Adam could not believe what he had just heard. Healer Edward could do nothing for him, he would be blind for the rest of his life. Until now he had never truly believed that his blindness was permanent. He had done his best to be a good boy, so why is he being punished instead of rewarded? Tears started to come from Adam's eyes as he started to cry. While he was sobbing, Vivienne came to hold and comfort him. In his crying fit, Adam did not hear the rest of the conversation with Edward.
Vivienne looked at Adam with sorrowful eyes. “Is there truly nothing else to be done?”
Healer Edward looked at them with sympathy showing in his eye. “I did not realize this meant so much to Adam. This may send him into a depression.” Edward had mistakenly assumed Adam knew he might not be able to see again. Edward gave Vivienne's question some thought before hesitatingly giving an answer: “There are two methods that I can think of that could possibly help Adam. Both are very unlikely to happen however.”
Vivienne started to get excited as Edward spoke but was put a little off towards the end. Even Janette started to listen more intently to see if it was anything she could help with.
Edward spoke: “The first method is to get Adam to see a healing spiritualist. They charge quite a premium for their services and it would cost a few months of the Madame's entire salary.”
Janette paled a bit when she thought of it. There was no way she could put that much money aside, just for Adam and Vivienne. Vivienne, also, would never ask for that much money.
Edward continued with the second option: “The other option is just as unlikely to happen. If Adam attempted to learn how to form his own spiritual path, he could potentially use a spiritualist's ability to sense the spirit essence of the world, to see. There are a few recorded cases of this happening, but it is still unlikely to occur.”
What were spiritualists? They were people who could control the spirit essence of the world! It is said that one in a thousand people could faintly feel spirit essence. To these people, they would feel it merely as a form of intuition and would never be able to advance along the path of a spiritualist. Only one in a thousand of those who could sense spirit essence would be able to form what is called a path of spiritual understanding. And even these spiritualists would only be able to understand the bare minimum of their paths and barely be able to affect the world with spirit essence formations. Truly strong spiritualists that could shake the earth, summon vast disasters, or even heal others, were far too rare.
While the Kingdom of Heider may have collected as many as a few hundred spiritualists over many decades, they were still too hard to come by. Vivienne, herself, had never seen any spiritualists in her life. She could barely understand what they were. The only time she had seen a spiritualist's power, was that night at Fort Erich. A spiritualist, that was slightly stronger than a common one, had managed to summon that horde of ghouls. The chances of Adam succeeding at forming a spiritual path, and becoming a spiritualist, were one in a million at best.
Vivienne was crest fallen. She had hoped the healer could do something or give them a lead on how to help Adam. However, she did not expect such terrible news. The healer could do nothing and the few possibilities that could help Adam were out of reach.
Edward saw Vivienne becoming dispirited at his news. Also noticing that Adam was not paying attention to what they were saying, he said: “If you want to see if Adam has the smallest chance of becoming a spiritualist, there is a testing center here in the city. They do testing once a month. Also don't tell him about the possibility of regaining his eye sight through a spiritual path until you are sure that he is out of his depressed state. He may latch on to the idea of becoming a spiritualist as his last life line, and if he doesn't become one.... the results could be drastic for the future development of his mind and body.”
Vivienne vaguely understood what Edward meant. It would be better for Adam to accept that he is blind, and try to find a way to live with it, than for him to reject his blindness and wildly reach for solutions that wouldn't work. She could only hold onto Adam, as his crying started to subside a bit, while she worried about what their next steps for him would be.
Edward brought Vivienne out of her thoughts as he spoke: “Why don't you lie the rest of your leg on the bed here, I'll take a look at it.”
After Edward removed Vivienne's bandages and the makeshift splint she used, he started to poke his fingers into her leg to feel the bone. After some examination he just gave another sigh: “All I can do, at this point, is to get you a better splint. Your leg has already begun to heal but the bone is not straight. It will heal improperly. I can only hope that it does not disturb you much after it is done healing. The only other thing I could do is re-break the bone but... I don't think that I could fix it, even with that.”
Vivienne just remained silent after Edward explained her situation. Some tears had also started to come out the corners of her eyes. She had loved to dance and manage the Dancery. Now it seemed that it might be hard for her to even stand in the kitchen, let alone running around organizing things or dancing.
