"So, no luck?" Beth commented as Maya slid into the car empty-handed.
"None." Maya confirmed. "Anything resembling something that would be useful is way overpriced. Guess that's what happens when the town is so small they only have one tech-ish store."
Beth shrugged. "Well, maybe I'll just slide a chair under my doorknob to make it harder for sleeping me to get out for now."
"Good idea. What took you so long at the grocery store though?"
"Me. In a foreign grocery store." Beth grinned lopsidedly at her sister. "That answer your question?"
Maya shook her head, also grinning. "We should've thought that through a little better."
They both chuckled and Beth began the drive back.
They were only minutes from the lengthy driveway leading up to the castle when a large grey animal darted halfway across the road, pausing to stare at them.
Or rather, at Beth.
Maya yelled at her to at least take her foot off the gas, and Beth did, but she barely understood what was being said. The wolf's golden, gentle eyes locked with her own and she found it incredibly hard to look away, let alone process anything else.
Those eyes didn't seem human, but they definitely didn't belong to a wolf either.
Time wasn't quite acting like it should. Beth knew, somewhere, that she should've hit the wolf by now, but she hadn't. She didn't.
At the last second the wolf looked away and lept the remaining distance across the road.
"JESUS CHRIST IN A SPEEDO WHAT WAS THAT?"
Beth blinked away the last of... whatever it had been that made time act up and refocused on the moment.
"That... That was a wolf." She spoke slowly, almost as though she was uncertain.
"I KNOW that. I mean the other thing. The dramatic movie slow-mo that randomly activated when it stopped in the middle of the fucking road!" Maya was speaking clearly, her expression more angry than confused, but her hands were clenched to hide a slight shaking.
Beth glanced at her. "You saw that too?"
"Saw, felt, whatever. Yes. What was that?"
"I don't know."
"There aren't even supposed to be any wolves in Scotland outside of a zoo."
"I know. Also... Jesus Christ in a speedo? Really?"
Maya let out a tiny laugh and shook her head. Then they sat in silence until Beth parked the car.
Beth glanced at Maya, who had calmed down by then, and punched her arm lightly.
"Let's get these groceries inside and then hang out in my room, yeah?"
Maya shook herself slightly and straightened her back. "Yeah, sounds good."
Bernard emerged from a nearby door within moments.
"If the Misses would allow me, I will take care of these items."
The girls glanced at each other.
"Are you sure?" Beth asked. "We can help."
Bernard smiled kindly, replying, "You have already made the trip to town and back. Allow me to do this much."
Maya shrugged. "Fine with me. Thanks Bernard."
"Thank you." Beth echoed and finished closing the car door.
"Of course. I will bring you some tea when I am done, I had prepared some for your return."
"You didn't have to." Beth protested.
"It's my pleasure Miss." Bernard's eyes were twinkling again. "I presume I may find you both in your rooms?"
"We'll both be in mine." Beth hesitated before asking, "Bernard? Do you know about the wolves in the area?"
Bernard was silent for a moment. He appeared to simply be busy arranging the bags to carry as many as possible at one time, but both girls noticed the slight shift in his expression from something nearing mischief to careful consideration.
"I have heard of some sightings nearby, yes." He said finally. "It would do you well to be careful near the woods at night."
"There aren't supposed to be any wolves in Scotland." Maya protested.
"This is true, however if the Misses would care to look up a certain project, you might find that a recent effort has been made to bring wolves back to Scotland for several reasons. I believe the rumor among the locals is that a few have escaped and returned to the wild. So far as I know, nobody has been hurt, but it is usually a good idea to be careful." His expression was carefully disinterested. "Now, if the Misses will excuse me, I shall put these away and go check on that tea."
"Thanks again Bernard." Maya and Beth spoke at the same time, then glanced sheepishly at each other. People had begun to think they were twins when they had started doing that, but sometimes it was hard not to.
Bernard didn't seem to react. He just smiled, closed the car, and headed inside.
Maya was struck by the thought that nobody seems to ever mention how comical it is to see a butler, in full uniform, carrying two armloads of plastic grocery sacks into an ancient castle. Bernard almost managed to make it look like the most natural thing in the world... Almost.
She managed to stifle her amusement until they were well out of earshot.
Beth looked at her confusedly as the giggles bubbled out of her.
"What?"
"Bernard... Being all mysterious and solemn, then carrying 12 grocery bags all at once, I just..." Maya laughed harder. "I can't, it's too funny!"
Beth rolled her eyes but found herself grinning.
"It's not that funny."
Maya laughed harder, then managed to calm herself just before tears of mirth fell. "You have no sense of humor."
The girls went to Beth's room and sat on the balcony again.
There was uncomfortable silence for a few minutes. Bernard, with miraculous speed and grace, brought them a pot of tea and with a couple of mugs and matching pastries, then left them be. The girls thanked him as he left.
"Spit it out already, the silence is killing me." Maya finally demanded, picking up one of the pastries to inspect it.
Beth took a deep breath and slowly let it out.
"I knew those eyes." Beth admitted. "The wolf's eyes."
Maya sipped her tea slowly, and finally commented "Damn. The dreams right?"
Beth nodded. "I really didn't wanna think about it. The forest too. All those dreams our parents drilled me to ignore and forget about are trying to pop back up and I just..." Her voice trailed off, echoes of old, painful emotions tried their best to surface. Beth pushed them back with practiced strength.
Maya studied her face. "Maybe it's time for you to deal with all of it. Do you remember that at least? Telling me to tell you when it was time to deal with all of it?"
Beth took another breath, shaky this time. "Yeah. Yeah I do. I thought it would take longer. I thought I'd be living in my own home, away from them."
"At least you finished High School." Maya pointed out, trying to sound gentle but only succeeded in sounding awkward.
"Yeah." Beth bit her lip, the emotions resurfacing and boiling dangerously close to the surface. She fought them back for a few more moments, but they leaked out enough to bring tears to her eyes.
She focused on her breathing, making it deep, working to control the shaking, eventually eliminating it.
"Not tonight. Not now." She finally said. "Maybe a walk in the forest tonight though."
The memory of that silent song as she walked through the welcoming forest soothed the ghostly pains.
"Are you sure that's a good idea? Last time we went in you looked like you were... Ugh, I don't know, your face was just... Different." Maya huffed the last word out, equal measures of concern and curiosity playing across her face.
"No, I'm not. But I know it feels safe and if gives me energy. If I'm going to deal with all of the things I've been ignoring, I need more of... That."
Maya nodded slowly. "At least we know what to expect. I'll try not to get too weirded out. You do realize it was after we walked in the forest last time that you were sleepwalking right?"
"I know. But it's also the only time I've been sleepwalking without having nightmares." Beth pointed out.
"Fair enough. But as your sister it is my job to worry."
"No, it's not, but we both know you're going to worry anyways."
"Too true. We are also not leaving these pastries and tea to get cold before we go so eat."
Beth picked up her pastry and took a nibble out of it.
Maya grinned as Beth's face melted into pure bliss.
"Oh my god... Bernard can bake."
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