“Hello?” a voice boomed.
Marie opened both her eyes with alarm reaching for her weapon and dropping to one knee in the waterfall, aiming her weapon at the handsome man, glaring at her while he stood hiding his modesty with a hanging towel draped over his forearm perfectly positioned to hide what would be his shame.
“It seems you’re in my bath, can you tell me who you are?” asked the man, his long silver hair and beard made him seem quite imposing and aged, however, he maintained a youthful look and impressive muscular body despite his aged silver hair and beard.
“I uh, Noelle’s servants brought me, they said, I mean, I should go, yeah, I’ll go,” Marie stammered, lowering her weapon about to leave the bath quickly remembering she too was in an undressed state. She dropped down into the water, embarrassed, blushing as bright and hard, embodying the very definition of humiliation.
“Noelle has brought you here, I see, then I shall leave you to your comfort. If you’ll excuse me for intruding, I’ll take my leave,” the handsome man announced, leaving Marie to her shame.
“Oh, where are my manners. Before I leave, allow me to introduce myself, I am Prince Finn. I hope you will do me the honour of joining me at dinner tonight, my way of an apology,” with a graceful bow, Finn left the bathing area to which Marie blew out a breath of disbelief as she put her rifle back on the baths edge and sank beneath the water, blowing bubble with a massive sigh of relief.
Once their bathing was complete, Marie was granted a robe by Noelle’s servants to cover herself then lead through the halls of Castle Grey. She felt like she was a major celebratory with her entourage around her, she couldn’t help but grin sheepishly, not wanting anyone to notice she was pretending she was living the highlife. In her head, she pretended she was been lead to wardrobe before she was to be onstage, maybe at Madison square garden or maybe Mayfield park wherever her gig was she would put on one hell of a performance. Aisling was given a robe also, but she wasn’t to be escorted by servants; she was escorted by Noelle herself from the waterfall bath to the same room Marie was led to. They were escorted to a large room with burgundy and gold dressings all around the room; it was surely a room for royalty. Now both Aisling and Marie were being treated like royalty. They stood in front of a wall like it was a grand prize, they looked at one another with uncertainty when Noelle’s servants pushed one of the designs on the wall and watched as it dropped down into the ground, showing a walk-in wardrobe with gowns of all fabrics, colours and designs.
“Oh wow,” Marie puffed.
“Take your pick, our tailor is on call. Should you need any alterations,” Noelle instructed.
They were allowed to pick whatever gown they wanted. They walked into the wardrobe and saw gowns, shoes, jewellery and accessories, they were well and truly in girly heaven. Marie ran her fingers along a deep purple gown with gold trim and an emerald under coat, she loved it the moment her fingers touched the fabric. Aisling locked her eyes onto a brilliant white and silver dress with a silver circlet headdress. They were shocked that they could be given such freedom by strangers and given clothes that clearly cost a large fortune; nevertheless, Aisling didn’t hesitate to drop her robe and slip into the brilliant white gown; Marie rushed to get into her gown also. Once they were dressed, they stood at the full-length mirrored wall, they looked at themselves and each other with brash smiles as they admired their new elegant clothes. Marie even did a little twirl in hers; it wasn’t long until Noelle’s servants came into the wardrobe and silently beckoned to Aisling and Marie insisting, they follow them. They lead the ladies to the dining hall. The hall was grandeur itself with a dining table at its centre that spanned between twelve to fifteen feet in length with a strategically laid brilliant white clothes, embroidered with grey emblems where they would be seated. The hangings over the table and around the room were a blaze with candlelight that light the large room perfectly. The walls though dull and grey were dressed with royal red hangings with the same grey emblems that were on the tablecloths. The plates were laid out pristinely and the cutlery sparkled with a grand shine. Shortly after they were greeted by their hosts, Noelle arrived at the dining table, wearing a glimmering silver bodice and a silk royal blue skirt with white lace and heels and the handsome man Marie had embarrassingly met was by Noelle’s side, wearing a crisp royal blue and gold trim suit with a crushed snow-white shirt and perfectly shined black loafers; his bread was oiled, and his hair was tied back in several braids that tied into one long ponytail.
“Greetings,” the man announced with a bow to the two ladies. “My sister tells me you are Were Inc soldiers. Fear not, you are welcomed here, maybe over dinner you could regale us with your tale as to how you got lost in the black marsh.” Finn asked Aisling, gesturing to the table where Noelle was taking her seat directly across from Marie.
While Finn sat at the head of the table and Aisling sat to his right, Aisling boldly smiled and agreed to regale her hosts with their tale. It was only moments later when their meal began to arrive. The servants placed a rather large and succulent roast on the table followed by a plethora of vegetables and roast potatoes. The simple dinner had turned out to be a banquet, a feast fit for a king, but there was no king to
