Right, so I've been rather lack in my writing of late. Though I do have ideas flowing through my head, it's been getting rather difficult to get them to down on paper (or word document). So, here's a little bit of a story I've been trying to get down.
Once his laughter subsided she realized that this creature
was no monster. The façade he wore may be frightening, but there was something
deep inside of him that spoke of another. While he laughed at her remark
various thoughts flashed through her mind: exactly what was he laughing at her
was the foremost.
“Forgive me,” his voice was soft, gentle.
She smiled, “Of course.”
They stood facing one another, watching. She was certain he
was studying her as she was him.
“I’m sorry,” a sudden realization overcame her, “but the
previous time I was here you told me you were the sole occupant of this
castle.”
He seemed puzzled, then looked around the empty foyer before
replying, “I am.”
“And yet you have an entire cast of staff to make tea.”
She watched him consider that. There had to be a reason.
“Oh. I see what you mean.” He came down the stairs to stand
next to her. “Perhaps I did mislead you as to the number of residents here.”
Standing close to him set something racing through her. A
surge of adrenaline coursed through her, telling her to run. Rubbing her arms
she took a few steps away to look out the windows that hadn’t been broken.
“I can see why you did,” she stared out at the grounds.
There were others out there, tending to the dreary landscape. She didn’t see
any sort of reason to keep the grounds up; unless there was a pressing need to
walk through the snow. It looked peaceful out there. The white ground was
almost as misleading as the – his –
“I’m sorry, but do you have a name?”
She spun around to face him, only to bump into him again.
She hadn’t heard him walk close.
“Sorry,” he rapidly stepped back to put some distance
between them.
Her heart hammered in her chest; though she was uncertain
whether it was from fear or something else.
“No, it-it’s alright,” she trailed off.
They stood there, staring at anything else in the room
except each other. She’d never felt this way around anyone else before. It was
as though she was courting someone and had been caught unaware at a fancy
party. It was ridiculous. They were both adults.
So why did she feel as though there was something else
connecting them together?
* * * * ** * *
He watched her from across the hall.
He cursed himself again for his lack of manners. All the
things he’d learned about conversation had seem to fly from his mind, leaving
him standing like a fool. Following so close behind her had startled her more
than she was letting on as well.
This was a bad idea, the thought crossed his mind again.
She cleared her throat, seeming to search for the right
words to say.
Wait, didn’t she ask me a question? He frowned at the
thought, turning away.
“I would tell you my name, but I’ve forgotten what it was.”
“How could you forget your name?”
There was no malice in her voice. Only curiosity.
Turning he shrugged, “After the first dozen years it didn’t
seem necessary.”
She cocked her head to the side, “The first dozen years?”
He cursed himself again. Should he tell her everything? Let
her know that this was a cursed castle? That every living thing in here had
been doomed for the past century?
Looking at her he saw a gleam in her eye, one that spoke of
adventure, knowledge, and understanding.
“Master, lunch is served.”
He shifted, not quite jumping (as she did).
“Thank you Leon.”
The butler left for the dining rooms. In the aftermath he
let the silence linger while he collected his thoughts.
What have you been working on recently? Leave a comment below and share your progress!
