Howl To My Heart

Chapter 16

We arrived at a small farm that also served as a lodge in the late afternoon .

Dmitri held onto me as we exited the bus with the other students .

My eyes roamed over the farm that held only a few buildings and a small field where cornstalks stood higher than myself , reaching for the sky.

The buildings consisted of a three story house , a barn, a chicken coop and a stable . All were painted a very dark green with white windowpanes and doors.

There was also a small corral with a few cattle roaming around inside .

A woman and two men stood waiting for us in front of the small gate that lead into the yard around the house . The fence was the cleché picket fence , painted white ,that was the norm.

If I was to ever have a picket fence - which seemed very likely considering my situation-
I would paint it another colour and not the cleché white .

Maybe purple or red . Anything but white would do .

" Good afternoon," one of the men greeted us .

He was old-ish with dark grey hair and bushy eyebrows that stood everywhere .

His eyes were strangely a very bright green and they weren't smiling as they landed on Dmitri.

" Your Highness , what a surprise ," he said , his voice dripping with something I couldn't quite comprehend.

He wasn't happy , it seemed , with Dmitri being there .

" Gustav ," Dmitri said , nodding his head slightly ," I didn't know you lived here now ".

I looked up at Dmitri , wondering what the history was between him and this man.

" Your sister's doing ,M'lord ," he said ," It is better than the pig farm down the road ."

I watched as Dmitri furrowed his brows , then I saw as realization dawned slowly upon him, his eyes lighting up with knowledge that I didn't know about .

I was confused , though . Which sister of his was the man talking about ?.

He tore his eyes away from the man to look at me , but didn't say anything as his arm tightened around me in a light squeeze.

" We seek lodging for the night , Gustav . Are there any ?", he inquired , his eyes not leaving mine .

" Yes , but many of you will have to share ," the woman spoke up , her eyes roaming over us all .

I could feel her scrutinizing glare burning holes into me .
I didn't break eye contact with Dmitri ,however, and couldn't really say if she was looking at me or not , though my peripheral vision stated otherwise .

" Thank you ," Dmitri said ," I shall reward you handsomely for it ."

" As you should ," the other man retorted .

I felt Dmitri stiffen at that and leaned into him to try and make him relax . It worked , though I was sure that if I turned my back , Dmitri would be having words with the man .

" Let me show you to your rooms ," the woman said ," My name is Lara ."

We moved to walk inside of the house ,but stopped me by throwing her right arm up in front of me , blocking the frame .

" Not her ," she stated briskly , her eyes boring holes into me .

I heard a snicker from behind me and Dmitri ,who stood half behind me , to let me enter first . I can only imagine who the person was that snickered.