Court led me out into a small room with a wooden bookshelf mounted up on the right side. It was filled with leather bound books.
"This is where the books are. No one goes in here much besides Lyell." Court said as I walked up to the bookshelf. "The room is always unlocked so you can come in here whenever. Not very comfortable though. " Court noted.
I removed a book and opened it. A simple fiction books. Good enough for me. I'd take anything over just sitting on the bed daydreaming about my old life and all the things I had done before coming here. Not that I did much.
The only difference now is I had no animals to help feed and I'm confined to one room. But it could be worse. I could be dead.
"Thank you." I murmured and Court nodded.
"I would like to check your bandages." Court said and I nodded as he led me back to his room. Then we entered the bathroom as he pushed my dress down before unwrapping the bandages and throwing them away.
He turned to me. The bite had completely scabbed over. Some of it was beginning to flake off. Court smiled. "It's looking better." He reached behind him and rebandaged it with the bandages he grabbed.
"It'll heal into a scar. Nothing extreme though. Just a simple bite mark." Court's smile while saying it unnerved me.
I recalled the night. Two wolves. One pure white with golden eyes. . . exactly how Lyell looks. Lyell has white hair and bright golden eyes. Then there was the deep brown wolf with amber eyes. Were the appearances of the wolves based off the person?
I glanced at Court. He had deep brown hair with little bits of dark red tints in it. Then he had amber colored eyes.
"Were you the one who did it?" I asked and Court glanced up.
"That bit you?" Court asked and I nodded. "If it were Lyell the one who did it you wouldn't be in this room. You would be in his room." Court answered. I watched him closely as he let go of my arm and took a step back.
"I wouldn't be here with you. And Lyell was the only other wolf there at that time." Court watched me.
I had no idea what to say. There were things I wanted to say but I was unsure on how to say them. I didn't want to upset him. Court seemed calm most of the time, but I had no idea how he would really react if something happened and pissed him off.
And I didn't want to find out. Court exited the bathroom and I followed him readjusting my dress as I went over to the bed and sat down. Court went over to his closet as I opened the book to read.
"Court." I spoke shutting the book and he turned to me.
"Yes?" Court asked.
"Am I always going to be here?" I asked and Court watched me.
"Well I don't plan to live in this cabin forever. I do want to have my own, so probably not." Court said and I watched him. "But that's not what you meant I'm assuming?" Court asked. I nodded.
"You can't go back. As far as their concerned your dead. Your parents are mourning your death and that's the safest thing for them to do." Court responded and I nodded. He shifted as he watched me before pushing his hair back.
"How are my parents?" I asked.
"They live in a house closer to town. My father gave them a draft gelding to help with the crops they are now growing." Court answered and I nodded.
"They will survive without you Ruby. They will mourn you until they die no doubt. It's not easy to lose a child but they will survive." Court spoke in a flat tone as he watched me. He took in a deep breath.
"Letting them know you are alive puts them in danger. They'll eventually come looking for you. The best thing you can do Ruby is let your memory be the only thing they have. If it didn't put them in danger, I'd have let them know." Court watched me.
All I could do was nod as Court turned back around. "I have to go. It's my turn to hunt. Xerxes is out in the living room if you need anything." Court said before he left.
I stood up and went to the window in curiosity. I watched as Court walked out and disappeared. I went back to the bed and sat down. I grabbed the book before laying down to begin to read.
☾
There was a knock at the door before it opened, and Xerxes stepped in. Xerxes is one of Court's brothers. He was taller and had dark hair. He held a bowl in his hand.
"Court is still out hunting with Lyell. I made soup." Xerxes said as he handed me the bowl.
"Thank you." I murmured and he smiled.
Xerxes then turned around and left as I began eating the soup. The soup had chunks of chicken along with some noodles, carrots, and potatoes floating in with the broth. I didn't waste a single bite of it and had the bowl cleaned.
I set the bowl down before grabbing the book and opening it up. Then I returned to reading.
The book I had was a classic fairy tale 'Sleeping Beauty' which was pleasant to read. I had been doing nothing but reading today since Court had left. I knew I would be exhausting that shelf of books at this point.
I needed something to keep myself busy with. And the book happens to be the best way to do it. There is nothing more relaxing than just curling up with a book. Relaxation is what I need in a situation such as this.
There wasn't much to do here, and I needed something to occupy myself with instead of just sitting here bored out of my mind. Court wasn't here all the time either too keep me occupied. He also didn't take me out a lot.
The most he had done had been Lucia's. That had been to get me some new clothes. Lucia had made some nice dresses and two nightgowns. Speaking of nightgowns, I should be changing and getting ready for bed.
I stood up and went over to the wardrobe and opened it. One of the nightgowns were hanging up. I grabbed it and removed it from the wooden hanger before removing my current dress and slipping the nightgown back on.
I then returned to the bed and got in. As I got in the door opened and Court came in. He had changed from his earlier clothes.
He wore a loose white cotton shirt with a pair of low-rise leather pants and then his riding shoes. His hair was messier than when he left.
"Did Xerxes feed you?" Court asked and I nodded at that as I put my book away.
"Good." Court murmured as he unbuttoned his shirt and let it slide onto the floor before coming over. Court climbed into bed as I moved over to give him more room. Sharing a bed with him isn't as bad as I thought it would be. He gave me my own side of the bed to stay on.
I never had to worry about him coming over onto 'my' side of the bed. He stuck to his side of the bed and gave me the room I needed which I appreciated. Court settled down onto the bed as he took a deep breath in.
He put an arm around his head as he stared up at the blank ceiling silently deep within thought.
"I hope one day you will understand why I am doing all of this. Everything I've done has a reason behind it. I promise I didn't just rip you from your life for the fun of it." Court spoke and I looked over at him.
His amber eyes remained on the ceiling as he talked to me. "I don't go around taking girls from their life. You are the only one. And I just hope one day you will see why I did this and that your safer here." Court took in a deep breath.
One day. He was hopeful for my compliance and understanding. The dangers of being alive as one of the sacrifices.
Two parts of me went to war. The one that wanted to scream at him that it was his fault and the other one who wanted to fawn. I ignored both as I nodded at Court and he smiled.
And the two of us came to a tense argument on how to stretch this relationship out until we learned what to do.
1453. Bit short but I'm tired. ***