Chapter 3 "Invisible"

I rode Majesty out to The Bleak Forest with one sole purpose in mind.  I was determined to create something...anything to accompany my Voice.  I knew that I had to go deep into the forest this time such that I could hear my father should he decide to wander into this area.

I found some Cherry Wood from which I could craft what I knew would me my second prize possession. I constructed the shape and face board with an oblong pattern and a narrow fret board.  I took some sap from another cherry tree and polished them both until my hands were weary and cracked.

Then I took strands of Horse Hair from Majesty and crafted six tightly woven strings that passed from the fret board to the base of what I now called my guitar. At the end of the Fret Board I placed six silver turnstiles with holes to pass the strings through such that they might alter the tone of the strings by making them taut.

I was very proud of my new musical instrument and I could not hardly wait until I could begin to create
Music to accompany my voice.  At this point I did not name any of the notes or chords, however I knew that I would eventually make melodies to accompany any lyrics I might give them.

I knew most every form of Mathematics quite well, but I wanted something simple at this point since I was just getting my feet wet in this World of Music.  I simply called the strings as one through six. I began to practice playing my guitar and I found all manner of notes I could play yet alone they seemed lacking in melody.

The first thing that I needed to do was find some structure for the notes I had found; however, I could not do anything until I found the correct pitch for each string.  Until that time, the sounds were rather chromatic and dissonant.

Since three had always been my favorite number, I searched for and found the third letter "C" and having named my first pitch, I was able to make each string align with this particular one.

While I was not ready for a complicated and complex instrumental melody, I decided to give my first note a few companion strings. I therefore chose two additional strings varying the notes by placing my fingers upon a different and unique place on the fret board until the "C" chord whispered it's firstborn melodic sound.

There was no time here at this point to search for all of the possibilities my guitar would eventually give me. Little did I know that I would soon find majors...minors...fifths...sevenths...ninths...augmented...and diminished chords.

In a life full of nothing but torment and shadows, I had finally created a companion for my Voice. Now I had the key to create Music and I hastened to call for Majesty and have him carry me to my home.

As I arrived at my paltry home I found the door wide opened.  Then I saw War standing idle in the front yard. The fear that ensued was unimaginable.   
The first thing I sought to hide and protect was my guitar.  As I tried vigorously to dismount and place it under the crawlspace, I looked up and saw Damien standing not ten feet from me.

He grabbed me with one of his rock solid arms and he took the guitar from the other.  He then said: "Let's go speak to Father."  As we walked towards the front steps, tears began to fall upon my cheeks and by the time I saw father I was already sobbing.

The first thing he asked me about was the guitar.  I tried to explain Music to him but with every word coming from my mouth, he would beat me with my own guitar.  It was if I could hear the guitar begin to weep along with me.

He left no places on my entire body unscathed. While perhaps no more than fifteen minutes had passed, it seemed like forever. By now I was lying prone on the floor with blood scattered about me and my guitar. I began to talk to my guitar.  I sang these words time and time again: "Sing For Me...My Angel of Music...Sing For Me.

The guitar was nothing more than mangled pieces of wood and strings.  He finally relented and threw what was left of the wreckage against the wall. He said: "I thought I had made it perfectly clear to you  Erik just how I felt about your singing.

"Yes father, I know that is why I was removed from the palace and the palace grounds." I went on to say: "But father, the guitar was meant for Music. Music can comfort father...Music can heal."

"Who said we need those feelings here in this kingdom:" father replied. "There is no room in my kingdom for such nonsense Erik. How could the blood that flows through my veins and your brothers not flow through you?"

Father went on to say: "Erik, if I ever hear you playing this so called Music again, you will be banished forever from the entire kingdom." Then father in his own brutal way explained why he had sought after me.

He was aware of my creativity and artistry and he wanted an Eastern Gate built along the border such that none could enter nor leave.  The Northern, Western and Southern boundaries of the kingdom were bordered by The Black Sea and there were mighty Dark Angels who patrolled any potential access.

"Do you have any suggestions for me father" I said. "I need to know how high and how narrow and just what you are looking for."  Father replied: "Think about what happened here today.  You know what would please me and that which would not.  When you question yourself as to the decisions you must make, ask yourself what would father or Damien do.  Just remember this...There will be no room for mistakes here Erik. This is your final chance.  An error here or there will be met with terminal consequences."

I closed my eyes and waited for Damien and father to leave.  Though only a few minutes, it seemed like hours passed. As soon as they had departed, I called for Majesty and we hastily made our way back to The Bleak Forest. I was determined to replace my broken guitar with a new one.

Upon my arrival in the deep forest, I saw several dark angels gathered around in a large circle. When Majesty and I finally made it to the huddled mass, some of the dark angels parted to make way for us to venture towards the middle. 

I could not believe my eyes.  Lying on a redwood stump was the most beautiful guitar I could ever have imagined.  It was obvious that the dark angels had watched my every move when I built my first guitar and they not only replicated it, they improved upon it.  

They had taken the fret board and separated it with white dots and markings and created a separate device they called a capo that enabled any note or chord to be moved in concert with one's individual voice.

While I was ready to create Music at this point, I still needed inspiration.  The dark angels that had gathered there were fleeing from an environment much like mine.  They were lonely, hurt, sad, ridiculed, disillusioned and afraid.

But mostly throughout the entire kingdom, they were Invisible.  They had felt the scourge of wrath and were almost broken to The Point of No Return. What they needed and perhaps what I needed the most was to feel noticed.

They, nor I, desired to carry the burden of our current existence nor the pain and sorrow associated with it. We longed for a place where there were no memories of the difficult times or places that still lingered and haunted us but a new place where being different did not mean being absent.

Sing For Me...My Angel of Music...Sing For Me!!!

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