When Addie touched the water, the heat stung her, akin to hornets waking a sleepy limb. At first she only dared to dip her toes into the large round wooden tub. Next were her feet and lower legs as she stood in the water. When her legs stopped stinging, she finally eased her way down into the tub, slowing any time the warm water acted up against her cold body.
Squishy lay down next to the tub on the bathroom floor, head down on his paws. He huffed as he seemed to relax. “That old miser yelled at me for ‘allowing’ you to roam outside in the rain. Hmph! I did my best to guide you back to town, you know,” Squishy defended himself.
“I know, but I don’t think the woman did. She must have thought I was gladly frolicking in the rain or something,” Addie sighed, then she leaned over the tub and gently scooped Squishy up. He flailed his paws for a moment, contorting his body as if attempting to make a quick escape, but that was Addie’s cue to gently drop him into the tub with her.
The small panther-like creature sunk for a moment, then as fast as he was able, resurfaced, then scrambled up into Addie’s lap so he could keep his head above water. He breathed heavily for a moment, then paused, seemingly lost in thought.
“Well, my instincts certainly detested that, but now that I am in the water with control over my fear, it is actually somewhat cozy in here. Nothing like a river or lake. Though I must admit, the stinging bite of the water is unexpected.”
Addie giggled at her friend, then remarked, “Don’t worry, that only happens when you’re cold. Once you warm up, it will feel cozy without the sting.”
Then she leaned further back into the water. Squishy half-walked, half-paddled over to rest on Addie’s chest, then curled up and laid down. His head easily stayed above the water, with his lower body submerged.
“Oof, you’re heavy.”
“Apologies, am I inhibiting your breathing?” Squishy angled his eye up at her.
“No, it’s fine. Let me know if you want to get out.”
The two of them relaxed for a time, just enjoying the warm water after their ordeal in the forest. The coziness of the bath never seemed to disappear, the warmth constantly hugging Addie. It almost seemed strange how the water never cooled. In previous baths, Addie remembered eventually getting used to the water, or, if she lingered too long, the water turned cold. She pushed aside the peculiarity and focused on the pleasure of the bath, Squishy’s body rhythmically moving with his breath.
Perhaps an hour or so later, Addie regretfully left the tub. While drying off with the towels so kindly provided by the grandma, Addie glanced back at the tub. Steam still rose from it after all this time. No obvious fire burned nearby, and no pipes connected to the tub, either. How odd, Addie thought to herself. But just as quick as the thought came, it slipped out of her mind.
Her attention shifted to drying herself and her partner off, the tub now a distant thought. A spare pair of pajamas sat on the counter, probably left out for her by the old woman. She tried them on and found they hugged her form perfectly— snug, warm, and soft. None of the fabric caught or pinched uncomfortably. Some cloth booties had even been left out for Squishy, which looked hilarious on the little– creature basically wearing thick oversized socks.
“You’re adorable in those!” Addie gushed in between giggles. The fabric was dyed red, which seemed to pair well with Squishy’s natural black skin.
“If the matron of the house requests I wear these, then I suppose I must comply.” Though Squishy tried to downplay it as unimportant, Addie had a strong suspicion he liked the booties, too. Addie’s little warrior, all dressed up for bed. She couldn’t help but smile.
Now, that she wasn’t completely on death’s door, Addie’s mind drifted back to her father. Could she really stay the night at this house while she knew her father to be in danger? The idea struck her so forcefully that she realized she couldn’t linger in the house. Regardless of what the old woman said, Addie needed to get back out there and do what she could to help her family. She still didn’t know what happened to her mother either, and that certainly opened a pit of dread inside her, too.
She quickly exited the bathroom, with a new determination to leave the house and make it back to her father as soon as she could. Sleep would never come to her with this anxiety gnawing away at her from within.
Walking to the front of the house, Addie and Squishy reached the exit, the same way she had come in. The entryway of the house doubled as a living room, with some simple wooden chairs cushioned by pillows. The old woman sat in a rocking chair. Next to the woman sat a magnificent fireplace, with an orderly fire filling the house with shielding warmth from the prior rain. The fire burned perfectly clean; no smoke in sight. The ornate brick chimney above, while aesthetically pleasing, seemed more decorative than functional.
“Thank you for the bath, but I really have to go! My dad is in danger, and I’m really worried about him.” Now that Addie’s mind was focused on the topic, she realized the amount of time she spent in the bath was totally unreasonable. She should have been moving much sooner, the moment she was warm. Instead, she wasted precious minutes relaxing, and every moment meant a higher chance she would never see her family again.
“Now, honey, you are in no condition to travel to the manor. Let me take care of you a little longer,” said the kindly woman with a friendly smile, clearly looking out for Addie’s well-being.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
“Thank you again, but I probably shouldn’t. It’s urgent that I get to the manor,” Addie replied with a bit less certainty.
“Why, surely it’s nothing that can’t wait until after a good meal? Let’s get some food in you and make sure you are fighting fit, alright?” Grandma gently rebutted. “Why would you need to leave so soon, anyhow?”
Why would Addie need to leave so soon? Well, that was obvious. She needed to get back to the manor! She needed to get back to the manor so that... she could... Huh? Why don’t I stay at least for a meal? She’s right about me starving. No, wait! Addie shook her head strongly, as if in a fog. There’s no time for that, my family is in trouble!
The noble lady within Addie puffed her chest out and declared, “I am thankful for your hospitality, but I really must leave, thank you.”
