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Firewalk with Me (Madam Mim x EvelynWillows)

Olivia walked boldly into her room, stripping off clothing as she did. Her body was lean and strong, but feminine, and as she walked her hips moved in that decidedly feminine sway that hypnotized men. "Oh, Marcus is harmless off the practice field," she agreed, grinning. Her smile looked oddly familiar to Althea for a brief moment.

She walked through a double set of doors into a bath house that was between both suites but had a large open window that let in the light. A lower pool dominated the room, and above it a warm, steamy soaking tub was perfectly positioned so that you could jump into the cool water if you got too hot. Princess Olivia paused at the edge of the larger pool and looked over her shoulder at Althea. "You can swim, can't you?"
 
Althea stripped off her clothes as she went once in Olivia's room. She was used to having to strip in front of Tess, so being naked in front of another woman didn't bother her. As she watched Olivia walk, she had to keep from chuckling. Edward would be after her in a second, if he wasn't already. She followed the princess into the bath house.

Her jaw dropped. Of course in Highchester they had a pool for summer, but it was outdoors and not nearly so large. For bathing they used simple tubs with water heated in a pot over a fire. This was the difference between a duke and a king, she supposed. Highchester certainly wasn't poor by any farthest stretch of the wildest imagination, but Ellington made them look positively shabby.

"Of course I can swim!" Althea said once she'd recovered sufficiently. "However, I think a good, hot soak is in order first." She smiled as she stepped over and slid into the tub with a soft groan of relief. She thought over Olivia's smile from a few moments ago; where had she seen such a grin before? It was dreadfully familiar, but she couldn't place it.
 
Olivia smiled and dove into the pool. She swam to the far end and back again before climbing into the hot tub with Althea. The cool water made her nipples hard and the hairs on her body stand on end. "It's colder in winter, but you should see how nice this is in the summer when the doors are all opened. Especially at night. It's magical here." She leaned back on the wall and groaned in a mix of pleasure and pain.

"You have a few nice bruises on your body," she commented. "Would you like me to soap you down?" She leaned over the side of the tub and fetched a natural sponge and a bar of violet soap. "I can work on your back, if you'd like." Her eyebrow arched slightly and a smile played on her lips.

"So what was it like growing up with your brother gone? It must have made you terribly lonely. Until my sister married four years ago it was the three of us; her, Owen, and myself, and we kept Father terribly busy moving back and forth from the war front and our home. Was your father on the battlefield too?"
 
Althea smiled at Olivia's offer, not thinking anything amiss. "Thank you," she said, turning her back to Olivia and pulling her hair to the side. "I don't think I could lift my arms enough to get back there right now." She chuckled and leaned against the side of the tub.

"It was lonely," Althea admitted. "I had Tess--she's been my handmaid since I can remember--and Apollo. I made friends with a few of the knights, bit of course they never treated me like Edward and Sir Jacques did; the others always stood on ceremony. It wasn't like having real friends. So I found refuge in my books and in hunting, however improper my mother insisted the latter was. It wasn't terrible, but it would've been better if Edward and Jacques had stayed home."

When Olivia mentioned her father on the battlefield, the princess flushed in.embarrassment. Her own father had thought himself too important; above fighting alongside his men while the king himself was out on the frontlines.

"I...my father...he sent Edward in his stead," Althea finally said. There was no other way to put it.
 
Olivia worked on Althea's back, her hands soothing as she soaped up her skin and then massaged some of the aches away. "That's why there are friends," she said with a smile, "to get to the spots you can't reach." Her hands were never intrusive, staying away from any truly intimate areas as she worked on the future queen's body. "So, Tess is kind of like your mother to you? Kind of like Lady Roberta to us, I suppose. She's a cousin to our mother, but we think of her as our aunt." Her fingers worked along Althea's spine, then fanned out towards her ribs and waist. "I like your dog. He seems to have fit in quite nicely here. Does he hunt?"

