Post by Fennec on Apr 7, 2020 13:05:27 GMT -5
Interview with a Reaper
Echos of the past...
Echos of the past...
Midday, it was the most annoying time of day... the day was at its middle point and the dread that it would soon come to an end would linger. Day and night... life and death... rain or shine. Everything was a cycle. A disgusting monotony as if life had little meaning beyond the goals one had for themself. Klaus leaned back on his chair viewing a fire kindled in front of him. It was a struggle.
Everything was a struggle a constant battle... the flames themselves a thing an object an element of power. Even it was in a struggle for life as it consumed fuel to sustain its state. Yet, there was a difference between mankind and everything else. A certain superiority in that you could give meaning and that you could have a drive! A life without a drive a life without a goal was hardly a life at all.
Knock Knock
"Come in..."
Klaus muttered, the sound of knocking taking him out of his little daydream. In came a butler who politely stood outside his door as if to await an invitation to come in. The noble lifted his hand and gestured the butler to come to which the man did so at his command. The light was the footsteps the butler took making his way toward the noble yet maintaining a certain level of distance from the man. The butler looked down at Klaus as if awaiting his command to speak. The noble let out an annoyed sigh all this tediousness was grandiose and all but sometimes it seemed to get in the way of more important things. Time-consuming. That's what it was.
"Just spit out already will you?!"
He exclaimed loudly, the butler without flinching did a quick bow in a form of apology before beginning to speak.
"The artist has arrived Monsieur... that's all I came to tell you. She waits for you in the garden."
Klaus got up and walked past the butler then down the hallway. The corridors of his palace dimly lit and devoid of much light... a mildly unsettling feat when you consider it was a sunny day outside even so the sun's rays seemed to have an issue with peaking through the closed out windows. Klaus paced through spinning corridors until he ended on the first floor of his estate. Two stares were ahead of head curving out to two different wings of the large building. Red tinted rugs, knightly sets of armor, and gargoyles lined the manor. It seemed like a haunted place like the one you'd read about in a horror story and yet the place was clean... not a single speck of dust could be found in the Archduke's home. Everything was to be perfect.
The man continued his path, walking in between the stairs. There was a big double door which he opened up one that leads into what most manors would refer to as a courtyard. But Klaus had the place remodeled and turned into a greenhouse. Hot air pushed against his face as he entered the locked up greenhouse a garden of plants found in the four blues big and small. Klaus wasn't a botanist but he did enjoy plants... unlike people they didn't talk back and unlike animals they didn't smell bad. With some exceptions of course.
Silken White butterflies flew around the area rare creatures an exclusive type of insect native to the south blue... one that was attracted to pungent smells. Its population was especially abundant in that sea because of its heat and the effect it had on decomposing carcasses as well as blooming flowers. Two things that drew them in... Klaus loved the small creatures they allowed for his garden to flourish more and besides they were something to brag about whenever guests came through.
Ahead was a tree a Royal Poinciana a tree in full bloom covered in thousands of blood-red flowers that seemed like its leaves. Crimson petals flew down covering the floor in a mat of red. Small brown bats slept on the branches of the tree... a family of lesser long-nosed bats that Klaus had allowed to live within his garden. Combined with the butterflies they would pollinate the entire greenhouse giving the plant life an almost supernatural gleam... no matter the season it seemed like the plants were in a perpetual state of bloom.
Klaus paced toward the giant crimson tree spotting a woman of about average height with long wavy brown hair. Her appearance was one that would be missed in a crowd of people none of her features seemed particularly outstanding or otherworldly she was simply average in all terms. But perhaps her art was exceptional... after all, she hand come here to draw for an important noble. For an Archduke. Klaus tilted his head as he looked at her from a distance too afraid to disturb her current state. The woman in question seemed to be looking intently at one of the large red flowers it was as if she had never seen such a thing.
