Chapter Text
"Bears? There are bears living all the way out here?" You asked with wide eyes, fingers digging into the coach's cushion seats as it rattled along the bumpy road. You were already clinging to the seat, the chances of falling forward quite high considering you were moving up the mountain and towards some unknown new home your eccentric father bought on a whim.
An eccentric father who wasn't even coming with you to your new home.
But that wasn't really anything too new. Your father was a popular archaeologist whose field of work was growing more and more fashionable; especially among the more wealthy families. It was becoming common for people with money to purchase antiques to show off in their home. You could be at a garden party, enjoying a good cup of tea and talk about the latest in French fashion when a hostess or host would suddenly boast about a latest venture then proceed to pull out a jar that held a shriveled liver of some ancient priest. Or one would be on their way to a the powder room in a strangers home and stumble upon a supposed cursed painting done by some insane, forgotten king who chopped off his wives heads because he thought they were plotting against him.
Worse, one could be dancing with an attractive suitor when he suddenly brags about the dried up mummy he discovered on his latest dig, then proceed to give every little detail about the dead person who's organs had been ripped out through their nose.
It was all very, very uncomfortable.
Especially for you considering you grew up around such things. One would imagine as a child you would be used to seeing strange artifacts and objects but everything your father brought home scared the living daylights out of you. One couldn't leave a room without accidentally brushing against some shrunken head or knocking over a jar that supposedly hosted the soul of a ancient witch.
Birthdays were especially unforgiving. You loved your father dearly, but sometimes you wished you could just get a nice pair of slippers like a normal girl instead of a beaded necklace plucked off some saintly nun who was burned at the stake for her beliefs. You honestly didn't have the heart to tell him that the necklace itself smelled faintly of charred flesh and creeped you out to no end.
You just wanted to be a normal girl like everyone else. Girls your age were having coming out parties where they would wear pretty dresses and dance with possible future husbands and talk among friends and just be merry.
You? You were being carted off to some northern country in the mountains away from civilization and friends.
This was almost as bad as the time your father dragged you off to Egypt for a summer season. It had been so unbearably hot and the weather had been unforgiving to your health. You were surprised you were able to survive there for so long, dealing with the bugs, the heat, the snakes, and the sand.
There was so much sand, you were sure some of it was still in your shoes.
"Don't worry, ________." Your maid smiled, trying to make you feel comfortable. "If any bear comes near you I will kill it."
You smiled at her nervously, not sure you wanted to see such a fight that she could no doubt win. "T-Thank you Marguerite."
The blonde woman beamed at you, having tried hard to give you that normality that you craved. And though she would say weird things like killing a bear she would go out of her way to shop with you, help you pick out clothes, and teach you how to interact with others without sounding like a misfit.
You were always in awe of your maid. With her unruly yellow hair, long slender legs, and a slim, curvaceous figure. Compared to you, you felt she should be the Lady and you the Maid.
She had been picked up by your father from some tribe in the amazon that had made him an honorary member. She had been sent with him as a servant and he had placed you in her care at the tender age of five, which Marguerite seemed to enjoy. She was like your big sister. Well, your big sister who could take down large animals, hunt in the woods like a man, and wear the strangest of clothes when guests weren't coming over.
She seemed to think you were still a bit upset so she reached into your small bag and pulled out an opened envelope. "Why don't you read your father's letter again? It'll make you feel better."
You took the yellow parchment and tried to give her a smile, opening up the paper and skimming over the messy writing your father had always used.
January 3rd, 1884
15 Olde Briar Cove
Dearest ___________,
I'm happy to tell you that I acquired an extraordinary house up in the far north! It's full of rich history and so many memories of the past. I know you'll love living there. There is a small village just at the base of the mountain that I'm sure visiting will be quite a treat-
You've seen the village, it was very small and you were sure the locals wanted nothing to do with you.
-I hope you enjoy it as much as I did touring it. I made sure your room was especially ready by the time you arrive so you don't have to fuss over anything. I know you are going to be away from all your friends, but I hope this will be an experience you will always remember. Someday, I hope you will take this obstacle and-
Then he went on and on about how he wished you to grow into a more rounded individual, and though you were upset with him when he didn't consult you over this big change, you couldn't help but feel affection for your father for wanting you to be more open to change. He finished the letter with all his love and usual pet names for you which made you flush whenever he used them in public.
You closed the letter and sighed, feeling it had been a good idea to read it again.
