Audrey turned over in the enormous bed to lie on her stomach. She nestled her head into the thick soft pillows and smiled, content in her half sleeping doze. The fire had burned to embers during the night but sunlight streamed through the windows bathing her body in its warm glow. She lazily opened her eyes to half mast and peered out one of the windows. The sun was fiery ball of brilliant orange, the sky a deepening azure embossed with streaks of pink clouds.
Thinking to her self the sun was not at its full height she decided she could afford to doze back off again. She had slept better and deeper than she had in a very long time and yet she found she could sleep even longer. Her eyes slid closed and instantly she felt her mind slip into that dreamy half state that is not quite asleep or awake.
Suddenly her eyes bolted open as she raised her body up on her arms to peer out the window again. Something about the position of the sun was all wrong. It took her sleepy mind but a second to realize it was not sun up, the sun was going down. She had slept the whole day through.
She sat up on the edge of the bed and rubbed her eyes. Then she scooted forward on the edge of the tall bed until her toes barely scraped the floor, then she hopped down. She eyed the chamber pot, considering, and then decided to wash up first. Besides the night before she had not taken a look at the bathing chamber and she was curious as to its look and style. She had no doubt it would be as enchanting as the bed chamber.
The room was about a third of the size of the bed chamber but ample for its uses and furnishings. In the center of the room was the largest bath tub she had ever seen. It seemed to be made of some porcelain material. The tub was raised high on both ends, swooping down in the middle, she was sure it was wide enough to fit two. It sat on four lion’s paws that appeared to be wrought in gold, as were the fixtures.
“Well at least our host believes in indoor plumbing” she laughed to herself, quite pleased to see a matching toilet tucked into a curtained corner.
On one wall lay a bank of cabinets topped with a marble counter top. A large porcelain basin sat upon the counters top beneath a gold facet and fixtures. A mirror, gilded in gold hung on the wall above. On the opposite wall, with in easy reach of the tub, was an elegant stand of gold, having three shelves. The sides of the stand were formed into whirls and curves of twining ivy. The shelves were made of frosted glass. Scattered across the shelves were glass vials of various shapes, colors, and sizes. On some the handwritten labels were so old they could no longer be read. Of the ones she could read, she found exotic oils of many types. Ceramic dishes littered empty spaces on the shelves. These contained flower petals, presumably from the garden, and hand made soaps. There were also vials of shampoos and crèmes.
Audrey spun a few lazy circles about the room, trying to decide which she wanted to do first, soak in a long hot bath, or call for something to eat. A knock on the heavy door of her bed chamber made the choice for her. She hurried into the next chamber and opened the door. Max stood on the other side holding a silver tray.
“Good evening madam, I trust you slept well” his lips parted in a wide, toothy smile. “Madam has not called on me and the day is slipping away, I took the liberty of bringing you light refreshment.”
“Thank you” Audrey moved aside to allow Max entrance. “And yes, I slept very well”. Too well she thought but did not say.
Max set the silver tray on the writing desk. Audrey could smell the coffee straight away causing her stomach to growl. Inspecting the tray from her vantage point she spied a croissant and a small bowl of fruit.
“Strawberries” Max smiled as if reading her thoughts, “From my Master’s garden. They are quite sweet.”
Thus far Audrey had not wished to seem to anxious but she could hold back no longer, she crossed the room to join Max as he was finishing pouring a cup of coffee from the decanter into a china cup. A small bowl of sugar cubes and a pitcher of cream were also on the tray.
“I shall leave you to your repast” Max backed away towards the chamber door. “My master wishes that madam join him for dinner this evening. I shall arrive to escort madam to the dining hall at 8 pm.”
“Thank you” Audrey replied, quickly swallowing the coffee she had just sipped. The hot liquid burning her tongue.
Max bowed and made his exit, closing the door behind him.
Finally alone, Audrey lept into the desk chair and pulled her feet up under her. She tore into the croissant with relish, popping strawberries into her mouth between every bite. She gulped the coffee poured for her by Max and then refilled her cup from the decanter. She felt as though she had not eaten in ages. And now that she thought about it could not remember when she ate last.
