Into WaterRose

He climbed the few steps to the heavy dark wooden doors. Pushing one open with his foot to step into the opulence of the expansive foyer. The triple chandeliers hung from the ceiling. The second dangling from chains connected to the first. And the third hooked to the second. All of them laden with a tight circle of candles. Glowing brightly over the gold trimmed red carpeting beginning at the stairs, leading to the dais where the stairs split into mirror images turning out toward the walls and winding up to the second level. Torches glowing up there.

But there was a dark hall passing the dais and continuing to darker chambers down the hall. Lined with elaborate frames along the right. As he passed a few she realized they were portraits, the eyes following their progress. He suddenly turned sharply to take the stairs up the dais.

She glimpsed a door going beneath it.

My lower room. He often slept in the servant’s chamber under the stairs when trying to recover from some injury or anoth