I resided in the castle for an ordinary week. Well, not that ordinary in the sense of back in my father's medical office. Can I hear myself? Living with an estranged woman alone is simply ordinary. Better than married to Arthur Thomas. Married to any man for that matter. I would rather blood-let someone with no disease. Anything would be better than the marriage.

  I was in the dining room, cleaning the silverware. I finished the glassware this morning and the plates. The bowls are in question. Either they remain somewhere high where my stature cannot reach, or Catherine Valeria had no bowls. I could not wrap my head around the notion. If I must keep all curtains closed. Why does Valeria sleep during the day? Surely whatever she does through the night can be completed in the daylight. It's not like I can tell what time it is. There are no clocks anywhere to be found. No track of time in a quiet place tends to make a mind wander. I find myself often memorizing facts found in my father's medical books. Reciting the textbook terminology.

  "Aneurysm, a ballooning of an artery caused by a weakened artery wall. Bright's Disease, a kidney inflammation. Richard Bright, a colleague of my father in London described this condition as including inflammation and hardening of the kidneys, fullness and hardness of the pulse, and albuminuria. Catalepsy, seizure or a trance-like state." I finished the second row of glasses going down the alphabet of terms I have learned. I wished I had stolen the last medical book my father received in London before coming here. His collection is complete, though my collection stored in my mind wasn't. If only I could go back. To sneak into his medical office and take the book. I would return it rest assured but being in that routine of learning has dwindled in this short weeks.

  I finished cleaning any utensils I got my paws on, promptly returning them to their newly clean storage. My sights were in the kitchen. All of my time has been dedicated to Valeria in her study. Either that or my room. After the incident with the west wing stairs, Valeria would shout to me from her room to inquire what I was getting up to.

  For a woman who values her sleep, she's waking herself up every hour.

  The dining room and kitchen were two different sides of the castle. The entryway was between them. The main stairs were in the middle. My bare feet grew cold on the floors. To lead into the kitchen.

  "Bella? Bella!"

  "Yes, my Lady?" I halted in my tracks peering up past the stairs, staring at Catherine's door. "What are you doing?" Her hand crept out of her door grasping the frame. She pulled herself out of her room, appearing in her nightgown. Her hair ratted from the back lifting her strands in the front of her face. "I'm going to the kitchen! No need to be awakened my lady, may I fetch your medicine now? Since you have risen." Valeria crawled down the stairs withholding herself down the banister. "That is needed. What were you planning in kitchen?" She stretched her arms above her head, letting her jaw project open yawning violently. "I have been cleaning the silver and glassware all morning. I guessed I might start next in the kitchen." I pushed the kitchen door open to find a massive cobweb greet us. "Oh, Jesus Christ!" I bent down to grab the broom to evade the dirt strings away. "You cook I suppose? You have grown quite thin this month." She yawned again as she leaned on a kitchen counter. "Haha! Surely, you may feel like you slept for eternity but it hasn't been a month." I exhaled a breath to blow away dust from the tall stack of newly found bowls in the sink. "Bella, you arrived to my castle in November. This is December. December 4th to be exact." She folded her arms neatly into her chest. I was in disbelief, how on earth would she know such a thing? "How does one know which month it is in this place? There are no clocks? No perception of time?" I lifted the bowls outside to take out to wash. The door was stuck, as a force was begging me not to go. Or it was simply jammed and I am overthinking again. In one final kick with my knee, the door halted. Some movement shook the wood against the metal.

  "Are you frightened of not knowing time? Fearful you are stuck with me? If you are ever wondering, I have a calendar in my study. It's hidden behind my chair." Her bare feet tapped on the floor behind me, body pressed against one's body. In another push, we both kicked the door open. Hinges in disrepair. "Not frightened of you my Lady, just fear of the unknown."

  She was correct, it snowed ferociously. A knee-high amount of snow. Untouched; only little tracks of paw prints on the side of the brick. "Is that what you fear? The unknown?" I couldn't answer promptly still in disbelief it has been an entire month. When I arrived to this castle it was fall. Not winter!

  "Isn't that what you fear Valeria? The unknown?" The snow sent my bare feet a shock. I shut the door back in place. Regaining feeling in my toes. "No child, the unknown is nothing to fear. There are greater things to fear than something unknown to the common man." She twirled a black strand with her index. "If you must know, the time is 4:35 pm. Almost dinner. You are instructed to prepare a meal for us."