Audrey finished her meal and felt invigorated. She rose from the chair carrying the china cup with her. She moved merrily about the room, sipping her coffee. She had plenty of time before she needed to bathe for dinner. She moved to one of the large windows and pulled back the heavy drapes. A small balcony with an ornately carved stone rail seemed to run from one window to the other. But venturing out onto it would prove impossible. Though she could open her windows to allow in the breeze, both windows were encased with iron bars. Still she leaned out the open window as far as she could to hopefully catch a glimpse of the garden below. However all she could see was forest, weeds, and brambles.
“My room must be on the opposite side of the castle.” She mused. This assumption made perfect sense to her. Sir Nicholas’s rooms were across the hall and he surely possessed a balcony of his own for which he could gaze upon his beautiful garden below. She would not be privy to the view from her accommodations.
This disappointed her greatly even in her high sprits. “I shall go down and have a stroll in the garden.” She decided. “I shall not stay long, only have a peek and then I will return and prepare for dinner, and it would be lovely to have fresh blossoms for my hair.”
Sir Nicholas’s warning did play in her mind, but not more than a few seconds. Audrey was quite sure his request was only meant to protect her. But she was just as sure she did not need protecting. There was still ample daylight outside, and she was only going to stay on the pebbled path. And as far as traversing the castle she was reasonably sure of the way.
She gave Sir Nicholas not another thought as she looked around the room for her shoes. Finding one, she realized the other had never made it into the castle. A fact that was all the more reason to venture down to the garden. She could not very well join her host for the evening meal wearing only one shoe.
Audrey decided to go for her stroll barefoot, she slung the one lone shoe at the bedside then moved towards the door. She opened it slowly and gingering. She cringed and physically gritted her teeth as the heavy door creaked loudly on its aged hinges. Audrey tentatively poked her head from the door and looked down both ends of the corridor. Both ends disappeared in darkness. She knew the study she had been taken too was towards the right, and so was the stairwell leading down.
Audrey hated the thought of bringing attention to herself but light was going to be a necessity while still in the confines of the castle. She ventured back to her room and searched the mantel. As she thought there was a small porcelain jar filled with matches. She used one to light a single candle. Its holder was sleek and much lighter than the candelabras. She moved again to the door and carefully looked both ways. It seemed she had the corridor to herself. Smiling, she moved into the hall and shut the bed chamber door behind her.
Her bare feet grew cold against the stone floor but she didn’t mind. Making her way down the hall, Audrey counted each door she passed so on the return trip she would easily find her room among the many doors along the corridor. She came first to the study where she had officially been introduced to Sir Nicholas. The room seemed grey and cheerless with no fire in the grate. Or was it the absence of Sir Nicholas beauty that dulled a room that had been so grand only the night before.
Audrey proceeded further down the hall and as she had expected the stairwell twisted its way down into the shadows. Fearful she would become dizzy and fall; Audrey placed a small hand firmly on the railing and focused her vision on her steps. This seemed to prove successful but like the night before she thought the stairwell would never end.
But at last she was on the ground floor once again. She found herself in a round antechamber. Three stone carved archways provided the only ways out of the chamber save for climbing the stairs she had just descended. Light seemed to be coming from one of the arches. She tip-toed in the direction of that arch, straining to hear if anyone was moving about. All seemed quiet so she peeked through the archway to the next chamber. The room was indeed empty. There was light streaming in through the windows now and she realized she had been led in through the kitchen the night before. Across the chamber she saw clearly the door in which Sir Nicholas had bid her follow him into his castle. Now with daylight diffusing the shadows the room seemed much less sinister. In the daylight it was a cozy kitchen. It was home to a large and cheerful hearth, cooking surfaces, and a large central island for preparing meals for the Lord of the Manor.
She stepped forward into the room with renewed confidence. And there it was, the wooden door she had been guarded through the night before. And on the other side lay the most beautiful garden she had ever seen. She could already smell the fragrant breeze and the soft feel of grass under her bare feet. She crossed the kitchen quickly and opened the door. Eyes squeezed shut in anticipation she stepped out the door and into the day light.
There was no fresh fragrant breeze; the foul aroma of decay assaulted her senses. She opened her eyes tentatively then a sharp gasp escaped her mouth as she raised her hands to cover her mouth.
