Garden Chimes

Lukas walked slowly through the garden with Master Ryo Valren, talking about how things were going. Upon arriving at a small clearing Lukas paused.
 
The clearing was only about twenty feet wide, ringed with topiaries. Last time Lukas had been here the area in the center was empty, but now a pergola had been erected in the center. Hanging from it were several wind chimes. Some of them are as small as his hand, but the largest was easily six feet long.
 
They were beautiful. Made of all kinds of materials from metal to wood. They showed a progression in skill, starting with very crude, and gaining details and quality with each piece. The large brass one was a breathtaking piece of art. The sight of them was enough to make Lukas pause, but the sound was more so.
 
In the light breeze they created a mixture of sounds that stirred Lukas’s memory. It was sounds from a lifetime ago. He once told Cardinal that he never had luck with music, but that was half a lie. There had been a time he created a kind of music. Now, he was hearing it again. Memories of those lost times flooded into Lukas causing his eyes to grow blurry and wet.
 
“Lukas, are you ok?” Ryo asked him quietly, concerned at the reaction of his normally stoic friend.
 
Lukas wiped his eyes and took a deep breath to steady himself. “Yes, I am Ryo. Old memories I haven’t thought of in a long time.” He said looking at his friend, and an honest smile came to his face. “They hurt a bit, but they also are really good memories.”
 
Turning once more to the wind chimes Lukas studied them for a moment before asking, “Bernard did this?”
 
Ryo nodded, “He asked if he could use part of the garden, and I told him he could work here. We don’t have anything planned for this space for a while. Mostly it is used for tent space. Each night for a few hours he would come and work on building the Pergola. Then last night he came and hung up the chimes. I watched him for a bit. He spent hours adjusting them and their position.” Ryo smiled as he said, “I recognize an artist making sure their art is as perfect as they can make it. I’ve done the same on my Topiary.”
 
Ryo looks back to Lukas, “When I mentioned it over breakfast, and you didn’t seem to know what I was talking about I thought it best you come see.”
 
Lukas nodded slowly, “I didn’t know, and I admit that concerns me for a number of reasons.”
 
With a frown, Ryo asked, “Should I bar Bernard from the Garden in the future?”
 
“No” Lukas responded, shaking his head, “Bernard has done nothing wrong. But… but I think I need to understand what is going on.”