I'm Sorry

Winter rinsed her hair with water she poured with a scoop before she watched her body with soap. It was very satisfying to see the muddy water when she was done.

She got up from the tub and climbed out and grabbed a cloth to dry herself with. She looks at the door when she sees something moving in the corner of her eye, but then she shakes her head when there is no one.

She manages to dress, but the dress she chose was a little too large for her. But she is rather wearing something that's bigger than too tight.

Winter braided her wet hair and then walked out to the bedroom. "Oh. You're back." Winter murmured as she saw Thamus sitting on a chair next to the window. "Yes, it appears so," Thamus replies a little cold.

Winter sat on the bed, with no idea what to do or what to say.

"Are you starving?" Thamus asks, and Winter nodded. "I have food brought up then," Thamus said and hurried out of the room.

Winter lay back on the bed, she was bored.

And it was certainly just the beginning of a dreadful time she feared.

Thora was numb. The pain she's suffered these days has been horrific. The men had taken turns and had taken her with them to the Dragonfly. She had been tied up and cast on the back of a horse, snapping her head and legs on branches and stones.

She was surprised she wasn't dead.

"Is she the girl from the Gold Coast?" Thora heard somebody ask. She turned her head to see who it was. A man approached the bed where she was fastened and leaned on her.

"Are you alive?" He asks, "No," She mumbled back. He freed her and raised her in his arms. "Where are you taking me?" Thora whispers, but the man was silent as he walked out from the cabin and towards the castle.

Winter heard the door unlock, and her heart skipped a beat when she saw Thora being carried into the room, but then it stopped when she saw the condition she was in.

"Thora," she shouted and ran towards her.

"I'm so sorry," She whispers and cupped Thora's cheek with her hand. But Thora looked away, and Winter saw tears forming in her eyes.

"Place her down in the joining bedroom," Thamus murmured. The man walked into the dressing room, then Winter saw a door which she must have missed before it opened into another room.

Thora was laid on the bed and Winter hastened to join her. "My dear Thora, what have they done to you?" whispered Winter, unable to restrain her tears.

"I'll leave you be," Thamus said and left the room.

"I will prepare a bath," Winter mumbles and hurried into the bathroom. She was drained in sweat as she empties the water from the tub, and then filled it up with new freshwater. Winter then picked up new clothes for Thora and prepared for any injuries she might have to deal with.

"I can't ask you to do that, Your Highness," mutters Thora as Winter manages to carry her in the tub in her arms. "It's Winter, Thora, and you're not asking me," she replies calmly, and then puts Thora into the water. She then stripped Thora of the ripped and muddy robe that was left on her.

She began to gently cleanse her injured body as tears flowed down her cheeks. "How could anyone be so cruel?" Winter kept thinking when she saw the cuts and bruises under the dry bloodstream.

Thora was barely awake when Winter was done, and she struggled a little with getting her out from the tub, but her strong will was determined to get her out from there.

Winter clothed Thora on the bed after drying her body, but she was anxious when she felt Thora's warm forehead, and Winter feared a fever.

"Here's some soup," said Thamus when he came into the room. "Thank you," replied Winter, "and walked to Thamus, embracing him, appreciating having brought Thora to her."

She felt the stiffness of Thamus in her arms, and she withdrew immediately. "I'm sorry. I don't know what got into me." Winter cried out with nervousness as she saw Thamus' stern face.

Thamus went out of the room without saying a word, and Winter rushed to Thora.

"You must eat," mumbles Winter, and she manages to put down a few spoons in Thora before falling asleep.

Winter studied Thora as her breast went up and down slowly; she was thankful that Thamus had brought her to her.

But this was all her fault.

"I'm so sorry, Thora. It should be me lying there, not you..." Winter started sobbing silently and buried her face in her hands.

Thamus heard Winter sobbing, and he felt a stitch in his heart, but he burst it off him at once. He can't begin to have feelings for her now, it won't end well.