The path opened up and they arrived at a clearing, or rather a large field surrounded by the woods, at the center of which stood a stone fortress. Its bare walls, devoid of any windows, stretched high into the sky. Bathed in the cold moonlight, it looked intimidating and menacing…
Emily gulped loudly, peeking out from behind His Highness's back. Was she saved from one dungeon, only to be thrown into another?
Even if that was the case, there was nothing she could do. There was no point running away - she would be caught immediately, and even if by some miracle she was able to slip away, she would then undoubtedly become monster food. She could only watch as the fortified gate slowly opened, and they rode in.
The inside of the walls, however, turned out to be much more welcoming than she could have expected. After crossing two fairly narrow gates, they arrived at a courtyard, in the middle of which stood a small castle.
"Let go, we're getting off now," His Highness commanded.
Emily obediently unwrapped her arms from around his waist, and the man immediately jumped off the horse. She was about to follow his example, but just as she was scrambling around, trying to lower herself down, she felt her body jerk up. His Highness cast the spell on her again, lifting her up, and placed her down on the ground.
'I wish he would at least give me a warning first,' Emily grumbled inwardly, but not wanting to get on his rescuer's bad side, she bowed her head, politely saying, "Thank you."
"Follow me," His Highness waved at her, directing his steps toward the castle doors, as the rest of his companions took care of the horses, leading them away, most likely to the stables.
The ground under Emily's bare feet was cold and rough, not at all comfortable to step on, and her legs were sore from the horse riding. As the effects of the potion were slowly wearing off, she struggled to keep up with the man's long strides, quickly falling behind. She bit on her lip, hesitating for a moment, before she called out, "Your Highness."
The man glanced over his shoulder. Upon seeing what the issue was, he let out a sigh, and slowed his pace, allowing Emily to catch up. "The maids will prepare a bath for you first. However, as there are not many servants staying here, you will have to wash and dress yourself on your own," he said, as he walked one step ahead of the woman.
"That's alright." Emily nodded, holding back a smile. As a modern-day person, the idea of being bathed by someone else was quite ridiculous. She was more than capable of doing so herself, not to mention she was far more comfortable this way.
His Highness was slightly taken aback by her reaction. As Sylvie Vallangher had previously been a queen, who had several ladies-in-waiting and maids at her disposal, catering to her every whim, he fully expected her to kick a fuss. He scrutinized Emily's face, but not noticing anything suspicious in her expression, he decided to let it go. Regardless of how wary he was of everything the woman did, there was no reason to question her for being cooperative.
The castle's front hall looked desolate and empty. As they walked inside, the servants gathered by the entrance immediately bowed down, greeting the man, and two maids stepped forward, taking charge of Emily. They led her through the long and winding corridors, which were just as empty as the hall. There was no carpet on the floor, no pictures on the walls, no furniture. There were candle holders mounted on the walls, but they were all unlit - the only source of light was the moon, its dim light slightly brightening otherwise dark spaces, and the candle one of the maids was carrying.
The small and simple bathroom was much more cozy, though. It was far from what one would expect from a noble, let alone royal residence, but once the candles were lit, and the wooden bathtub filled with warm water, it appeared nice and inviting. Emily pulled the potato sack off of her body, and slowly stepped into the tub.
The small cuts and scratches all over her body stung as they came into contact with water, but Emily didn't mind. With a sigh, she leaned against the side of the tub, submerging herself up to her chin.
She still didn't know what to think about her current situation, and it was way too early to relax just yet. She didn't even know what exactly the man expected of her! And if she wasn't able to meet his demands, it was likely he would just dispose of her… But for now, she decided to shut down all thoughts, and just enjoy the bath. It was the best thing that happened to her since she arrived in this world, after all, so it would be a shame not to savor it.
In the end, though, she didn't get much time to relax. After what felt like mere minutes, the knocking on the door interrupted her moment of peace.
"Hurry up. His Highness is waiting for you," the maid rushed her.
Emily let out a disappointed sigh, reaching out for the soap and the small cloth. "Just a minute, I will be done soon."
She washed herself quickly, and stepped out of the tub with regret. The water hadn't even gotten cold yet, and she was already forced to leave. She wasn't even allowed such a simple pleasure. Of course, it was incomparably better than being locked in a cold dungeon, but still…
Grumbling under her nose, she dried herself with a coarse towel, and grabbed the bundle of clothes prepared for her that lay on the side. Although Emily didn't know much about this world - there was a limit to how much she could deduce based on what she remembered from the book - it was easy to tell that the clothes she was given were cheap, something that regular townsfolk might afford to wear on a daily basis. And as she slid the dress over her bony shoulders, she quickly discovered that they were at least two sizes too big for her. But at least they were warm, and incredibly soft compared to the sack she was wearing until only minutes ago. Emily wasn't a high-maintenance person, so that was enough for her to feel satisfied.
The maid knocked on the door again.
"Yes, I'm coming." Emily rolled her eyes, slightly annoyed. What was the point of offering her a hot bath, if she was asked to leave almost as soon as she stepped in? That was such a waste of effort, even on their part!
Her annoyance, however, disappeared completely as soon as she followed the maid to where His Highness was waiting for her. The room was bright and warm, and on the table, there was a warm meal prepared for her! It was simple and plain, consisting just of a clear broth with a bit of boiled vegetables, but that was exactly what Emily needed. After the near starvation she experienced, anything more would likely end up upsetting her stomach.
"Sit down and eat first," His Highness ordered. "We will discuss the deal once you're done."