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Chapter 7 You're easy to talk to

-BEA-

She watched Dax for any reaction to her words. He simply stared forward into space. David had said that Dax was completely brainless aside from a few automatic motors like eating and breathing.

The smell was strong and seemed to be coming from somewhere near his bed, but it was dark, and clutter was everywhere. Discarded clothes and soiled linens were bunched up around the room. She saw thick layers of dust clinging to the fabric all around Dax’s chambers.

She looked down at her blue dress and her stomach ached and bunched as it grumbled beneath the oversized dress. If she made food for Dax, surely, she could eat what he didn’t.

Turning from the bed she breathed in fresh air as she made her way to the kitchen that David had pointed out on his brief tour of the castle.

She chewed on her bottom lip as she stepped through the wide archway that led into the kitchen area. She expected to find several people working on loaves of bread and desserts or plucking chickens. Like what she saw often at Visca’s castle.

Or perhaps she'd find two people who didn't want to be found, hiding in the pantry. Her mind went back to a time, when she'd walked in the storage basement of Rebecca's estate and heard her and a man breathing heavy. Curiosity overwhelmed her better judgement and she'd peaked around the corner. Immediately she'd pulled back.

To her disgust Rebecca and her son Alec were wrapped in each other's embrace, smashing their faces against each other like they were the other's oxygen. It had disturbed her enough that any time she went near the kitchen again, she was as loud as possible.

She pulled herself back to the present as she walked the entire kitchen but only found one clean stone stove and one deep sink that was attached to it. The rest was empty aside from more dust and cobwebs. She rubbed her hands over the sink and appreciated the smoothness of it.

She heard clucking and found a small doorway that led to a chicken coop and wood storage facility. She grabbed what wood she would need for the stove. Dirt and grime smeared across the soft fabric of her dress. She would have to find or make a smock to stay clean. After dropping the wood by the stove, she stopped at the pantry that was on the other side of the room.

Bea remembered an old recipe that her mother used to make her father. It was supposed to improve strength and vigor. It was sweeter than most other soups because its main ingredient was a small round pea. The smell of it cooking would always remind her of her parents and a time when she was a young Lady. Before her father was found to be mating with a human who had birthed a half-human child.

She mixed the soup as it bubbled and steamed on the stove. Her stomach aching more and more the longer she stirred. When it was cooled enough, she moved it off the stove.

Her father would always help her mother move the hot pot to the table. She frowned and chewed more on her lip as she carefully placed the full bowl on a tray and made her way back to the Prince’s chambers.

Her father was murdered for treason and her mother was taken somewhere away from her. They would later tell her it was because her mother knew too much about their Wolf ways. She’d never seen her again. In “mercy” they handed her over to the Concubine Rebecca as a slave.

She could still remember Alec as a teenager, teasing her and picking at the holes in her garments. While he had been a rambunctious teen, he was even worse as an adult. By the time she'd left Rebecca's he was a grown man, leering at her everytime she walked by. She shivered as the memory of his creepy smile lingered in her thoughts.

“That was so long ago.” She didn’t mean to speak out loud and jumped at the sound of her own voice.

She was sitting beside Dax's bed with the soup set on a table beside them. She wasn’t sure how long she’d been sitting there, waiting for the soup to cool. The look of it in the bowl had thankfully stirred more pleasant and deep memories for her of her loving family.

It had felt nice talking out loud though. No one was here besides Dax, and he wasn’t mentally present. “Right? You can’t actually hear the things I say to you?” A curiously wicked thrill went through Bea. She’d never had someone to talk to who didn’t want to immediately be rid of her.

“You won’t know anything I say to you, will you?” A shot of glee went through her. Normally she’d talk to the pigs every night like they were her diary. She’d spent hours with the creatures, recounting her thoughts throughout the day. What would it feel like to do it with a human? “Ehhm I mean Werewolf.” She shook her head as she spoke out loud to Dax.

Standing, she pulled Dax up until he was sitting, as David had shown her before. She then sat halfway behind him. The smell was stronger here but when she looked, she found no sores on his back. It made her nauseous, it was so strong. Grabbing his pillows, she made a perch for his other side as he rested halfway across her left shoulder. The feel of his warmth pressed against her chest sent butterflies into her churning stomach.

Awkwardly, she moved the table over next to her arm, and grabbing the spoon she scooped up some soup and brought it to Dax’s mouth.

Without asking he opened, and she proceeded to feed him. It wasn’t uncomfortable but it was time-consuming.

As she fed him, she began talking again. Not saying much but it felt good to get things off her chest.

“I’m your wife now. I mean… I know that Master Savonnuh was supposed to be your wife but-“ She paused mid-spoonful. “Well, she decided not to, Goddess be with her, and now you’re stuck with me.”

She turned her head a little to get a better look at the Prince. His skin was hanging off of his bones and old muscle that once defined a beautifully handsome face was now gaunt and sunken in.

She spoke more as she continued feeding him. “I don’t know what would make someone do that to themselves.” Thinking of Savonnuh, she shook her head sadly. “I promise you that I’ll not leave you, Master. I will take great care with you.” He’d eaten nearly half of the bowl when he finally clamped his mouth shut and refused to open it again.

She set the bowl aside and maneuvered Dax back to how he was resting before. Again, a foul smell was in the air, but she saw nothing in the room that would cause it. She waited for it to dissipate again before she grabbed the bowl and began eating the rest of the soup.

“You know.” She said quietly, between mouthfuls. “Your man David is a jerk. He means for me to fail. He wants me to. He reminds me very much of Mistress Rebecca. I don't like the way he feels. when he's near me.” She shook her head again and finished off the remainder of the bowl.

It felt nice in here with Dax. Tomorrow, she might open the drapes and do a deep clean. It would give her time to deal with everything that’s happened. She couldn’t unpack that right now. If she tried, she wouldn’t sleep, and she’d be of no use to her new Master.

Finally done with the food, she stood, tucked Dax into his bed, and took care of the bowl and kitchen before heading back to her room.

When she got to her room, she saw that one lone candle had been left on a side table near her door. She picked it up and made her way into her room.

She felt better than she had even the night before. She was exhausted and mentally and emotionally drained, but she had a full belly, a Master who would never raise a hand to her, and free will to do as she wanted as long as her Master was cared for.

Climbing into bed, she curled up into a small ball before pulling the large comforter over her body. Sleep came over her in a rush and she found no dreams that night.

The next morning, she’d made breakfast for Dax and after setting the carrying plate aside, was lifting the blankets to better position him when Bea found what was truly causing the foul smell.

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