Winter rinsed her hair with water, which she poured with a scoop before washing her body with soap. It was very satisfying to see the muddy water when she was done.
She got out of the tub and grabbed a cloth to dry herself.
She looks at the door when she sees something moving in the corner of her eye but then shrugs it off.
She managed to dress, even if her chosen dress was too large. But she would rather wear something bigger than too tight.
Winter braided her wet hair and then walked into the chamber.
"Oh. You're back." Winter mumbled as she saw Thamus sitting on a chair beside the window. "Yes, it appears so," Thamus replies, a little cold.
Winter sat on the bed with no idea what to do or what to say.
"Are you starving?" Thamus asks, and Winter nods.
"I have food brought up then," Thamus said, leaving the room.
Winter lay back on the bed; she was bored.
And it was undoubtedly just the beginning of a dreadful time she feared.
___________________________
Thora was numb. The pain she's suffered these days has been horrific. The men had taken turns before taking her with them to the Dragonfly. She had been tied up and cast on the back of a horse, scraping her head and legs against branches and stones.
She was surprised she wasn't dead yet.
"Is she the girl from the Gold Coast?" Thora heard somebody ask.
She turned her head to see who it was. A man approached the bed where she was bound and leaned on her.
"Are you alive?" He asks, "No," She mumbled back. He freed her and raised her in his arms.
"Where are you taking me?" Thora whispered, but the man was silent as he walked out from the cabin towards the castle.
Winter heard the door unlock, and her heart skipped a beat when she saw someone being carried into the room. She turned cold when she saw who it was.
"Thora," she cried and ran towards her.
"I'm so sorry," She whispered, cupping Thora's cheeks. But Thora looked away, and Winter's eyes filled with tears.
"Place her down in the joining bedroom," Thamus murmured from behind. The man walked into the dressing room, and then Winter saw a door that she must have missed before it opened into another room.
Thora was placed on the bed, and Winter hastened to join her.
"My dear Thora, what have they done to you?" whispered Winter, unable to restrain her tears from falling.
"I'll leave you be," Thamus said, leaving the room.
"I will prepare a bath," Winter mumbles and hurries into the bathroom. She was drained of sweat as she emptied the water from the tub, filling it with new freshwater. Winter then picked up new clothes for Thora and prepared for any injuries she might have to deal with.
"I can't ask you to do that, Your Highness," Thora breathes as Winter carries her. "It's Winter, Thora, and you're not asking me," she replies calmly and then sinks Thora into the water, removing the muddy robe plastered to her skin.
Winter gently cleansed her injured body, and tears flowed down her cheeks. "How could anyone be so cruel?" Winter kept thinking when she saw the cuts and bruises under the dried blood and mudd.
Thora was barely awake when Winter was done, and she struggled a little with getting her out of the tub, but her strong will was determined to get her out from there.
Winter clothed Thora on the bed after drying her body. Still, she was anxious when she felt Thora's warm forehead, fearing a fever.
"Here's some soup," said Thamus when he entered the room.
"Thank you," Winter whispered, and she embraced him, to appreciate having brought Thora back to her.
Thamus stiffened in her arms and then withdrew immediately.
"I'm sorry. I don't know what got into me." Winter breathed out, nervous from seeing Thamus's stern face.
Thamus left the room without saying a word, and Winter rushed back to Thora.
"You must eat," mumbles Winter, and she manages to put a few spoons in Thora's mouth before she falls asleep.
Winter studied Thora's chest as it went up and down slowly; she was thankful that Thamus had returned her.
This was all her fault. They should have left with her mother.
"I'm so sorry, Thora. It should be me lying there, not you..." Winter started sobbing silently and buried her face in her hands.
Thamus heard Winter sobbing, and he felt a stitch in his heart, but he burst it off him at once.
He can't begin to have a feel for her now; it won't end well.