make me stay.

eighteen

♜

six days. it had officially been six days since the top of the mountain had disappeared beneath feet of snow.

the storm had slowly begun slowing down a few days ago, the sky almost visible at this point as the fog was making way upwards, but it was taking its time.

being hidden away behind the castle walls had become a necessary haven, and despite my worry for the group beneath celia's roof, i would not have been able to make it a mile in the snow. and even if i did, there would be no way for me to ensure i was going the correct way. i had been passed out when i was brought here, and i had never set foot this high up the mountain before.

a faint knock came to my door, and i quickly turned to face it. i wasn't far from the thick wood that separated me from the rest of the castle, but it took me a moment to turn the knob.

i still hadn't figured out how they managed to lock doors with no locks on them in the first place, but if i ever attempted to leave in the night, my door would be locked. it would be unlocked in the morning, however, and i had not once seen a lock on either side.

i pulled at the door, the hinges complaining as i kept pulling until i was facing the server in the doorframe.

"good morning, my lady," he bowed shortly, before correcting his posture back up. his eyes stayed diverted from my own, however, as he seemed to study the carpet thoroughly.

i frowned, moving my head slightly to the right, watching how he corresponded, moving to his own right to keep out of my stare.

"the king has requested your presence in the main hall," the server tells me, before quickly bowing down again and turning on his heel, leaving in such a worry you would believe his feet had been set on fire.

and i was supposed to be able to find my way to the main hall by myself?

great.

i closed the door behind me, stepping out into the hall. the staircase was to the left, but what level was the main hall on?

"how many levels down?" i mumble to myself, passing the first one on my way down.

take a guess.

a voice suddenly pops into my head like one of my own thoughts would, but it isn't my own voice. i turn around, meeting the steps i had just stepped on to get to the step i was currently resting on.

no one.

i had spent almost a week locked inside the castle already, and despite losing my mind not being on my schedule for weeks, it would not surprise me.

passing my fourth level, i paused, walking down one of the halls at choice, attempting to find a window. the main hall had been the room i had fled out of days ago by now, which meant it was at the ground level, but i could have passed that level already and have no clue.

as i made my way back to the stairs, a server followed closely behind me, also avoiding meeting my eyes as i glanced over my shoulder. was i that hideous to look at?

i shook it off me, trying to find my way back. every hall, every picture, lamp and door looked the one before and after, creating the illusion that you were taking the same single step over and over again without making it anywhere. but slowing down my pace, the server passed me, and the stairs quickly showed up in the distance as i followed her.

she was wearing the outfit i had the first night of my stay here, when i had attempted to hide amongst the servers. she had held something knitted in a white yarn, but scrunched up in her hand it was impossible to tell just what it was. perhaps mittens.