Chapter 11
Back in my bedroom, Fran helped me strip out of my gown and into a steaming hot bath. As I sank into the water, I was unable to hold back the low moan of pleasure the warm water soothing my aching muscles and joints.
“I put a bit of lavender in the water, it’ll help you sleep tonight,” Fran explained as she gathered up my discarded clothing. “I’ll leave a night gown for you on the bed. When you’re ready to get out, there is a towel here,” she gestured to a table nearby and then a peg on the wall holding a pale pink cloth, “and a robe you can wear afterward.”
“Thank you, Fran,” I murmured, genuinely thankful for her presence. “I don’t know what I would have done without you.”
Fran gave me a warm smile before bobbing out of the room, leaving me to enjoy my bath.
I closed my eyes and let myself enjoy the warmth of the bath for a few moments.
We never got to bathe like this back at the factory. Most of the time, we had to make do with a rag and a bucket of lukewarm water to wipe ourselves off. Occasionally, we’d be able to fill one of the wooden barrels that we used to dye the clothes, but even that had been a shared bath, so no one really got completely clean.
This... this was nirvana.
I allowed myself to languish in the water for a good while before forcing myself to wash and get out of the tub. I quickly dried off and wrapped myself in the softest robe I’d ever felt.
For just a second, I let myself imagine what it would be like to not go back to the factory. To stay here and live this life of luxury with no worry of when I’d eat next or if I’d be spending time in the bin.
Pain shot through my insides, bringing me to my knees with a gasp.
I braced my hands on the ground before me, trying to breathe through the pain. Red droplets sprinkled the floor beneath me. Swiping at my nose, I lifted my hand to see the blood that came away.
It was clear now that Rumple’s spell had been playing nice up until this point. It’d given me gentle reminders to go back to the factory and, as long as I had that thought in mind with everything I did, it was happy. Just that one moment, no matter how brief, of thinking of not going back, and that little kitten of a spell turned into a full-fledged tiger clawing at my insides.
Breathing heavily, I forced my thoughts on what I needed to do next to return to the factory. The next step was to get the bag from the closet and steal food from the kitchens. Then, when I found a way out, I would be more likely to survive the Candy Forest alone.
The pain in my stomach subsided, the spell satisfied with my train of thought.
On shaky legs, I pushed myself to my feet. I moved to the tub and took a small cloth, dipping it in the water before running itunder my nose to clean up the blood. Then I made my way out of the bathroom. Instead of putting on the pretty purple nightgown Fran had laid out for me, I headed to the closet.
Inside, I quickly changed into the dress I’d worn earlier and tied the boots on my feet. Then I dug around until I found the bag in the back of the closet. With the bag in hand, I made my way out of the closet and into the bedroom.
The servants likely hadn’t gone to bed yet, so it wouldn’t be safe to head to the kitchens now. Instead, I sat on the edge of the bed and stared out the window, peering across the length of the Candy Forest while I waited.
My brow crinkled the longer I looked out the window and then a thought came to me. Standing from the bed, I walked over to the window and gave the handle a little twist.
It turned.
Holding my breath, I pushed the glass outward and almost shouted my relief when the window opened.
Hands braced on the ledge, I peered down from my window. I was on the second floor, but there was a balcony, probably one of the ones that came from the ballroom, beneath me. If I could make a rope of some kind, I could climb out of the window and make my way to the castle gate. Then, as long as that wasn’t locked, I could head into the Candy Forest and soon the factory.
Liking my plan, I turned back to the bedroom. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a rope just lying around the bedroom. I’d have to fashion one out of the sheets of the bed and probably a few of the dresses in the closet. It pained me to ruin the beautiful gowns in there, but this was life or death. I couldn’t just sit around andwait for Rumple’s spell to decide I’d had enough time and kill me.
My fingers and back ached by the time I was done tying the sheets and dresses together. The moon was high in the sky, meaning hopefully all the servants had gone to bed by now.
It was now or never.
I pressed my ear to the bedroom door, listening for any movement outside. When I heard nothing worrying, I eased the door open. The creak of the hinges made me wince, and I froze. After a moment, I slipped out of the bedroom with my bag in hand.
The halls were eerie at night without Fran by my side to guide me. The only light to lead the way was from the moon shining in from the windows. I crept through the halls, pausing every so often when my footsteps made the ground creak or groan. Eventually, I made it downstairs and to the kitchen door.
Lingering outside the door, I leaned in my ears arching to hear an inkling of anyone inside. I pushed the door open. My eyes took a moment to adjust to the dim firelight of the room before I could pad around safely, searching for provisions.
I filled my sack with breads and cheeses, wrapped in a cloth sitting out on the table. Then I found some apples and pears. I quickly shoved them into my sack, feeling guiltier with each item I stole.
Once I felt like I had enough to last me, even if I ended up lost in the Candy Forest for a few days, I started back toward the kitchen door.
