Chez Lucien
Written by: Sabra Malcorum
Once upon a time, in a land far away from the eyes and ears of this world there lived a young man named Lucien. Lucien lived alone in the center of the city just beyond the castle gates. To the right of his home was a theatre, to the left was a market/café, directly across the street was a bookstore, and next to that was a tailor. Lucien had everything a young man could ever possibly need with in 50 paces across or to either side of his front door. And so it was that Lucien would rise with the sun and work the day, as it is right for any young man to do. In Lucien’s mind life was simple and kind-needless to say he was a strange young man full of strange notions and emotions which made sense to none if but to himself. The earth beneath him meant relatively nothing despite the fact that it was what brought him everything of sustenance; the trouble was it supposed him very little substance.
He was a striking young man at first glance. Although he looked at all who passed him by he truly saw no one. It seemed as though Lucien walked through life looking for what simply was not there. His eyes saw in people what they could not see in themselves. He never shared his findings with his passer by’s which left an air of intrigue about him. Half of his allure was everything people did not know. You see, although Lucien lived and worked in the city beyond the castle gates he somehow was a stranger to it. Monsieur Gaston at the Market had prepared his groceries for some years but had no idea as to what Lucien’s favorite of anything was. Madame Gaston prepared his coffee every morning but could not tell you how he took it even if you asked her. Gaspard the tailor had dressed him since he was a boy and yet it was a mystery to him how tall Lucien actually was. Sabine and Charlotte from the old bookstore across the street had sold him books for the better part of 10 years and still they could not tell you his preference in author or genre. He was a mystery to all despite the fact that they’d known him all their lives. Nonetheless, Lucien was a very well liked young man, sought after even. (more…)