Give or take a minute or two the woman must have felt someone watching her. It was an odd sixth sense all humans had one that was hard to explain. The ability to note when you are watched. The ability to note when to two eyeballs stuck to the back of your neck and ironed themselves into your skin giving you a cold and piercing sensation. She turned around looking at the nobleman standing watch just a meter or two away.
Klaus got up and walked past the butler then down the hallway. The corridors of his palace dimly lit and devoid of much light... a mildly unsettling feat when you consider it was a sunny day outside even so the sun's rays seemed to have an issue with peaking through the closed out windows. Klaus paced through spinning corridors until he ended on the first floor of his estate. Two stares were ahead of head curving out to two different wings of the large building. Red tinted rugs, knightly sets of armor, and gargoyles lined the manor. It seemed like a haunted place like the one you'd read about in a horror story and yet the place was clean... not a single speck of dust could be found in the Archduke's home. Everything was to be perfect.
The man continued his path, walking in between the stairs. There was a big double door which he opened up one that leads into what most manors would refer to as a courtyard. But Klaus had the place remodeled and turned into a greenhouse. Hot air pushed against his face as he entered the locked up greenhouse a garden of plants found in the four blues big and small. Klaus wasn't a botanist but he did enjoy plants... unlike people they didn't talk back and unlike animals they didn't smell bad. With some exceptions of course.
Silken White butterflies flew around the area rare creatures an exclusive type of insect native to the south blue... one that was attracted to pungent smells. Its population was especially abundant in that sea because of its heat and the effect it had on decomposing carcasses as well as blooming flowers. Two things that drew them in... Klaus loved the small creatures they allowed for his garden to flourish more and besides they were something to brag about whenever guests came through.
Ahead was a tree a Royal Poinciana a tree in full bloom covered in thousands of blood-red flowers that seemed like its leaves. Crimson petals flew down covering the floor in a mat of red. Small brown bats slept on the branches of the tree... a family of lesser long-nosed bats that Klaus had allowed to live within his garden. Combined with the butterflies they would pollinate the entire greenhouse giving the plant life an almost supernatural gleam... no matter the season it seemed like the plants were in a perpetual state of bloom.
Klaus paced toward the giant crimson tree spotting a woman of about average height with long wavy brown hair. Her appearance was one that would be missed in a crowd of people none of her features seemed particularly outstanding or otherworldly she was simply average in all terms. But perhaps her art was exceptional... after all, she hand come here to draw for an important noble. For an Archduke. Klaus tilted his head as he looked at her from a distance too afraid to disturb her current state. The woman in question seemed to be looking intently at one of the large red flowers it was as if she had never seen such a thing.
Give or take a minute or two the woman must have felt someone watching her. It was an odd sixth sense all humans had one that was hard to explain. The ability to note when you are watched. The ability to note when to two eyeballs stuck to the back of your neck and ironed themselves into your skin giving you a cold and piercing sensation. She turned around looking at the nobleman standing watch just a meter or two away.
"P-pardon me sir.. I was just..."
The woman stuttered at Klaus's presence. Sure he was just another person but he was also noble an imposing man at that.
"...admiring the flowers... yes. So it seems. Nothing wrong with that so don't apologize. They are to be admired."
Klaus finished her sentence, he seemed unamused at her shift in tone. This was exactly what he feared. This was exactly why he hadn't interrupted her earlier... admiring a flower was normal if anything a natural thing to feel. The Archduke let out a sigh... a butterfly began to flutter around him and Klaus stuck his hand out his index stinking above the rest. The small delicate creature nested itself on his finger slowly opening and closing its wing as it rested itself on Klaus. He looked at the small creature for a moment before turning to the brunette woman.
"Marvelous isn't? Nature I mean... yet we... mankind. Shun it. What a shame..."
He frowned for a moment remembering his thoughts on monotony from earlier. The insataious feeling of emptiness one felt at times. Here was a man who had what most desired. Wealth and power... yet he felt like none of it mattered. Instead, he was more content admiring a flower blooming or small delicate insect's flutter than making the most out of what he owned. The insect finally flew away, the man put his arm down and continued to look at the woman in front of him. There was a long awkward silence as the woman seemed to be recollecting herself from the spook. Klaus getting tired with it all decided to break the ice. He turned around and began to pace away.