Janette was also at a loss. She had brought the best healer she could find to hopefully give the best of news about their recovery. Instead he was only able to reaffirm the current state they were in; a blind boy and a crippled woman.
Shortly after, Edward left while apologizing that he was unable to do anything. Before he left, he arranged for a better splint to be delivered, while informing Vivienne that she would still need another 4 months to fully heal. The room was quiet after Edward shut the door behind him. Adam was still clinging to Vivienne, he had stopped crying but he did not want to think about anything right at this moment. Vivienne and Janette were both at a loss of what to say or do as well.
As the rest of the day went by, Adam stayed in their room. He was in a depressed mood, he felt very lethargic and did not feel motivated to do anything. Adam truly did not like being blind. Right now, it was very stifling and oppressive to him. That did not help his mood overall.
Hansen had come in once during the day, after he was done with being taught his new job. Hansen was also a bit saddened at the diagnosis that Edward had given. He tried to talk to Adam, but Hansen had no idea of what he could say, to cheer the boy up.
Timothy and the others had come back late in the day. They were successful in finding a good caravan to guard and start their journey to their new home. When they came to give this joyous news, they were put off a little by the melancholy mood in Adam and Vivienne's room. There was also nothing they could do for Adam. They would be leaving with the caravan tomorrow and there would be no delaying it. They felt bad that they had to leave Adam when he needed people that he knew to surround and support him.
In the evening, after Adam had finally fallen asleep, Vivienne and Janette tried to plan out something they could do to get Adam to move out of this depression. The sooner they did something about it, the better. Janette asked a few questions about what Adam liked to do and eventually started to come up with a plan. Excited about her thoughts, she only told Vivienne to be patient and to await the fruits of her labor.
The next morning, Jeffery, Timothy, Barnaby, and their wives all came by to say good bye to Adam and Vivienne. Adam tearfully said good bye to them as well, his mood becoming worse as everyone he knew was starting to leave him. He just continued to stay in his room after they had left, lost in his depression.
Around mid morning, the door to their room, all of the sudden, burst open, startling Adam and Vivienne. Janette walked in with proud steps followed by an amber haired young girl of around sixteen years of age, she would now be considered an adult. Janette pompously announced with a sly smile: “Come along Adam, I have brought Susan to show you around Madame's Dance, Bar, and Brothel!”
Both Adam and Vivienne were momentarily stunned. Vivienne had explicitly asked Janette to avoid the word “brothel” for as long as possible, she did not want Adam to know about where they were, yet. Adam on the other hand was starting to go red in the face as he repeated: “B-b-brothel?”
Adam knew what a brothel was. He had over heard a couple of patrons talking about once in the Dancery. When he asked, both his parents told him that he would know what it was when he got older. Later Adam ended up asking Hansen about it, when he was invited over one time. By the time Vivienne and Alaric figured out what Hansen and Adam were talking about, Hansen had already told Adam everything he need to know about a brothel, while Adam's face was red in embarrassment. This was one of the times were Hansen was promptly chased out of the Dancery for answering a question he should not have.
To answer Adam's stuttering question, Janette said with a growing smile: “Yes, you are currently in Madame's dormitory. This is the place where your mother grew up and worked.”
“Mom!?!” Adam's mind began to spin wildly. Did his mother grow up and work at a brothel?
Vivienne hastily spoke to Adam: “Don't listen to her Adam! I never worked at the brothel. I only danced and worked the bar like we did at the Dancery.” Vivienne then looked at Janette with fire in her eyes: “What are you telling my son Janette!?”
Janette only chuckled in response. At this time, Susan quickly stepped forward and pulled Adam up off the bed and led him out the door to show him around. Adam gave no resistance as he was dragged along. Janette spoke to Vivienne with a wide smile: “This is all part of the plan! Nothing quite like embarrassment and surprises to jump someone out of a melancholic mood.”
“I hope you are not planning on taking him to the second and third floors.”
“Of course not, don't you worry about a thing. By the end of this, I will have Adam playing a flute on the first floor and interacting with others. This will pull him out of his depression for sure!”