The carriage bumped and you almost went airborne out of your seat, but Marguerite used her fast reflexes to keep that from happening. You scowled and tried to fix your dress to look presentable then went back to staring out the window, overlooking the vast mountain landscape as it slowly turned colder and more snow appeared on the ground the further you went up.
You worried slightly, wondering if you had the proper clothing to survive the climate - but you were sure your father had all that arranged...right?
Who were you kidding? He was lucky enough to remember to take his reading glasses with him on a dig.
A fretting feeling washed over you as you realized how much of a bad idea this was, panicky thoughts flitting about your head all the way up the mountain until you reached a long stone bridge.
Curious, you peeked out the small window of the carriage then promptly pulled your head back in, pushing your back as far into the seat as possible as you took quick, fearful breaths.
The bridge you were currently riding over was situated hundreds and hundreds of feet over a large crevice, one that would kill anyone instantly if they were to fall off. You were sure it was so deep that you couldn't see the bottom (not that you would go out of your way to see if this were true).
"Oh my," Marguerite gasped in awe, not at all afraid as she looked out the window at your surroundings. It was safe to say she was the braver one of you both...well, you were afraid of most anything and she of nothing.
"Lady ______, you need to look at this," the made gasped in surprise; her hand gesturing you to look out the window once more.
You made a noise, refusing to look back out for fear that you would see the old stone bridge suddenly collapse and you would fall tragically to your death. "I-I'm fine where I am."
She didn't turn to look at you, only swerved her head around as if she were taking in something magnificent. "My Lady, you must see this! It's our new home!!"
You needed a bag, something to breath in and out of to calm your beating heart. "Unless we're not walking over a death trap, I think I will see it once we arrive."
Marguerite turned to look at you, eyes wide with delight. "It's so large!"
What? You hesitantly scooted to the window, hands gripping the sill as you slowly peeked out. You tried to avoid looking down or over the bridge, keeping your eyes up until you finally spotted your new home in the distance.
Your jaw dropped, eyes widening as speech seemed to escape you.
It was a castle. A very huge castle!! With fortifying walls surrounding who knew what, arches that gave it splendor and even tall towers that would probably put the mansions back home to shame. Though it looked nothing like some fantasy castle most girls dreamed of or read about in books, this one was definitely magnificent.
"A castle," You said breathlessly, "Father bought a castle..."
You didn't even notice the bridge anymore, studying all you could as you neared the home. The castle was situated in a square, connecting one wall to the other with turrets and pillars in between (no doubt used long ago as watch posts in case there were raids). There was one larger tower in the back corner of the place, facing a vast scenery of the other side of the mountain that was untouched by man; it even had a flag upon it's roof, waving in the winter wind.
"I do not believe we have to worry about bears anytime soon," Marguerite grinned, looking eager to explore the grounds. This did not comfort you.
The coach finally made it to the tall, metal gates - the black metal designed with intricate patterns to make the entrance look full of splendor while also keeping the unwanted out. You watched as they slowly creaked open by some unknown person before the cart rolled in, wheels bumping on the cobblestone.
Your driver opened the door and helped you both out, Marguerite already looking about with a wide smile while you twiddled your fingers nervously behind her.
The walls surrounding your new home seemed to house a large courtyard that held the stables and a blacksmith station. To the far left seemed to be some kind of barracks and a set of small stairs that led to a wooden door. Looking to your right, you noted unruly grass and wildflowers clinging to ivy that grew on the stone barriers, giving off the feel that the castle had been abandoned for a long time. You spotted further to your right was a tall staircase that led to an upper area of the grounds and before you knew it, your maid was dragging you towards them.
Making your way upwards, you realized that there were people here on makeshift walkways cleaning up the wildlife and repairing crumbling walls. It seemed clear that the only reason your father had been able to afford such extravagance was because the castle was nearing it's end. Your overly caring father had probably decided this place was too important to history to let it go tumbling down so had bought it up and paid many people to fix it.
You sighed, glad he didn't at least bankrupt the family by doing this. Sometimes he just bought things without thinking of the consequences...
When you both finally made it up the stairs you were able to study the upper courtyard, spotting a large building that looked much like an old tavern that was being fixed up into a place for the servants to stay (which really wasn't necessary since you only had a handful - they could sleep in the castle). To the left of the building was another set of stairs that led up to one of the tall walls that also seemed to be walkways from one tower to the next.
You turned in place, taking it all in until your gaze stopped on the final set of stairs which looked fancier then the others you had walked up. It led up to the main castle itself, tall oak doors keeping you from seeing the very inside of your new home.
