Chapter 2 - An Impossible Situation

        I open my eyes. I don't recognize this place. Where am I?

Looking up I can see I'm at a four poster bed covered with crimson sheets and curtains. It looks regency era.  What is this place? Have I traveled back in time? So much I don't understand. 

        As I begin to rise I see more of the surroundings. It's a large vintage looking room. Did I say vintage? I meant ancient. The walls were covered in tapestries with the most exquisite handcraft. The floor was of carpet matching the colors of the curtains. everything dark making the room even darker. It's like the light isn't supposed to get inside.

There's a fireplace and above it the strangest thing. A 4,5 feet tall painting of... me? That has to be the creepiest thing I've ever seen. But it's not exactly me. The hair is longer and my complexion more pale and thin. Why is it here, though? How is this possible?

"Most peculiar, isn't it?" A feminine voice comes from the door. I realize I had been so mesmerized with shock from the picture that I didn't look for the exit.  

"I'm Tatiana, I'm your designated lady-in-waiting, so to speak." A dark tall woman says in a monotone as if she's just waiting for this tedious moment to end. She has her dark curly hair in a long thick braid and brown eyes as cold as ice.

"Tatiana, I am Isobel. I've been held against my will. I need you to help me get out of here." - I desperately try to get this stranger to sympathize with me.

"Now, why would I do that?" - She says with such disdain that it makes my blood boil. Is she working with my captor? what could she possibly have to gain from my imprisonment?

"Oh dear, you look terrible. There are clean clothes in the wardrobe and hot water for you to freshen up before supper." She says that as she walks the way she came from and I run right after to try and catch the door in vain. She locked it behind her. 

I try to beat the door open but it won't budge. I scream for her to let me out but it's all for nothing. I think if I were thinking straight I'd see how useless this reaction was. I guess I found out what is my first response in a situation of risk. Not helpful, I'll say.

        Only now I realize I'm not wearing my clothes. It's some kind of long old nightgown. I don't even want to think about how my clothes got changed. I feel sick.

I find the bathroom just to throw up. Things are starting to sink in. I have been kidnapped and I have no idea what will happen to me. I'm starting to have a panic attack, I need to calm down. Tears stream down my face. I can't even control it. 

        Hours have passed when I'm finally able to get a hold of myself. I don't know what happened last night so I decide it's better to take Tatiana's advice and take a bath. Maybe it'll help. What else am I going to do?

         And so I was determined to regain my energy until I could try to think of some way to get out of this place.

         Only at this moment I was able to notice the bathroom, I can see it's bigger than I thought from the door. It is actually majestic. From the marble floor to the gigantic bath in the middle. Seems right out of a fairy tale. Except it is a tale of kidnap and anguish.

From the windows all I see is nothing. An immense blue vastness. And there goes my hopes of going back home...

        I hang my clothes on the hanger next to the towels while the tub is being filled with hot water. As I step into it and sink in the sensation of the water on my skin I realize I am shaking. I think since my body is starting to relax I can finally see how my body is reacting to this feeling of helplessness. I let some myself relax a little and close my eyes. No one is going to come right now (right?) before I know it I'm relaxing and I feel a tiredness I didn't know I was feeling. 

But soon enough I remember where I'm at and that I'm not supposed to be so relaxed and let my guard down.

I open my eyes and that's when I see him.

It's that dreadful man from my nightmare. I recoil violently splattering the floor with soapy water. I grab a towel that's near me and try to cover my body looking shocked and frighted, frozen in place.

"Do not fear, I will not harm you." - Says the strange man. But it is to no use because I have no intention of not fearing him. But I'll soon get into survival mode if he comes any closer. I grab a wooden brush near the bath in an useless attempt to defend myself in case it comes to it.

"That won't be necessary, I merely wanted to see you are making yourself comfortable. I got caught in the sight of you. I apologize." - He said with an apologetic look on his face. 

"I want to get dressed, can you please leave." I say with shaky voice, still afraid of what he might want to do to me.  

 "Of course, I am terribly sorry." - He says as he leaves the bathroom and wait for me in the bedroom. What am I going to do now? There are no windows in the bathroom, just bay window type which can't be opened. Even if there were, I can see from the windows I'm really far from the ground and I probably wouldn't survive a fall. There's nothing around that can be used as a weapon either. "Damn it!" - I whisper angrily.