Adam did not hear their conversation as he was already well out of ear shot as Susan pulled him along. Adam's mind was in turmoil when she first started to drag him so he did not put up any resistance. Now that his mind had started to calm a little, he was a tad frightened to be with someone whom he knew nothing about. He asked, towards that soft hand that was leading him from the front: “W-where are we going?”
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A youthful and girlish voice pleasantly replied: “I am going to show you around this place. Don't be afraid to ask me any questions. You can call me Susan or big sister, what ever you prefer.” This was just the start of Adam's exhausting morning.
Susan started by taking Adam out to the courtyard. She brought him around the whole area so that he could get a feel for how big it was. While she was guiding him around, she was bombarding him with information about Madame's and the area of Hessler they were in. It was all part of Janette's plan. Adam's mind would be so overloaded with information, he would have no time to be depressed. Anything that caught his attention, that he wanted to know more about, was something that Adam could use to fully pull himself out of his little depression, and start to live once more.
Susan then took Adam to the first floor of Madame's. When they entered, the sounds that bombarded Adam's ears were very familiar. It was different, but still close to the sounds of the Dancery. There were common tunes being played by instruments as dancers danced. Patrons were talking with one another creating a small clamor in the restaurant. Susan brought him around all the different areas on the first floor.
In the center of this wide area were open tables surrounding a circular stage that the dancers used. Along the two walls that were on the sides of the area were reserved booths. They were formed by half-wall counters that held plants to create a slightly isolated dining area. These areas even had their own small dance platforms for one or two dancers.
In the back area, from the entrance, was the bar. It could hold a few patrons along its length, but it was mostly there to separate the kitchen, that was behind the bar, away from the main floor. There were stairs that started in one of the back corners of the floor and turned along the wall to go above the bar. This way led to the upper floors.
Adam enjoyed this place as it felt so familiar to the Dancery. Susan described everything as she led Adam around, she eventually asked in a teasing manner: “So this is the entire first floor. If you go up to the next two floors, those are the areas that have erotic dancing and the brothel.... wanna join big sister up there?”
With a red face Adam vigorously shook his head no as he said: “Nu-uh.”
Susan giggled at his response. “Well its all the better that way. Madame's charges high prices to use those floors.”
Susan then took Adam back to the dormitories to show him the bathing area that he had yet to go to. Adam could not see what was before him, as she dragged him along while saying: “Let's go here first.”
As they entered through a door way, the sounds of the area drastically changed for Adam. They had entered a stone room that had a large basin in the center that could hold and heat water. The basin could hold quite a few people in it at a time. The room was fairly large and sounds easily echoed in this place. It felt very weird to Adam.
Adam heard a splashing noise in the center of the room, as someone tried to hide their body in the basin. “S-susan!? Why did you bring a boy to the girl's bath?”
Adam froze in place as his face started to go beet red again. Susan had dragged him somewhere he should not have gone. Even if he could not see, he knew that there must be a naked girl somewhere in front of him.
Susan just gave a playful giggle as she responded: “I was just showing him around Helen. Don't worry, he is blind so he can't see a thing.”
“So what if he is blind! He is still a boy!”
Adam latched onto those words that Helen spoke. “So what if he is blind! He is still a boy!” Adam had not really given his blindness too much thought. But if what Helen said is true, it doesn't matter if he is blind. Yes he may be blind, but he could still enjoy many of the things that other people could. He could still play his flute, he could still eat good food, he could still make good friends. His life would certainly be different, but he still had his life.
Janette walked in, right on cue. She had a smile plastered on her face for a job well done. Helen had not been informed that Adam would be coming, but she still responded in the way Janette had hoped. Contrary to her smile, that Adam could not see, she spoke in a grievous voice: “O my Adam. You should not have come into the girl's bath, even if you are blind. How should we punish you?”
Adam was at a loss. He did not come here out of his own accord, though he did feel a tad guilty of “peeping” at Helen. Even if he couldn't see she would still be very uncomfortable with him in the room. Also his face did go red as he knew that Helen was naked somewhere before him.
Janette seemed to come up with a marvelous idea on the spot: “I know! Adam I hear that you play the flute. You will be forced to play the flute at Madame's until I consider you punishment finished.”
Adam briefly thought: “That's not really a punishment...” before Janette clapper her hands while saying: “Susan drop Adam off with one of the other boys. Have him cleaned up and presentable to play a flute later this afternoon.”