In her vision lay nothing but brambles, weeds, and gnarled trees. A misty dampness seemed to cling to everything. Perhaps she was wrong, and this was not the way she came in. But she had been so sure. She kicked at the leaf litter and found that the small pebbled path lay beneath.
Audrey chewed her bottom lip unsure whether to proceed or return to her rooms.
“Gardens do not simply just disappear” she argued with herself. “I am just turned around.”
With renewed resolve she forced herself to move forward, her hands balled fists at her side. The path was buried and unrecognizable but she made her away along easily enough at first. She felt quite sure if she moved along the path as best she could and always kept the castle’s stone wall in sight she would eventually come to the garden.
It seemed a reasonable and logical idea, one she easily convinced herself of.
The underbrush and weeds soon became denser. The surrounding tree’s large twisting roots seemed to reach out for her ankles. The thickening canopy of forest above her blocked out much of the sunlight. And when she came upon a break in the cover they did give her a minimal view of the sky she saw it getting darker each time. It was becoming dark quickly. She needed to go back inside the castle or she would risk becoming lost in the dark.
Audrey wondered if she could continue on or turn back. She had walked a long way already, but an entrance could appear at any moment. She looked to the stone walls of the castle as if it would give an answer to her quandary. The wall was gone. Her heart filled with panic as she turned small circles where she stood. How could this be? She had been so careful to keep the castle wall insight.
She shook her head violently to try to banish the fear threatening to seize control of her senses. No matter what she had to move. Standing there was no going to help find her way back to the castle.
Audrey scanned all directions around her. All looked the same. Overgrowth, dead plant debris, and trees. Sighing she picked a direction and hurried forward at the fastest speed she could and not fall victim to the treacherous surroundings. To fall and become hurt out there would be her doom.
As the days last light fled more quickly from the sky, her terror began to rise. A thick mist began to settle on the forest floor. The sweet acrid aroma of decay was becoming increasingly pungent. She quickened her pace. The shadows in the tree lengthened. Their long leafless branches reached for her. The wind began to moan.
Audrey began to run. Her heart pounded in her ears, her lungs burned. The brambles snagged her flowing skirts and scraped her legs. Her bare feet caught on sharp rocks and twigs. Still she ran, ignoring the pain.
Day passed into night and she was plunged into shadow. Tears of panic filled her eyes threatening to spill down her cheeks. She pushed them back and ran on. The faster she ran the more sure she became she was not alone in those woods. Some horror was right behind her, closing in. Any moment it would catch her, reach for, and devour her.
In the looming shadows she noticed too late some form block her path. She tried to slow and swerve but it was no use. She slammed into the form, immediately knowing it was no tree, but some form of living entity. She screamed. She began to beat the creature with her little balled fists.
Unbelievably strong hands closed over her wrists. Bright green eyes peered down at her in the darkness.
“Nicholas?” Audrey was afraid to hope.
He said nothing, releasing her wrists.
Audrey threw her small arms around him, burying her head in his chest, her tears finally beginning to fall. “I was so frightened” she sobbed, “Oh Nicholas it is so heartbreaking, your garden, it is dead, all of it dead.”
He offered no words or gestures to comfort her. He stood stoically his hands at his sides, waiting patiently for the distraught woman to compose herself.
After a few moments Audrey’s sobs turned to sniffles as her senses came back to her. “Your beautiful garden … its all dead isn’t it?” she whimpered raising her head and tilting it upward to look at him. “I was only going to have a peek and I became lost.”
Nicholas stepped aside and began moving through the trees. “I did warn you.”
He never turned back or slowed his pace. But Audrey knew enough to follow and keep up.
They traveled not far at all when the castle’s stone walls loomed ahead of them. As it had the night before, the castle seemed to appear out of thin air. As before, Nicholas held the door for Audrey, then lit a candle to guide their way.
Nicholas stopped outside of Audrey’s chamber door then surrendered the candle to her. “Dinner shall be served in an hour. I shall send my Valet to collect you.” He seemed to scan his eyes over her, a look of disgust passed across his features. “I suggest you use the time to clean yourself.”
Not waiting for any response Nicholas crossed the corridor and disappeared into his own apartments.