"Amazing!" Marguerite gushed, taking your hand and dragging you up the stairs as well. You frowned as she opened the doors with ease and stepped inside what looked like a large entryway that led to a dining hall.
Everything was in disrepair but it seemed everyone inside was working their hardest to get the place up and running again. The dining hall was long with three doors on the left and right of the walls (who knew where those led to) and at the very end was a set of windows that reached to the ceiling itself, making the room feel more like an old chapel then an actual castle.
You fiddled with your fingers nervously once more as you neared the windows, finding out they overlooked the magnificent view of the country's landscape. Each mountain looked like they reached the very sky itself, the sun shining off them and making them even more heavenly. You could even see a valley with a river running through it far off in the distance that made the place actually feel like a fantasy.
And you were so very very high up. You had to step away and look at the floor, body fidgeting as you tried not to think about how high up you actually were.
This was crazy. Too crazy!! You couldn't live in a castle!! There were too many things that could go wrong and no doubt it would be hard to keep it up to date. Not to mention if something were to happen you would have to travel hours to the village just to see a doctor (not even counting possible weather situations). What had your father been thinking?! This was impractical!!
"Let's go see your room!" Your maid grinned and dragged you around until she finally asked someone for directions. She got them from a worker who told you both to head through the door on the left by the tall windows and up the flights of stairs (how many did this place need?); this walkway led to the castle's tallest tower.
'Thank you, father.' You thought anxiously, climbing up spiraling staircase after spiraling staircase to the tallest point. 'I always wanted to live in a tall tower where I could sleepwalk to my death.'
When you finally reached the top, you had to take a moment to catch your breath while Marguerite stared, not even looking the least bit winded.
"This mountain air will be good for you. You'll grow strong after a few months," She beamed before opening the door to...another set of stairs. By the great Queen Victoria, why were there so many stairs?!!
Luckily, these were only a small set, so the climb only took a few seconds. They led to a single room that was very large and circular - housing a big canopy bed and recently washed windows that held a door that led to a balcony. This balcony, of course, showed off a view of the mountains and valley below, and hopefully someday you won't fall to your doom by going outside.
The room wasn't completely decorated yet, some of the paintings from back home were still covered in their tarps and leaning against the wall of another door that seemed to be a small storage room. But all your items from your old room were here, placed in a way that actually made the area very nice. There was even a little loft with a ladder, bookshelves lining the walls up in the tiny space.
In fact, the room was downright amazing and you felt a lot better about your situation after seeing it. Your father had spared no expense in making you feel comfortable.
You even felt a sting of tears in your eyes at his thoughtfulness, ones that quickly disappeared as soon as Marguerite opened the balcony doors and a strong winter wind blew through, causing your skirts to fly about like crazy.
"Oh my, it is cold up here!" Your maid noted aloud, checking out the little balcony before stepping back inside, not even bothering to close the glass doors behind her. You rubbed your arms for warmth as you watched her go to a fire place that you hadn't notice, working on getting it lit. "I'll get this place warm for you so you can get some rest. We had a long journey after all."
You didn't really fight her on this idea, fatigue already washing over you as you walked to the canopy bed. It wasn't your old one, seeing as it had broken sometime during transit. You touched the silk sheets while opening the thin drapes, feeling a bit spoiled at the number of pillows and blankets piled on it. There were even fur blankets, no doubt for the extra cold nights.
You didn't care for animal furs but you wouldn't turn away something that would keep you from freezing to death.
Marguerite took a bit to get the fire going, but once she did it quickly grew warm and she closed the doors to the balcony and placed the latch down so the wind wouldn't blow them open. She turned and grinned at you, hurrying forward to help you into more comfortable clothes. Normally, you would fight her on this since you liked to do such things yourself but were too tired at this point to say anything.
Once out of your travel clothes and into something comfortable and warm, you found yourself slipping into what you would describe as the best bed in the world and were tucked in. The blonde woman gave you a warm smile and pinched your nose playfully.
"I'll see what we're going to do about dinner, you get some sleep."
You nodded and watched her close your thinly veiled bed drapes before walking down the little stairs to the door, hearing it close behind her and leaving you alone. You turned your head to look at the crackling fire place while you thought over your situation, feeling like a weird princess in some storybook.
You didn't really care to be a princess. A normal person would be good. One who didn't worry about what ancient trinkets were lurking in their home, or what new fascinating dead body their father had found, and who didn't live in a castle.
You covered your eyes with your arm and sighed, "Father....You're too much."