Victoria Knightley (Fiction)

Victoria Knightley
By Claire Sauer

Moonlight surrounds the dew filled paddocks like an oasis from the underworld, and streaks though Victoria Knightley’s platinum curls like the vail she never had the chance to wear. As her delicate feet pace the earth, her mind is filled with visions of his adoring smile and warm, chocolate eyes. In the days before the day their wedding was to be, never was there a moment when she had not been by his side supporting him with a love that was undying, and would prove to be so in the lonely years to come. Although she is alone as she slowly makes her way to the church graveyard with a singular daisy in her angelic hand, she will never be truly alone in her heart, since even though he lives no more he is kept alive in her heart as she lives through memories of him and the days of their youth before he breathed for the last time in her arms, when her tears slowly fell onto his lifeless face.

“But why the singular daisy?”, some ask. In reply she merely smiles softly with a distant look in her eyes as if she were not there, but in a land far away, in the land of the past, and she says, “The day he and I first met in the clearing in the forest, there was a singular daisy growing amidst the grass. He picked it and gave it to me as he asked me what my name was. Ever since that summer, the daisy has always been a symbol of our love.”. Indeed, anyone who listens to her feels for certain that she was right there in that moment, and would remain there until the day they meet again, after she joins him with her own final breath.

This daisy she lays on his grave, as she mutters a prayer thanking God for all the good times and the love they shared while he was alive. Although the town children have many hours ago closed their eyes in sleep, she can see a flickering light through the gap in the swaying trees as the crisp breeze trickles through the shadowy leaves, and carries with it the smell of that specific country side that is unique to this small town. The sight of the electric light takes Victoria back to the November picnic, where she had delighted the town children with her latest inventions of sugary cupcakes and tantalisingly delicious cakes and sweet treats. It had been a fine day at first, and laughter and music had echoed through the forest and sunlight beamed through the gaps in the forestry. How quickly the weather had changed! Victoria had had to rush to her car to grab her two umbrellas (good thing she brought a spare) and the raincoat she kept in the boot. These she had distributed among the children who had managed to stay dry and safe from catching any cold. But she, however, had no such luck. In her effort to protect the young ones, she had been soaked and later on was in bed sick for almost a week. They had then had to shelter under the trees playing cards until the dark, then once the sky was clear they played spotlight on the paddock.

So caught up in her past was she that Victoria failed to notice the light drawing ever closer, until her aunt was standing right beside her with the electric lantern in her hand, smiling down on her as she stared at the stars dreaming in the same way we are these days now used to finding her.
“I thought I might find you here”, her aunt chuckled fondly. This caused Victoria to awaken from her trance and reach out to greet her aunt with a gentle smile and friendly hug.
“And how have you been, my dear aunt?” Replied Victoria with genuine concern in her voice. Her aunt sighed knowingly. It was just like Victoria to be asking after someone else while herself mourning the loss of the person she loved the most. She may be well past midlife and adorned in a crown of white and grey, but she could still remember what it was like to be young, and she fully understood the pain her niece had endured. “I've been looking forward to checking up on you, love. How's your piano solo coming along now? I heard you were to head down to the studio in Auckland! Is this so?”

“Why, I do believe I will! I'm really looking forward to it too.” Victoria beamed fondly. Despite her mind being thus engaged, a yawn escaped her and her eyes grew heavy. The moon was right in the centre of the black sky and the day had been long.
“You must be exhausted! Well now, won't you come stay over at my place tonight? It's much closer than yours and I would love to have your company with me on such a dull morning as tomorrow morning.” Suggested Victoria's aunt.
“I don't see why not, I shall be glad to join you!” Was Victoria's keen response. They then made their way over to the welcoming house as they chattered lightly to one another, enjoying the companionship they had cherished since Victoria's infancy. The Milky Way Galaxy streamed across the sky, lighting up their surroundings and offering more guidance than the lantern.

“Just like the night he proposed”, Victoria thought to herself. She knew for sure that she wouldn't change any one of her decisions she had made in the past, and all she wanted to do was live in those days when everything was perfect, as youth has a tendency to do. She also knew that if she wanted to help the ones whom she loved who were still here with her, she would have to put past events aside and form new memories. After all, it's what he had wanted for her, and his dying words had forever stayed in her mind like an ongoing echo that never stopped mocking her deepest fears.
“Promise that you'll remember me, my love, and that whatever happens, you will be strong. The world needs you to be strong, and you have so much strength and love, please, don't let that go to waste. Remember, I love you with everything I have and I have done since the day I met you. Farewell my sweet daisy, l love you..” The last three words muttered in his very last breath, which were reflected by Victoria's own “And I love you, forever” as she was overcome by disbelief as the tears came rolling down her trembling cheek one after the other as she held him in her arms.