Stories, Part II
The Woman in the Garden
As I stumbled along, shaken and disheveled from my attack, I came upon the most beautiful garden I had laid eyes upon since leaving my own. It was all roses, like my own sanctuary, blooming beautifully, all in black. The heady scent from it overwhelmed my already exhausted body, to the point I felt I had to rest. I followed the sound of water to a large fountain with benches where I sat to rest. As I sat, a man approached me and, with a very concerned look on his face, asked if all was well. I said I was, so he left me, and came back a few moments later with a man dressed in formal clothing. I told them that I merely needed respite, and that I would be moving along shortly, for I feared I was being followed by those who had assaulted me. The man dressed in formal clothes told me that so long as I remained within the grounds of the garden I would be safe from harm, and asked me to remain where I was, he would return shortly. I told him that I required nothing, and would be fine after a few minutes rest. He merely shook his head, repeated the command to stay where I was, and walked away. He returned a short time later with a gentle looking woman, who had brought along a cloak and some bandages. He told me that she was his wife, and that she would take look after my wounds. She looked at me, and told him to have her maid draw a bath, and to find the clothes she had put aside. I told her this was truly not necessary, but she would not be deterred. She washed the wounds on my face, and bandaged my feet, as they were blistered and sore from walking and running so far through the forest without my slippers. She asked no questions, but told me that I would be welcomed at the keep. There was a ball going on, and one more guest would not be noticed. I would have a safe place to sleep for the night. The kind woman introduced herself to me as nothing more than the Wardsman's wife. She told me that if anyone questioned me, that they were to talk to her. She took me up to the keep, and lead me through a rear entrance, up a flight of stairs to a room with a bathing tub in the center of it. There was sweet smelling steam coming off the top of the tub, and she told me to remove what was left of my clothing and get in. I did not argue with this woman, as I got a sense that it would be fruitless. I sat down in the warm water and she began to scrub me from head to toe. I felt as though this was somehow wrong, that for some reason I should not be making her act like a mere servant. I made as though to speak to her, and she cut me off saying she was glad she could help me, and that she had a feeling it would be repaid, many times over. When we had finished my bath, she led me into another room where clothing had been set out for me. There was a dress of the most luxurious cloth I had ever seen, in the most beautiful shade of purple. The wardsman’s wife said she felt the color would go well with my beautiful auburn hair. I felt odd about putting the clothes on, but she insisted. So I dressed. As I did so, I noticed that the clothes fit as though tailored to my body. I asked her about this, and she merely smiled and said "I've been expecting you." We talked some, and as we talked she fussed with my hair. She piled it atop my head, and curled it, so that it fell in ringlets about my face. I had never felt so beautiful in my life. When she decided we were ready, we left the room only to find her husband standing outside the door. When he saw me, he said that the Master would be greatly pleased by me. His wife smiled and nodded. I didn't know it then, but she was counting on it. We walked down the main staircase, pausing under the portrait at the top, and into the great hall. There were candles everywhere, music and people dancing. But as we paused at the top of the staircase, everyone stopped what they were doing, and stared at us. The musicians stopped playing to gape as well. There were whispers of a ghost, which made no sense to me. A man at the far end of the hall came towards us, and bowed before me. He asked if he might escort me into his little party. I agreed, and he laid my hand in the crook of his elbow, as was polite, and we walked into the ballroom. Although he had done nothing out of place, I was not sure what I thought of this man. I felt I knew him, but I was not sure how. I was also not sure if I fully trusted him, but yet I knew that I would trust him with my life.
This is where I have a big break in the story...The party itself.... I'll come back to it...But I have more here, a short while after the party......
The days were getting colder and shorter. People were making preparations for the harvest and the long winter ahead. Although I was new to the Keep, I did my best to do my part. Mother, as she told me to call her, told me that nothing was expected of me, and that I should focus on healing from the ordeal I suffered that had brought me here. She had made ready a set of rooms for me that were more than adequate. They were GORGEOUS!! The bed itself was bigger than my entire bedroom at my father's home. It was soft as a cloud, and buried beneath furs and blankets. There was always a fire, a book for me to read, and coffee or tea for me to drink. My wardrobe was filled with clothes finer than any I had ever laid eyes on, much less ever worn. When I asked who they belonged to, I was simpley told they were mine, of course, as if it were a silly question. When I asked Mother about this later, she merely told me "I was expecting you" in her odd way.
