Hidden in the Castle

Part 3

Chapter 2

Her fingers glided across the pad.  Lines formed, connecting together to make a breathtaking picture.  Even though she could not see his face any longer, she had the details of it burnt into her mind.  It would not take much to form them on paper.  It was how Annabelle had always been.  Once she saw something, scanned it with her eyes, she could remember them. 

Leaning further back in the chair, she let out a sigh.  Even though she had every detail in her mind, no matter what she did, she could not capture him. His face, clothing, body, they were easy to draw, but his very presence she could not put on paper.  To some, her thoughts may seem naïve even odd.  They were who she was, how she saw things, and she would never change.  Not for her sister, nor anyone else.

Placing her pencil down on her pad, she rubbed her eyes.  With negative thoughts, her portrait would only turn dark.  She knew from experience that her thoughts and feelings were what made up her drawings.

“Beautiful,” someone whispered by her ear.

Her hands dropped from her eyes as she let out a small scream.  Her pad dropped to the ground, along with her pencil.  As they settled onto the ground, she glanced up at the voice with a sigh.  It was the same man as earlier, the same man who had ruined her last drawing.

“Do you not know that it is improper to sneak into another’s room without permission?”

He leaned back, making his eyes become clearer.  “What I know,” he mumbled, “is that you fright easily.”

“I do not,” she snapped, crossing her arms over her chest in defiance.  “Who are you to enter without permission?”

“The P-William, I am William.”

She frowned at him.  The man obviously did not have as sound of a mind as she initially thought.  If so, why would he have difficulty in remembering his name?  Shaking her head at William, she stood.  With a small curtsy, she smiled at him.  “Miss Annabelle Nicholson at your service.”  Straightening, she stared at him.  “May I know your surname?”

“Oh,” his eyes darted across the room before settling on her pad, “you dropped this.”

“Wait!” she called out, but it was no use.  His hands were already wrapped around her drawings; his eyes were already scanning the portrait.  Her face flamed red as she reached for her pad.  “Return that this instant.”

“You are a demanding little woman, are you not?”  His voice sparked with humor, but his eyes stayed on the image she had been drawing.  “It is quite amazing, your drawing, but I feel as if you forgot something.”  He hesitated, glancing up at her as if he were not sure he should say more.

“Continue,” she mumbled, wondering if he saw the same as her.

He ran his fingers across the page.  “It will sound quite odd, but you did not capture him.”

“Exactly!” she shouted, making him jump. With a laugh, she shook her head.  “Zachary is most difficult to capture on paper.”

A smirk crossed his face.  “Was I difficult to capture?”

“Flip to the next one,” she said with a smile.  “You were quite easy to draw.  The sadness in your eyes, the look as if you have lost someone.”

His smirk fell from his face.  “I have not lost anyone.”

She waved a hand dismissively.  “Then there is someone that you miss dearly.  You cannot fool me,” she said, making her voice more caring.  “I can see it in your eyes.”

Those same eyes rolled at her.  With a sigh, he held out her notepad for her to take.  As she gripped it in her hand, he tugged slightly.  “Will you teach me what you know?”

“How to draw?”

He let go of her drawing, allowing her to take it into the safety of her own hands.  “No,” he mumbled, “I wish for you to teach me how to read another’s eyes.  I have been taught many things since my return a year ago, but none have taught me what you know.”  He hesitated for a moment before letting out a sigh.  “My friend,” he mumbled.  “I miss a very dear friend of mine.”

“If this man is a very dear friend, why has he not visited?”

William laughed at her, as if finding her words hilarious.  “Her husband would not allow her to travel as she was with child, and she would not travel until it was safe for her child to travel.”

“Oh,” she mumbled, feeling her face redden once more.  “I only assumed that your friend was a man.  It is quite odd for a woman to befriend a male who is not her husband or her husband’s friend.”

“I eventually became friends with her husband,” William offered.  “After quite some time, and a little push from Cassandra.”

“Cassandra,” Annabelle echoed.  “What a magnificent name.  Tell me, what is her surname?”

“What is your fascination with surnames?” he asked while glancing away from her. 

“I j-”

He froze, glancing up at her.  “I apologize,” he interrupted, “but I will be late for my lessons.”  Turning his back on her, he let out a sigh.  “If you would like, I can ask Zachary to be your muse.”

Her words died in her throat.  How would she be able to move if she knew the object of her drawings could actually see her, that he knew she was there?  “No,” she said quickly.  “I mean, I thank you for the opportunity, but I am quite fine with how things are.”

“As you wish,” he whispered as he exited her room. 

Running towards her door, she glanced out.  With a sigh of relief, she noted that William was the only person in the halls.  She did not know what she would do if William was caught in her rooms.  Her father would be furious, her sister would be disappointed, and she would have to leave the castle, leave the one person who she could not wait to see once more.