She listened and uh-hummed at the right places, and when Althea answered quietly about her father, Olivia went to lean next to her against the side of the tub. "That was good," she said with a nod. "It probably helped your brother to learn what he will need to be a good leader one day. Owen always feels like my father is looking over his shoulder to make sure he's doing everything well enough. Owen told me that if he could, he'd make me next in line," she laughed softly, "so that he could concentrate on what he wanted to do rather than what he had to do."

Olivia leaned towards Althea and whispered conspiratorially. "I think he's hoping you'll have many sons so he can pass the crown over to one of them." She smiled. "You don't have to worry about him being power-hungry at least, hm?"

She nudged Althea's hip with hers. "So...are you looking forward to making many sons?"
 
"In many ways, Tess is more a mother to me than my own mother," Althea admitted. "I miss her terribly and can't wait until she arrives." The princess stiffened as Olivia's hands reached her waist, but the size and softness of them helped her to relax a little. Not much, but a little. She closed her eyes until Olivia was done. "Apollo hunts when I hunt, but the rest of the time he's a big puppy. In Highchester there was a part of the garden overrun with rabbits; most days he didn't know if he was hunting them or playing with them." She shook her head and chuckled.

"Yes...I suppose Edward learned how to lead..." she answered absently. She blushed at the mention of making sons. "Truthfully, Princess, I really don't know. It sounds like a painful and terrifying ordeal..."
 
Princess Olivia laughed. Her voice was a delightful, honest sound, hauntingly open. "To hear everyone talking of it, baby-making is a so much fun it's worth the diaper-changing!" She smiled. "Besides, I'm sure Father will be kind to you. Not like a young man who's all selfish need and no consideration for his wife's pleasure."

She braced her hands on the edge of the tub and hopped out, her body glistening with water and slightly steaming in the cooler air of the bath house. "So, do you think you're ready for dinner Althea? I'm sure the men are wondering what could take us so long, when all they do is shake vigorously like hounds and brush the dust off." She smiled. "Besides, I'd love to see you in red."
 
Althea flushed deeper. "Not all young men would be selfish, I don't think," she said quietly. "But yes. I do hope the king will be kind and gentle." She didn't believe anymore that anything below the waist could be gentle or pleasurable.

The princess hopped out as well, goosebumps appearing on her skin and nipples hardening. She followed Olivia back to the room and changed quickly. Once she was dressed she stepped out of the closet for the princess to inspect.

"What do you think?" she asked, turning in a slow circle. "Will it please your father?" Her mother had never approved of colors like red and orange, citing them as too passionate and wanton. Althea had hope for the future if her husband liked women in red.
 
The dress that Olivia had picked out for Althea had an hourglass shape to it and silver flower embroidery along the hip. Olivia's lips curved into a slow, pleasant smile when she saw her future step-mother. "Oh it will please my father, and every other hot-blooded man in the room."

She had changed into a dark blue gown that reflected her creamy skin and dark hair. She walked over to Althea and took her hand. "Come, let's make every man in the castle wish that he was single." She grinned and her cheek dimpled in the cute way it usually did.

The dining hall had been set for a normal dinner, but the king's table had a few more chairs on it to accommodate the additional guests that had arrived that night. In addition to Marcus, Prince Owen and Sir Edward had returned, along with a small entourage of knights. Prince Owen smiled at his sister and rose to greet her, taking both her hands in his and kissing her cheek.

Edward stood and his eyes roved over Althea's body. "Do you have no greeting for me, dear sister?"
 
Althea grinned and giggled when Olivia took her hand. She gave a little hop before following her down to the dining hall. Jacques should have been there to pull out her chair for her, but with a sigh she admitted to herself that wouldn't be possible.

Instead Edward was there. Her chest heaved a little with slightly labored breathing as she approached him. The princess hadn't realized how liberating it was to be out from under her brother's watchful gaze until he was back. She forced a smile and kissed his cheek as lightly as possible.