As I stumbled along, shaken and disheveled from my attack, I came upon the most beautiful garden I had laid eyes upon since leaving my own. It was all roses, like my own sanctuary, blooming beautifully, all in black. The heady scent from it overwhelmed my already exhausted body, to the point I felt I had to rest. I followed the sound of water to a large fountain with benches where I sat to rest. As I sat, a man approached me and, with a very concerned look on his face, asked if all was well. I said I was, so he left me, and came back a few moments later with a man dressed in formal clothing. I told them that I merely needed respite, and that I would be moving along shortly, for I feared I was being followed by those who had assaulted me. The man dressed in formal clothes told me that so long as I remained within the grounds of the garden I would be safe from harm, and asked me to remain where I was, he would return shortly. I told him that I required nothing, and would be fine after a few minutes rest. He merely shook his head, repeated the command to stay where I was, and walked away. He returned a short time later with a gentle looking woman, who had brought along a cloak and some bandages. He told me that she was his wife, and that she would take look after my wounds. She looked at me, and told him to have her maid draw a bath, and to find the clothes she had put aside. I told her this was truly not necessary, but she would not be deterred. She washed the wounds on my face, and bandaged my feet, as they were blistered and sore from walking and running so far through the forest without my slippers. She asked no questions, but told me that I would be welcomed at the keep. There was a ball going on, and one more guest would not be noticed. I would have a safe place to sleep for the night. The kind woman introduced herself to me as nothing more than the Wardsman's wife. She told me that if anyone questioned me, that they were to talk to her. She took me up to the keep, and lead me through a rear entrance, up a flight of stairs to a room with a bathing tub in the center of it. There was sweet smelling steam coming off the top of the tub, and she told me to remove what was left of my clothing and get in. I did not argue with this woman, as I got a sense that it would be fruitless. I sat down in the warm water and she began to scrub me from head to toe. I felt as though this was somehow wrong, that for some reason I should not be making her act like a mere servant. I made as though to speak to her, and she cut me off saying she was glad she could help me, and that she had a feeling it would be repaid, many times over. When we had finished my bath, she led me into another room where clothing had been set out for me. There was a dress of the most luxurious cloth I had ever seen, in the most beautiful shade of purple. The wardsman’s wife said she felt the color would go well with my beautiful auburn hair. I felt odd about putting the clothes on, but she insisted. So I dressed. As I did so, I noticed that the clothes fit as though tailored to my body. I asked her about this, and she merely smiled and said "I've been expecting you." We talked some, and as we talked she fussed with my hair. She piled it atop my head, and curled it, so that it fell in ringlets about my face. I had never felt so beautiful in my life. When she decided we were ready, we left the room only to find her husband standing outside the door. When he saw me, he said that the Master would be greatly pleased by me. His wife smiled and nodded. I didn't know it then, but she was counting on it. We walked down the main staircase, pausing under the portrait at the top, and into the great hall. There were candles everywhere, music and people dancing. But as we paused at the top of the staircase, everyone stopped what they were doing, and stared at us. The musicians stopped playing to gape as well. There were whispers of a ghost, which made no sense to me. A man at the far end of the hall came towards us, and bowed before me. He asked if he might escort me into his little party. I agreed, and he laid my hand in the crook of his elbow, as was polite, and we walked into the ballroom. Although he had done nothing out of place, I was not sure what I thought of this man. I felt I knew him, but I was not sure how. I was also not sure if I fully trusted him, but yet I knew that I would trust him with my life.
This is where I have a big break in the story...The party itself.... I'll come back to it...But I have more here, a short while after the party......
The days were getting colder and shorter. People were making preparations for the harvest and the long winter ahead. Although I was new to the Keep, I did my best to do my part. Mother, as she told me to call her, told me that nothing was expected of me, and that I should focus on healing from the ordeal I suffered that had brought me here. She had made ready a set of rooms for me that were more than adequate. They were GORGEOUS!! The bed itself was bigger than my entire bedroom at my father's home. It was soft as a cloud, and buried beneath furs and blankets. There was always a fire, a book for me to read, and coffee or tea for me to drink. My wardrobe was filled with clothes finer than any I had ever laid eyes on, much less ever worn. When I asked who they belonged to, I was simpley told they were mine, of course, as if it were a silly question. When I asked Mother about this later, she merely told me "I was expecting you" in her odd way.
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