Melody (Frerard)

The sky was black and stars decorated the night sky as I walked through the dark alleyways of Venice. The moonlight was the only thing guiding me through my stroll of the night.
I recently lost my creative muse to sketch or draw. Even with all the models I get, there's no real passion in my pieces. Doesn't matter whether or not other people say otherwise. I still say so.
Either way, it was still getting me 100 lira (Italian currency in the 1600s) every week. So I can't complain. But still. What's the point in doing something you no longer find enlightening?
Without realizing it, I find myself lost in the streets of the poor.
Luckily I'm alone in these streets. With nightfall and all, everyone should be sleeping. Well, everyone except for me that is. Being what people call, a creature of the night, I'm always awake at this hour. Though, walking through the streets at night is a first for me.
The buildings around me were old, and mostly abandoned. Probably because they were falling apart, from the looks of them. Their paint chipping away from the wooden stature, and the frame of the houses slightly slanted from such age and abuse by Mother Nature. In some of the homes, there were holes in on the front doors. The river canal to my right was calm and quiet. The water seeming as if it too, were sleeping. There was a slight breeze fanning my face, through my shoulder length raven black hair and bright silk clothes.
Just as I stare at the bright shining moon, I hear the faint sound of a melody. Specifically one of a talented guitarist.(A/N its romance btw)
I walk towards it, wanting to hear more from this magnificent musician.
The music seems to come from a dark glassless second story window. The melody was enticing and captivating the more I listened to it. Depicting such sorrow and loneliness, yet with a hint of hope. I've heard many instrumental pieces, from many if not all instruments and none of them seemed to compare to this one. My heart began to fluctuate as the melody was repeated over and over again.
I can't seem to pull myself away from this beautiful sound. Soon enough the melody filled the air as if it was one with the wind.
I wondered who, of such magnificent talent and creativity play like that and still live in a place for the poor and sickly. Surely they would at least try to put their talent for good use. It would be such a waste not to.
Nonetheless, I sat down in front of the door of the anonymous musician and listened to the song.
I have no clue how much time has passed when the melody stops playing, probably a couple of hours. But I'm not entirely sure.
I stand up from the door and begin my walk back to my estate.
But as I do so, I wonder about who would be living in that building.
(The next morning)
"Gerard! Two women are wanting to see you." Mikey excitedly shakes me awake with a smug grin on his face.
"What for? It's barely sunrise." I sit up from the bed.
"Go see for yourself." he chuckles then leaves my room.
I groan and get myself out of bed then begin getting dressed in my finest linens. As I did, before seeing any of my house guests.
Once I finished getting dressed, I head downstairs to the front room to find Mikey chatting and laughing with two girls around his age.
"And here he comes. The famous artist, Gerard Arthur way himself ladies." Mikey brags.
The girls chuckle and smile towards me.
I simply flash them a small grin and nod at them once I get to the bottom floor.
"This is Alicia and Lindsey. They're friends of the royal court and they want you to draw a portrait for them." Mikey smiles.
I nod. "Is this portrait for any special occasion?"
"Not in particular. But maybe-" Lindsey says in a flirtatious tone before being cut off.
"Nothing too extravagant. We want one for our mantle. That's all." Alicia states.
An awkward silence grew as moments flew by.
"We're willing to pay whatever you think is reasonable." she adds. "Is 50 lira good?"
I nod. "When shall we start?"
Lindsey lightly clears her throat and smirks. "Right now would be good, sir." she says last word in the most flirtatious way possible then winks.
I chuckle. "Well, then. Let's begin."
The day flies by and I hardly notice when the sun is beginning to set. The girls have long since left and I'm left alone with only my thoughts.
I'm mindlessly sketching in my study when Mikey walks in the room.
"How did the session with the girls go? Well, I'm assuming." he nudges my arm playfully, making me mess up on my drawing.
"Of course it did. Why wouldn't it?"
"I'm not saying it didn't. But, that Lindsey has a thing for you. It's pretty obvious." he laughs.
I roll my eyes. "What does it matter?"
"Gerard, you're 25 and not yet engaged. You'll die alone if you keep this charade up. Better yet, people will think that you're something else... If you know what I mean..."
I chuckle because I know he doesn't know the full truth. I don't want him knowing I'm not just into women. He'd probably consider me a sodomist... And I don't want whatever comes after that. "Don't worry Mikey, I'll have my wedding when the time feels necessary."
He nods and looks towards my drawing. "What are you drawing?" He asks.
"Oh, just this street I was walking through last night."
"It's a little bit... Dirty. Don't you think?" he grimaces.
"Of course it is. It's the street of the poor." I smile as I remembered the melody that played through the air of that now wonderful street. "I wouldn't like it any other way."
He raises an eyebrow. "You like the slums of Venice? Why?"
"I just do, Mikey.I just do."

Notes