"Good evening, brother. It's good to see you back safely." That was a lie, of course. Dismissive of Edward's presence, she turned to Olivia. "Princess, perhaps you could help me. I er...I'm not quite sure where I should sit." She didn't want to be presumptuous and assume her place as the king's intended was at his right hand. Also she wanted to be placed as far away from Edward as possible.
 
Olivia blushed when Edward reached out and took her hand, kissing her fingers in greeting. "Princess Olivia. I counted the hours until I saw you again."

The princess had the good sense to recover quickly. "I'm sure you did. Most men enjoy the presence of women who question their virility on their first meeting, don't they?" She grinned cockily and then led Althea to the chair next to her father's empty one. A brief moment later the king strode in and everyone clambered to their feet in respect.

"Please, sit. We are all friends and family here," he said, coming to Althea's side. He accepted her hand from Olivia's and smiled graciously at his bride-to-be before biding her to sit. "I'm quite looking forward to having you sit with me tomorrow," he confided in her. King Alastair poured her a shallow glass of wine. "How was your day, my dear? Has Marcus left any part of you unbruised?"
 
Althea caught Olivia's blush and pressed gently against her elbow in warning. If he were the brother she remembered she'd have been delighted to see romance blossom between them, even if that meant family ties might get a bit tangled. As it was, however, it wouldn't do to have Olivia falling for Edward's charms.

She followed her stepdaughter to her rightful place and stood to wait for the king. She smiled as he took her hand and sat with him. The princess was glad they could at least be friends, even if she knew she could never love him romantically.

"I'm looking forward to it, too," she admitted honestly. Though politics wasn't always her favorite subject, she recognized it as necessary and wanted to learn how the politics and concerns of Ellington differed from Highchester. "I think he may have left a few organs untouched," she said with a small laugh. "I have a feeling I might not be so sure of that in the morning, though."
 
King Alastair laughed. "Marcus can deal injuries as well as he heals them. Don't worry Beloved, I'm sure he'll help your aching body to feel better later tonight. He has magical hands, you know. Olivia knows, don't you?"

The princess nodded. "There are no secrets in Cloudspire Castle, dear Father. I learned that long ago." She gave Althea a little wink and returned to her seat next to her brother. Unfortunately it was also next to Sir Edward. She seemed to handle herself well, though, trading insults as easily as others passed the salt. Marcus sat across from Sir Edward and kept him involved in a lively conversation throughout dinner, until it was time to retire for the night.

The King walked with Althea back to her room, her hand resting on his arm. "So my dear, tomorrow should be an interesting day for you." He smiled down at her in a very fatherly manner. "There are going to be some discussions of slavery tomorrow, brought up by the council of merchants. I wanted to forewarn you because the slaves who are in discussion are mostly captives from the war, Althea. They are your father's people. It will be a very difficult discussion to listen to, but I want to give you some time to think about it tonight. In the morning I'd be honored if you'd have an early breakfast with me to share your thoughts, so that I can accurately represent our thoughts on the matter when the discussion is to be had."
 
Althea raised an eyebrow at Olivia's response to her father, but said nothing. The king engaged her in lively conversation, and Marcus kept Edward so distracted that happily he had no time to interrupt. She walked back to her room quietly on the king's arm.

She smiled back at the king when he smiled down at her, but that dropped when he mentioned the topic of discussion. They didn't keep slaves in Highchester.

"Slaves?" She opened her mouth, but closed it again. She already knew her opinion on the matter, but would hold her tongue. "I would be honored, Sire. Until the morning, then." She leaned up and kissed his cheek chastely before turning to go into her room to retire for the night.
 
In her room a strong, roaring fire burned in the fireplace. The maids had turned down her bed and put clean towels out, and a basin of warm, clean water was waiting on the dresser for her should she need to tidy up. Dom Pierre was sitting near the window, smiling at Althea. He seemed very pleased with himself.

