Lake of Memory

Disclaimer: Lake Louise is property of Yuhki Kuramoto; the plot and characters, are mine.

Lake of Memory - Response to Melodic Muse Challenge; inspired by Lake Louise by Yuhki Kuramoto.

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Gentle hands and a tight grip maneuvered the spirited animal across the field towards a specific destination that lay in wait just beyond the small mountain. A cool autumn breeze picked up, its wispy fingers caressing the meadow reeds and Johnson grass as the wildflowers to danced to the silent tune. The low sitting sun offered the last of it's rays, the beams bathing the deep valley in a warm glow before retiring for the day.

A shadowed figure rode across the field leaving a trail in it's wake through the tall grass, the gentle swaying motion cutting the late afternoon sunshine.

“Where are we going?”

She didn't think the question too demanding and sighed when her only response was, “That's a secret.”

“So you won't tell me then,” she tried again, her sweaty palms readjusting their grasp on his shirt. They had been traveling by horseback for almost half an hour; she was unfamiliar with the territory and therefore, thoroughly lost as he made his way through mountain trails, woods and scores of open fields. She shifted her weight, trying to right herself and keep from sliding to the side with the horse's natural gaited rhythm. Leaning forward slightly, she propped her chin on his shoulder and awaited an answer.

He turned slightly in the saddle, a mischievous grin planting itself firmly on his tanned face. “If I told you, then it wouldn't be a secret, now would it?”

“What about a hint?”

Her curious-natured pleading only led to him laughing, a twinkle of amusement lighting up his dark eyes. He simply shrugged, the action causing her to sigh even more as she re-settled herself behind him. The expression upon her face clearly stated that she was both confused and inquisitive at their intended destination, even if she was slightly miffed that he wouldn't tell her exactly where that destination was. She finally sighed in defeat and sat back, might as well enjoy the ride. They rode in silence, the soft plodding of the horse's feet and the crickets the only sounds filling the air; fireflies darted in and out of the grass, their softly illuminated bodies tiny specks on the horizon. A wayward strand of hair tickled her face and she crinkled her nose before tucking the offending stray behind an ear. They had traveled a ways in silence by now and her curiosity was growing more, but she forced herself to remain patient, even if it wasn't her strongest trait. Patience is a virtue, she mused. For him, she would be patient a little while longer.

“Are we there yet?” ....well, maybe not too patient....

“Almost,” he didn't bother to turn and look at her and instead just adjusted his cowboy hat. “Just over that ridge.”

She craned her neck to peer around him. “That ridge?” she questioned uncertainly, her eyes skimming the rocky terrain. She wasn't sure what the proper term was for what she was staring at, but she was almost positive that ridge was not it; rocky, jutted and rather steep, it seemed to be more like a hellacious mountain face than just a simple ridge.

“Yep, thats the one,” he remarked proudly. “Don't worry, ol' Crit can make it. With a good start, he'll blaze a trail right to the top!”

The statement caught her attention and sent her eye twitching in annoyance. I am a pianist, she silently berated. Not a trail blazer! She didn't have time to chastise him as the horse beneath her sprang forward into a fast paced walk in the direction of the hill-side. It felt like hours that the poor animal struggled up the trail, his footing occasionally slipping as he did his best to reach the top. He finally crested the hill and came to a stop, the effort rewarding him a pat of gratitude on the neck. Being nudged tenderly, he changed his direction and followed the top trail around before descending a path on the other side towards the bottom.

If beautiful was the only word she could fathom to describe what greeted them, then it would surely be an understatement; but as such, it was the first word that came to mind, and thus the word in which she whispered as she gazed across the open expanse.

“Lake Louise,” the man offered, a grin on his tanned face.

Sunlight danced across the crystal surface, it's beams reflecting on the water and giving it a sparkling appearance. Dragonflies dipped and weaved in and out of the water as the late afternoon wind played amongst the cat-tails edging the lakeside. The scene was truly peaceful and she soon found herself lost in the moment, holding to the man she loved, the two forgotten as time stood still.

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It was no surprise she found herself here; it was the same place she ventured every year, on this very day and the lake was still as beautiful now as it had been then. How long has it been now...?{/i{ She briefly thought on the mental question, a slight frown on her face as she calculated the answer. Eleven years... such a long time. “Too long,” she whispered in agreement, her tone shaky and depressed. A cool autumn breeze tugged at her hair and she turned her face into the caress, her eyes sliding shut as her mind slipped back in time. Back then, time had stood still for the two, careful not to disturb them. But that moment didn't last and time started flowing again the minute they returned to reality. Yet, each and every time they visited the lake, time had stopped, just for them- just long enough for them to fall in love all over again. But even time had it's limits: time couldn't change the past nor could it promise an unchanging future, and time couldn't save him- time couldn't stop forever.

Opening half-tired eyes, she peered down at her hands. Several old and crinkled papers were wadded in her fist, the once eligible, flowing script faded with age. She didn't need the words to be readable to know what had been written; she had written them. Lines, notes and symbols all came together to compose a score, a slow piece comprised with passion, patience and a promise. The music of her heart. This lake had been her inspiration. She didn't cry, she had ceased to do so long ago. The point of her visit wasn't to shed a few tears, it was to remember. To remember how it had felt all those years ago when she first came here with him.

Lifting her hand, she released her grip on the papers. A gust of fall wind tugged them gently from her grasp and set them fluttering in it's wake, the once honored music score being lost in time. For you, dear one....

A soft nudge brought her back to reality, the impatient nibbling tickling her skin. She turned, a hand coming to rest gratefully on the long neck of the old horse that stood faithfully at her side. With a quick scratch and a pat, she had successfully turned him around, their backs now facing the shimmering lake. Gripping the leather reins in her hand, she hoisted herself as gracefully as she could into the well-worn saddle, a small smile tugging at the corner's of her lips for the first time in a long while. Taking a moment to admire the view from up so high, she ran a hand through her hair before urging the horse forward. “Let's go home, boy,” she whispered, her voice being lost to the wind as another voice from long ago raised to her ears.

“Lake Louise.” A lake of beauty, a lake of dreams- a lake of memory...



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Author's Corner: An original! Its not the greatest, and I am sure there are errors left and right in here that could be corrected that I overlooked- while I like what I write to be flawless in many ways, I am not an extreme perfectionist. There is a lot of room for error and I do make mistakes- making them and learning from them, make me a better writer. :) But, I left the characters nameless; they can be anyone, anybody. I also tried making the music score this fic is based on obvious as well as the main character. I made her a pianist because, the score mentioned in the end, would be the score of Lake Louise. And since the actual song sports not only hints of love, but some sadness as well, I decided to have the guy not-present. And thus the music score she composed in his memory, is released and lost and the lake seemed like the only logical place to do that considering the events of the story. =)