They Have Always Lived In The Castle

Chapter Three

"You slept in your garden on the moon, didn't you?" You say as you slide into the kitchen a pep in your step looking at Constance and Mary hug. You hand Julian some pills and a glass of water. The lean against the sideboard. 

"Uncle Julian doesn't like your omelettes anymore?" Merricat asks confused as she looks at the bowl of fruit. 

"The fruit is for Charles." Her sister beams back as the man himself walks in, announcing himself loudly. 

"Morning" as he does the cat hisses, running towards Merricat as she slides to your side. 

"Oh! Uh..." He looks at the broken plate on the floor and offers to help Constance pick it up. 

"Oh, it's okay. I've got it, Charles." He nods smiling back at her.

"Good morning, Y/N....Cousin Mary." He pops some fruit In his mouth, a graceful cockiness about him. You say good and then watch him as you tilt your head... why? Thats the only question that popped into your head.... that and what does he look like naked but that was for another time. 

"Shy?" He asks as Constance laughs from the floor.

"We don't see a lot of strangers." She motions to her petrified sister. 

"Mmm." He says thoughtful and then proceeds to talk to Merricat "Now that's a handsome cat. What's his name?"

"Jonas." She says after you give her a gentle props to walk with a nudge of the elbow. 

"Jonas? Is he your special pet?" he asks as he bends down a little to stoke the cat who meows and purrs in his presents. Palm of his hand, you though to yourself, everyone is in the palm of his hand. 

"Yes" 

"Well, we're going to be very good friends, you, Jonas and I." He says, then stands up looking at you giving you a slight wink before turning to Julian. 

"Charles." He greets him and then joins him at the breakfast table. 

"Are those pancakes?" He says impressed and Constance blushes and nods "It's been a long time since anyone's made me pancakes." You frown, tucking into your own breakfast doubting anyone wouldn't make this man pancakes. 

"Delicious." You mumble trying to move on the awkwardness of Constance blushing at her cousin. Your eyes flick to Merricat, who's looks are so wild you can only see on thing on her mind... she wants Charles gone.

After breakfast is cleared away Marricat comes to find you. "Find out what he wants so we can send him away... for good... to protect Constance." She appears in front of you like a ghosts from a scary movie.

"Oh don't you worry, I shall find out what he want and have just the thing to sort it in a few days...meanwhile..." you smile pulling out the second part of the spells book you'd given her... "thought it might ease your mind..." she grabs it nodding gratefully before putting it away. 

 . . . 

"Your, uh... great, uh, great-grandfather... planted those trees over there." Julian says slowly as you walk up behind him and Charles gently barely making a sound.

"Hmm. They're really nice." Charles looks at the line of trees, his face doing a rubbish job of hiding his confusion and awkwardness.

"A little crooked...." You muse making Julian smile and Charles nearly jump out of his skin. 

"Where did you come from."

"Well you see when two people love..."

"Ha.." Charles rolls his eyes at you and you gently chuckle. 

"Right, shall we?" He goes to move Julians wheelchair but it won't budge. 

"Oh, that's all right. I... need my exercise." He explains slowly as he clicks the breaks off and motions for you and Charles to start walking as he follows, giving you both a coy look that neither of you see. 

. . .  

"But Venice is my favourite. You lose yourself in a maze of beauty. Canals of singing gondolieri and narrow streets where every corner looks the same." You watch dreamily as Charles animatedly eats and tells his story. "But, what is most chilling is that when you walk,
your footsteps echo behind you, and you think that someone's following you. Your shoes are loud on the cobblestones, and when you stop, it sounds as though someone else has stopped." He pauses, sighing "But, I suppose, if you had someone walking with you, if you were not alone,
then it wouldn't really matter if you were being followed or not." To your, surprises you notice he directs that last bit at a captivated Constance as she blushes.