Adam was once again dragged off by Susan to who knows where. She dragged Adam towards the boy's bath, where Alfred was waiting for them. Susan passed Adam off to Alfred to get cleaned up. Alfred was twelve years old and was one of the boy's taken in by Madame's. He typically did more of the heavy lifting in the kitchen then anything else.
Alfred spoke to Adam as he was guiding him into the bath house: “Hi Adam, I'm Alfred.”
Adam tentatively responded “H-hi.”
“I figure you are pretty worn out from Susan and Madame Janette's eccentric personalities, you'll get used to as you live here.”
Adam started praying that he would not be dragged into another mess like today. Adam and Alfred talked as Adam started to bath. Alfred only needed to hand Adam soap as Adam could easily wash himself, even if he was blind. Adam started to familiarize himself with Alfred, becoming more comfortable in his presence. Perhaps they could become friends later.
After Adam was washed down, Alfred brought him back to his mother. Vivienne had been slightly worrying for Adam since he had left. Relief washed over her as Adam came back with a clean and with a refreshed look. He still had a certain sadness about him, but it was barely present.
Adam went into his mother's embrace as he told her about his morning. Vivienne had known Janette when she was younger. Janette had been a schemer back then too, however she could not believe how good Janette had gotten over the years. Adam now had a better outlook on his future instead of being so depressed. Perhaps in the next few days he could be told about the possibility of becoming a spiritualist without it effecting him too much.
Adam ate lunch with his mother. Shortly after lunch Susan came back around to grab Adam so he could serve his punishment. Vivienne also decided to come down and watch Adam play. She had received a new splint while Adam was out, and it made it slightly easier of her to walk. Though she still used her crutch to alleviate her weight a bit.
Adam had started to get nervous as they approached Madame's. This place was a little more professional then the Dancery was. If he made a small mistake, while playing, would he get in trouble?
After they entered Madame's, Susan led Adam to where the musicians gathered. Vivienne limped her way to a table where Janette was already sitting. After the musicians finished their current song, Adam was introduced to them. They had all been told before hand that he was coming and they welcomed him with warm words.
Adam felt more relaxed after he was warmly welcomed. They told Adam the next song they were going to play, it was a common tune that was also played at the Dancery. When they started to play, Adam's musical notes were a bit rigid. He was still a little nervous, and he was trying to get all the notes right. But he was playing without emotion.
As he continued to play, Adam thought of the various other times he had played this same song, and his notes started to loosen and become more natural. As he thought about the dances he had watched, he matched the movements with the tune as he played. He thought about the Dancery in general, as well as his father and sister. Tears started to stream down his cheeks as he played, but his notes stayed steady while they became imbued with emotion.
Before he had done everything he could, to not think about losing the Dancery or his father or his sister. Until this point he had not even played the same tunes they used in the Dancery. Sparked by the tunes he had once played at home, he was now faced with these memories, he lost himself in them.
In his part, none of the other patrons would really notice Adam's efforts in playing. They would rather watch the beautiful dances that the music accompanied, rather than the musicians themselves. Only Janette, Susan, and Vivienne watched Adam as he played. Vivienne also started to cry when she saw her son so full of emotion while doing his best to play the song.
After the song finished, there was polite clapping from the many patrons, though there was some loud clapping coming from Vivienne as she looked at her son. Adam felt good, even if this clapping was not specifically for him. He had a place where he could be, and people he could get to know. He had played his frustrations and sorrows into his flute while he played and felt very refreshed from it. He wanted to play more and continue venting his emotions in this way. Before he had played to ignore what he felt about his father and sister's deaths. Now he wanted to play to commemorate them, and to gain some closure for himself.
For the rest of the day, Adam continued playing at Madame's. There were some new songs that he had to learn, but that was fun. He tried to picture the dances he was playing to and to match the dancers. He thought about his past life, and his father, and his sister. He played his heart out until he was exhausted and could do no more.
Eventually Adam could play no more and promptly fell asleep in the musicians chair. Hansen picked Adam up and brought the sleeping Adam back to his room. Adam had a pleasant face as he dreamed. It was the first time he had truly felt content and happy since they left Fort Erich. He had taken his first steps into his new life.