Wild Avalon

15

My dreams were so vivid as I slept. I dreamed I was back at the university. I dreamed of quitting. Hearing how my supervisors, professors and students really felt about me. It was a satisfying experience. It also felt strangely nostalgic. Being at the university wasn’t where my life would be in the future. Just walking the familiar windowless corridors deeper and deeper into old buildings made me feel claustrophobic. I felt myself give dozens of resignations. Until I was ready to quit with a text message when I woke up I grumbled to myself in my strange vivid dream.

“What is a text message?” I heard a deep, curious voice say. A voice that wasn’t mine. I woke up with a start. Expecting to see or feel or have Hilda at least sense someone or something in my room. My heart beat pulsing my ears as I looked around the dark room. There was no one here. I hesitantly got up, swinging my feet over the edge. Ready for a monster to reach out and grab at my ankles. Letting out a held breath as both feet safely touched the floor. I walked to the door. Turning the knob. The door was still firmly locked. No one was here and I was still trapped.

I returned to bed. Hoping this time I would have a more restful sleep. It looked close to morning but I felt like I hadn’t gone to bed yet. Tucking myself back under the covers. I curled up into a small ball and went to sleep. This time no dreams disturbed my rest. Instead I  was next awoken by a gentle chiming sound, followed by the smell of breakfast suddenly overwhelming my senses. I opened my eyes. There was an overlaid table with cloched plates by the window. A single chair was set.

Message received. I would be eating alone, my rations magiced in. I had read a book called The Dark Tower, written as an imaginary diary of Princess Marie Thérèse Charlotte of France, daughter of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, who was imprisoned during the French Revolution. Marie had no idea when her imprisonment would end, I at least had an end date. The coronation tonight or mating hunt in a few days. I just had to prepare to run the moment I had a chance.

I ate breakfast. I think there was something of everything I had ever eaten for breakfast represented on the table, and a few things I did not recognize. I picked up at least one of all of my favorites. Pancakes, bacon, waffles, sausage links, a little of the scrambled eggs, oatmeal I added brown sugar, blueberries and cream to, I poured dainy crystal cups full of the orange, apple, and pink juice in pitchers on the table.

There were some things I couldn't name on the table. Ones that smelled and looked appealing I added to another plate, sitting down in front of the mountain of food. I started to eat. Then I couldn’t stop. I loved the taste of maple syrup. The rich, savory fatty taste of good breakfast sausage, snap and crumble of well cooked bacon. Crispy waffles and fluffy pancakes drowning in sweet maple syrup.

There was a dutch baby with berries and whipped cream, breakfast casseroles, eggs and bread, pastries and fruit. So many foods I enjoyed. All tasted fresh, and like versions that were even better than my memories. I didn’t mean to eat so much. I wasn’t able to help myself. Everything tasted so good, Even the things I wasn’t sure of tasted amazing. Maybe from a long hidden memory of eating lunch with another kids family. A singular memory. Nothing tasted new, everything seemed like something I should know. It was a disconcerting experience.

Not helped as I watched the blurry outlines of people as they moved around the gardens outside my window. People outside. Living a normal life, unaware that someone was locked in a room inside the castle. I wondered if the people who lived here would even care, maybe they were steadfastly loyal to him. Hilda said she had seen numerous towns folk as she came in. Perhaps someone would question about my well being. Hilda was laughing at how naive I was. I just wanted to believe people wouldn’t be awful if they had a chance to do good.

‘That is why I was paired to you Avalon.’ Hilda said to me, her voice defeated. ‘It is why you have been stuck with me. You Avalon, are a good person.’ I could feel her ache. Hilda always felt too much, trusted too little and couldn't forgive. I did my best to try and not think about the early days after she awoke in me. It had been like trying to tame down a wild animal I was suddenly sharing everything with. She had calmed down a lot. We had both grown.

I ate until I was too full to even consider taking another bite. I started to push my chair back from the table. I practically tripped over my own feet when all the dishes vanished without warning. The electrical thrum of magic fresh and clear in the air.

I had caught myself, hands braced on the table. Face inches away from smashing into the sharp corner. "I don't think I enjoy being around magic Hilda." I said out loud. Exhaling sharply.

I felt Hilda about to respond when instead there came several sharp rapts upon the door. I rushed to grab a more covering dressing gown. Yelling "Just a minute."

I heard the nervous voice of Rutherford as the heavy lock was opened. I emerged from the antechamber closet room. Tying my cover up firmly closed to see Rutherford relocking my door, a tall beautiful woman with straw colored hair behind him. She was wearing loose pants with a simple blouse. It wasn't modern fashion like I was used to, but closer than what I had so far seen anyone wear. Especially compared to the women Hilda described seeing on the way into the castle, and the general figures of the people I had been able to make out from the frustrating windows in my room.

She looked at Rutherford, giving him a look that I could read from across the room. It was a get out warning. From an alpha female wolf shifter. I had felt that before. Alpha aura’s had never really affected me though. Rutherford, to his credit, stood his ground as well. “Lady Avalon, this is Marissa, of the local wolves. She-” Marissa cut Rutherford off. Physically and with her words.

“I am here to assist you today.” Marissa announced. Rutherford looked more defeated than anything else. He seemed to nod, barely, with a hint of begrudgement.

“Yes, I suppose that is true to a point. His lordship’s physician is going to arrive within the hour. His Grace is already very taken with her, Marissa; Avalon being upset, or something happening to delay her coronation would greatly displease him.” A blatant threat from the faultlessly polite Rutherford. Interesting. I caught the briefest frown on Marissa’s face. She was good at hiding her feelings, not good enough to outwit me.

Mariassa was here to help me. Was certainly close with his Lordship if she was trusted near me. Friend or fuck buddy? Maybe relation, a distant cousin? Someone who seemed about as happy about my pending coronation as I was at least.

Rutherford gave me a loaded look, “See you this evening lady Avalon.” One last pointed look before he left. The door unlocked this time.

I looked Marissa up and down. She was at least a full foot taller than I was. With a full, muscular curving figure that nearly had me drooling. I was unarmed, everything in my planned run away outfit folded uselessly at the dressing table. Even if she was somehow weaker than she looked, she would dominate me. Hilda wisely also accepted that we weren’t strong enough to start to fight our way out right this second.

With our prison door unlocked. Hilda and I agreed to wait for our moment. A torturous game of wits had begun with my current jailer whose motives were far too unclear for my liking. “Avalon.” I introduced myself to Marissa. Sticking my hand out in introduction. Marissa took my hand in hers, a smug look on her face as her Alpha aura tried to wash over me.

Uncommon for women. I obviously did not give her the reaction she was hoping for. I looked up at her, still smiling sweetly. Like I really did care to meet her. She was shocked. Just for a hair of a second though before she schooled her face back into control. “What year is it outside? I have been here with his Lordship for decades now, I have lost track of the days.” Her eyelashes fluttered as she smiled. Releasing my hand.

Rejected bedwarmer it would seem was her true title in this castle. Unfortunate. I didn’t want Rama. She was welcome to him. I had a feeling she was the type to be so hopelessly devoted to him that if I told her she was welcome to him just let me go, she would run to tattle on me to win favor instead of letting me get the hell out of her way. I told her the year, her reaction was to start giggling, and reply. “Oh my it's been much longer than I thought after all.” With a nasally drone to her voice. Joke was on her if she thought I cared how long she had been getting off with Rama.