"So... what's your name?"
He asked, his tone numb with very little emotion but great interest. This woman would be his artist for the day he felt it was best to get acquainted with her. The woman stood up from her crouching position and began to follow the nobleman.
"Monet, sir... Monet Claude."
She responded the Archduke nodded slowly in approval. Monet Claude, he'd heard of her before a famous artist from the North Blue. From Lyneel to be exact land of rolling green hills and beautiful architecture. She was far from home.
"How are you enjoying the Bourgeois Kingdom Monet?"
Klaus asked the woman, Monet looked at his back, he was a tall man one of a somber mood too. She had a feeling she had to choose her words with him and yet she felt like no matter what she said the Archduke would likely not care. He seemed disinterested in life... that made her wonder why he'd ask for a painting. Further, why had he gone through all the trouble of orchestrating a contest and offering the winner the opportunity to come and paint at his estate?
"I like it very much... it's very beautiful... but if I may I have a question of my own."
Monet spoke up, she seemed to be growing her confidence just a bit. Klaus arrived at the double doors which he opened up leading into the halls up head with the two stairs. The Archduke turned around to look at the woman for a moment. He gave her a shrug, he didn't care if she had questions... this was if anything that he wanted. Speaking with an outside person... one willing to disagree with him unlike all of his butlers who'd probably agree with anything he said. Even the most absurd of statements like claiming a red apple was blue! His butlers would probably be an agreement with him. Boring! It was boring!
"Ask away... don't hold back."
He gave her a warm smile, a fixture in his otherwise cold demeanor. Klaus turned around taking one of the stairs. Monet was left amazed, she'd never expected a nobleman to have that sort of reaction.
"Umm well... umm I wanted to know why you asked for this painting?"
Klaus gave her a shrug as went up the stairs. The woman following him up... it was a good question the one she had posed. Why he of all people had commissioned an artistic piece. Klaus was a nihilist but even he appreciated beauty. He respected those gifted with artistic qualities... they had something he didn't and that was always a point of envy. Of admiration. That's what envy was after all right? Admiration to the greatest degree to desire something that you lack. Perhaps not. Philosophy was not his strong suit. But a man was free to think his own thoughts.
"Art is life."
He simply answered it was a short concise answer. One that Monet had not expected. She had a hard to decipher what the man meant by his statement. Why was art life? If anything was a facsimile of life. Not quite a mockery and not quite a flattery. Art could be what it wished. If art wanted to mock someone it could. If art wanted to flatter someone it could. Or rather art was in the hands of the artist. Art was also in the eye of the beholder. It could be anything and everything. It could also be meaningless and nothing at all.
"What do you mean?"
The artists asked she was interested in Klaus' statement about art. She really hadn't thought about her paintings beyond that... they were paintings. Things to be admired! That's it! For the matter, most artists were the same they'd think of a piece and draw out of the urge to create a visual of the mental image they had. Of course, some artists did emphasize the concept of meaning but not all did. In fact, a lot less did than what one would be lead to believe by art critics.
"Art can be anything... art is meaningless... like life. You choose to give it what meaning you want. It's in the eye of the beholder."
The woman was suprised and yet not suprised. She'd expect this answer from Klaus but she was suprised that her assumptions had yielded correct results. Yet, her initial question was still not answered... not fully that is.
"But why? Why did you ask for art? I still don't understand where you're going with this!"
Klaus smiled leading the woman into a room. It was his art gallery a place with portraits of himself each from a different stage in his life... the paintings lined the wall. The man in them was the same and yet he was different. With each passing year, it seemed like he'd become someone different... different clothes, hairstyles, facial expressions, settings, tones. The list went on... all different people loosely connected to a past self that was vaguely similar all linked. Each learning from each other's mistakes for in the end to be a hope.
"Do you see now?"
