It took much longer to reach Geralf's castle on the way back but we completely avoided running into that horrible tentacled thing so I didn't mind the trek one bit. Once we arrived at Geralf's home, right now anyway, Geralf led me through the open doorway. I followed at his heels as we walked past the doorway leading into his labratory and further in, his eyes travelling over the doors we passed until he slowed and I managed to avoid bumping into him.
"We're here, Ailis." Geralf told me and I tilted my head to one side, very confused until he chuckled at me. "This is my kitchen." He explained, turning the doorknob to reveal a small kitchen. With a bow he stepped back to let me in first and I moved past him, heading towards the nearest table the moment I laid eyes on it.
When I collapsed onto a chair both of Geralf's eyebrows shot up.
"Before you ask I'm tired, okay?" I mumbled, resting my head on the table with a loud sigh and he shook his head at me giving me a faint smile. "Another thing that sucks. Being undead and getting exhausted."
"That's very interesting, Ailis." Geralf commented as he crossed the room and I just snorted, lifting my head enough to slide my arms under it. Moving to my side the skaberen looked down at me when I let out a breath despite not really needing to breathe before I closed my eyes.
I was rudely awakened sometime later when I heard a cough and I raised my head, blinking my eyes to find Geralf standing next to my seat. "Now what do you want, stitcher?" I groaned, lifting my head with some difficulty to see two plates resting on each of his hands.
"I was going to offer you something to eat but if you insist on being rude, Ailis I might have to reconsider giving this to you." Geralf sighed and I quickly sat straighter. "I'm still not convinced you really want this." He added while waving the plate piled with crispy looking bacon and eggs in front of my face. I'm embarrassed to admit I made my lower lip quiver in response and Geralf set the plate down in front of me with a smile.
We ate in relative silence except for one attempt made by me to thank him until I discovered that talking with a mouthful of bacon doesn't work very well. Judging from the grimace Geralf gave me it wasn't very pleasant for either of us so I finished my meal with my face slightly lowered so I didn't have to look him directly in the face.
"Ailis, I know you don't want to talk about how to became a sentient zombie but..." Geralf began pausing the moment my eyes narrowed at him and he coughed.
"You won't stop asking until I tell you will you, Geralf?" I asked in a soft voice and when he briefly nodded I picked at the remains of my meal. "If you promise never to talk about it to anyone I will." I finally agreed and Geralf gave me a smile. Setting down my cutlery I took a deep breath, letting it out before I began to speak.
"It started with a man who wouldn't take no for an answer. He just wandered into my village unannounced and decided I was going to be his wife. I thought he would just leave when I told him I wasn't interested but I was wrong. He even tried to steal a kiss from me and I slapped him even shoving the idiot so hard he fell and ended up on his backside. I thought that was the end until..." I trailed off when a familiar face stepped into the kitchen and my eyes narrowed.
"Until what, Ailis? Come on it was just getting good." Gisa spoke and I kept glaring until Geralf looked directly at me, giving me a slow nod. Swallowing the lump in my throat I pushed on not even feeling the tears that welled in my eyes.
"He came back that night trying to drag me away from my home. My parents tried to stop him but he and his cronies forced them back into their house. He trapped them in our house and...set it alight. I remember their screams as they tried to escape, telling me to run away. I managed to escape into the forest but he followed me and when I refused to go with him he...stabbed me. There was a burst of light and when I woke...I was like this." I coughed as I wiped at my eyes. Hearing a giggle I froze my eyes travelling the room until I saw Gisa grinning at me, her lips moving as she giggled.
"So you're a zombie because some guy wanted you for a wife?" Gisa commented and with a loud growl I stood slamming my open palms against the wood of the table. The noise made Geralf jump and he blinked unmoving as I glared at his sister.
"He murdered my family and you think that's funny?" I snapped at her and she actually stopped giggling though a smile remained on her face. Not even looking back I stormed from the door and Geralf cringed when the door to the kitchen slammed shut behind me.
Geralf cleared his throat, pushing his plate away before he rose. "Sister, that was uncalled for. Hasn't Ailis suffered enough without you making fun of her?" Geralf sighed and Gisa raised both eyebrows in surprise. "You stay her and I'll talk to Ailis." He told his sister who just snorted at that suggestion, her arms crossed against her chest. Shaking his head, Geralf left the kitchen and after a few minutes he chose a direction.
Going left down the hallway lead him back to his room, or the one he'd taken over, but after a quick search which consisted of the stitcher poking his head into the room. "Ailis, are you in here?" He called getting no answer made him step back closing the door before he decided to head to the right once he returned to the hallway.
Geralf for a few more minutes until he came across a room he hadn't checked yet. Reaching up he knocked on the wooden door but he received no answer so he turned to leave, deciding to check outside, until he heard faint sobbing. That brought a frown to his face as he tried the doorknob to find the door was unlocked and with a shrug he ventured inside.
He had just closed the door behind him when Geralf heard a sniffle and he turned back around to find himself in a small bedroom. On the bed at the furthrest left corner of the room he saw a bed and crouched in one corner he found Ailis, wrapped tightly in a light blue blanket. "Ailis, are you alright?" He asked and I raised my head, my eyes now red.
"Do I look alright, stitcher?" I muttered and when he shook his head at me I coughed. "Of course not. Your sister thinks it's fun to tease me about my parents' dying. What kind of sick person makes fun of someone after they reveal that?" Wrapping the blanket tighter around my shoulders I sniffed, not expecting Geralf to close the gap between us.
Once I noticed him standing over me inches from the bed I raised my head. "Please don't tell me this is your room too?" I grumbled about to rise until he set a hand on my left shoulder and I blinked tears from my eyes meeting his gaze.
"If you want," Geralf started and I wiped my eyes with my free hand as he gave me a tiny smile, "this can be your room from now on. If you want it of course." He answered quickly removing his hand when I didn't move, my eyes wide and unblinking. Unable to get my mouth working I nodded instead and he gave me a faint smile.
"Th...thank you." I stammered after I cleared my throat and he gave me a bigger smile. "Why is your sister being so cruel to me?"
"I wish I could tell you why, Ailis but she's always been this way to me. Ever since we were children she's being a constant pain to me." Geralf answered, taking a seat beside me when I gave the mattress a pat. "Acting like she's better than me because I'm a stitcher and she's a ghoulcaller." He added, looking at the blanket as he fiddled with it.
"She just whistles for her zombies but you spend time putting a zombie together. That would take a lot more work." I replied and he brightened, looking up at me. "That's what I think anyway." I added, feeling my cheeks burning.
"That's exactly what I've been saying for years but she never listens. Even when I saved her with my creations she just shrugged it off, saying she could rescue herself." Geralf told me and I giggled, shocking myself into silence. "You have a cute laugh." He blurted out and I clamped a hand over my mouth when I snorted.
"Sorry, that happens sometimes when I laugh too hard." I mumbled from behind my open palm and Geralf chuckled, reaching for my hand. "Hey!" I yelped and he just grinned, pulling my hand away before he brought it to his lips.
Leaving me stunned when he lightly kissed the top of my hand. "I still think it's cute, snort or not." Geralf answered holding my hand when I turned my head to hide my darkened cheeks or the silly smile I had on my face.