"This will be your residence till your room is prepared." The butler guided Owen to the annex of the mansion. The annex was well kept, spotless, yet utterly old. It seemed that no one had occupied it for a long time.
Books were everywhere: the living room, bedrooms, kitchen, above the fireplace, all stacked into rosewood bookshelves making every inch feel like a sacred, forgotten library. Owen ran his eyes on the ornate covers of the books, so very old and yet unique in their own way. He stared at a book's spine studying the name of the author.
"Many of these are rare, and it's a prestige to even come across them in a lifetime." Owen looked from the book to the butler who was studying his face.
"I didn't take the duke Rezef to be a bibliophile." Owen's low deep voice was filled with astonishment.
"Not as much as lord Marcus and young lord Gallahan." The butler was amused. "It's a family heritage. Lilies are known for their taste in books, buying every book that they come across. Most of them are only read by the second sons."
"Why the second sons though?" Owen placed the book back on the shelf, his hands now in his pockets. His shoulder leaned against the bookshelf while his legs crossed.
"Tocope the silence. They dive into the world of books." The butler's words were enough for Owen to understand. The butler turned, guiding him through the stairs to his room. The silence didn't feel awkward to Owen, in fact, he enjoyed it.
"Although the real reason the Lilies became renowned as the House of Library was because Duke Felix's son was frail during childhood. Since his son's only means of pleasure were canvas and books, he'd bought any book that he came across." He clicked open a door, the lantern flickering dimly as he continued, "And from there the tradition of the books was passed down through generations."
Owen scanned the dimly lit room, that too, filled with books and other rare antiques. "This hasn't been used in a long time." Owen spoke softly as his hand rested on the table.
"This room had been shut down for three centuries. It was opened a few days prior on duke Felix's order." The butler's reply was immediate. "We weren't allowed to take anything out of the room nor change its location. If you want anything removed-"
"No need, everything's placed perfectly." Owen interrupted.
"Pardon?" The butler looked confused.
"The bed's near the window, the shelves arranged in perfect geometry in accordance to the bed. The placement of coffee chairs in a corner making the sunlight reach exactly at 9 o'clock in the morning, the easel and the stool are in the exact middle of the room while the wall on the left of the door is completely empty save for the wall lamp. The short tables are set next to the dressing table on the wall with the door." Owen took a deep breath, " It's picturesque."
"It's psychotic. You look like a psychopath calculating every single placement of things." The butler flinched violently at the voice that came from behind him.
"You do know that a psychotic and psychopath are two different individuals Hugo, don't you?" Owen glanced at the man standing at the door.
"I don't want to hear you rambling on something you've read. It's painful to my ears."
Owen glanced at the butler, "Thank you. You can leave." The butler followed the order, quietly leaving the two men alone.
"Why did you leave the banquet so soon?" was the first thing Hugo spoke as the door shut behind him.
"I grew tired of the music and the argument." Owen took out a book from the shelf, studied its cover, and made his way onto the bed.
"You really like peace and quiet." Hugo made his way to the coffee chair.
"What's not to like about it?" Owen began to study the book's content while Hugo tried reading his face.
"I feel hurt that you're prioritising the book over me." Hugo whined after ten minutes of silence.
"It's because it isn't loud." His reply was sharp, crisp, hitting the jab.
"Can't you go on a day without sarcasm?" Hugo complained.
Owen slowly shut the book, placing it on the blanket that covered him. He stayed quiet for a long while enough to worry Hugo of what he might be thinking. Finally, Owen broke the silence.
"Have you ever been in a situation where your eyes connect to another and feel as if time stood still?" Hugo listened intently, a mixture of shock and confusion etched on his face, "Your heartbeat stops for a moment, and in the next, beats wildly following an arrhythmic beat. Have you ever felt that way?"
"Did you feel that way?" Hugo shot back.
"Tonight." Owen replied staring out of the window, "When my eyes met lady Oleander's. Say, what do you call it?"
"Love." Hugo replied, a bubble of excitement in his heart for him.
Owen furrowed his eyebrows glancing at him,"I don't think so."
"What was your first instinct when your eyes locked into hers?" Hugo asked patiently, trying not to make Owen abruptly change the topic as was his habit. He was experiencing love for the first time and-
"Run."
"What?"
"My first instinct was to run and get as far as possible." Owen replied bluntly. "I think it was fear." He came to a conclusion on his own.
"That's not what happens! Your first instinct is to attract and when you've made her comfortable around you, that's when your instinct is supposed to scream run." Hugo grabbed his hair in frustration.
"What are you rambling about?" Owen raised his eyebrow.
"You see, there's this rule: You fall in love and make her fall for you." He gestured his hands in explanation, "And when your female does, she shows you her real hidden side. That's when your instinct says run away when she locks eyes with you because you know you're in trouble."
"You're speaking nonsense." Owen sighed.
"And You have arrhythmia." Hugo declared, his arms in the air, utterly exasperated by his friend's answer.