I turn my gaze from the flowers to the gate. I walk over and look at the lock, trying to fiddle with it. "How..." I hear the door open and I quickly go back to picking flowers.
"Pretty, aren't they?"
I nod and walk over, with a handful of purple, blue and yellow flowers. Sir walks to the lake and places the clothes, the rag and the red bottle down, then motions for me to come over. I walk over and put the flowers down, then sit next to him. He opens the red bottle, and a nasty smell comes from it. "I know it smells and most likely tastes bad, but I need you to drink it. Okay?"
I nod and take it, groaning a bit at the bad smell, then drink it quickly. "Eww.." After a few seconds, my skin begins to burn, and I shiver. Sir notices, then takes the robe off me and gently puts me in the water, holding me up, to make sure I don't sink. "I..can stand.."
"Sorry, you're just so short I thought you couldn't." He lets go and I drop down, the water coming up to my shoulders now. He hands the rag to me. "Here, scrub the blood off.."
I take the rag and run my thumb over it, then raise my arm, to see the bite marks on it are gone. "Oh..wow.." I scrub the blood and dirt off of my arm, then the other, then my neck and the rest of my body, then put the now dirty rag on the ground next to Sir, who is now humming. I put my arms on the ground and try to get up, but slip down and sink, I reach up and grab onto Sir's legs, and pull myself up, my chest and head getting on his lap, making it wet.
"Gah! Are you alright?!" He pulls me up and out of the water, standing. I nod, and grab the clothes. He takes them and dresses me. The clothes are bug on me, but it's better than nothing. "I..could have done that.."
"It's fine. I didn't think you could...follow me. I was thinking of taking you into town, if you will behave yourself..."
"Into town?"
"The marketplace..buy some jewelry, a new dagger...visit the town's witch..have her enchant some things for me."
"Enchant? My mo..." I stop talking, and look down, not knowing if mention of my mother will upset him. It's already upsetting me.
"I know. Your mother was great at enchanting. Didn't she pass some of that knowledge onto you?"
I nod, still looking down, sadness seeping into every word I say. "Yes..she..had some papers..of enchantments..I remember where she put them..."
"You do? Where?"
"Her old room, under the bed..."
"I'll get them...maybe you can learn a bit, hm?"
I nod, and Sir leads me into the manor, then into the basement. I whimper, he gently grabs my hand and kisses it gently, then walks to my mother's old room, and into it. I tear up. The blood is still there. Her skeleton is still there. I want to leave. I want to run. So I do. I run out, out of the basement and into Sir's room, then crawl into the closet and hug my knees, I'm breathing quickly, but it's also hard to breathe. I start to cry and I can't stop, I don't want to close my eyes but I do, rocking myself back and forth, my mother's face plaguing my mind with sad and happy memories, I want to go back, I want to be fourteen again and I wish I didn't break the plate. I begin to cry harder as all I can see and hear of my memories now is just how she begged for me to leave. Look away. Help her. I was so weak, and now she's dead and "It's my fault! A plate! A meaningless plate that was already chipped and old! Why?! Why was I not strong enough to fight Sir off when he found us?! We were happy! I hate him and all the things he did and does!"
I don't notice that the door is open and Sir is watching me. He gently picks me up, with old papers in his hand, and even though I fight against him and push against his firm chest, he doesn't let go or scowl. He sits and holds me tight, until I get tired and curl up in his warm arms. "I-I hate you..I hate..you.." is all I mutter to him. I listen to his slow and calming heart beat, my sobs beginning to slow down. He runs his fingers through my wet hair as I fight against sleep, but give in soon enough. The last thing I see is Sir's face. He looks calm, but I can see a little anger in his eyes.
Word count: 830 words!
