This is really bad.
An eight legged creature stands between me and my dinner as I push myself back towards my poster bed. I imagine it's many eyes glaring at me and my vivid imagination has me thinking it'll jump out onto my face.
Spiders were not a common occurrence in my house and this one appeared as if it fed on humans everyday for the past ten years. It was furry and wanted me to be its next victim.
"Miss Harrington?" Tatiana beckons from the bottom of the staircase. The castle barely had any furniture, so her voice carried upwards easily despite the many rooms and hallways.
"J-just a minute, please!"
I tiptoe sideways and make a tapping sound with my foot, hoping it would scare the thing away. Not surprisingly, it doesn't.
My stomach is gurgling. I need to eat.
The spider scatters a couple inches into my new master bedroom and I hold in a scream.
A floorboard creaks and the spider and I stare at each other as if to ask 'was that you?'
A shadow forms outside of my bedroom and it loops against the spider. Another creak and the spider races away into a nearby crack. I let out a gasp of air.
I expect my saviour to show themselves or that it was just Tatiana running out of patience but the shadow just disappears. When I hesitantly stick my head out of the doorframe, there's nothing but high ceilings, scuffed floorboards, and empty space in both directions.
Tatiana's frustration is obvious as she waits for me. She has a stained apron on and the frizz of her hairline sticks up. She's almost the female version of Arnold.
"I wanted to be presentable for Sir Ryker Blackwood." I offer as an excuse.
Without turning her back, she blurts: "He won't be coming for dinner."
"What do you mean?" I stammer. Have I been scammed? Where is this man? I wasn't necessarily expecting him to kiss my hand and give me a grand tour, but still…
"And just Ryker. None of that sir business."
We enter an archway and it opens up to a dining hall. Each side possesses three large, stained-glass windows and it radiates onto a long table with tiered candles ignited on it. I picture a fancy feast with family, in-laws, and close friends here once upon a time.
Breanna is sitting at the head of the table and a few strangers linger on the other velvet seats.
I curtsy in front of them.
Someone snorts and a masculine laugh roars out. Another woman just holds her head in disbelief.
"I told you." Breanna jokes and I walk over to the table with pride and sit beside her. The Harrington's never brandish embarrassment. I ought to teach them some manners.
"Are you supposed to be sitting there?" I ask Breanna. I'm not dumb enough not to realise that I'm urging a sarcastic response.
She purses her lips. "It's not like Ryker will be using it any time soon."
I bite my tongue and look down at the stale vegetables and duck feet. I won't complain about food.
"I'm grateful for the food. Thank you." I gaze around and pick at the vegetables with a fork.
No one expresses anything and they begin to dig in. At least they hadn't started without me.
"So, Heather, what are you expecting here exactly?" The woman asks after ten minutes. She has tanned skin, long brunette hair, and darkened eyes. I can also hear a small accent that I don't recognise.
I hide my mouth as I swallow a tasteless carrot and tilt my head. "What do you mean?"
"She means, you must be here for an ulterior motive. What is it?" A man responds and the physical traits are similar, but his hair is raven and nearly buzzed cut.
I dust the napkin in my lap as if I'm about to chide a child. "Whether you like it, hate it, or reject it, I'm married to Ryker. There's no meddling on my part. If my husband showed his face, I'd be curious as to why I'm here too."
Breanna blows out a whistle and everyone mutters under their breath. Tatiana rests a hand on her cheek. My perfectionism catches onto her elbow on the table.
"You know what he is, don't you?"
"Of course I do. Unless he plans to maul me, it doesn't matter. Marrying a man, wolf, or goldfish. I am content in the place in which I am needed."
"Do you think Ryker is a man or a wolf?" Tatiana challenges me. Everyone else is silent.
"B-both." I stutter. He had to be both, right? I blush at the confusion in my mind of his makeup. Can he just show himself already?
Breanna pipes in next. "Maybe being mauled is part of the process."
The identical man and woman grin, the other one still hasn't said anything. His pale eyes show interest in the conversation nonetheless.
I stab at a piece of meat and shove it into my mouth. It subsides the anger.
"Damned noblewomen. They probably fantasize about a wild rogue who only they can fix." The woman rolls her eyes.
"I'm not fixing anyone." I retort lamely.
"Remember Chloe? She tried so hard—"
Tatiana thuds her fist on the table. "Enough, Breanna. That's off limits."
Chloe? Was he wedded before? It foolishly never occurred to me.
"Don't go sinking that idea into your head, Miss Harrington." Tatiana observes. "That's the last thing all of us need around here if Ryker catches wind."
I lean back. "If you respected his privacy, you'd have been more careful with that information. For a first impression, it seems you lot are the meddlers around here." I fire back and drag my chair out with a screech along the ground.
"Why you—"
"Did she just—"
"Unbelievable—"
They argue amongst themselves behind my back as I walk away. It may have felt satisfying to discourage their bullying but the tears still prod at my eyes.
I was far away from home. I missed my mother and especially my father who had put me through this. My husband was an official recluse with a beautiful unused home and I was stuck mingling with maids and chefs who knew nothing about me.
I was better off befriending the spider.