness Vincent when you're with me."
Click on this Link to see larger picture
It was then Catherine took his outstretched hand, and together they walked inside.
And so after everyone filed in to the Great Hall, Jacob took his place at the front of the massive, rustically crafted oaken table.
Click To See Father recite the ceremony
Jacob's face was illuminated with the only lit candle in all of the Great Hall, and as his candles flame, flickered and danced off the stone walls...
...the ceremony began...
To be continue
Chapter Twenty
| Master of my Heart! By Sharon Holtz Chapter Nineteen ______________________________________ |