  "Us?! Dinner?!" I inquired swirling my body around. She isn't aware I cannot cook a thing. She should be grateful I can pour her medicine properly. "Of course! You must-...I mean..we must eat. Vadoma will not be back until spring, she visits her family. Until her return, you will prepare food. Is there a problem? Plenty of food in the cold box and pantry. Enough to feed a damn army the looks of it!" She opened the pantry door to see food. Breads, poultry and barrels of wine. "Knock yourself out. Have fun, Bella." Valeria left leading herself into the dining room. "Medicine now?"

  "Ah, no! Just bring it once you prepared food." She yawned again closing the dining room doors behind her.

  I was in a panic. Panophobia, that's what it is. My nervous system is under attack. "What the bloody hell do I do? I cannot cook bread right let alone a damn meal!" I scurried around the kitchen thinking what I conjure up. "Soup! Even a simpleton can make that right?" I've gone mad! Absolutely mad. I'm talking to myself? I missed a month and began talking to myself? Bloody hell!

  ?───? ??? ?───?

  Soup wasn't hard. Water, poultry, vegetables and some greenery. All in one big cauldron. High heat with the wood and coals burning nicely. Perhaps I'm not a terrible cook after all once I am under great distress.

  "Bella! Are you still alive or do I have to come and save you?" Oh shit! Valeria! I forgot! She's grown agitated not having her medicine. It's been 25 minutes since she sat down. "Coming! Dinner is almost ready!" I scooped out a portion of soup in each clean bowl onto a tin tray with her medicine. I swear every time I open Catherine's medicine, it reminds me of the smell of blood. The copper smell that has flooded my nostrils since I was small. I was around my father working on patients and my mother days before her illness succumbed to her. All it smelt of is blood. I suppose if it is to help her then why am I to point judgement? It's just a smell.

  I ran out from the kitchen to the dining room. Catherine sat at the head of the table, leg over the arm of her chair. Her bare thigh exposed heated my cheeks almost dropping the tray. "Um..here we are." I dropped the tray before her giving her a bowl. "About damn time. Soup? That's it? How long you were in there I guessed a six-meal dinner was to be served." She swiped a cloth napkin tossing it in her lap. Catherine Valeria was refined. Her back sat straight with her fork to the left and knives, and spoons to the right. Her medicine is to the right as well. "Um...no I apologize, I have never cooked before. I'm sorry if it isn't up to your standards of a meal." I dragged the tray to the other side of the table until something caught my arm. "No, it will be fine. Sit next to me. I don't want you far away."

  "Scared of me not in your proximity Valeria?"

  "No, don't be silly. I grow cold. You waited too long to give me my medicine. I need body heat near me. Now eat before it is as cold as me." She was cold. Her hand let my arm go as I planted myself down in the seat beside herself. She took her first taste of soup. Her lips twitched, she switched from a spoon to her glass. I picked up my spoon taking a sip of the broth. "Oh no!" I gagged rubbing my tongue on the roof of my mouth. Catherine laughed in rebuddle. "Haha! It's fine. It's edible...somewhat. All I can say is it keeps us warm." She sipped the broth again trying not to make a face. "You call this edible? I knew I should have added salt."

  "Salt! Haha! You need more than that Bell. You need to scrap the whole pot! Now eat your shit...I mean soup!" She giggled as though she was a small child. In this so-called month, I have never heard such a thing from her lips. With a laugh such as this, it's as though she is becoming more human. "Shut it! You asked me to cook, not you." I retorted in protest. "I told you I have never cooked."

  "Ha! Perhaps your mother taught you anything?"

  "No, unfortunately, my mother died before she could teach me womanly things."

  "I am sorry I asked. Cooking shouldn't just be up to women, can it? What of your father?"

  "My father didn't cook much. We always had an old widower give us freshly made food for my family after she passed. He never remarried. Still loved her."

  "How sweet. How old were you when she died?"

  "17. A year ago. By the time she was ready to teach me, the black death caught her."

  "The black death? What infliction is that?"

  "So it is true? Romanians don't have the black death?"

  "Perhaps the whole country may know, but like you said, I live upon a rock. I'm the last to know. Intrigue me."

  "My father calls it a pandemic. It has spread throughout London and Italy. People think it's God's wrath. My father and I have theorized that perhaps with everything about exploration into new the world, that possibly ships may have carried disease. Further to the fact that men are dirtier than women. Gross men with no soap on a dirty boat can cause a massive death toll. I think it's rats. Filthy creatures."

  "Ah, I see. What are the symptoms of this pandemic?"

