The Snowstorm
Amara could barely feel her feet anymore in her boots, the first snowstorm of the winter being unnaturally harsh as the snow slid off of her black plague doctor robe, letting her keep herself dry, except for her feet that plunged at least a foot deep into the layers of snow on the ground with each step she took.
Amara cursed her position, fisting her hands into her coat. The next village was miles away, and the only hope she had was the faint silhouette of a building that couldn't have been less than an entire fucking kilometer away. Still, holding onto hope, she trudged through the snow, teeth chattering at the cold as she slowly approached a clearing before a large, dark building, perhaps a manor with the way it was structured. Warm lights emanated from within, and Amara almost fell in pure relief. She ran into the clearing and knocked on the large wooden doors, hoping someone was inside.
Amara
"Hello?! Is anyone here?! I've no place to stay for the night!"
Her shouting only continued for a few minutes as the doors opened, a woman behind them with a soft smile.
Elise
"Oh, dear. You seem terrible, plague doctor. Have you no village to serve?"
The woman's voice is low, a purr almost, rattling Amara's ribcage with it. She nodded still, the cold air coming in through her mask and into her lungs making her wheeze.
Amara
"I- yes, ma'am, the next village is miles away, if I could just stay here for a few nights, please, I'd be in your debt-"
The woman, beautiful and ethereal, hushes her and smiles, her teeth white and seeming..Sharp.
Elise
"Hush, darling. Of course I'd give you a place to stay. Come inside and make yourself at home, I will fetch a new set of clothes for you."
Amara bowed her head gratefully and shuffled into the home, collapsing onto a chair in pure relief. She took off her boots and her coat, trying desperately to warm the soles of her feet by the fire burning warmly and steadily in the fireplace. She moaned in ungodly relief, unclasping her mask and putting down her hair to let the back of her neck get warmer. All the while, the lady of the house looked at her, amused, as she picked up the articles of clothing that Amara had shed in her search for warmth, handing them over to a servant and whispering something to them in a foreign language.
Elise
"Feeling any warmer, dear? I've had a servant fetch you some warmer clothes."
Amara looked at her and smiled, shivering less as she wiggled her toes, finally able to feel them properly again. She nodded, looking at the lady of the house.
Amara
"I am feeling warmer. Thank you very much, I'm forever in your debt, miss...Oh dear, I've not even asked your name."
Amara flushed, her face turning pink as the woman only laughed, patting her head as though she were a dog. It felt nice.
Elise
"Oh darling, don't fuss so much about it. My name is Elise, and I am an owner of a humble little apothecary in the nearest village."
She said, grinning, her teeth seeming sharper still, and yet Amara didn't feel inclined to be frightened in any way of them. If anything, it comforted her. She saw Elise's head rise as the woman smiled, turning her attention back to Amara.
Elise
"Now, would you care to join me in the kitchen? Your clothes are there already, as is our food."
Amara blushed, still embarrassed about only being in her shift and stay, but she nodded either way and followed Elise's lead as the woman walked to the kitchen, handing a warm, intricately made dress to her, fine cotton dyed red and gold, with long sleeves and warm gloves. It was almost too extravagant, but Amara accepted it with warmed cheeks as she shuffled slightly with the fancy items of clothing in her hands.
Amara
"Where is the washroom, miss Elise? I'd rather change there."
She said, keeping her voice polite as Elise simply smiled and pointed in the direction of the washroom. Before Amara went, Elise called to her from the bottom of the stairs leading to the hall.
Elise
"You needn't give me an honorific, dear, it'd be more personal if you didn't."
Amara blushed, nodding as she shuffled into the washroom to get dressed. She took off her shift and her stay, leaving her naked in front of an elaborate, full-body mirror. She put on the dress and the gloves given to her, and when she had finished, she almost looked like a bride, the fine material hugging her body and making it look just a bit fuller, her ribs not showing through the warm fabric despite the lack of her undergarments. She smiled, opening the door and walking down towards the kitchen again. There, she was greeted by a grinning Elise, the woman's eyes raking over her body, studying her.
Elise
"You are stunning, darling. Come, drink with me."
Elise raised a glass of wine, the liquid within shimmering under the light of many candles that lit the kitchen. Amara nodded, compliant as she walked towards Elise and attempted to sit across from her, only to be beckoned by the other to sit directly next to her. She complied, drinking the glass of wine poured for her. It was sweet, tangy and bitter, and it warmed her stomach with every gulp. So much so that she did not notice the way that Elise's gaze lingered on her, the way her hands gripped at the table a bit tighter.
Amara
"This is delicious, Miss-"
Elise
"Just Elise, my dear."
Amara blushed, the alcohol making her easily embarrassed and flustered.
Amara
"It's delicious, Elise. I've never tasted wine like this in the villages I've gone to..Where did you get it from?"
She poured herself another glass, suppressing a small moan at the taste as it warmed her entire body again, making her lick lazily at her lips as a drop of the wine escaped her mouth. Elise watched it eagerly, smiling.
Elise
"I make it myself, my love. Now, eat, I'm sure you're famished."
A plate was presented in front of Amara, and on it was meat and bread, with a bowl of soup beside it. She ate it with glee, not having eaten or drank so heavily for years due to the plague. She swallowed the bite of food in her mouth and grinned at Elise, thankful beyond belief as she continued to eat until her plate was completely empty. It was well into the night by then, Elise also having eaten and drank her share, as she led Elise to her temporary room.
Elise
"I'd suggest you keep the dress on while you sleep, my love, as the blankets we have here are quite thin."
Elise advised softly, laying Amara down onto the bed. She hummed, obedient and pliant in Elise's hands as she was placed down onto the bed.
Slowly, her eyes closed, and she fell asleep.
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