Klaus said to the artist. Monet looked around the room appreciating each piece. Each with a different style to it... different artists had come here and drawn for Klaus. A lifetime of a man immortalized in art alone... that's what he meant, wasn't it? He asked for it to see himself. To see his growth. To view his own interpretation of existence through the lenses of someone else. It was an amazing thing. The man leads her to the center of the room where an empty canvas with painting utensils was available for her... Klaus took a seat on the stool across from her.
"This'll be the location of your masterpiece."
The artist approached her empty canvas silently. She looked over at Klaus... now that the man was willing to speak. Well now that she was willing to speak to him her mind was filled with questions. This eccentric person interested her quite a lot. She wondered what he'd one in his lifetime what he'd done to achieve this status what pushed him to collect all this art beyond the prospect of viewing different versions of himself.
"Sir von Grimm..."
The artist asked she was still timid but confident. She reached into her bag pulling out various brushes and painting utensils. Klaus watched from his stool looking at her in her work.
"What is it?"
He muttered, the man tried to sit up straight in his stool.
"Nothing, usually I like asking the people who I paint about their lives... I guess... maybe this inappropriate for me but I want to know about you! I want to understand your thought process."
Klaus smiled he then began to laugh out loud. This woman truly wanted to know more? Fine, she could... he had nothing better to do than to stand still for two hours might as well spend it speaking to someone.
"Blehehehehe-hehehehehe! Sure... why don't I start at the beginning?
Where it all began...
The woman stuttered at Klaus's presence. Sure he was just another person but he was also noble an imposing man at that.
"...admiring the flowers... yes. So it seems. Nothing wrong with that so don't apologize. They are to be admired."
Klaus finished her sentence, he seemed unamused at her shift in tone. This was exactly what he feared. This was exactly why he hadn't interrupted her earlier... admiring a flower was normal if anything a natural thing to feel. The Archduke let out a sigh... a butterfly began to flutter around him and Klaus stuck his hand out his index stinking above the rest. The small delicate creature nested itself on his finger slowly opening and closing its wing as it rested itself on Klaus. He looked at the small creature for a moment before turning to the brunette woman.
"Marvelous isn't? Nature I mean... yet we... mankind. Shun it. What a shame..."
He frowned for a moment remembering his thoughts on monotony from earlier. The insataious feeling of emptiness one felt at times. Here was a man who had what most desired. Wealth and power... yet he felt like none of it mattered. Instead, he was more content admiring a flower blooming or small delicate insect's flutter than making the most out of what he owned. The insect finally flew away, the man put his arm down and continued to look at the woman in front of him. There was a long awkward silence as the woman seemed to be recollecting herself from the spook. Klaus getting tired with it all decided to break the ice. He turned around and began to pace away.
"So... what's your name?"
He asked, his tone numb with very little emotion but great interest. This woman would be his artist for the day he felt it was best to get acquainted with her. The woman stood up from her crouching position and began to follow the nobleman.
"Monet, sir... Monet Claude."
She responded the Archduke nodded slowly in approval. Monet Claude, he'd heard of her before a famous artist from the North Blue. From Lyneel to be exact land of rolling green hills and beautiful architecture. She was far from home.
"How are you enjoying the Bourgeois Kingdom Monet?"
Klaus asked the woman, Monet looked at his back, he was a tall man one of a somber mood too. She had a feeling she had to choose her words with him and yet she felt like no matter what she said the Archduke would likely not care. He seemed disinterested in life... that made her wonder why he'd ask for a painting. Further, why had he gone through all the trouble of orchestrating a contest and offering the winner the opportunity to come and paint at his estate?
"I like it very much... it's very beautiful... but if I may I have a question of my own."
Monet spoke up, she seemed to be growing her confidence just a bit. Klaus arrived at the double doors which he opened up leading into the halls up head with the two stairs. The Archduke turned around to look at the woman for a moment. He gave her a shrug, he didn't care if she had questions... this was if anything that he wanted. Speaking with an outside person... one willing to disagree with him unlike all of his butlers who'd probably agree with anything he said. Even the most absurd of statements like claiming a red apple was blue! His butlers would probably be an agreement with him. Boring! It was boring!