Near the fire laid Apollo, his thick tail thumping slowly on the carpet as he looked up at his mistress. He'd been outside chasing rabbits in the snow and getting to know some of the castle dogs. Some of them were very friendly, especially the females. He, too, had a pleased look on his face.

The window curtains were still drawn back, letting in the light of the moon and stars outside. It was, altogether, a very peaceful night. Althea knew that she had a guard stationed outside her door if she needed anything. Better yet, the guard would keep out any unwanted visitors; a promise of peace and rest for her on Sir Edward's first night back.

Outside the snow swirled in the night breeze. It was promising to be a cold night. Spring could not come too soon.
 
Althea came in, smiling at the ghost and the dog. She kept strange company indeed. The quiet of the evening was nice, and the look of the cold outside made her grateful for the roaring fire. She changed behind the screen--after all, Dom Pierre was still there--then went to sit on the floor next to Apollo near the hearth.

"Since everyone else seems to be getting a mate, I suppose we should get you one too, hmm?" She smiled. "Or have you already found one?"

Apollo thumped his tail more rapidly as she pet him and it gave her the feeling he'd already found one. With a small smile, still scratching behind Apollo's ears, she looked up at the spectre.

"So, what did you find?" she asked eagerly. "What's up there?"
 
Dom Pierre was excited. He started to speak, even though no sounds came from his lips, and he gestured at the walls, making a strange rectangular shapes with his hands. He pointed at Althea and then at himself and the door, nodding vehemently.

Apollo barked and wagged his tail.

The ghost nodded and smiled as he tried to convince Althea to go with him out the door. He nearly danced from foot to foot in excitement.
 
The princess raised her eyebrows in mild surprise when the ghost reacted so enthusiastically to her question. He started outlining a rectangle. A window? Althea stood and folded her arms, trying to puzzle out his meaning.

She sighed when he pointed to the door. "Alright. But if we run into Edward it's your fault. C'mon Apollo."

The German Shepherd jumped to his feet and followed eagerly, excited to be allowed out at night. He stayed faithfully by his Mistress's side as she followed Dom Pierre out the door. She made a bit of small talk with the guard, explaining that she couldn't sleep, then followed the ghost down the hallway in the dark.
 
The upper floor was grey, like every bit of color had been drained and what was left was a ghost of itself. Dom Pierre seemed unaffected by the change in the upstairs. Dull light filtered up the staircase and through the windows; a pale hint of light that seemed to be soaked up by the dust and cobwebs of the forth floor. Dried husks poked out of painted pots, and bright tapestries sagged on the wall. When Althea looked at Dom, or rather, through him, she could see the memory of how the room once looked.

The tapestries on the wall were cheerful scenes of springtime. Butterflies and dragonflies flitted above colorful bouquets of flowers. Birds flew in cheerful blue skies. Even the clouds looked happy. The potted plants were blooming, fragrant shrubs that seemed to glow in the moonlight, and the floors were shiny wood with bright strips of carpet running down the middle of the hallways. Each arched door was a bright color; blue, red, yellow...it was a lovely place that seemed to scream out 'HAPPINESS'!

To Dom Pierre the room was still cheerful, but to Althea it was filled with cobwebs, dust, and the sad, forgotten memories of a happiness that never was. The three doors on the large landing were closed. The window's curtain was drawn, but the sun had worn brittle holes in the fabric and so moonlight streaked through to pierce the dust on the floor.

Dom smiled at Althea and walked through the red door. A moment later he reappeared and motioned for Althea to follow him.
 
Althea followed Dom Pierre up the steps to a dusty, sad-looking landing. It seemed like it had once been a cheerful place and Althea could see through the ghost that it indeed had been. Small clouds of dust rose with each barefooted step she took. What had happened here? Why had such a wonderful place been abandoned.

"We shouldn't be here," she whispered to Dom Pierre. "We're intruding on someone's grief." Indeed that was the only thing it could be. It was the only reason Althea could think of that anyone would allow such a wonderful place to go to waste.

