Solace

chapter two

Miya stopped after seeing a stretching hallway, chandeliers with dried candle wax hanging from the dark wood victorian styled ceiling.

There were large rich canvas portraits hung on the wooden walls stretching further down the passage. Every detailing was giving off the air of extravagance yet void of life.

She turned to the tall wooden double doors of the first room she saw then waited. She knocked, there was silence. She then remembered how the man lived alone, 'how strange for one man to leave in such a large mansion by himself'

She turned down the handles, a click followed. She pushed the doors open. They groaned, acknowledging their years without use.

The room she saw almost took the breathe out of her. A very large double bed with cream covers and large pillows scattered over.

Vintage but elegant, night lamps giving the bed a soft dim yellow light. The room was large for a bedroom. Large curtains sweeping the floor concealing large window behind.

Miya moved across the room and peeked behind the curtain. There was a large balcony, its floor covered with a mass of dry leaves.

She turned back to take a good look at the room.There was a dressing table opposite side to the bed. There was a small rectangular box with purple velvet exterior tied with a scarlet ribbon sitting on the counter top.

She paced across the room to the vanity in curiosity. A mirror with an intricate of spiderwebs on the surface was reflecting her obstructed image.

She pulled out an elegantly curved wooden stool with a scarlet velvet-cushion from under the countertop and set on it.

Her eyes examined the small box on the surface before her. How lovely it looked. It looked alluring and mysteriously beautiful.

She glared at it in wonder for a long while before she just found her hands reaching over to it. She scrutinized it in her hands trying to resist the temptation of opening it.

Curiosity kept building up in her the more she held the small box in her hands. Her mind couldn't stop contemplating on it.

'what precious thing lay beneath this cover.

It should be very pretty.

I want to just take a little look at it but...

But just a little peek won't hurt, besides, l have already touched it'

She gave in at last and slowly fumbled for the end of the ribbon. She found it and pulled it, immediately undoing the loop that fastened the top lid to the box.

She took a deep breath before shakily lifting the lid. Her eyes widened, her heart stopped for a second. What she saw quickly engulfed her heart with a warmth.

Suddenly she felt like there was a tender burning hearth giving a lovely warmth in the room. All the anxiety she had been feeling felt like it had been replaced with a new feeling, familiarity.

How could she have thought such a cold man could have a heart full of emotions, love.

She looked at the lovely shimmering diamond necklace lying on a small red heart-shaped cushion in the box.

'How could just a necklace tell a story, full of emotions, full of love, like it has a life of it's own', she thought.

Her hand just found itself delicately picking up the beautiful necklace. Her eyes were opened in tender adoration.

Her fingers traced the glistening silver chain before she stopped at the small diamond pendant. It held so much extravagance yet so simple in appearance.

The small diamond, projecting multiple rays of light in her hand. So beautiful each ever way you turned it yet beautiful in different ways.

She brought the necklace to her neck without fastening it. She then pressed it over her chest like she is wearing it.

She looked over to the mirror before her. Water gathered in her eyes. She felt a flood of emotions she couldn't understand wash over her.

Her eyes flooded and tears just started rolling down her cheeks obscuring her from taking any longer look at her reflection.

A knock from the door quickly brought her out of her reverie. She pulled the necklace off and placed it back into the box then closed it before she answered.

"Come in", she said whilst wiping the tears off her eyes.

The door slowly opened. A few footsteps sounded then stopped as if waiting for more confirmation to proceed into the room.

"You can come in", Miya repeated.

The man cautiously walked into the room with a small pile of folded clothes in his hands and a pastel purple robe draped neatly over his forearm.

His eyes landed on Miya seating at the vanity. Miya thought for a second she saw something cross the man's expression when he saw her there.

She rose from the stool and walked to meet the man. The man's gaze seemed to be looking behind her which made Miya a bit anxious.

'l hope l didn't forget to close the box', she thought.

When she reached the man arms length, he extended his hands holding the clothes to her with a small warm smile on his face.

"Please accept this, you can lay aside the wet ones you are wearing and put on these to keep you warm", the man said.

"Thank you, that's kind of you ", Miya responded politely.

The man nodded before he turned around and started walking to the door. He grabbed the knob and pulled it after him but stopped halfway.

"I have lighted the furnace and made you warm water to drink. If you are willing, you can come downstairs, and seat by the fire", the man said and closed the door without waiting for a response.

Miya was left looking at the door. This man might be strange and scary sometimes but deep inside, he is so soft and loving.

Miya dropped the clothes from the man on the bed then started undressing. She looked at the clothes she had been given by the man.

There was a white long sleeved button down blouse and a long brown thick silk skirt that reached her ankles and a ball of thick knee length woolen socks.

She dressed into them then put on the purple robe on top and tied it's belt in a simple knot. She walked to the mirror to look at herself.

Just then she saw the box sitting there, oh the scarlet ribbon lay beside it. That's when she realized that she didn't tie it back when she closed the box in haste.

She tied back the ribbon before walking to the door, just hoping that the man didn't notice it.