The Story Weaver

The Bigger Picture

Arriving at Tallia was like stepping into the scene of an old gothic, vampire movie. There were tall buildings and dark, billowing clouds that set the mood for some sort of dismal happening. I wanted to just absorb the mood of the place and become one with my surroundings. 

Marick seemed to have noticed how much I was relating to the feeling of the place because he said as he was getting out of the car that had previously driven us from the plane to the town, "you should enjoy the culture of the place, it's dismal mood seems to be fitting with your attitude quite nicely." 

I stood there in my spot with my hands tucked into the pocket of my hoodie staring at the building in front of me for a moment before slowly turning around to glare at him. I wasn't sure at the time if he was trying to insult me or if he was merely stating a thought that he had out loud. Either way, that was a very annoying thing for him to say and I had the intense desire to hit him in the arm like I usually did in retaliation when someone said stupid things about me like that. 

"Well you seem like you have enjoyed too much of the culture, I mean look at you, for all I know you are half way dead and sprout fangs at night already."

 I practically sneered in his direction as I said that before following a guide that was walking in front of the bodyguards ahead of us. That comment seemed to strike a nerve with him because I saw his jaw clench as he briskened his pace and turned his back to me without saying another word. 

My mind wandered to the buildings and the art that decorated every corner, there were sculptures that appeared to be centuries old. It truly was a beautiful city. We continued walking for about twenty more minutes before I finally saw the large gates that lead up to what I had assumed to be the house that I would be living in. It had modern equipment decorating the gates while still retaining the overall feeling that surrounded the town. The gates were held up by gigantic, cream-colored pillars and stonework that stretched out into thick hedges that surrounded the property. When the guide opened the gates it made way to an even more extravagant driveway that was surrounded by at least a few acres of clean, cut, green grass and large pavilions and even a large tiled pond that held various types of fish. The scene was breathtaking at first, so much so that I couldn't resist this overwhelming urge, so I removed my shoes and my socks and I ran barefoot through the lush grass. It was an amazing feeling being in so much greenery and life, it almost made up for losing the life that I was familiar with. 

"you look like a homeless person who has died and finally reached heaven. We will definitely be looking for a new wardrobe for you so that you are not so rough on the eyes when we have visitors." Marick said with his distant and aloof voice that he usually used. this time though, I knew that he was insulting me. 

"First of all, you give the worst insults I have ever heard in my life and you haven't even heard Mark try to insult someone before. Second of all, I don't give a flying hoot if my wardrobe makes all of your guests go blind, I will wear whatever the hell I want to wear whenever I want to wear it THANK YOU VERY MUCH." I huffed indignantly at him before stomping my foot and marching away from him. 

The doors to the house were very tall, cherry wood doors that had a carving in it that made me stop dead in my tracks before I even knocked. The doors had scenes of all sorts of things like a knight holding a lion head and a mermaid sitting under a waterfall, but there behind some of the more noticeable scenes was the image of a tall man wearing that same bird mask that I had seen the night that my cousin died. It sent a chill straight down my spine at how odd it was for me to see that exact same... thing, that I had seen only a night ago. 

Marick startled me out of my musings by abruptly shoving the door open, which made me jump an inch out of my skin as he then walked right past me without even a side-glance.