But then the spectre disappeared through a door, then motioned for her to follow. Well, they'd come this far. With a sigh she put her hand on the knob of the peeling door and pushed.
 
The door was shiny; red with glossy new paint. The scent of blossoms and baked goods filled the air. The door swung open and revealed a bright, sun-lit room. Birds sang in the air and outside the sound of children laughing could be heard. King Alastair was outside, his voice blending with the others. He was younger, though; his voice was more vibrant. It was happy and confident.

A lovely woman with short, blond hair and wide blue eyes walked around the corner. She was holding a bundle in her arms. Obviously, a baby. A young child barely a year old if even that. The baby was against her shoulder and she seemed to be singing to him.

Dom Pierre smiled at Althea and the woman. He bowed to the woman.

She took the baby away from her chest to gaze in his little face, then frowned. "Where's my baby? Where's my son?" She shook out the blankets in her arms...empty.

"Where's my baby?! Alastair! Where's Duncan?" She screamed in abject terror. Her face went from lovely and pleasant to emaciated. It became a rotting, fierce horror. Dom backed away in terror.

The woman melted into a horrific ghost, dispelling Dom with a glare and then charging at Althea with death in her eyes. "Where is my child? Where is he?"
 
Althea stepped cautiously into the room. She smiled at the scene before her, seemingly part of the room's memory. When Dom Pierre bowed he confirmed her suspicions; this was the Queen. Althea curtsied politely in her nightdress as well, unsure if the queen could see her.

Then things seemed to go downhill. Apollo barked at the apparition, though he backed up as he did so. Althea followed suit as the Queen advanced, not wanting to turn her back. But then she was charged and the princess ran for it. She bolted out the door, slamming it behind her and ducking against the wall. Quickly she quieted Apollo, lest he wake the whole castle, and huddled against the wall.

"Dom, what in the blazing Hell was that?!" Althea demanded in a terrified whisper, looking up at the ghost.
 
Dom tried to hide behind the princess. He shook his head and mouthed 'I don't know! I don't know!' though no sounds came out.

The queen's ghost hit the red door and it bowed outwards with a powerful thump. The dust on the door fell to the floor with a silent slush, like snow falling in the forest. There was rapid pounding and a shrill shriek on the other side of the door, then silence.

"That was my wife," King Alastair said quietly from the staircase. He waved a hand dismissively and Dom was sent away. "Althea, I did not ask you for much. Why did you feel you had to disobey me and seek out this flat?"
 
Althea nearly jumped out of her skin at the king's soft voice. She jumped to her feet and whirled around, facing him. Dom Pierre was gone; it was just the two of them and Apollo. Althea's mouth worked silently for a few moments. She almost wished he'd shouted instead; having to hear the disappointment in his voice hurt so much more and felt so much worse.

"I...I...I'm sorry, Sire," she stammered at last, feeling like a child in front of her father. "I have an insatiably curious nature. But that's no excuse for this betrayal of trust. My regret runs deep, your majesty. You've been very kind to me and I disobeyed your one request. I can't apologize enough for that. I'll suffer any punishment you deem appropriate without complaint."

Indeed, rude king had been nothing but kind to the princess and in retrospect she didn't know why she had agreed to follow the stupid ghost. She could have just made him act it out or something. Clearly the Queen hadn't been like that when he'd found her.
 
He worked his jaw subtly from side to side, indecision burning in his eyes. "You've woken her up, Althea. I should send you back to your father and declare our truce over." He turned and descended the stairs, motioning with his fingers over his shoulder for her to follow him.

"Your ghost snooping around is one thing; they live in a different world. Their laws are not our own. But you...I thought I could trust you." It wasn't just disappointment in her; but in his judge of what she would or wouldn't do. "Althea, you and I have to talk. This is a dangerous thing you did tonight; if Anna had known who you were she might have killed you." He stopped suddenly. "Are you trying to get yourself killed? Is that what this is?"
 
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