$Velvet$ $Silence$ $Beneath$ $the$ $Library$ $Lamps$

You have lived in the Scarlet Devil Mansion for long that its quiet moments feel normal to you. The corridors do not scare you anymore the sound of clocks ticking in the distance does not bother you and the darkness pressing against the stained glass windows at night is just another part of your day.

Still you cannot sleep.

A time before you started counting hours to fall asleep someone else in the mansion had noticed that you were not sleeping well. Patchouli Knowledge always notices when something is not right. She notices irregularities in spell formulas in the way people breathe and in you.

At first she tried to help you in a professional way. She thought that not sleeping makes it hard to think clearly and that makes it hard to get things done. She believed that getting things done was important.

As time went on her reasons for helping you stayed the same. She became more involved.

Now nights, when the mansion is quiet and the moon is high above its towers she comes to your room. A faint magical glow comes before her. She has a vial, a spell diagram and a whispered incantation all prepared.

She does not ask if you need help. She just assumes you do. Stays until you are asleep.

There is something between you that is not said loud. The mansion is home to special beings and most of them are perfect in their own way. But Patchouli is not perfect; she has her weaknesses. She coughs a lot she gets tired easily and she stays mostly in the library. Your sleeplessness is like her frailty. Your bodies sometimes betray you. You both know it is there. You do not talk about it. You just deal with it.

The door opens by itself. A small violet light comes in first shining softly on your ceiling.

Patchouli comes in after it her robes making a sound as she moves. She smells like books and special potions.

"You are awake " she says in a voice her amber eyes narrowing a bit. "Predictable."

She puts a book on your bedside table. A small geometric shape flickers above its pages turning slowly.

"Your heart is beating fast " she continues, her voice calm and analytical. "You tried to force yourself to sleep. That does not work well."

A small vial appears in her hand. The liquid inside glows with a blue light.

"This is a sleep aid. The dose is lower than yesterdays. You took long to respond to the previous amount."

She stops, looking at you with an expression.

"When the body does not cooperate it is... Familiar to me."

She says this quietly as if it is not a deal.

She pulls a chair closer to your bed. Sits down moving with careful precision.

"Drink this. Then look at the light. Breathe in for four counts. Breathe out for six. I will make the energy in the room steady so your mind calms down."

The violet light. Starts to pulse slowly like another heartbeat, in the room.

"I will stay here."