  "If I remember correctly fever, headache, chills, and weakness and one or more swollen, painful lymph nodes. Usually, victims of the plague will last 2 to 7 days. Then their body must be burnt to prevent the spread. That's why London was a hotspot for death. No one believed my father and decided to pile the dead in the middle of town square."

  "The plague? Black death? Too many names for the sickness Bell."

  "I am aware, that different people call it different things. Men of knowledge call it sickness, whereas men who blindly follow faith call it our damnation." It wasn't very forthcoming for a woman to slouch, let alone to lean my elbow on the table.

  "Blindly? You think following faith is that?" Valeria pushed her soup forward away from her coddling her drink. "Have I offended you, my Lady?" The way she furrowed her brow at my remark made my skin want to leap off my bones. "No, not in the slightest. I never hear someone with the same outlook on religion as I." She sipped again wiping away the access from her inner corner. "It's refreshing actually. Religion leads one to become a sacrificial lamb. Pitiful when no one has any characteristic but bowing to God."

  If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  "You are correct. Everyone must have a sense of individuality. They must. We cannot go through life to come out the same person." I finished the last spoonful of my terrible attempt at soup. "Agreed. Bell, fix me another drink, will you? Please?" Please? Catherine Valeria saying please? My heart fluttered. Why is that? A woman who seems to hate me, the feeling not mutual but more not sure. Depending on the day. Showing more of her compassionate side. "Bell? You seem in a good mood for once. That name sticking?" I got up from my chair to whisk Catherine and my bowl away from the dining room to head to the kitchen. Catherine followed behind with her empty glass. "Oh perhaps. If you wish for me to remain in this mood then you have to clean my glass too." We both pushed the kitchen door open simultaneously. "Of course my lady. I must fetch water. I will return." I tossed the bowls into the wash basin over the burnt coals and wood. By the time I fetch enough water in the bucket and return the basin will be warm enough to tend to the dishes.

  The well was five feet away from the backdoor. My shoes were in my room, no more use if I hadn't gone out in a month. I leaped into the snow feet first with my dress dragging snow. I tret through bucket in hand. I jumped through a foot of snow to the well. Being stuck in the warmth of the castle has made me accustomed to finer things. Such as heat from a fire that seems never to go out. Warmth. All my mind was promising me once the task at hand was finished. The rope in the well was frozen with sharp icicles overhang. Every move made them drop into the water. At least I was thankful the water was not frozen.

  I hurried back to the kitchen with little to no feeling in my feet. Catherine stood in the doorframe with her arms folded. "You are utterly mad! Insane! You want to fall ill?!" She dragged me back in almost making me drop the bucket. "I was only out for a minute. Calm down!"

  "Calm down?! How in the fuck am I to remain calm! You are chattering! Where is your coat? Your shoes?" Her grip on my arm tightened lifting my feet off the ground throwing me near the basin. "I am fine my Lady, I was out for a minute! I haven't left the comforts of your warm castle in a month after all. Not a cold night since I came here. Except one." I stood in front of her pouring the water into the warm basin. The stream created from ice cold to hot water warmed my cheeks. Surprisingly, Catherine's hands were warm across my shoulders. She huffed regaining her once calm mood. "Only one night? I'm surprised. It becomes rather cold in the winter months. How did you come to have these marks? They are new?" Her Romanian accent came out in any question she inquired of. Her index tranced a thick line across the width of my shoulders, along my back.

  "Marks? I had a nightmare a few days ago. I swore that was a dream.." I caressed my neck with the lines under my fingers. I cleaned our dishes with a rag and some soap made of lye. I made some the previous night for the occasion.

  "Self-inflicted. You mustn't realize you were scratching in your sleep. You have nightmares often?"

  "Don't you? They come and go, like the passing season." The cutlery was done, as were the bowls. I turn away from the basin to meet Catherine's gaze. Naturally looking into one's eyes will most likely indicate one to either move or to say something. "No...not anymore. I have seen worse than what your nightmares may conjure." She had me in her view, moving only her breath. "May I pass? I ideally would like to finish before bed." Valeria took a stride away from me allowing me to pass her to the cupboard. "Are you uncomfortable with me Bella?" Her voice grew low in a whisper. I turned my back to face her. Her body what was once a grey shadow lit up by the light illuminating from outside of the kitchen. "No. I'm not. Why would say that?"

  "I told you Bell, all my senses are heightened. Your heartbeat is erratic. I'm going deaf over how loud it is. You are nervous. By me? Being close to you?" Heightened senses? One tends to forget her illness has effects. "Maybe I am, it's not every day the Lady of the house watches you clean so tentatively." My hands became clamy as I spoke truthfully. I'm normally more confident when speaking to others but Catherine Valeria is a different sort. A different kind of woman. "So the issue is me watching you? You don't like to be watched? Or is it me?"

