Mirrors & Shadows

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝐗𝐗𝐕𝐈𝐈𝐈

գ 𝔪𝔬𝔫𝔱𝔥𝔰 𝔭𝔯𝔦𝔬𝔯~ 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔥𝔲𝔪𝔞𝔫 𝔪𝔞𝔰k

Somehow, the house looked vaster from the inside. The door opened onto a large living room which contained two long chesterfield sofas, a tall bookshelf to the left and an ancient marble mantelpiece. A circular candle chandelier hung from the ceiling. A spiralling staircase in the following room led to the second floor.

The windows seemed too small and few for such a huge house as if the whole place were built to shield you from the light in a way that even in mid-day, you couldn't make out the corners of the vast sumptuous rooms. There were a few paintings that all seemed to depict different widows, their black garment mingling to the rooms' darkness and their pale unhappy faces seeming to float as ghosts about the viewer.

There were also more children than Luna expected. It was hard to tell quite how many yet. As the woman who introduced herself as Marguerite, led Luna down yet another hallway, they crossed two children with bright blond hair who clearly looked like twins, fighting over a teddy bear.

They fought over it until the head of the poor toy separated from its body. The little boy's eyes widened in shock at the now headless bear and tears strolled down his face. However, his sister grew red in the face, let the head fall to the floor and extended her tiny hand to her brother's face in a mighty slap.

Yet, as they noticed Luna staring down at them, bewildered, they both shrunk away in shyness, leaving their precious toy behind.

Marguerite picked it up with a sigh, or at least what was left of it. She explained to Luna that she was their foster mother. Their names were Oscar and Olivia. How strange this all is. Luna thought. This whole place seemed straight out of a work of fiction. She still had not abandoned the idea that she was dreaming. But it all seemed too real at the same time.

According to Marguerite, Henry might come home in a day or two. He was the official owner of the house. They were in the middle of the French countryside, in the northeast of France. The nearest town was called Cerisiers.

Marguerite showed Luna to the bathroom so that she could clean herself up before supper. Some of the anxiety from earlier evaporated as she was finally left alone to recompose herself.

The tub looked ancient too though surprisingly polished and shining white. It was far from the little cramped shower in her apartment back in Paris. The water was mercilessly cold, stripping her of any last bit of warmth, but she continued nevertheless to let stunning coldness wash over her skin gratefully. When she was done, she wrapped herself in the bulkiest sweater she had packed along with a pair of long silky socks to brave the icy stone floors.

She then climbed down the wooden staircase Marguerite had pointed out to her earlier, into the dining room where the children were waiting behind empty plates. They all gazed up at her in surprise, their eagerness for food momentarily forgotten.

Marguerite came to serve everyone some tartiflette and rapidly introduced the newcomer. Sensing her uncomfortableness, she patted the chair next to her with an encouraging smile. Luna slumped down awkwardly on the wooden chair, inspecting the dish of potatoes and cheese in front of her. She cautiously took her first bite. The soft creamy lumps of potato eased down her throat.

The elaborate banquet style table seemed made to fit ancient nobility. Instead, Luna counted fourteen children, some for which the fork looked larger than their cheeks, crowded around it, shovelling potatoes avidly into their mouths. They had lost interest in the new guest and were chatting noisily amongst each other. The youngest could have been no older than three while the two eldest looked to be in their late teens. What was Henry thinking when he chose this as a hideout for her? Was he thinking of her past? Though, she didn't remember her ever mentioning it to him.