You’re somewhat surprised when the door does open, and the rush of relief almost makes you feel warm again. Shivering, you stumble over the threshold, the warmth of the interior hitting your numb face like a blast of air, and you sink to your knees immediately, your legs giving out after so long in the snow. You take a moment to catch your breath, shivering beneath your coat, and lift your head to look up at your rescuer. It takes you a moment to realise you have to keep looking, the woman towering over you from a height that really shouldn’t be possible.
The cold must’ve gotten to you worse than you’d realised. Blinking, you rest a hand on the door to pull yourself upright, trying to remember your manners. Even if you’re hallucinating, this woman did save you, and you manage a small smile, staring up into her face. ‘Thank you’, you murmur, ‘I’m sorry to trouble you’. As uncomfortable as it makes you, tugging your coat tighter around you to hide your injuries, you should offer an explanation. ‘My… my husband…’ the word tastes like bile in your mouth, and a shudder runs through you. ‘He… hurt me, and I had to flee. Unfortunately I didn’t think about the weather’. You have to lean further back against the door to meet her eyes, wondering at the way they gleam. ‘I’m Lillian. Thank you, for letting me in’.
welcome her in with a wide smile. such a little / fragile thing , bundled up in large clothes against the cold. what an odd thing to come to your doorstep , far different from the frightened women you take as staff. and certainly more entertaining than the rabble of the village. take a moment to cast your golden eyes upwards towards the balcony where your three daughters reside. a slight wave of your hand telling them to depart , you can handle this.
so close to wrapping a hand around her small shoulders , to pull her further into the castle. a castle that could easily become her tomb. and yet , this lillian , decides to open her mouth. potentially saving her life. she does not see the smile fall before it is replaced with a facsimile. tighter around the corners. do place a hand across the span of lillian’s shoulders , instead steering her towards one of the many bathrooms ( it just happens to be yours / still such potential prey but you are now eager for flesh of a different type )
❛ such a horrid tale. ❜ lower the tone of your voice into something sympathetic. even manage to form a pout. ❛ let’s get you cleaned up , dear. a bath will help with the chill --- warm the blood. ❜