Babel's Magic-Khadgar FanFic

Pretty Soap?

Examining a small wicker basket of scented soaps, Fain cocked her head to the side and poked one of the soaps that were shaped like a sea shells.

"Miss, Miss Fain, your bath is drawn," snapping back to the voice across the room, Fain looked at the woman a tad peculiarly, an ornamental soap in her hand.

"Why are they shaped like this? What's wrong with this soap?" Fain inquired, turning the item over in her hand brows raised.

A grin broke on the woman's face but when she realized it wasn't being returned she quickly downplayed her snort, "Oh- Well, they're decorative. For the queen and others in the royal keep. It's pretty...don't you have things like that where you come from?"

Fain rolled the tacky soap between her thumb and forefinger still confused by its purpose. Shaking her head though she looked to the woman, "We don't have, pretty things? Is that what you call these things? We give all our possessions for respect of Lord Fel'dan."

Giving her a frown, the woman came up to Fain and picked the basket up and placed it in her hand without question, "Here, see which one you like the most in your bath. I'll tell the King and he can get you more." The beaming smile she was given along with the basket of soaps confused Fain but left her with little time to question as she was lead to the room she'd been in before, "I will bring you fresh clothes once you're privately settled in the tub Miss Fain."

Befuddled but the door shut behind her before Fain could ask what she was supposed to do with the wicker basket of soaps now. With a huff she set them down on a tall skinny table beside the claw foot tub and looked over the side into the giant cast iron free standing tub. Swirling around was some of the clearest crisp blue water she'd seen. So rarely did they bath back home, brief showers to maintain hygiene but this level of luxury and care into something as simple as cleansing, Fain was a little stumped on where to even begin with trying to enjoy it all.

The steam wafting off the surface of the tub was inviting, that she could not deny. Dipping three fingers into the water Fain could feel her body ache to submerse in the steaming bath. Surveying the area did show how alone she was so Fain figured why not indulge. Stripping off her tunic and dropping the grubby item to her feet, the same fate came to her trousers as she hooked her fingers in the waistband and peeled them down. Brushing back her bangs hanging limply in her face, Fain diligently swung her leg over the edge of the tub. Sinking her left leg into the bath earned a little moan of pleasure from the woman.

Taking sweet time to sink into the bath water, Fain sat at the edge for a while. Watching her feet distorted under the water and the dingy light brown mud slowly leaving her and filtering into the water, Fain smiled at how ridiculous this all was.

"Look at me, taking a bath like some prissy concubine of Lord Fel'dan," Snickering under her breath Fain still was reluctant to admit to herself how enjoyable it was, "They'd have me killed for this...or worse..." The thought of worse cross her mind and quickly Fain disregarded it as she shifted and lowered herself into the lush hot water until her bottom rested on the tubs floor and the water came level under her collar bones.

Inhaling deeply, the water stung her wound but it was such a relief to the rest of her body. A little gritty substance was on the tub's floor and when Fain pinched some to bring up and inspect it, she was dumbfounded to see it smelled of fresh herbs and it dissolved between her wet fingers, "Another pretty?" She thought out loud when her mind returned to the basket of soaps beside her. Swiveling her torso Fain looked at the basket the woman insisted on her taking with her. Throwing the thought of using them away instantly, the thought slowly creeped up on her.

"They won't miss one....it is soap..." Fain slid to the side of the tub with her basket and stuck her wet hand into the basket of dry soaps. Fishing out the first one she could get a firm grasp on, Fain brought to her lap a shell shaped soap about the size of her palm. Sniffing the soap she realized it smelled like the salty looking crystal that dissolved before. A pleasant floral bouquet of lavender and roses and all other pretty flowers. Plopping the soap in the water, it gave a small plink and Fain watched it sink to the bottom between her pale thighs. It earned a stupid smile from her as Fain dipped her hands under and watched her makeshift waves toss the soap around under the water. Engulfed in her childish delight a sharp wrap against the bathrooms door caused a startled yelp from her. Fain gripped the soap and thought back to the woman who said she'd bring her clothes.