Sat, May 19 2012
Phileas stood poised in the bow of the Aurora, gazing up at the clear brightness of the sky and feeling the warm wind on his face. The day was truly magnificent and the landscape below them beautiful and exotic, though, in truth, Phileas was not paying strict attention to his surroundings. He was, instead, recalling another magnificent day earlier in the week, by the lake at Shillingworth Magna. There he and Jules had stood again beside the peaceful water and again they had put ceremony into their love by renewing the promises they had made two years ago. This time, however, they had made those promises into true and honest vows. Vows made fast by oath and honor and, most importantly, by love. Even more significant to him than the first time, Phileas knew that he would keep those vows for good, in all seriousness. There would be no doubt this time, no lingering lack of trust. He had made it so in his heart.
And there had been an exchange that day, unexpected, but profoundly moving.
"I have something for you," Jules had said as he stood there with the sunset behind him, his beautiful hazel eyes bright and illumined. Then he had taken out a small leather-bound book from his jacket. "There are things I knew I wanted to say," he had explained, "but if I tried to speak them out loud they would get lost, so I wrote them instead."
Phileas had opened the small book and read the words, more poetic and magical than he could ever have imagined words being, and could not speak for a long time.
"But I have nothing for you," he had said eventually, feeling greatly ashamed that he had not thought of it.
Jules had only smiled. "You've given me your life and your heart. What more could I want?"
Phileas sighed, remembering that exchange and what had come afterward, there on a private, grassy bank, as the sun went down. And it was then he had remembered that he had something to give Jules after all.
Behind him, at the Aurora's controls, Passepartout suddenly cleared his throat to gain attention.
"Master?" He pointed ahead and Phileas refocused himself on their location.
They had arrived.
At the sight of what lay below them Phileas' resolve almost disappeared as an old shadow passed across his heart, blotting his soul with memories of evil and darkness. He very nearly lost his composure.
But then Jules was coming forward and his eyes were shining.
"Are we there?" he asked, barely containing his excitement.
Phileas turned to him and in that moment the shadow passed away forever, instantly, overcome by the sheer lightness of love.
"Come and see," he said quietly, holding out his hand.
As Jules came to the railing, Phileas and Passepartout exchanged a knowing glance and a smile. Then Jules gasped in astonishment and Phileas had eyes only for him. They were at Giza and there below, in all of their magnificence and stunning splendor, were the great Egyptian pyramids. Jules was filled with wonder and delight and absolute awe and Phileas felt all of it through him.
"Incredible," Jules murmured. "Just incredible." He turned and the look in his eyes was one that Phileas would gladly have died for. "Thank you for this," he whispered. "With all my heart."
Phileas squeezed Jules' hand and nodded, finding no words to express his joy at Jules' pleasure. Then they stood together and gazed down at the wonders of Egypt in silent admiration. It was a good beginning, Phileas decided, for two people who had taken a long hard road and were intent now on making a fresh start together. Inside his jacket he could feel Jules' book next to his heart, where he kept it, and Phileas knew that whenever there was need or even when there was not, he could always read the special things written there and be assured of how much he and Jules meant to each other. How much there was, and would always be, of love. Yes. It was a very good beginning indeed.
The End
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