Renna was lost in her misery. There seemed to be no hope. She just slept, heedless of time passing. Until there was yelling. It was a familiar kind of yelling. It demanded wakefulness, mentioned dinner and chores. Those things made sense. Men and beasts being one did not. She slowly surfaced.

“Don’t make me carry you there!”, he said as he walked out.

She sighed, drank some cold tea from her untouched lunch tray and went over to the wardrobe. The dress she had been sleeping in did not look decent any more. She closed her eyes, opened one door and stuck her hand in and pulled out a dress that fit her mood perfectly. It was baggy and gray. She put It on and walked outside.

Table was still being set by the fire ladies.

She went over to the fireplace and sat in the chair she had started to consider hers. The other chair was also occupied. He was sitting there looking into the fire thoughtfully.

“Well, don’t you want to know where I went?”, he asked.

“I didn’t even notice you were away to be honest… I just slept.”, she replied, “But since you brought it up - where did you go?”

“To your home town,” he curtly replied.

“So you know…” she whispered.

“Yes”, he replied quietly, “But maybe, some day, you will tell me your story yourself…”

Silence fell for a bit. Her reply was barely audible at the end of it. “Maybe”, she said.

Renna had a burning question, and it could not wait. Not knowing was unbearable.

“Am I going to be punished for that kick?”, she asked.

He smiled. “Yes.”, he said and then seeing her face pale, added, “That’s what the chores are about.”

Renna let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. It was not what she had been expecting. Work was hardly a punishment, unless he had something particularly unpleasant in mind… But still - work was work. You did it until it was done. All her life had been like that. She would see what it was when the time came.

Silence fell for a bit. Then Renna remembered something important.

“Did you hear anything about my brothers?” She asked.

“They were whipped but then let go. They are fine.” He responded quietly.

Renna felt both angry and relieved. At least they were free, but if she ever escaped this place, there was a promise to keep. She spent the time until dinner dreaming up creative ways to torch the castle.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Dinner was eaten mostly in silence except for the instructions for tomorrow - breakfast was going to be early and she was to wear something she wouldn’t mind getting dirty. Then they went to bed.

Despite having slept for nearly 2 days Renna fell asleep fast - full stomach and eased mind let her sleep deeply and relaxingly.

Morning arrived too early and again rather rudely - he was yelling and shaking her again. But this time she was rested enough to try to punch him even before actually waking up. There was a rather satisfying “Ow!”. At that she woke completely.

“Sorry, it happens without thinking…” She apologized immediately.

He looked amused, not angry fortunately so Renna felt able to relax.

“Get up and dressed, breakfast is already waiting. We need to get started now if we want to be ready by evening.” He said and left rubbing his shoulder.

Renna dragged herself out of her bed and to the wardrobe. Something that she wouldn’t mind getting dirty… She looked at the magical piece of furniture speculatively. So far it had given her what she needed by just closing her eyes and hoping it suits the occasion. She closed her eyes, focused on the description of the item and stuck her hand in it quickly, grabbed something and pulled whatever she had got out again.

When she opened her eyes she burst out laughing. She was holding the white dress she had arrived in. It did match the description perfectly - she had no desire to spare the offensive garment. So she took off her amulet, set it carefully on the dressing table, and put the dress on. Then, with only a quick look at her reflection in the dressing table mirror she walked out of her room.

The dragon was already seated and eating. When she arrived he looked up, scanned her dress, raised an eyebrow and asked “Sure, this is the thing you don’t mind getting dirty?”

“Absolutely.” Was Renna’s response as she was sitting down to eat too.

Arion was amused. That punch had hurt a fair bit, but the fire in her was, for the lack of a better word - cute. And when she came out in that white dress showing how much she despised it… She looked pretty in it and her attitude towards the dress made her prettier. He could not deny that he was starting to feel a pull towards the girl. Punches and all. And he would have to fight it… she would be gone too in spring and getting attached just hurt. He shook his head to clear it and commanded Renna to follow. That dress would not be pretty for much longer.

Renna followed the man out of the parlor area to the big cave up front but instead of crossing it to the exit he directed her to the right, along the curving wall until they reached a smaller door.

He opened it and asked her to step in. The room stank. Horribly. Like stagnant water and sulfur and methane from something rotting.

Renna had experienced worse smells on the farm, but it wasn't far behind the worst of them.

“What is it?” She asked.

“A bath, but I haven’t cleaned it in a while.” He responded while trying to not breathe through his nose. He went around the room lighting some candles. The light revealed a stepped tub cut in rock, half filled with something dark that may have been at some point water, but now was something very sticky and smelly and gross.

There was a hot-spring running through the back of the room and with some ducts cut in the rock floor and gates, it looked to be set up to fill the tub. In the far corner there seemed to be a well. She assumed the well would provide cold water. The task at hand was now quite clear to Renna.

“I’m going to clean out the tub?”, she asked.

“Yes, and I’m going to help you, or it will take too long.” He responded.

Renna sighed, tied up her skirt - falling in that muck after getting tangled up was not something she looked forward to - grabbed a pair of buckets that were lined up at the wall and got to work.

Knee-deep in the muck, filling up the bucket she suddenly felt better.