Best I daenae let meself get too carried away thinkin’ like that.
Once she was dressed, the maid took her leave. Flora settled in front of the mirror, running a brush through her hair. It was shinier now that it had been properly cleaned. As she ran the bristles through the tresses, she opened her mouth and attempted to speak, only to say her name at first as a test.
A squeak came out, but that was the extent of her ability. It seemed that even in the privacy of her room without another person around, she still wasn’t able to talk. It was as if her tongue and throat refused to work together. Or perhaps it was her brain and her mouth that weren’t functioning as they should.
I daenae ken what happened. I’ve never struggled like this before. It’s so discouragin’... They’ve ruined me in more ways than one.
Before she was able to get too caught up in the tangled weave of thoughts, there was a knock on her door then Annabeth’s voice came through, muffled by the thick wood. “Flora? Are ye ready to go to the great hall? It shouldnae be too crowded this mornin’. The food tastes better there.”
Since she was unable to answer with words, Flora rushed to open the door. Annabeth’s eyes widened as she took in Flora’s appearance. Beside her was a small girl, no older than seven years old, grinning up at Flora. Just before she began to feel self-conscious, the other woman’s face broke out into a smile, and the girl bounced on her feet excitedly.
“Ach, I could tell ye were a bonnie thing when I met ye, but ye’re even bonnier than I thought ye were,” she said, offering Flora her arm. With her free hand, she adjusted the fabric of Flora’s gown. “Blue is a good color on ye, and that dress fits better than I thought it would.”
“Aye, it’s very bonnie,” the child said, starting to reach forward, likely to touch the dress, and stopping herself.
“Elizabeth,” Annabeth said softly, placing a hand on her daughter’s shoulder, “are ye forgettin’ to do somethin’?”
The child blinked, then blushed and turned back to Flora, grinning shyly. She gave a deep, albeit clumsy, curtsy and said, “Me name is Elizabeth, and I’m pleased to meet ye. I’m happy ye’ll be stayin’ with us. And I hope ye’ll play with me.”
Flora couldn’t help but grin at the girl’s introduction. It was clear that the girl was excitable, and if she had to guess, the child insisted on accompanying her mother. She was practically vibrating in place, and Annabeth looked as though she was holding herself back from apologizing for her energy.
If I had me voice, I’d tell them both that Elizabeth is a wee charmin’ thing.
“Can we eat now, Maither?” Elizabeth said after a beat of silence. “I’m hungry, and I want a plate of haggis.”
“Ye could have gone to the great hall on yer own,” Annabeth laughed as Flora stepped into the hallway with them. “Nay one was makin’ ye wait.”
“I wanted to meet Flora,” Elizabeth said firmly as they began their trek to the great hall. “Uncle Lucas said she’s like me. So that means she needs a friend, and I want to be her friend.”
The statement was so simple, yet it seemed to hit Flora directly in the chest as strongly as a physical blow. She’d yet to truly examine what her experience meant, yet this little girl had already anticipated a need. Her hand shaking slightly, she reached forward and squeezed the child’s shoulder, earning herself a toothy grin.
“Ach, just daenae overwhelm her, Elizabeth,” Annabeth warned, her voice warm. “The castle is brand new to her. Let her get settled before ye start demandin’ her attention.”
“I’ll show her around, so she doesnae get lost then,” Elizabeth said decisively. She glanced up at Flora, dropping her voice into an exaggerated whisper as she said, “I can show ye all the shortcuts and hidin’ spots. I ken some that nae even Uncle Lucas kens about.”
In response, Flora grinned. The gesture was real, her cheeks hurting from the action. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d smiled meaningfully. While she was sure that she was broken, it seemed as if this part of her wasn’t.
Perhaps the hunt hasnae taken everythin’ from me just yet.
When they got to the great hall, Flora was overwhelmed at the noise. There were so many people here, all sharing meals and laughing with one another. Annabeth had said that this was the great hall when it wasn’t too crowded. Flora wasn’t sure she’d be able to handle this place on a busy day; she could barely handle it now.
A few of the people dining turned their heads to look at her when she entered, but none of them let their gazes linger for too long. It was as if they were used to new people arriving. That thought was both a comfort and a concern.
What if there’s someone here who wants to do me harm? It would be so easy for them to blend into the crowd, and I cannae do a thing to alert anyone if somethin’ were to happen to me.
“We’re goin’ to sit at the head table,” Annabeth said softly, leading her through the maze of tables. “There’s less movement up there, and Lucas wants to keep an eye on ye.”
The mention of Laird McGowen made her steps falter. Of course, he would be here. This is his castle. And it made sense that he’d want to keep an eye on her. She hadn’t spoken, and she had to be rescued. He didn’t know a thing about her. For all he knew, she could be a danger to the castle, using silence to lure them into letting their guard down around her.
When they reached the table, Annabeth pulled out the chair next to Lucas and gestured for Flora to sit. A little stiffly, Flora situated herself there. From here, she was even moreoverwhelmed by the number of people dining. She might as well be on display for them.
That didn’t even touch on the way her anxiety spiked at his proximity.
“Ye’ll have to let me ken which foods ye like,” Lucas said as he began piling different dishes onto her plate. It felt as though he were saying it to distract her from the crowd, to make her focus on one person rather than the room full of people. Perhaps it would work if he weren’t so intimidating. “If ye must, just point. I will tell me cook to make more for ye.”
She nodded slowly, staring at the assortment she was being given. There was no way she’d be able to finish what was on her plate, and if she had her voice, she’d share that. The last thing she wanted to do was waste food or seem ungrateful. In the past, wasting food meant harsher punishments. She prayed that that wasn’t the case in Castle McGowan.
So, even though she knew that consuming everything she was offered was a hopeless endeavor, she dug in. Despite the fact that she’d tried nearly every one of the dishes before today, they all seemed to taste so much better here. She wondered if it was the quality of the ingredients or if her hunger was finally catching up with her.
