“Come on then…”
Together, the two followed the duke up the steps.
He did not slow for them, but he did not rush. His footsteps fell heavily and echoed through the halls. Down them he walked, his body cloaked in the shadows. They walked in silence, onto the second floor and toward the eastern wing. As they went, Thalia looked about, trying to assess where they were going. Nothing but closed doorways mostly, lit lamps, paintings hanging on the walls.
It is all so… lonely. Such a huge castle with no life whatsoever. How can someone live like this?
Finally, the duke came to a stop by an open doorway. From inside, orange light poured so that it was nearly blinding compared to the rest of the castle. He stood back from it, almost as if the light might burn him.
“What…” Thalia and Oliva approached cautiously. “What is this?”
“See for yourself,” he grumbled.
They did just that. Walking past him, the two poked their heads through the door and Thalia gasped at what she saw.
It was as unlike the rest of the castle as the day was from the night. A bedroom, on first inspection, but so much more than that. The floor was covered in bright carpets and rugs. The bedding was colorful, pinks and yellows and purples. From the walls hung more colorful banners. There was a desk, and on it looked to be a stock of pencils, brushes and paints. On the bed too were what even looked like stuffed dolls. And all of this was made all the brighter by the warm fire which burned in the central hearth.
“Is this…” Thalia spun around, finding that she was smiling for maybe the first time. “For Olivia?”
“For me?” Olivia gasped.
“This is to be your bedroom,” the duke said. He remained by the doorway, still covered in shadow. “I hope everything is to your liking?”
It took a few moments. Olivia, looking about the bright room, her trepidation melting as a smile of wonderment spread over her face. “My own room…”
Olivia had never had her own room before. The home the two had lived in for so many years was too small for such things. And when they moved in with Isadora, Olivia had begged to sleep with Thalia, terrified to be left alone. But now, from the look onthe little girl’s face, it was clear such worries were no longer a problem.
“If you need anything, or anything is missing, do not hesitate to tell Albert,” the duke said.
Thalia’s smile grew and despite her best effort, she felt tears welling in her eyes. She sniffed them back, not wanting to show such emotion. Not wanting the duke to see how much this meant.
“Olivia, what do you say?”
In response, Olivia ran for the duke and threw herself around his legs. “Thank you!” she cried out.
The duke stood frozen, totally undone by the reaction. Olivia clung to his legs, holding him tight, and slowly, unsure but somehow also gently, he reached down and touched her on the head as if to stroke it.
And Thalia watched the scene unfold, her heart swelling in ways she could never have expected but for which she was glad.
Once that was done with, Thalia made sure to help Olivia settle in the room. She checked that she would be fine on her own for a while, laughing to see the little girl rush for the paints as she cried out happily.
“I’ll be right back,” Thalia told her. She felt the duke watching her, waiting. “Don’t go anywhere.”
Olivia said nothing. She was already busy and happily distracted.
Thalia watched her a moment more, smiling before slinking from the room and softly closing the door. The duke stayed back, waiting for her.
“Thank you,” she said to him earnestly. “That was… that was more than you needed to do.”
The duke studied her, saying nothing for a moment. She fidgeted awkwardly, finding that when he looked at her, she felt a tingle spread through her body. She no longer feared him, and she felt that was the right thing. But there was something else about the man… dangerous, yes… intimidating, definitely… but mysterious and secretive and not at all what he wanted people to believe.
“This way,” he said suddenly and started further down the hall.
She followed him in silence, but not for long. Just until they reached the end of the hallway where another door was open.
“This will be your room,” he said to her, gesturing inside. “I thought it best if you were close to your daughter.”
“Oh.” She blinked in surprise. “Yes, thank you. That is very kind.” She then walked forward and entered the room.
