He stepped around a tree and pulled her with him. There was a castle. Right there. Twyla stepped back around the corner and the castle disappeared. Huh.
"How…"
"A tiny bit of magic," Hunter said. He led her closer. It was exactly what she pictured a castle looked like. Grey stone with huge turrets and a moat. There was even a drawbridge. Flags flew from poles atop the peaks.
"What kind of resistance has a castle?"
"We… inherited the castle," Hunter responded, evasively. "We have to get you inside and see to your injuries."
At the mention of her injuries, the pain seemed to rush back and everything hurt. Hunter, still holding her hand, led her past sentries and other people Twyla couldn't get a good look at. He rushed her over the drawbridge that had come down as they approached and through the heavy metal gates. Cobblestones paved a courtyard that was larger than even the library lawns from her university. Everything was still that grey stone that made Twyla think of medieval times. She kept looking for knights and blacksmiths but Hunter pulled her along so fast that everything was a blur. There could have been a knight for all she knew. The door to the castle had a large, snarling wolf surrounded with detail that she didn't get a chance to take in.
She didn't think she could make it up the wide, sweeping staircase but he put his arm around her and lifted. She barely touched the ground. Finally, they arrived in a dark bedroom.
Twyla could just about make out the shape of an ornate chair and she lowered herself into it. Hunter threw open the heavy velvet curtains and sunlight poured in. The room was luxurious. It was what she expected a castle room to look like. The four-poster bed had a canopy of soft net that fell in waves on the sides. The cherry wood was carved with wolf cubs chasing each other around the bed. They must really like wolves here. The bed had the essential pillows. So, only about ten… The room was soft beige with accents of sky-blue. It was a comforting room. Fancy but warm.
"How are you doing, Twyla?" Hunter asked, crouching in front of her.
"I am happy to be not moving anymore," she answered, truthfully.
Hunter chuckled and the rumbles travelled through her core.
"Would you like to take a bath and then we can do something about all those injuries?" he questioned, as he trailed a finger along the bruise on her arm.
"Yes," she whispered, the word getting stuck as her pulse quickened at his touch.
He got up and pulled her into his arms.
"Hey!" she exclaimed.
"You said that you were happy to not be moving anymore."
He looked down at her, with an arrogant smirk.
"Yes, well. I didn't mean…" She didn't finish that sentence because she did quite like being in his arms.
He pressed one of the wall panels and it opened, revealing a bathing chamber. With sky-blue tiles lining the floor and walls, this room was more blue than beige. The extravagant room was centred around a sunken tub that had taps on both sides. Modern bathroom fittings lined the right side of the room while the left had towels, soaps and other cosmetics. It smelt amazing in here. He placed her on one of the chairs, knelt and opened various taps. Steaming water gushed out at a rate that should not have been possible. She watched as his hair fell into his eyes and the steam soaked his white shirt. He looked up and flashed her a wicked smile. Did he know what she was thinking about?
He chose two bottles from the wall of products and dumped the contents into the tub. Scents drifted toward her as a purple and yellow cloud of bubbles coated the top of the bathtub.
"Lemon and lavender?" Twyla quizzed, sniffing the air.
"Good nose. Yes. They are good for healing and rest," Hunter responded, as he turned off the taps and put the empty bottles on a table. "Would you like me to bathe you?"
"What?" Twyla blurted out, her face reddening.
"You are injured and have had a long journey. I can help," Hunter clarified, clearing his throat.
"Um… I can manage. I'll be okay." Twyla mumbled, looking anywhere but at him. His shirt was completely see-through now. His hair had gotten curlier in the humidity of the room. It hung untidily across his shoulders.
"I can send a female?" he proposed, looking as awkward as she felt.
"No! I mean. I've got this," she replied, trying to be cool.
"Alright. I have to sort out a few things and I will be back with food later."
"Thank you, Hunter," Twyla whispered.
He smiled down at her and closed the door as he left.
For a good minute after he left, Twyla just stood there, processing. Finally, she realised that the water would get cold and she peeled off her clothes and stepped into the bath.
She hissed as her icy toes touched the hot water but persevered and soon her body was floating among the bubbles. Hunter was right. The lemon and lavender felt great on her cuts and bruises. Her worries and her thoughts drifted away as her body relaxed. The water didn't get cold and she would have stayed there forever had her tummy not had other plans. She scrubbed the grime off her body and rinsed with fresh water as she drained the tub.
Then came the question of clothes. There was no way she was putting on the filthy clothes she had been wearing. She sighed as she cocooned herself in the fluffiest towel she had ever felt and walked into the bedroom. She flopped over her hair as she walked shaking it dry with her fingers.
"Hi," Hunter's voice floated over her head.
"Ah," she screamed, a little embarrassed. "You're back already." Twyla tried to cover up but the towel hid more than her clothes. "I don't have clothes. I mean, they're dirty." She was rambling.
"Yes. While that bag does seem to hold more than it should, clothes would be asking too much. I had something in roughly your size brought up," Hunter gestured to the bed.
Twyla walked over and found a simple, floor-length spring green dress. The material was unlike anything she had felt, more like water than fabric.
"Thank you. It's lovely," Twyla praised. She stepped back into the bathroom to put it on. It was made for someone taller. The sleeves came past her fingers and she would definitely trip a few times but it hugged her curves and showed just the right amount of cleavage.
"You look beautiful, Twyla," Hunter uttered, his eyes wide. He cleared his throat. "Would you like to join me?"
He was sitting at the table by the window and she had been too busy looking at the dress to notice that he had brought food. Tonnes of food. Her mouth watered.
She sat across from him and with his long legs and the small table their knees bumped. They both blushed. She looked at the food instead and saw that she recognised everything. The first thing she attacked was the pancakes.