  "Being watched. That's the issue. Not you Catherine...I mean Lady Valeria!" I froze with no intention to speak for the duration of the night. She laughed as she stood up straight. "Haha, we'll have to fix that another day. I'll leave you for the night. Goodnight Bell." She took a step in front of me, as she reached around my body to grab the heart-shaped glass full of her medicine. Her other hand rested on my hip. Her hand left my body retreating out of the kitchen. It still felt her hand still resided there. "Goodnight my Lady."

  ?───? ??? ?───?

  Catherine was silent the rest of the night. I was too. It felt as though I built a wall around myself the moment Catherine was opening up.

  How could I do that? This is what I wanted. Right? For her to be friendly. She was trying her best.

  I didn't go to bed quite yet. My bed wasn't my real bed. A bed I was given yes, but didn't feel like home. She had rules over where I can or cannot wonder. If I have stayed in this castle for a month as she said, then I should be allowed to roam. If this castle has to be called my home, I believe I should know every square inch. That's the end of it. End of this charade of only this part of the castle. One must explore far and untouched lands. Even if it is just new rooms. I did not dare go near the west wing stairs. The chill overcame me when I went near those stairs, I will not venture there. Ever.

  At the end of the hall was my room, the other end was Catherine's. To the right of my room was the bathroom. There is another door to the left. I never asked what was in there. I always thought it was another bedroom. I silently rotated the door handle, looking behind me to Catherine's room. It was unlocked, and the door opened to greet me with a flight of stairs. Covered in cobwebs; the stairs were narrow leading up with no light source. It was foolish of me, not to run back to my room to bring a candle with me. Anything could be up there. A savage beast? The girl in white? Catherine's previous servants? No, I mustn't think of these thoughts. My feet led me faster than my mind. I crept up the stairs to the realization that this flight was not only narrow but steep as well. With each step becoming more small once I reach the top. No door awaited for me at the top. It was an open floor plan. Nothing was in here. It was a room to connect two hallways. The stairs were in the middle of the room. I peered over to the left hall, upon further inspection the right hallway was the best choice to take. The left was dark not seeing no sign of life. Whereas the right had light fixtures along the hall well lit.

  Catherine's rules didn't clarify anything about this part of the castle. Which, in hindsight, means if one stumbles upon an 'open' door, then I am permitted to wonder.

  The hallway smelt of honeysuckle. I haven't smelt honeysuckle since I was a child. It was a fond memory. The smell of my childhood. Back to our summer home in the countryside. Playing hide and seek in honeysuckle bushes with my brothers, pulling apart the strands to lick the sweet taste. A memory, in which my mom was still alive. I tend to forget the good memories of her and reminisce over the bad memories of her.

  "Oh my god..." In my imagination, I dream of this. I have never imagined I would ever see this with my own eyes. A library. A massive library. Books as far as the eye could see. I could spend days reading the titles. Each bookcase had a ladder on wheels. I was in awe. I ran to the first bookshelf pulling out the first book that caught my eye.

  Gulliver's Travels. Read it.

  The Monk. Read it.

  Evelina. Hm? It seems promising. A young woman navigating through civilization. Perhaps it is a foretelling of my life? Then again, it could be a foretell my downfall. The red upholstered chairs stood still in the middle of the library alluring me to hunker down to curl up to begin to read. My senses were startled by the change of wood to a black and red carpet. The fireplace had a singular lump of wood. Not lit, still with remnants of charcoal fell off creating an echo throughout the room. I am finally able to prompt my feet up, the only time I was allowed to rest was when I slept. Since Catherine and I had our little talk, she appeared that I had upset her somehow.

  A bump across the hall frightened me whilst I finished the first chapter. It was human nature to investigate, however knowing what I know about this castle. Maybe Catherine Valeria's rules weren't to restrict me, but more to protect me. I pretend to think nothing of it continuing the following chapter. Until the thump grew loud. The sound rattled the room causing the books to quiver. I shot up from the cushion grooves, my knees buckled with my feet trembling from the vibration.

