Love Unending - Reader x Leedo - ONEUS 18+ - By writer 'Cha'

THE CASTLE

I don't know what had happened to me, but my eyes slowly opened. I was lying in a large bed, fireplace crackling, giving enough light for me to look around. The bedroom was huge, and ornate. This was someone wealthy, I thought to myself. I looked down and realized I was in a nightgown. My clothes were gone. I found a candle holder, and lit the half burned candles. I walked to the large door to find it was cracked open. I peered out of the crack,and all I saw was wealth. Paintings,the finest velvet curtains,the finest furniture money could buy. This was someone very rich, so they didn't need to steal from me. Question was, were they friend, or foe? I slowly pushed the large, heavy door open and looked around. I saw no one, so I tip-toed out into the hallway. I found a large staircase going down, so I went. They ended in a large open room, fireplace was lit in there too. It almost felt like I was in a dream. I looked around at all the beautiful artwork on the walls and noticed a large portrait above the fireplace. It was a man, a very handsome one at that. His dark hair and eyes captured my attention. There was something about them that had me staring, not even paying attention to my surroundings. "I see you are awake, and no worse for wear" a deep voice said, almost right behind me. I jumped, startled by his voice. I turned around, and it was the man in the painting. "I never liked that painting of me" he said "I don't think it much looks like me". He was almost a foot taller than I was so I had to look up at him. He was right, the painting didn't look too much like him as he was much more captivating in person. "Who are you, and why am I here?" I asked. Before he could answer, the raven that had been following me came flying through an open window and landed on his shoulder. "My friend here alerted me that there was trouble on the road". "When I got there it looked like you had been knocked out. No sign of who attacked you" he said. "So, I brought you here to let you rest." I looked down at my nightgown. "Don't worry, your modesty is still intact, my female staff got you out of your dirty clothes, and changed you". I blushed a little, thinking of him seeing me naked. What am I thinking? I need to stop, I told myself. "Thank you kind sir" I said. "What about my wagon,and horses?" "I'm afraid they were gone by the time I got there" he said. "Well, thank you for your hospitality, but I must get home, my father must be worried about me" I said. "Let me know your father's name, and I will send word to him that you are safe, and are just visiting me" he said "No need to mention the robbers, it will just make him worry." "Thank you" I said, and gave him my father's name. He went to a large desk and wrote a quick note. He rolled it up and put it in a little sling the raven had across his chest. He whispered something to the bird and it flew off into the night. "My friend will make sure your father gets the letter" he said. "But how does he understand you" I asked. "Ravens are very intelligent birds" he said "I have trained him to understand spoken word". I just looked at him. This whole night just seemed like a dream, or nightmare, depending on how things go. "Let me apologize for being rude and not introducing myself" He took my hand and kissed it, he gave a little bow "My name is Leedo" he said in his deep voice. "A very interesting name" I said. "My name is Celeste" I replied to him. "Ah, a very beautiful French name. Is your family from France?" he asked. "My mother's side is from France" I told him. I told him how she ended up in Europe, and met my father. "Her family said if she married him, they would disown her," I said. "She believed that true love was worth more than money, so she married him and they were happy." "You look so sad talking about your mother, is something wrong," he asked. I went on to tell him how she had died in childbirth, and it was just my father and I. He asked why I haven't married yet. "I guess I just want a true love like they had" I said. The large grandfather clock chimed midnight. "You should go back to bed and get some rest," he said. "I will give you a horse to go home with in the morning." I was sore and tired from the night's events. So I let him lead me back to the bedroom I had been in, and back into the soft, oversized bed. He turned and went out of the room, closing the large door. I lay there for a while, wondering why I felt at ease with him. At no point in our conversation did I feel like he would hurt me. I pushed the thought away, and went to sleep. I woke to a housekeeper opening the deep, red velvet curtains. "Wake up, dear" she said, "It's a beautiful morning and breakfeast will be soon". I looked and at the foot of the bed was my clothes, clean and dry. "Thank you for cleaning my clothes" I said. "Wasn't me that washed em, but I will pass it along, now get dressed dear. Master is waiting for you". She hurried out the door, leaving me alone. I looked out of the huge window, nothing but a forest in sight, the town was a speck down in the valley. Birds were singing, and the trees had started to change colors. Waves of red and gold leaves as far as the eye could see. I hurried and got dressed. I walked down the stairs and the maid that had woken me up was there waiting for me. "This way to the dining room" she said.I followed her, looking all around as I went. She opened the door, and it opened to a huge dining table. At the far end he sat, waiting for me. I took my seat and looked at the food laid out in front of me. I started filling my plate with fruit, and sweet breads,then I noticed he wasn't eating. I blushed and looked at him, "aren't you going to eat" I asked. "Women take so long to get ready" he said with a smile, "forgive me, I ate before you came down". "I'm sorry, I was just enjoying the view". As I started to eat, the raven flew in the open window, and perched on the back of Leedo's chair. I asked him about the bird, how he had gotten a raven to be tamed. He told me the story of how he had saved the bird from a kid with a slingshot who almost had broken his wing. After that the bird never left his side, and he didn't have to train him, he just started to understand. I ate my fill, and Leedo was asking about me and my life. It was pretty boring stuff, but he seemed interested. After brekfeast,he gave me a horse, and a small pouch full of money. "What's this for" I asked. "To make up for the items you lost" he replied. "It wasn't your fault, so no need to pay". "Please, take it, it will make me feel better". I thanked him, and he said I could come back to visit. He seemed so lonely up here by himself. I told him I might and set off for home. By mid afternoon I was finally home. My father ran out to greet me with a hug. He said he had recieved the message from the raven, but still worried. "There are stories about that man and his castle, honey". "Well, he was very kind,and as you can see, I'm fine." I showed him the money he had given me. It was more than enough to replace the items, as well as the buggy. Father began to tell me how the people in town spoke of the man as if he were a monster. That he killed women and drank their blood, or he was a werewolf, or even that he was the devil himself. I brushed all this off as gossip by people with nothing better to do in their spare time than to make up stories. He apparently didn't kill women as I had returned safe with not a mark. I left the conversation alone, and life went back to normal. Leedo was becoming a distant memory. Winter came and went without a thought of the handsome man all alone in his castle. As spring was blowing in father became ill. He fought as hard as he could, but his body gave up. I cried,but I knew he was with mother now. His apprentice had become skilled enough to take over the work for father. I kept the books, took orders, and helped make deliveries. It was returning from a delivery that I was passing by the dirt path leading up to Leedo's castle. I stopped in the road remembering his kindness. I had promised I would return and visit, but then father took ill, and so much had happened that I had forgotten. I made my mind up and turned the horses in the direction of the castle.