"You are safe Isobel, I promise that I will not touch you." - He says from the other room. It is like he can hear me struggle through the bathroom door. I guess there's no use avoiding it.

I'll have to come out and face my kidnapper. 

I finally enter the room and I see him staring at the window with his hands behind his back. He is wearing a well-embellished tunic with gold-work thread on it. His golden hair falls over the details of his tunic and as I enter the room he turns around to look at me. His green eyes are fierce but not like they looked in my dream, they look like the green in the spring grass clear as the sun from the early morning. They weren't so scary now. He still looked embarrassed from our previous encounter. 

 "I wanted to see how you are doing and let you know that you're safe here. No one will dare harm while you're under my protection" - He says.

"I want to go home." - I try to unsuccessfully discourage any pursuit he might have towards me. 

"This is your home, my dear. The sooner you understand the better." - He responds.

"What do you want from me? Who are you?" - I ask.

"That's the other thing I came here to do. Explain why you are here. But it is a long story which I wish to discuss over supper." - He speaks naturally as if this isn't an impossible situation. "I will come back to escort you for dinner." - He says as he leaves the room and stops at the door, "By the way, you can call me Arthur." he says as he leaves and locks the door behind him.  

I don't know what to make of this. I guess the only way of knowing is if I accept his offer. Who knows I might be able to find some way of escaping.

        There's a knock on the door. Well, here it goes.

I open the door and as promised, Arthur stands by the door with his hand stretched out for me. 

As I look at his stretched hand, I hold my head high and try not to seem like a scared little girl. "I am going to have dinner with you but you're still the man who captured me against my will." - I cross my arms against my chest.

"Fair enough." - He says. "I won't touch you." - He nods and opens his arm showing the way. "follow me, please."

        We walk a long corridor with red carpet and little lighting that comes from small sconces on the walls. At the end of the hall, there's a large double staircase foyer. It's fully decorated with renaissance paintings and an enormous chandelier in the middle. It is an amazing luxurious place which makes me wonder even more where I am.

        After we went down the stairs he led me to a very spacious dining room that displays the extravagant decoration from the foyer. In addition, the room has a beautiful fireplace and bronze sculptures all over. It's beautiful and overwhelming at the same time.

There's a long dinner table that sits around 

 people but there were only two places set. So I'm guessing this is a private dinner. 

        He pulls the chair for me and finds his place on the table.

"How do you like the castle? is it to your taste?" - He asks.

"Indifferent." - I swallow my amusement and try to push away his attempts for normality. "It is but a fancy prison.". - It seems that I hit a nerve. He looks annoyed. I should tread carefully, I don't want to know what he's capable of.

His people approach with dinner: "smoked salmon with horseradish crème fraiche and mixed leaves." One of the servants says while offering to serve the food into my plate. "Thank you." I don't want to eat anything but I also don't want to mistreat this people, who knows if they too weren't kidnapped... 

They also serve some white Pinot Noir, and this one I won't deny. Like my friend Val once said, liquid courage.

"So, why am I here?" - I say abruptly while I sip the wine.

"I was hoping we could enjoy the dinner first." - He says while sipping some red wine, which is strange because that's not what's being served. I also notice his plate is empty. 

"It seems like you're not planning to eat anyway." - I can't control my anger and defy my luck once again.

"I'm afraid I'm still full from my last meal, I apologize." - He answers.

"Well, then, I'd rather we talked about what you promised." - I try to force the conversation back to the answers I need.

"By all means, I'll indulge you. Shall we take a walk in the garden. It is breathtaking in the evening." - He says.

"If that's what it takes. Ok." I answer with a hint of dry wit.

Just as promised, the garden really is heavenly. This place really looks magical, if it wasn't for the somber atmosphere to it, I'm sure it would be perfect.

There's a lovely little gazebo in the middle of a pond that makes it look so fairy-like but Gothic in its sculptures and dark colors. 

"I had it remodeled for your arrivel." - He says bashfully. I can't believe the way he sounds, it is like I'm supposed to accept what he did and just enjoy the moment. I think not. I stay silent.

"Well, before I tell you why you're here, I have to tell you my story."