Chapter 7 A New Friend

*Rose* Peeking through the windows, my surprise and confusion turn to horror. Four figures stand in the dark fog in the gardens below. I blink and try to adjust my sight. Their forms seem to be swaying to music only the four of them can hear. As my eyes focus intently on the faces looking up at me, my heart drops. I open my mouth to scream, but no sound comes out. I have never seen a ghost, but they say there is a first time for everything. The faces below are blurry. They all have no definitive features. They are faceless. I attempt to scream again, but like before, it seems like someone has pressed the mute button on me. I try to move away from the window. I don’t want to see the scary faceless figures that are looking up at me anymore. I find that I can’t move; it’s like my feet are stuck in something. I look down. Two horns have my feet pinned to the floor. My skin feels flushed, and I can feel sweat beads forming. What’s happening? Where am I? A movement behind me makes my heart leap to my throat. I struggle to find my motor skills again. I lift my gaze to the gloomy skyline outside the window, purposefully not daring to look down at the scary figures below. I glimpse the moon behind some dark clouds. I find myself asking the Moon Goddess for strength. Suddenly, a blinding light filters over my face. My body jerks up and I can feel a soft surface beneath me. I blink against the light. I realize I am now sitting in a bed. The room looks large and unfamiliar, but I exhale in relief because suddenly I can move. A shadow catches my peripheral vision. I yelp. “Are you okay, my lady?” a voice asks. I look toward the source and see a young girl almost my age looking down at me with worry in her eyes. It takes a few seconds to register fully where I am. I bring my hand up to clutch at my throat. I must have been having a nightmare. The puzzle pieces of the full story about where I am, like magic, fall into place. I am in the castle, crowned with the displeasure of helping my family out financially by using the two uterine horn superpower genes to produce an heir for one of four Alphas. The girl proceeds to blink at me. I can tell she is unsure about how to proceed. “Argh, I…” I manage to stutter groggily while attempting to rub the sleep out of my eyes with the back of my hand. The girl smiles at me. “I hope I didn’t startle you. I was just drawing the blinds open.” I glare at her. My brain is trying to reboot from my uneasy slumber. What am I supposed to say? What time is it? Who is she? The light outside tells me that it is daytime. Have I slept through the night? Is it morning or afternoon? I decide not to offer any greetings because I am unsure if ‘good morning’ or ‘good afternoon’ would suffice. “Thank you,” I manage instead. I feel like an idiot. What exactly was I thanking her for? For almost giving me a heart attack? I wipe my face again. Well, she did just save me from the most bizarre nightmare. “I put a tray of bath salts and soaps for you in the bathroom for your bath.” “Thank you….” I feel like a broken record. What’s her name? As if reading my confusion telepathically, she offered, “I am Vienna. I will be your chambermaid for the duration of your stay here.” I nod. She does a small bow and walks out of the room. Alone now, I exhale and inhale. Memories of my nightmare cause me to pull the wool duvet away from my feet. I breathe with relief to find no horns growing out of them. I swing my feet off the bed and welcome the feel of the cold ceramic tiles against my heels. I yawn and stretch my hands over my head. I can hear a few bones cracking with delight at being straightened. Slowly I tread to the bathroom while taking in more details of the room as I walk. I gasp as I look into the bathroom. The room is almost half the size of the bedroom. The white oval jetted tub looks like a mini swimming pool, adorned with gold-encrusted plumbing. Magical! I manage to figure out how the sophisticated buttons work and soon I have myself a warm bath. I choose a little satin drawstring pouch marked with the words ‘lavender’ because I know how relaxing it can be. A sprinkle of some Epsom salts into the bath water puts the final touches to it. I easily slip out of the red dress I hadn’t bothered taking off before and step into the water. Closing my eyes, I lean back onto the cushiony bath pillow. The lavender scent tickles my nostrils as it works its magic. I feel my muscles begin to relax and I inhale the aroma that now fills the whole room. My mind starts playing different scenarios. What would my first time be like with a man whose only intention was to plant his seed in me? Thinking this, my hands began to wander over my body. I inhale sharply as I slowly trace my hands to my right breast, caressing it gently. My mind races with thoughts of what my first time would be like—the pain, the pleasure, the sheer intimacy of it all. And to think that the man involved would have no feelings for me beyond his own need to produce an heir...it was almost too much to bear. My hands continued their exploration, my fingers brushing over my erect nipple. A shiver runs through me, the coldness of the water, not helping at all. I knew this wasn’t the right time or place, but my body was begging for a release. A moan escapes my lips as I pinch my nipple, my body shuddering with desire. My fingers continue its downward journey, caressing my thighs as they make their way to my sex. I can feel the heat radiating from between my legs. With a trembling hand, I reached my wet sex, letting out a small gasp as my fingers found my slick folds. I run my fingers through my sex, letting out a sharp breath as I hold the side of the bathtub with my other hand. My fingers continue their exploration, slipping easily between my folds as I savor the sensation. My breath hitches in my throat as I circle my clit, already close to the edge. The world around me fades away, the scent of earth and flowers replaced by the musk of my own arousal. I'm so lost in my own pleasure that I can barely concentrate on anything other than satisfying myself. I caress my fold, stroking it gently. My fingers continue to work their magic, drawing delicate circles around my throbbing clit. My legs tremble as the tension builds within me, my body coiled tight like a spring. Suddenly, I hear footsteps coming from the bedroom. I can’t help but panic. The bathroom door is ajar and here I sit, naked in the tub. I don’t know how much my poor heart and mind can take. My eyes look nervously around the room trying to find something, anything to use to cover myself. “Hi,” a cheerful voice announces as a head pops through the open door. “I hope you are rested.” “I… I….” I stutter.