Reflections & Perceptions

The Hotel was swarming with Tourists. People of various nationalities were strutting about, in the lobby. Her eyes were immediately drawn towards the quaint looking young man, walking around with a turban on his head.
She thought he must have arrived here from a completely different era. "how amusing it would be to be locked in this enchanted place for centuries", and smiled at her whimsy.
The twins were giggling as usual, they always found things a little bit too amusing.

As she caught a glimpse of the lovely lake outside, she wished to settle in quickly and spend some relaxing hours near the lake.

She was known to have a keen sense of observation. The twins had teased her often enough, for getting lost in the museums, staring at the paintings. But, she was fascinated by the history of things, to look so closely at something that had once adorned a king or a queen. She especially appreciated the imagination of a painter, of how he could bring thoughts to life. A transformation of thoughts into a visual snapshot of life.

As it turned out, her fascination with paintings was rewarded as soon as she entered her Hotel room. She was captivated by a life size painting of... Her. She stopped in her tracks, unable to move. After what seemed like almost a hour, slowly... almost reluctantly, she tore her eyes away to turn around, only to find herself facing Her again. It took her a few minutes to realise that She was just a reflection of the painting.

But why would the mirror be angled in such a way?

Despite her misgivings about the strange place she quickly dressed, to go down to the lake. The beauty of this place made her wish for time to freeze in this moment.

As she was walking back towards the lobby, she noticed the turban guy again. He was in conversation with his "self" in the mirror. His "self" seemed to not have a turban at all. In fact, the mirror guy actually looked quite handsome..
Wait a minute.. this didnt quite make any sense. She stepped closer to the mirror in the lobby, but before she could have had a closer look, the twins were demanding her attention; insisting on a game of hide and seek.

and given the strangeness of this place, she could lose herself here forever..

She quickly returned to her own room after dropping the twins off to the play area.

And there She was again.. striking in all Her beauty. Pale glowing skin, dressed in a Grecian White off shouldered robes, with her hair bundled at the top and few curls finding rest at the nape of Her neck. Her features were so... familiar.. and it was then that she realized - it was quite clear actually - the reasons why it was so strange to look at Her. The painting was a true image of herself, yes... the true image. The way she always thought herself to be.

As she turned around to now look at the mirror, she realised what she had seen in the lobby with the guy in the turban. The Lady now smiling...in her reflection, was the one she always wished to be.