A Court Of Nightmares

Chapter Four The Half Breed

     The scent of roses filled the tub and my nose crinkled from the scent alone. I was never a fan of roses, it always made me somewhat allergic. Making me go into an embarrassing sneezing fit. But when Mia put the rose-scented soap into the tub with a warm inviting smile, I couldn't say no. It felt rude to me, especially since I was a guest according to Ignes. I'm certainly in no place to make demands.

"Well in you go," Mia said, tapping the rim of the white marble tub lightly. "Before it gets cold."

I must have looked appalled by her demands with her standing there that Mia ducked her head down, shuffling out of the room quickly. The door closed with a click behind her and I undressed taking in every mark on my legs and arms. My body was practically a coloring book of violets and deep blues from the climbing I took at the Prison. It was nothing I couldn't handle, I've endured much more horrendous conditions on my body.

I sunk into the tub with a sigh, it was perfectly warm. Even though I wanted to spend the rest of my days here till the water turned cold, I knew that Ignes was waiting. Knowing her, she might lash out her temper on Mia for my tardiness. Since Mia is the person who is supposed to care for me, whatever happens to me will eventually reflect on her. It wasn't a chance I was willing to take for her to get in trouble for my small sense of indulgence. So I sucked it up and quickly lathered on the rose-scented soap everywhere washing my hair along with it. I didn't dare bother to ask Mia for shampoo, I was already thankful for the kindness she extended to me already.

"Nyx? Are you alright in there?" Mia calls, through the white door worried. I rinsed myself off quickly noticing the dirt seeping off. As a couple of minutes passed, I scrubbed the last bit on my face, right before she knocked trying to gain my attention.

"I'm almost done, give me a moment," I yelled back, still rushing. For some reason, I was able to hear Mia's foot-tapping off the dark wooden floorboards. I paused, standing from the tub to see if I was hearing it correctly. The faint creaking kept going in a steady beat almost like a song. Until it stopped abruptly, the golden doorknob turned, revealing Mia with a hairbrush and towel in her hands. With a rather displeased expression on her face looking directly at me. I shrieked, turning away from her trying to cover myself with my hands. She clicked her tongue, moving towards me, drying me with the towel she carried. I almost swatted her away with my hands as she did.

"I am a female just like you, no need to jump away like that," Mia muttered, with a frustrated sigh on her lips. There is no doubt in my mind that this woman was a mother. Considering her tone, it was like she was talking down to a child than a stranger she barely knew.

"If you would have let me help you before, it would have been much easier. Stand still." She commands, drying down my arms and legs. I don't move, not wanting to make things worse. Even though all I wanted to do was hide in the corner of the room away from her. But she seemed completely unfazed by me being nude, I wonder if she does this daily. She must, if she was annoyed that I didn't let her wash me herself. Does that not make her uncomfortable at all?

Mia answers my question without realizing it as she leads me out of the tub. Putting the towel around my body as we left the bathroom into the guest bedroom that I was staying in. The walls were a dark blue matching the kitchen and the exterior of the manor. With all of the blue around the house, I'd assume it's Ignes's favorite color. Mia huffs, grabbing a dark black nightgown laying it down on the bedsheets with matching undergarments. Then turns to me, waiting for me to change. Without missing a beat I did, not wanting her to end up dressing me herself like her personal barbie doll.

"There was no reason to rush," Mia said gently. "You've been through a lot, The least you could have is a warm bath." Mia then motioned me to sit on the pure white sheets of the bed and began brushing my hair. I almost yelped, as the brush kept getting caught into the knots that were tangled into it. She gazed down at me, her lips going into a thin line. Tarring the brush out of my head and handing it to me.