COLOURS || Seth Clearwater

FOUR

April, 1304

"Good morning," Kane mused as Lucinda woke up, blinking in confusion as she took in her surroundings for the first time since she'd gotten to the home. He appeared to be doing the dishes in the small kitchen corner, an ever growing pile on the counter next to the sink.

"Um, good morning," she muttered, grimacing as she stood up. Lucinda was surprised to discover that her back no longer went into a spasm each time she moved, though it was immensely itchy and dry.

"How does it feel?" Kane asked, gesturing to her wrists. Lucinda rubbed them uncomfortably, slouching her shoulders. She didn't know this man at all, but the way his sky blue eyes studied her as if she were a spell book, she couldn't help but feel nervous.

"It's a little bit itchy," she murmured honestly. "But it isn't anything that I cannot handle." Kane smiled faintly at her and set down the dirty dish in his sink, drying his hands off on a towel before holding a hand out to her.

"Alec told me you would say that," he chuckled. "I don't believe I have been properly introduced," he mused, smiling as Lucinda took a hesitant step forward. "I am Kane Floyde," he smiled. Lucinda felt a light blush rise to her cheeks and she cursed quietly. She was not shy, and she did not like to feel shy. But there was something about this stranger — this immensely attractive stranger — that made her like all the other flirtatious women back in Harpoon.

"Lucinda Emery," she spoke smoothly, holding her head high in an attempt to regain her collected composure. Kane shook her hand gently, and Lucinda was surprised to find how cold his finger tips were.

"I am glad that you are feeling better, Lucinda," Kane smiled, and she felt her heart flutter, ensuing quiet curses.

"How long will I be staying?" she asked coolly, clenching her jaw.

"As long as you feel is necessary," Kane shrugged, and Lucinda heard the weak cough he attempted to cover, though she pretended to have missed it.

"I will leave once I am healed then," she stated, frowning as she noticed that her clothes had been changed into a much more pleasant night gown then her usual peasant dress, which must have been burned as she had been.

"Duchess Matilda came two days ago to change them," Kane explained, noticing the red heads confusion.

"Two days ago?" she murmured. "How long have I been asleep?"

"Nearly a fortnight," Kane called. "There's more clothes in the chest over there," he told her, pointing at the small wooden chest at the foot if the bed. Lucinda stared at it, completely baffled. She had been healing nearly fourteen days. How had the villagers not found her yet?

"Have the towns people come for me at all?" She asked quietly, lifting the chests lid and pulling out a much simpler gown.

"Yes, but they seem to be too afraid of your pets to even come near here," Kane chuckled, setting down yet another plate. "Your tiger seems to care greatly for you."

"Zara is my familiar," Lucinda explained shortly. There was no point in hiding it, Kane appeared to know many things about her — courtesy of Alec and Charlotte — so she may as well answer his questions.

"And your other animals?" He asked curiously. Lucinda smiled faintly at the mention of her birds and wild cats.

"They were the animals that people threw into the forest because they thought they wouldn't live to see the next day. Rowena was once a messenger bird, Olenna I found as a fledgling that had fallen from her nest, and Andromeda was caught in a hunters snare. My cheetahs were a part of a failed animal show. They were all promised to the forest, but I suppose I gave them a second chance."