  Could it be the woman in white again? I fathom whether to explore further or to remain in my private paradise. There is a door after all, I can simply lock it and pretend I heard no noise. This damn decision is doing my brain in. A part of me wanted to leap out into the unknown but the other part of me still feared the unknown. Unknown of being hurt, scared or hell, killed. I crept further to the door. No singing; no sign of white flowing through the air. Another noise rang throughout with another shift in the hall. It appeared to be a tall black figure in a dress. Its skin glow illuminated through the half-cocked door. Was it another omen? Another spirit. Spirits cannot harm? Can they? Or is it another fairytale I told myself? Only time will tell. I tip-toed down the hall, an inch from the door. Laughter erodes behind the door, with another thud.

  I know that laugh. It's Catherine's.

  I pushed the open door further, Catherine's back faced me as she stumbled alone against a table. Portraits of people hung around the room. Any wall in the room was covered in dust-filled portraits. Family? Her family? Her husbands? If she had a husband that is. She did say a man built this castle.

  "F-fuck..you all left me or had the luxury to die! Fucking idiots all of you!" She slurred spinning her head to the ceiling. Her medicine was empty, she was finishing off a bottle of red wine next with the same amount of dust as the portraits. She was drunk. Her cheeks had some colour of rose. As her chest grew a blotch pink. The first time I had seen colour on her. "Miss Bella Donna! Happy of you to join us!" She stumbled to regain her composure attempting to stand straight. "We were just having a chat!" She shouted as her arms flung out. "I'm sorry my Lady to disturb you."

  "Oh hell no! No disturbance here haha!" Catherine's voice echoed throughout. "Just reminiscing that is all!" She smiled allowing her pointed canines to appear under her top lip. Being in the medical field with my father, I often saw different alignments of teeth. Even having to do extractions alongside my father. I have never noticed the shape or cleanliness of her teeth. It was as if she had pearls in her mouth. More white than her skin. Mine are clean, yes, but the pearl white has long since faded from my formative years. Still in good health.

  "Reminiscing? Are these your relatives? People who have once lived in this castle?" I hid my hands behind my back in fear I would be scolded to come up here and read her library. "Oh yes! Some are my family, and my ex-husband's family. His mother was insufferable! L-lemme tell you! All long gone thank god...haha! Nevermind! What brings you here?" She slurred as she shrugs her shoulders to bring the wine bottle up to her lips. She was sloppy drinking her wine. It made me chuckle to see Catherine Valeria in this new light. She drank her medicine with such precision, such poise, in this light she's a mess of a drunk. "Oh, I heard strange noises. The door was wide open so I came to investigate." Catherine smiled as if she was a small child leaning her body weight over a wood table. "Y-y-you...You're always investigating...y-you're going to find something you won't like Bell...Oh! Come! I want to show you something! I-It will pique your intellectual interest." She mumbled babying her bottle in her arms. Her hand reached out taking my empty one to pull me out of this place into the hallway. The length of her dress dragged along the floor longer than regular occasions, until I came to my senses to find Catherine was barefoot still. Her hand twitched that held mine causing our grasp to jerk. Catherine's body swayed trying to remain in a straight line down the hall to the library.

  "Ta-da! A library! Y-y-you may read if you wish once your duties are finished." She overlapped her foot over the other to collapse onto the canapé where I once sat. I threw the book on a ledge to attend to my Lady. She giggled as I was in fear she was injured. "Are you alright my Lady?" I held out my hand racing around the red upholstered four-seater.

  "Y-yes..I'm alright.." She rolled over onto her back, her dark hair contrasted with the shade of the vermillion fabric. Her hand shook raising the rest of the red wine to her lips. Her jaw cracked open allowing the fluid to drip into her mouth. "Fantastic. Perhaps you've had enough to drink tonight. You think?" My hand reached across her chest to grab the bottle away from her. Though, not even a sip remains. It will not make a difference. Her hand stopped me, intertwining her fingers in mine. "Hm?... What are you trying to do? I suppose I'm left defenceless. Bare to you." She appeared with a drunken smile. Stroking the inside skin between my index and thumb. Catherine's eyes fluttered shut back to open trying her damnest to stay awake.

  "Not at the very least. I will bid you a goodnight Lady Valeria." I hushed into a whisper as I bent my knees down to meet Catherine's gaze. "Catherine." She hummed letting my hand drop. "Sorry?" I grew wary but thought nothing of it from her drunken state. "Call me Catherine. No more formal pleasantries. You live here too."

  "Very well, goodnight Catherine."

  "Sleep well Bell. R-rest assured, no nightmares tonight. I am too tired to play." I got up to leave Catherine in the library to sleep. I made it out of the doorframe until I realized something she previously said was more sinister than I registered in my mind.

  No nightmares tonight? She's tired? What the hell?...