A Walk on the Water

Dominic, had his eyes on his mother's, and his hands on her shoulders said in a very stern voice "did I overhear correctly? That the man who did this is coming here?"

His mother inclined her head in distinctly Latin fashion. "Her father, Dominic. There is a lot about Alannah that you do not know. Please join us and I will explain."

Alannah felt her heart in her mouth at Dominic's touch, and an attack of nerves as he sat down to join them, considering the glass room as though seeing it for the first time.

Alannah listened and interjected when necessary to the Señora tell her son, her story. How she ran from Dalkey to get away from the arranged marriage, how her father is the Duke of a small land outside of Dalkey, and how because she was the only daughter was his property until married.

"This … is this true?" Dominic said looking at Alannah

"Yes, every word."

"Why did you not tell me?"

"When I first saw you on that horse, my heart told me that you were the one I had been waiting for. But I had come here with Nicolo, so I could not let you in, but it happened any way. Dominic I have been on the run so long, I thought you had recognized me as your mother did when I first arrived. I am terrified of my father, I can't go back with him, it will sure be death sentence. Even if I am not dead I will wish I was, marrying a man who is twice my age, forced to have his children just to make peace? Even before I get home my father will make an example of me.I thought that if I had told you about this. . . well I honestly didn't know what you would do." Alannah broke out in tears and wanted to flee the room, but the firm grip of Dominic's hand on hers stopped her from leaving.

"An odd room, this is," he said after some time of thoughtful silence. "Father used to say that it kept the world at a safe distance. He also said that this room allowed him to view the world without it having a chance to make any inconveniences towards him in any way. One could sit here while it rains or even during a storm and remain untouched. Yet what stands out most in my mind is a memory that I have from my childhood. Do you see that section of glass up there, Alannah, the one that has less green in it than the others? During a storm, a massive branch from that tree there, came crashing through it. When we woke up the the next morning we found this room a terrible mess - leaves and branches everywhere whith shards of glass from that broken window pane. Father had this look on his face as he surveyed the damage, a look that spoke of a betrayal that I will never forget. It seemed as though the breaking of that window pane, was breaking of the illusion that this room represented to him. It shook him to the core for a long time afterwards. But being the sort of man that he was, he let the rain wash off his back and he would laugh about it, as was his way." Dominic said looking at his mother, but never letting go of Alannah hand.