Chapter 19: The Ghosts We Know
I looked around and took in my surroundings. This was my first time out of the Manor. The realization dawned over me. I sighed out an uncertain breath and savored the fresh air on my skin. I swallowed down all thoughts of escape and decided I would see where we ended up before I came up with a strategy.
When we reached our destination, Micah told us to get off the carriage and follow him. After the rider rode away, Micah went toward the opposing streets and hailed another carriage. Confused, I followed him, his brother and Brinley inside the other carriage and looked at him for an explanation.
"I don't trust that he won't go to my Father for a decent enough pay," he said looking out at the casting dark of the night. Without saying anything, I looked at where Brinley lay with his head on Finn's shoulder and their bodies closer to each other than the doors of the carriage. I doubted I would ever understand why they seemed like a singular soul rather than two. Then again, perhaps Brinley was prodigious at pretending.
When we reached our true haven, we all got down from the carriage. Finn and Micah lead on, knowing almost exactly where he was going, Micah seemed less tense. Brinley and I walked behind them. I hugged my arms against the cold and saw that Brinley seemed almost immune to the cold wind of the night.
All four of us entered into a dimly lit house. Inside, oil lamps lined against the wall and there was a table with an old woman sitting behind it. She looked up when Micah opened the door, her face didn't change when she saw Micah and Finn but her eyes narrowed when Brinley and I walked in behind them.
Micah pulled out a pouch from his waist pocket and put a handful of silver coins in front of the lady.
"You're forgetting your manors, Mr. Waitstill," she spoke her voice cold yet friendly enough for me to walk forward and stand beside Micah. "For my silence?"
I saw Micah smirk and put out two more bronze coins in front of her. The lady smiled back at him and turned around, putting the coins inside a drawer. She took a set of keys from behind her and placed it on the table.
"Sorry, ma'am. We'll be needing two," Finn spoke gently "Two rooms please"
He looked at Micah from the side and then at Brinley who was rubbing his eyes from tiredness. I only hoped Finn wasn't forcing himself on him, I wouldn't know what I'd do to him if that were the case. Then again, the way Finn looked at him was nothing near to violence. The lady looked amused before putting another set of keys in front of Finn directly, and waving her hand to the back. I shifted my eyes to where she pointed and saw that double doors were on the right side, which I assumed lead to lodging rooms.
"Go on, any inappropriate noises after midnight and I'll kick yous out meself." The lady smiled even though her tone said differently. Something about her unnerved me, she seemed to be comfortable around the boys but she looked at me like I was something of a curiosity.
Micah took the other keys and then my hand. With his bag in his other hand, he lead me towards the door before the voice of the lady stopped us.
"What did you say your name was again, dove?," she asked and I realized she was speaking directly to me.
Micah looked at me from the corner of his eye expectedly. He should have given me more merit, because once I saw the look on his eyes; he cleared his throat, only not to say anything.
"I didn't" I reply curtly before nudging Micah to keep walking.
"Mean no offense, lady. It's just you look the spittin' image of a man I once knew. Thought perhaps I knew your Pa." the lady shook her head and then smiled up to me. She sat back down in her chair and went back to reading what was in front of her.
I turned back and started walking toward the double doors myself, soon after I heard Micah follow.
______
The room was minimal, small but I had never been more grateful to be somewhere out in town
The room was minimal, small but I had never been more grateful to be somewhere out in town. Staying trapped in that Manor felt like a slow sort of torture. One that involved poisoning my mind.
Micah placed his bag on the double bed that lay in the middle of the room. There was one small oil lamp that sat on the bedside table and a closet adjacent to the bed. A bathroom with a bath and a basin was across the room, I walked toward it and turned the tap. Waiting for the water to clear out, I cupped my hand underneath and drank.
The situation felt surreal, there was only one window and a door that lead to the only way out. Yet the window had a lock latched on to it and the door lead to the front room which had a lady that knew both Micah and Finn. Quite personally, it seemed.
It occurred to me that Micah probably needed time away from his cruel father and the whole business he ran. I just never acknowledged that he was human enough to want to run from things like everyone else often did.
After rinsing my face and quickly running a wet towel through my hair and my body. I returned to the room to see Micah had undressed and he sat at the edge of the bed with nothing but cotton briefs on. Once he saw I was in the room, he turned and took a small pot of something that was in his hands. He motioned for me to go to the bathroom with him. I was hesitant at first, only to imagine what he would potentially do to my disobedience. I followed.
He opened the pot and I saw there was white cleansing powder within it. He dipped a brush in it and then a second before passing one to me. I took the brush and murmured a thanks before brushing my teeth with the tasteless powder.
When Micah finished, he turned towards me. Tilting my head with the brush still in my mouth, he looked down at my lips before speaking, "I do not expect you to sleep on the floor in a place like this, so you may join me on the bed tonight. Kitten, if you even try and escape-"
"I don't plan to," I cut him off "..Master"
The only alarming thought was I didn't know if I was lying or not.
When we both slipped into the bed covers, I turned to my side and faced away from Micah. I couldn't bring myself to look at him, I couldn't trust my thoughts. The room was cold and his body emitted a warm and comforting heat but I told myself I would manage on my own. I usually did.
I felt my body relax beside itself, I felt as awake as ever but my body was physically grateful for the soft mattress after having adapted to the hard floors of my master's room.
"Master?" I whispered before I could comprehend what I was doing.
"Yes, kitten" his voice seemed tired too, but I knew he lay awake the same as I. Our proximity was too close to completely unwind. I was always on edge when he was near. It was like a lit match waving at a dynamite stick, you could never know when the place would explode or not.
"Where do you go during the mornings?"
The question was met with silence at first, I turned around and saw him laying down on his side facing me. My breath hitched and I looked at his features tentatively. He was truly beautiful. If only his heart matched.
My eyes travelled to his lips and I inched myself closer to him. It felt magnetic, but he did the same and soon enough, we lay with our faces close to each other yet our bodies remained untouched. "It's the only time when there's quiet. So I take advantage of it."
I nodded and looked at him before frowning. "Your father is an absolute prick."
It was the first time I had ever sworn, but it seemed fitting with the situation. Micah looked at me with surprise, until his mouth stretched out slowly and he was grinning at me like a young boy. I swallowed a small breath, and felt my heart start to flutter out a fast heartbeat at the sight of him smiling.
Soon, conversation opened out between us. It felt almost unnatural but comfortable at the same time. We never strayed into deep waters of my past and his future. We stayed on topics that any friend would ask another friend. I almost forgot that I was his possession, a mere object in his life. However, I asked questions and sometimes he did. We both dragged out the night of freedom for as long as we could. It felt like sanctuary in a time of upcoming war and all thoughts of escape soon flew from my mind.
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