Addie made to grab the door again when the woman’s sweet voice reached her ears once more. “Now, now, growing girls need a proper meal each night. Come, gain your strength by joining me for dinner.” When Addie turned her head back and looked the woman in the eyes, she thought she saw a faint green sheen to them, but quickly dismissed it as a trick of the light.
“Just a quick meal? Of course, you’re right.” Addie replied monotonously. A strong scent wafted to her nose, inviting aromas of some kind of meat and gravy, making her mouth water with anticipation. “Yes, definitely,” Addie replied with a bit more excitement. “I’ll join you for dinner, at least.”
----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
The food in front of Addie disappeared at an outrageous rate, the hunger of the last few days really catching up to her. The food was so much better than the raw fish, incomparably horrible now that she had a proper meal.
But why did Addie eat that raw fish in the first place? Addie moved her fork around on her plate, lost in thought. Surely, a noble like herself wouldn’t need to eat raw fish. Something about that seemed off.
The fork in her hands clattered onto the plate in front of her, the chair screeching as Addie stood up with sudden force. How could I forget that! Addie thought to herself.
“Excuse me, but I have to go. Dinner is truly delicious, but—”
The woman interrupted Addie, “Now, you know your proper manners, young lady. You cannot leave the table until you are excused,” said Grandma.
“Oh.” Addie sat back down, thoroughly chastised. “I’m sorry, Grandma.” Addie continued her meal, fully focused on the fowl, gravy, and green beans in front of her.
The rest of the meal passed in silence, though Addie couldn’t help but smile when she looked down at her feet and saw Squishy engrossed in his own meal of raw chicken.
----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
Grandma showed Addie to her room for the night, then gave her a kiss on the cheek as a good-night charm. Once the door had closed, Addie didn’t even have time to look around the room. A harrowing dread expanded in her stomach, swallowing any thoughts of staying in the house any longer. The old woman had been a great host, but Addie couldn’t help criticizing herself for staying this long, risking her father’s safety.
I forgot about Dad! How could I do that... Addie’s thoughts took a turn for the worse. What if he’s dead, all because I stayed here so long? A desperate panic filled Addie, and her eyes began to water just imagining what it would be like if her Dad disappeared for good. Addie wouldn’t be able to forgive herself.
As Addie rushed back down the hall and into the house’s main entryway, she saw the old woman again. The old woman herself leaned back in her rocking chair, the fireplace crackled as wood shifted and burned.
“Where are you going?” The strange woman inquired neutrally. Her eyes shifted up to meet Addie’s, temporarily moving away from the knitting in her hands.
“I’m really thankful for your hospitality, and the meal, but I can’t stay here! My dad—”
The woman interrupted Addie, “Don’t concern yourself with that for now, growing girls need proper sleep,” said Grandma, with a comforting matronly grin.
The thoughts of her father slipped out of Addie’s mind for a moment, absorbed by Grandma’s warm expression.
“Of course, you’re right,” said Addie, recognizing the need to get in bed like a proper lady. Why, Addie strongly remembered a time her mother said the same thing.
Something about that memory stuck out at Addie like she needed to take urgent action or do something more, but again, the thought slipped through her mind.
“I’ll head to bed now,” Addie said neutrally.
Grandma walked Addie back down the hall, guiding her back into Addie’s new lovely room. The sheets looked perfectly fluffy, and pink! Just the way Addie liked.
She nestled into bed, and Squishy curled up beside her, still wearing his tiny booties, which Addie now guessed had been knitted by Grandma personally. Addie saw how content his face was, clearly enjoying the embrace of the sheets.
Her soul bond with Squishy seemed unsettled though, making it hard to sleep. Why, it seemed like Squishy was terrified for some reason, but that didn’t make any sense. His body was relaxed and clearly showed contentment. All thoughts on the strange discordance evaporated from her mind as she looked back up at Grandma, now in the doorway of the room.
“You get some proper sleep now, yes?” Her words comforted Addie to a great degree, her heart racing strongly as her mouth forced into the rictus of a happy smile. Something twisted in Addie’s brain.
The woman slowly left the room, her shadow stretching taller as it grew gnarled roots and craggily branches for limbs. This comforted Addie, knowing Grandma would be closely watching over her for the night.
Once the door closed, the woman’s presence slipped out of the room like a slimy grease. Panic engulfed Addie. Something wasn’t right. Horror steeped into her from all sides, and she could sense how the feeling echoed through her bond with Squishy.
The small, furless panther kicked the booties off his feet, the threads suddenly seeming to be woven of thorns. But why would Squishy take them off? Grandma only wanted what was best—No. That woman was doing something to Addie.
But what? Grandma was so kind and even drew a bath
The old woman wouldn’t let Addie leave to save her dad.
Grandma gave Addie a proper meal.
The old woman ignored Addie when she said she needed to leave.
Grandma knew Addie just needed a good night’s rest to be productive in the morn—
Moonlight peaked out from behind a window on the side wall of the room. Addie rushed for it, Squishy on her heels. The woman slammed the door open from behind, wind buffeting Addie from the force of it. Addie slammed her fists into the window trying desperately to open it. Grandma spoke to Addie in a wonderfully kind tone, “Now dear, please don’t leave! You wouldn’t leave Gramma all alone, would you?”
Addie knew she needed to act; there existed something for her to use that would allow her to leave the room without opening the window. But acting on that power felt so difficult, muddy roots in her brain getting in the way. Why would she leave now? The woman-grandma-woman-witch-grandma-woman. Grandma would surely make Addie a delightful breakfast.
Addie tugged on her soul magic, will half-formed, fed mostly by muscle memory and sheer desperation.