Serenity (The Child Catcher/OC)

Chapter 7

She couldn't really remember what had happened. It seemed as if it was all a dream to her. When she woke up she kept her eyes closed and took a deep breath through her nose, letting it out with a hum. She felt as if she was on a cloud, and as if she was wrapped in one and she cradled the blanket closer to her.

She was scared to open her eyes, but she knew she wasn't anywhere familiar by the feeling of it. It was too calm. Too comfortable. The smells were different, the air itself felt different. She decided to relish in it while she could. Never had she been granted the luxury of sleeping on a mattress so weightless.

Then she felt a hand tuck a piece of hair behind her ear and she shot up, immediately regretting it as a wave of pain shot through her skull. She whimpered and sat back in defeat, holding her head in her hands.

"Not the brightest idea, Miss." A feminine voice lightly patronized and Mary felt a cold rag placed over her forehead. "Keep that there for me, please."

"You startled me." She responded simply and did as she was told. She chanced opening her eyes and they widened. She lay in a bedroom, shades of brown and black decorating it. It was spacious and accessorized well, yet still simple. A door across from the bed led to what seemed to be a washroom, and another on the right to wherever she was brought from. "Where am I?"

"The catcher's room, Miss." The blonde began setting out a dress and accessories to go with it, then moving to fix the nearby vanity table. "He brought you in here yesterday afternoon."

"Yesterday -?"

"Been out cold. That mark on your forehead is a nasty one, Miss." The woman took the rag from her. "I was beginning to wonder if it would ever stop bruising."

"Where is he?"

"Who, the catcher?" Mary nodded. "Off schmoozing, no doubt."

"Schmoozing?" The maid sighed.

"Questions, so many questions. Not good for your head." She disappeared into the washroom and the sound of running water echoed from it. "He's requested I treat you, miss. And dare I say you need it - up."

She took Mary by her hands and helped her stand up, carefully guiding her to the washroom. The maid then began untying her dress, but was respectful enough to leave it on her shoulders and turned off the water of the tub.

"I will leave you to undress." The woman then left abruptly, shutting the door behind her. Mary, on the other hand, wasn't quite sure what to do with herself. The water steamed from the bubbled tub which was decorated with an assortment of products she had never used before. She had no idea what half of it even was, and she was thankful the maid was there to help otherwise she would've surely made a fool of herself.

So, Mary undressed and folded everything to put on a nearby shelf, carefully sitting herself in the spacious tub. She let out a sigh as she did so, the hot water easing her tensions from the past few weeks. Probably from her entire life. It let off a delicate smell, floral perhaps. She couldn't quite tell what it was exactly, but the smell alone was soothing enough. Just as Mary laid her head back against the tub the door opened and she jumped up.

"It's just me, miss." The blonde mused as she set a towel and new undergarments on the same shelf and knelt beside the tub, cradling the back of Mary's head to lean her back and wet her hair. She then poured what she assumed was shampoo into her hand and began massaging it into her scalp, smiling when she heard Mary hum. "I take it you're not used to this kind of thing?" She dipped her head again to rinse.

"Not in the slightest." The maid handed Mary a bar of soap who began to lather herself with it, the former moving on to conditioning her hair. "What is your name?" The woman stilled, but Mary wouldn't have even caught it if she hadn't been paying attention.