Echoes of The Past - Hubert's Song (Pt. 5)

Not long after Hubert had left did Clef join Celeste and Rita in the kitchen. He walked in groggy and greeted the two ladies kindly and went to get his pancakes.

Clef didn't noticed Celeste was crying at first until he turned around from getting his plate and saw Rita hugging on her. He quickly tried pushing his grogginess aside and walked over to them.

"Hey, what's wrong?" He asked.

"It's nothing..." Celeste wiped her eyes as Rita pulled away from hugging her. "Just... Just thinking about my family again..."

Clef crouched down so he could better look at the Lore Wain's face, which was downcast and directed toward the floor.

"It isn't nothing, Celeste... It's still a fresh hurt. No one's expecting you to recover overnight, you know?" Clef gently cupped the side of her face and wiped a tear away with his thumb. "You're allowed to grieve for them."

Celeste's lip quivered for a moment, her eyes meeting up with Clef's when he touched her face. With a shuddered breath, she replied, "Thank you, Clef..." And she smiled shakingly at him.

Rita observed the two and smiled. "Aren't you a pair..."

Neither replied to such a comment but instead embraced for a short moment before Hubert re-entered the room with a lyre.

"Lore Wain, if I may..." Hubert sat on a stool beside the kitchen archway and placed the lyre on his lap. "I'd like to play a song for you."

"Why, Hubert!" Rita exclaimed. "I had no idea you played the lyre."

Hubert smiled humbly. "I don't play it very often any more... but... Seeing as our dear guest is struggling, I thought 'why not?'"

"You're a musician?" Clef asked with curiosity as he straightened up from his knelt position.

"Somewhat... I'm sorry, I haven't introduced myself. My name is Hubert and I'm a scientist." Hubert's introduction seemed a tad artificial but it was clear he still was pleased to meet another musician.

"My name is Clef and I'm... one of Celeste's companions on her voyages... I also play flute on occasion."

Hubert's eyebrows rose. "Then why don't you join me? It's an orig- well... It's a relatively new song from Anneria but you might be able to find a part to follow along."

Clef smiled but declined as he took a seat beside the Lore Wain and put an arm around her. "That's alright... I think I'll just listen with Celeste."

"Ah, alright." Hubert replied nervously shifting on the stool as he began to strum the lyre. "Suit yourself..."

Everyone present became silent when they heard the music begin.

Hubert's voice rang rich and melodic revealing that he must have had known music intimately his whole life.

"Sunrise's a glow

Just along the horizon

It's been dark so long

I've forgotten the morning was coming

Fire's a burning

Just across the field

It has been so cold

The warmth almost scared me

This is the beginning of the end

No more suffering befalls my eyes

It won't be long now

There will be victory

But for now I wait

Pray this be enough peace for the rest of the journey

Maker's a providing

Everything I see or cannot

Never before have I been so aware

Of what I cannot explain

Creator's a near

Everywhere I'm to go or be

Nothing has to make sense

I know I'm safe where he is

This is the beginning of the end

No more suffering befalls my eyes

It won't be long now

There will be victory

But for now I wait

Pray this be enough peace for the rest of the journey... this journey."

The lyrics of his song touched all who heard it; Even those on the second floor found themselves bring pulled toward the source to hear the song more clearly. Hubert had an unusual gift of song for someone who lived in Skree. Everything about this moment screamed Annierian and Celeste felt it in her soul. However, that was not the only feeling she felt.

When the song concluded, Hubert lifted his head and looked over at Celeste, hoping it had cheered her up.

Celeste's sorrowful demeanor was replaced with a relieved and yet puzzling expression as she pondered the song and everything surrounding it.

Hubert's voice and musicial style heavily reminded Celeste of her late brother, Aspen, the Song Master of Anniera who had passed in the fires of Castle Rysen the night she was gone on a voyage. Celeste couldn't shake the feeling deep within her that Hubert must have lived in Anniera at some point in his life.

"That was fantastic!" Rita clapped her hands happily. "You've got to sing more often, Hue!"

"Great job." Clef complimented sincerely.

"Thank you, Miss Rita... Clef..." Hubert replied humbly before turning his attention to Celeste. "Are you feeling any better?-" He went to ask before he was interrupted by Ramger, who had rushed downstairs to find the source of the music.

Ramger quickly stepped into the kitchen, took a look at Celeste and then snapped his head around toward Hubert with a shocked expression on his face.

"Was that you playing?" He asked with his eyes narrowed suspiciously, referring to the song he had just heard.

Hubert became visibly uncomfortable. "Yes...?"

Ramger stared hard at him for a long moment before asking, "Are you of Annierian origin?"

"I guess you could say that..." Hubert averted his eyes for a moment and smiled. "My name's Hubert. What's yours?"

"Ramger, the royal advisor of Anniera." Ramger eyed Hubert suspiciously. "It's a pleasure to meet you, *Hubert*."

"Ramger..." Celeste interjected since Hubert was obviously uncomfortable. Hubert has made pancakes for all of us. Isn't that nice?"

Ramger glanced at Celeste and Clef and then at the pancakes on the counter. "Oh, how nice." He remarked genuinely and looked back at Hubert, "Thank you, that was very thoughtful."

"No problem..." Hubert replied with a nervous smile as he got up from his stool and quickly headed out of the kitchen with his lyre.

After watching him go, Ramger retrieved his breakfast and joined Celeste, Clef, and Rita to eat. He ignored the googly eyes Rita was making at him and leaned across the table and spoke softly. "My dear Lore Wain... That Hubert fellow... He seems peculiar and oddly familiar to me."

"Familiar?" Celeste asked curiously. "But we've only just met him."

Ramger looked at her with a grave expression. "No... I think we have already known him... But the question is... Why is he pretending to be someone he's not? How did he survive?"

"What do you mean?" Clef asked, clueless to what his father was hinting at.

"I think Hubert is actually Aspen." Ramger replied without batting an eye.