"Ask away... don't hold back."
He gave her a warm smile, a fixture in his otherwise cold demeanor. Klaus turned around taking one of the stairs. Monet was left amazed, she'd never expected a nobleman to have that sort of reaction.
"Umm well... umm I wanted to know why you asked for this painting?"
Klaus gave her a shrug as went up the stairs. The woman following him up... it was a good question the one she had posed. Why he of all people had commissioned an artistic piece. Klaus was a nihilist but even he appreciated beauty. He respected those gifted with artistic qualities... they had something he didn't and that was always a point of envy. Of admiration. That's what envy was after all right? Admiration to the greatest degree to desire something that you lack. Perhaps not. Philosophy was not his strong suit. But a man was free to think his own thoughts.
"Art is life."
He simply answered it was a short concise answer. One that Monet had not expected. She had a hard to decipher what the man meant by his statement. Why was art life? If anything was a facsimile of life. Not quite a mockery and not quite a flattery. Art could be what it wished. If art wanted to mock someone it could. If art wanted to flatter someone it could. Or rather art was in the hands of the artist. Art was also in the eye of the beholder. It could be anything and everything. It could also be meaningless and nothing at all.
"What do you mean?"
The artists asked she was interested in Klaus' statement about art. She really hadn't thought about her paintings beyond that... they were paintings. Things to be admired! That's it! For the matter, most artists were the same they'd think of a piece and draw out of the urge to create a visual of the mental image they had. Of course, some artists did emphasize the concept of meaning but not all did. In fact, a lot less did than what one would be lead to believe by art critics.
"Art can be anything... art is meaningless... like life. You choose to give it what meaning you want. It's in the eye of the beholder."
The woman was suprised and yet not suprised. She'd expect this answer from Klaus but she was suprised that her assumptions had yielded correct results. Yet, her initial question was still not answered... not fully that is.
"But why? Why did you ask for art? I still don't understand where you're going with this!"
Klaus smiled leading the woman into a room. It was his art gallery a place with portraits of himself each from a different stage in his life... the paintings lined the wall. The man in them was the same and yet he was different. With each passing year, it seemed like he'd become someone different... different clothes, hairstyles, facial expressions, settings, tones. The list went on... all different people loosely connected to a past self that was vaguely similar all linked. Each learning from each other's mistakes for in the end to be a hope.
"Do you see now?"
Klaus said to the artist. Monet looked around the room appreciating each piece. Each with a different style to it... different artists had come here and drawn for Klaus. A lifetime of a man immortalized in art alone... that's what he meant, wasn't it? He asked for it to see himself. To see his growth. To view his own interpretation of existence through the lenses of someone else. It was an amazing thing. The man leads her to the center of the room where an empty canvas with painting utensils was available for her... Klaus took a seat on the stool across from her.
"This'll be the location of your masterpiece."
The artist approached her empty canvas silently. She looked over at Klaus... now that the man was willing to speak. Well now that she was willing to speak to him her mind was filled with questions. This eccentric person interested her quite a lot. She wondered what he'd one in his lifetime what he'd done to achieve this status what pushed him to collect all this art beyond the prospect of viewing different versions of himself.
"Sir von Grimm..."
The artist asked she was still timid but confident. She reached into her bag pulling out various brushes and painting utensils. Klaus watched from his stool looking at her in her work.
"What is it?"
He muttered, the man tried to sit up straight in his stool.
"Nothing, usually I like asking the people who I paint about their lives... I guess... maybe this inappropriate for me but I want to know about you! I want to understand your thought process."
Klaus smiled he then began to laugh out loud. This woman truly wanted to know more? Fine, she could... he had nothing better to do than to stand still for two hours might as well spend it speaking to someone.
"Blehehehehe-hehehehehe! Sure... why don't I start at the beginning?
Where it all began...
