Though it’s dank down the long winding steps she is anxious. The anxiety only grows with each step. With nothing but the occasional cursory glance of the crumbling mortar so riddled with lichens that in some places one would have surely believed it to be unable to support the weight of the mammoth of a manor above it she quickly descended into the chambers below. What has brought upon such anxieties is the thought of missing out on another day with her companion, fearful that her father might dispose of him at any moment. The instant her feet make contact with the roughhewn stones of the floor below a large pair of hands reach from behind and envelope her in a tight embrace. Her fears are instantly cast aside as she is spun around and met with the sight of Clause. Sewn together by the hands of her father he is anything but the average man. Scars crawl along his body like so many breaks in a wave. Though he is riddled with these marking Evaine has never once felt a moment of disquiet when in his presence. If anything he is a comfort to her. She hugs him his tall frame bending over to cover the space between her much shorter and lithe one. With his much larger hand encasing hers he leads her. Past whirling machines and sparking containers of radiating liquids of varying colors. This had once been the home of a man whom her father had idled as a genius and, having died a millennium ago, her father had sworn to carry on the work of the prestigious Frankenstein though more for his benefit than in memory of a once deranged scientist. They sit. Side by side coming to rest beneath one of the large tanks that had been used to cultivate the bulk of her father’s experiments. His face is alight with excitement eager to begin the conversation he reaches into his pocket and removes a crumpled photo. The edges well-worn along the fold line. Father gave me this the other day. I’ve been waiting to show it to you. He hands it with reverence over to her. It is a picture of her when she was somewhat younger unchanged physically of course but before Clause’ time. He’s never given me something like this before. He points out with one callused hand. I think he’s going to keep me around. Maybe I’m as good as he thinks he’s going to get. He excitedly tells her. The joy in his eyes is almost too much for her to take. It is never enough. Not to father. She knows this. But doesn’t have the heart to tell him. What Clause doesn’t know is that she’s seen it before. Time and time again. Back to when she was still human. Still so easily breakable. The first time being when she had nearly drowned fifty years previous only to have a large crippled beast of some sort reach down and save her drowning himself in the process. When she had awoken and asked as to what had happened to her rescuer she was informed that he had regretfully died and then was introduced to a carbon copy though with the full use of his legs. Her father had seen this as an interesting development having thought that his creations would be incapable of compassion and as such had made the decision to change her and adopt her as his daughter. Only so that he may watch each creature’s reaction to her. She was resentful of the man’s cruel view of his creations. They were nothing more to him than disposable puppets, but to her they had been friends. Since then five had come and gone. Each ten years replaced by a more achieved model. She doubted that she could survive the experience of loss one more time. If Clause were to die then she would follow. By whatever means necessary. They continued to talk side by side her long brown hair just below his medium blonde waves. His complexion though by no means perfect was without a doubt better than most. His ski scarred was nevertheless fair. His face displayed a strong jaw and steady clear blue eyes. After several hours of simply enjoying each other’s company. She dozed off. Only aware that she had done so when she blinked her eyes and found a large quilted comforter covering her. For a moment she was gripped by panic fearing that while she had slept Clause had already been converted to nothing more than a pile of blackened ash and bone in the incinerator. But no. Her hand remains clasped within his own and the panic is swept away as fleeting as a summer’s day up on the minute ledge of a mountain their home is precariously balanced upon. She turns to see him the sight both heart wrenching and endearing. He’s leaned back legs crossed. Back to the chamber they had chosen to sit beneath asleep. The thought of losing him only tears her farther apart inside. But for the moment they are together and that is enough. For now no decisions must be made of the uncertain future that looms ahead. She settles back down. Her head resting against his chest listening to the slow rhythmic beating of his heart counting the seconds away. The moment is forever caught in her own.