Chapitre Un- Taboo

Today, rain pours over Nice.

The humid air of the atmosphere has forced Eva into her husband's office, which always seems to be empty.

"It's dreadfully rainy today, and humid." Henri said when he closed the office door behind him.

He reached to open the curtains behind the mistress and thunder rolled.

Eva smiled softly.

"What do you have to be so ecstatic about, Mistress?" Henri asked.

"Louis's birthday." I responded. "Soon will be my husband's birthday."

"Yes, about that. How would you like to help celebrate?"

I held my chin by the hand. "Let me ponder for a minute."

Henri sat a cup of warm coffee in front of me, and I take a sip.

"It is nice, as always." I say.

"Of course, only the finest for-"

"Your wonderful mistress." I interrupt.

Henri smiles warmly. "Shall I propose an idea for Master Louis's birthday?"

"Please." I say, gesturing to him.

"A surprise. I shall bake the cake, and you and I can go and purchase mountains of gifts!"

I nod, smiling. "A surprise is best well served!"

"If his birthday is in three weeks, we'd better hurry and start thinking of gifts...."

I sigh, my mood has dissipated as fast as it has come.

"Of course, Henri."

Henri gave a soft pat to my head and his shoulders dropped.

"Has the mistress thought of an enticing story to write?"

"I've decided one, but I doubt it is capturing to the mind."

"What is it about?"

"Let me tell you the story."

I lifted the quill out of the way and pick up the papers.

On a dark, gloomy day much like any other day in this city, a set of twin boys walked hand in hand.

They seemed to be young adults, who looked exactly alike, and walked at the same pace and stride.

Women adored them. Who wouldn't love a set of the most handsome boys in town?

The rain dripped down their umbrella, which the eldest twin held above them both.

Other folk dashed along the streets for shelter, covering their heads with anything they had.

The twins walked through them all, hand in hand in the middle of the street.

Where were the twins going?

The twins kept walking, their handsomely white faces twisted sullen and hard.

The twins walked until they reached the edge of the town, a meadow stretching far and wide against the Earth.

The twins looked at one another, and then back at the field, and then back at one another.

"Here, but far." The eldest twin said. "We shall build a very large house out far in this field here, and we will live here for the rest of our lives."

The younger twin nodded, he didn't speak much, only to his brother, and then some.

Their grasp one each other's hand tightened, and the weeds of lang grass tickled their legs and ankles and feet as they entered the sunny meadow.

They reached far and wide into the meadow, and began to crop the soft brown soil.

The twins tore weeds out of the ground with their bare hands and made a large square in the ground.

They took at this for a long day and some into night, and when they had finished they began to go home.

They carried along with this for some time. No matter what the day or hour, they walked hand in hand each day with wood and tools, to build a very large house that the eldest twin wanted.

A solid four or five months later, a house was standing tall in the far end of the meadow.

Now separated from society, the twins smiled and kissed one another.

Then, again.

Then, agai-

"Mistress, even you know that society would not dare read a story such as this." Henri said, refilling my cup of coffee.

"But, something so taboo as this has a high chance of catching someone's-"

"Oh? So now you're infatuated with what will get purchased rather than enjoyed?"

I was silent for a moment.

"Don't interrupt me." I mumble, and I crush up the papers I had written on. "I know it won't be accepted, but maybe it will be enjoyed."

"So, you want our society to enjoy a tale about two queer male twins, who are in love with one another? So they leave a society who is homophobic and build a house to live in together?"

I nod slowly.

"I suppose so. This may not be acceptable, but it will certainly grab the reader's attention. It'll even seem a little sexy." I say.

"My goodness " Henri says. "Just trash this story. We can work on another any day."

I frown. "I'm keeping it. This sounds like it will develop beautifully."

Henri sighs.

"We both shall, and always forever, have a lousy life and love until the day Death stops his carriage for us to get in." He whispers to me.

"And get in, we happily shall." I say yet again.

Henri and I share a short moment of bittersweet connection and humor, and I smile.

"We should start pondering on something else, mistress." Henri says, breaking eye contact with me, and I chuckle.

"Of course. When will Louis be home?"

"In thirty minutes of Twelve o'clock, mistress."

I nod slowly, sipping my coffee and then sighing.

Henri looks up from an open book in his hands.

"Henri." I say. "You know Louis doesn't allow anyone to look in his books or belongings. Put that away."

"Ah, but mistress." Henri says, closing the book. "Master Louis sounds like the man to keep secrets. He is dangerous. Besides, he isn't here to stop me, is he?"

I don't answer.