Untamed {Mature Reading}

Chapter VII

Time seemed to fly for Bianca as she worked, tending to the grey mare with the male whom she later learned was called Stephen. A few other men also arrived a little after breakfast, all casting curious glances her way. In time, Bianca hoped she would not be looked at as a captive who would flee at any moment. In time, she hoped she did not feel like it either. 

The young boy, Willy, whom Bianca has met when she first arrived at castle Lockhart was the only person save from Stephen to actually make some form of conversation with her.

She had been brushing her disgruntled mare, gently trying to soothe her when she felt a pair of eyes on her. Turning, she spied the young boy watching her with open curiosity. 

"How do you that?"

Bianca arched a brow. "Do what? Brush her?"

She watched as the young boy's pale cheeks stained red, his head shaking. "She doesn't let anyone near her. Maybe Stephen if she feels like it."

Bianca turned to the horse again, see how she made some fuss of having her brush her but otherwise had been content for Bianca to do so.

Willy continued still watching the priestess and the horse warily. "She turned like that after she lost her foal. He died when she birthed him this summer. Came out dead. Callum wanted to put her down but Stephen said she would soften after a while."

An ache filled Bianca's chest as she turned back to the mare, watching how those dark eyes seemed to bore back into her own. Now you see? They seemed to say.

It was an effort to blink back the tears that had clouded her vision as Bianca wondered if this was some small offering from the gods to her – a creature who had also lost, one who shared a similar pain and was only still breathing on a whim.  

"Horses are clever creatures," Bianca said after a moment. "I suppose she was waiting for someone to understand."

Willy looked at Bianca with a considerable amount of thought. "You dinna look like you might turn bad-tempered like her."

A smile curved her lips at the frankness of the boy's works, a strange sort of innocence when he clearly tried to carry himself like the men who surrounded him. "Maybe she has more fight in her."

It was around noon that Bianca left Freo and the others to return to the castle. She returned the way she came – through the kitchen back door, which felt like the safest and most reliable route.

The kitchen was full of life – Ms. Lowe barking orders at Moira and a handful of other girls who rush about in a whirlwind of flour, salt, and sugar. The hiss of fat against heat sounded as lard was placed in the skillet, the fragrant scent of rosemary, thyme, and sage wafting in the room.

"Bloody come early, did they?" Ms. Lowe muttered to no one in particular as she jostled the handle of the skillet with more force than necessary. "Two weeks!" She carried on as Bianca quietly slipped in. "I was meant to have two weeks before I had to prepare!" She made a noise in her back of her throat akin to a growl. "The English for you – always coming when they want. Always expecting you to be ready an' welcoming."

"I wonder what they are like," Another girl chipped in as she rolled out some dough. "Lord Grey and his daughter."

Moira cackled from somewhere near the pantry. "Thinkin' of being the new Lady Grey are ye, Betty?"

"Aren't you?" Betty countered back. "Who wouldn't want te be a Lady?" She began to roll the dough more aggressively. "Dinna want te be a kitchen maid all me life, do I?"

Ms. Lowe made a noise close to a snort. "Nothin' wrong with bein' a kitchen maid, lass." Her eyes caught sight of Bianca and stilled. "And where have you been?" All the other girls paused as Ms. Lowe placed her hands on her hips, eyeing Bianca. "Angus is nearly havin' kittens over the head of you – yer meant te be getting' ready fer the ladyship herself."

"Sorry," Bianca mumbled, face heating. "I was helping out in the stables."

The girl closest to her made a show of taking a good sniff. "Smells like it."

"Och, none of that." Ms. Lowe muttered as a few of the other girls sniggered. She turned to Bianca, a little less annoyance in her expression this time. "Go wash up, lass. Then get yerself to the main hall. The Grey's are ter be expected in an hour or two." She rolled her eyes, turning back to her work. "An' if ye see that fool Angus – tell him ye didnae run off into te hills."

Bianca bathed quickly upon returning to her rooms, the water cold and her skin rubbed raw as she tried to scrub the smell of the stables from her hair and skin. Another dress had been laid out for her, simple and plain, a soft grey shade that looked just as complicated as the one she wore.

She did not know why she took more care this time as she dressed, studying the laces and petticoats carefully. There were so many unnecessary layers with useless functions – material to make her waist smaller, her hips wider. She was so used to a simple cloth dress and underthings, all simple and plain.

Her hair curled into a simple knot at the back of her hair, some tendrils of brown tresses falling along the frame of her face. As if somewhat content, though she had never had a vain moment in her life, Bianca turned away from the old, mottled looking glass and made her way out, wondering how long it would be before she found the main hall.

It would seem that Angus found her before she became too lost, his face red and contorted as he caught eye of her.

"An' where the rutting hell have ye been, missy?"

Bianca froze, unable to not look guilty. "I went to the stables," She tugged her skirts. "Then my room."

"Aye," Angus cut her a glance. "I heard ye been with the horses from young Willy. Plannin' yer escape?"

Bianca arched a brow, falling into step beside the grisly Scot as he began guiding her through the maze of a castle. "Why? When the company here is so delightful?"

She swore she might have seen his mouth twitch under the volume of his beard. "I wonder what the Laird make of ye muckin' out the stables."

She was surprised at how cold her voice sounded when she replied. "I am sure that with the arrival of his guest his mind will be elsewhere."

Angus paused at the stairs, a few steps ahead of her so that his high almost matched her own. "Careful," Angus warned, the corner of his eyes tightening. "That smart mouth of yours won't get ye far with the Laird." A shadow passed over his features. "I wouldnae push him, lass."

Curiosity spiked within Bianca. "Why?"

Angus did not answer, merely turning away with a grunt of "Come on."

Bianca had little else to say or do as she followed, questions burning within her with each step.

*** 

Author Note: Two chapters in one day and one almost finished? Can you believe it? Yeah, me neither. Okay loves, I will admit that the comments and votes from you lovely, lovely people is what spurs me on to write and I can't believe we're doing this.

I am so grateful, thankful and in love with you all for coming along with me on this journey. I will personally reply to all comments tonight but before then, I have a question for you all~

I have been thinking long and hard about similar celebrities who might look like characters in Untamed. Tell me, which characters jump out at you and who do YOU think should play them if it were a movie?

With all my love,

Lisa xoxo