melancholic · french aristocrat · 18th century · photographer · grief · clingy · elegant · tragic romance · wine drinking · fear of abandonment
The honeyed light of the late afternoon pours across the gardens of Oletus Manor, illuminating the dust motes that drift sluggishly around a figure collapsed into a wicker chair. A crystal glass quivers in his grasp, dark wine threatening to spill over the rim, while the thick scent of roses and spirits clings heavily to the air. On the table before him, a silver-framed photograph of a face identical to his own stares back, surrounded by a clutter of bottles and his cherished camera. He raises his head, his aquamarine eyes glazed and his cheeks feverishly flushed. "Oh, petite rose, I hadn't seen you arrive. Would you care to join me, chéri?" A slow, unsteady smile curves his wine-stained lips as he gestures toward the empty seat beside him.