I awoke slowly, my head blurry, my eyes met with the weak light of the rising sun behind the gauzy white curtains. I pulled the coverlet, soft and warm, over my head. I stared into space, trying to gather my thoughts, hoping they would sink in.
One: I'm in another realm. A realm with fairies and magic. Of beautiful dangerous beings. One that wants me...in some way. I reside in this room of white now. There is no going back home.
Two: last night I was IN a memory. My parents were there. They read a note. Somehow, someway, I am not of that realm either. They were cursed to raise me...they couldn't leave until I was gone. Thats what I surmised anyhow.
"SHE CAN DIE!!!" My mother's voice, dristraguht, in pain...not caring about me anymore. I rolled over, burying my face. How could that be? I thought...they both loved me. Cared for me. How can they give me up so easily?
Groaning, I lift back the covers, facing the opulent room around me. I needed to clear my thinking, to get my mind wrapped around the facts that were my life now. I needed to bathe, to have food, to wear clean decent clothes. I rolled out of the huge comfy bed, planting my feet on the chill tiles. Now THAT woke me up! I shivered in my thin attire, remembering vaugely how embrassing it was to be dressed in this last night, especially with him around. Then, I blushed. He had to have carried me here, I had fallen asleep in the chair in that study-room of his.
I went to the wardrobe,when a small door in the wall next to it caugh my eye. I cautiously turned the small silver knob, pushing it open. Behind that door was a massive bathroom, with a shower and seperate bath, a toliet, and a long counter with a massive sink. The walls and ceiling were covered in mirrors, and the floor and countertop were soft rose-tinted marble. The shower and bath were of soft blue tiles with silver trim, and the toliet and sink were solid silver. I put my hand to my mouth, gasping slightly. This place was never going to cease amazing me...
Suddenly, getting into a hot bath seemed like a brilliant idea. I went inside the bathroom, closing the door behind me. I found some cabinets tucked along the walls, hidden beneath mirrors. I pulled out a huge soft white towel and matching washcloth, then go to the tub and put the items onto the counter. Pausing, I exaxmined myself in the mirror. I looked dreadful, my eyes so tired and red from the strange sleeping pattern and the stress of the past few days. My hair was stringy, and my face was pale. I sighed heavily then turned to the intricate silver buttons beside the spout for the water. I touched one carefully, not sure what it would do, for they didn't look like anything back home. At that single touch, there came a slow steady stream of warm water.I touched another and the water turned icy. There was one in the middle and I touched it as well, and a sudden gush of perfectly hot water came out, filling the tub, which didn't have any noticible drains to it. I let it fill nearly to the brim, and then the button clicked and shut off. I shucked off the sweaty nightie and robe, tossing them aside before plunging myself into the steaming tub. It was amazingly hot and felt wonderful and I sank in, wetting down my hair. I came back up, looking around for some sort of soap. At last I found a dish tucked away next to the tub with various scented bars in it. I grabbed the light lavender one that smelled like berries and sudsed it, running the soap through my hair and all over me, then plunged back under to rinse. Once I was clean, I stepped out of the tub, which drained mysteriously and quickly. I wrapped the towel around me and headed out of the bathroom...running right into him.
I gasped and quickstepped backwards, clutching the towel, only to knock myself into the wall. "Ow..." I mumbled, as he looked at me. His eyes scanned me all over, taking everything in from my wet hair curling down my back and shoulders to the towel concealing most of my body, and then down my bare legs. I blushed crimson, trying to pull the towel tighter around me. "W-what are you doing here?" I asked, trying to not seem so angry.
He chuckled, shaking his head. "Oh, I was going to see if you were up yet." He said. His voice sounded...strangely tight, as if he were restraining himself. It was also very low and a little hoarse. He then cleared his throat and went to stand at the window, his back to me. "I trust you like your bathroom?"
"Y-yes," I replied slowly, trying to make sense of him. I felt very strange standing in the same room like this with him, but at the same time something else besides sheer embarassment stood in the air, tangible. "I...hate to be rude but c-could you excuse me a few moments. I need to um...get dressed." I said, trying to sound nicer, like I had promised I'd try to be last night as I was falling asleep.
He nodded and bowed shortly, making his way across the room quickly, drawing aside the curtain over the door. "I'll be waiting for you in the garden." He said, and left, his heeled shoes tapping down the hall behind him.
I sighed, leaning against the wall. My heart was pounding and my face was still hot. Why was I acting this way around him? True, the fact that I was in nothing but a towel put tension on us both but...his gaze on me, running his eyes over me as if he was going to devour me alive...
I shook the thoughts out of my head, and told myself to get a grip. I couldn't be so weak in the knees around him. He was powerful, and dangerous. For all I knew, he could very well be planning to cook me up. I went to the wardrobe, picking out a long white sundress with cap sleeves. The material was thinner than i liked, but the weather here was always so nice, it didn't seem to matter. I brushed out my hair, checking myself in the mirror on the small dressing table in the room. My still damp hair tumbled around my shoulders in dark swirls, and my face was still flushed, my lips even a soft red. I touched the mirror, not wanting to belive how...fragile I looked. I shook off that feeling, and went out of the room, finding an entrance to the outside garden just a little ways down the corridor. I was barefoot, but the path was so cool and smooth it didn't both my feet in the least.
I found him rather quickly. He was standing with his back towards me, and I felt my heart fluttering as I approached, while my mind fought against it. I shouldn't be feeling this way over him! I barely know him! It doesn't matter...all those nights, the wanting I felt before to meet this person, the nightmares and the sweet dreams brought to flesh before me. Tangible, real...a person. No, something even more than a person. Something not even human. Something I was curious about, something I had to begin to accept as my new reality...
I cleared my throat lightly and her turned, his face and eyes bright with expectation. "Ah, Renee..." I shuddered internally, the way her rolled my name from his lips as if tasting it, "You came. As I wanted." He stepped forward, reaching out for me with his long pale hand. I gasped a little as he took a strand of my hair and brought it to his nose, smelling it a little. He smiled. "Ah, I trust you like the soaps I selected then? I wanted everything to be perfect, and I know you like sweet scents."
I nodded and stepped back, as he was still lightly holding my hair in his hand, as if he were playing with the silky strands. "Yes I do." I answered simply, not sure what else to say. I looked down at my feet, feeling like a fool. What was I doing here? I should just keep trying to escape him, to get out of this crazy place. But I was trapped, and I knew deep down there was no way out. Besides, a part of me really wanted to stay. It was beautiful, a perfect paradise. So why did I feel so confused, so scared...of him?
He wa staring at me. Did I drift off in my own thoughts. I fidgeted with my dress, biting my lip. "S-so what was you wanted?"
His eyes widened and he gave me a quick once over before smiling. "I just was going to give you the grand tour is all. Come this way." He held out his hand, and I took a deep breath. Something was on the edge here, and I was going to leap for it. I put my smaller hand in his, and nodded.
"Lead the way then."
