~~~~~~~Veronica~~~~~~~ 1
“You’ve been looking out that window more than usual lately. Don’t you ever get tired of it?” Markus placed his hand gently on my shoulder to get my attention. There was something about his deep velvety voice that made you feel safe in any circumstance.
“What? Oh, hi;” I glanced over my shoulder to look at him. Markus is a man of great stature and broad shoulders. His dark hair is always tousled; regularly looking as though he’s put absolutely no effort into it, yet it seemed splendid on him. The way he dressed with jeans and a t-shirt, he looked like a common man; but he was everything but common. He didn’t portray the power he held, and it was not something he bragged about to anyone either. The hard rigid lines of his jaw created crisp shadows on his neck. The subtle light that came in through the windows highlighted his face gracefully making his tan skin appear to glow.
This is my favorite room in Stanly Manor; it was typically only used for the grand ball that was thrown once a year. When it wasn’t an enormous dance floor for the youth of the nearby city to enjoy, it doubled as a sitting area for the company that we honesty never had. The flawless blue-grey marble floor was littered with rugs and furniture. An abandoned piano sat at the far end; in the year that I’ve been here I have no recollection of it being played even once.
Colossal bay windows that took over the whole wall lay before me. Something that astonishes me the most about these windows is the view. We have a garden and yard like any other home, but beyond that is an especially beautiful forest. A forest that holds many dark secrets, secrets the world cannot begin to (fathom/comprehend). There was something mesmerizing about how the sun would come in through the massive windows, and dance across what was visible of the marble floor. Warm sun came in filling the room with light, causing the tall white columns on the opposite side to cast beautiful shadows. These columns, that seem to belong more in ancient Rome than in a home in Canada, hold up what appears to be a balcony at the top of the room. Two large staircases came descended from each side of the balcony encircling the room. No matter where in the room you stand there is beauty to be perceived. I’ve spent hours of each day in this room trying to take in all its beauty.
“So? Do you?”
“Do I what?”
“You really haven’t been listening to a thing I’ve said have you Veronica?”
“No, I haven’t; sorry” the truth is I didn’t even notice he was here. I was almost certain that I'd been alone. Lately my senses weren’t as strong as they used to be, I’ve just been very distracted lately I guess.
“Well, at least you’re being honest about that,” he turned me around to ensure I was listening to him. His hands had a gentle yet strong grip on me “I was asking you if you ever got tired of looking out that window.” He gestured towards it, “I’ve realized you’ve been looking out of it more frequently in these past few weeks.”
Markus was the only man that I knew who could look into your eyes and control you. It was his gift, making you do whatever he desired and make you feel like it was your own free will to do so. Unlike any other person when he kept eye contact, you would not feel uncomfortable about it, on the contrary you felt rather safe. There was something non-judgmental about his honey-brown eyes. They were kind yet strong, you could see the strength and power he had inside of them.
“No, I don’t get tired of it;” I dropped my gaze to the floor; there is no way I could ever possibly get used to the splendor in his eyes. “Honestly I don’t even realize that I’m here until something manages to bring my attention to it. For some reason that I don’t understand yet, it helps me think to be here.” I moved to stand by his side to look out once again, in an attempt to not look into his eyes.
