A/N: Hullo again! All I can say is: read, enjoy, and, for the love, REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ~Jenny the chica~
Chapter Six: In which the mystery thickens once again...
'So much for trust,' Celia thought before hurrying downstairs.
Hoping that the bear would be there, she thought how absurd her life had been over just the past two days. She had arrived at a magnificent castle with a kind, soft-spoken bear, not nearly related to the monster that she had imagined, and then she went to sleep, to get away from it all, and she wakes up to find her husband, which the bear failed to mention, in her bed. One could go mad over the insane things that went on without question here!
The bear was there, and he looked up to see her as she entered the dining room. He opened his mouth, as if to say something, then looked down at himself and shut it again.
Celia's curiosity was captured. "What is it? Do you want to ask me something? Fell free to, I'm a very open person and I'm sure that whatever you ask would not offend me in the slightest bit, so, please! Ask away!"
The bear was solemn for a few moments, as if unsure of what to respond with. "No. It was nothing...nothing at all. I'm sorry."
"It's alright. Anyway, would you like to eat breakfast with me?" Celia had noticed that no used plates or bowls were in front of his seat, like the morning before.
His expression immediately brightened. "Yes, if you'd like."
"Of course! I always welcome company!"
The bear closed his huge eyes, and Celia watched as her breakfast floated towards her, landing on the huge table in front of Celia and the bear.
Breakfast was indeed enjoyable, and Celia felt herself becoming more and more comfortable with talking to the bear. They discussed a variety of different things, and Celia even forgot, for a little while, that she was still a prison, no matter what the bear or her husband told her.
As soon as both were finished eating, the bear turned to Celia and said, "Thank you. Forgive me, but I must be going, for I have many things to do. Feel free to explore the castle, inside or out, or you can even go for a ride in the pasture behind the stables. If you look around outside enough, you will eventually find the stables. I put your horse there after you fainted. Well, whatever you decide, I wish you a good day. I may see you for dinner, or I may not. I can never be absolutely sure. Whatever the case, if you don't mind, I'll be there every day for breakfast. Good day, Celia."
With that, he got up and walked out of the room.
'I wonder what he does all day,' Celia wondered. 'Everything in this place is so mysterious!'
Wisely shrugging away her curiosity, Celia decided to take the bear's advice and chose to ride Camille. She went up to her room to change into the skirt she had worn when she arrived-could it have only been two days ago? The skirt had been made with lots of extra material for a full, yet flexible skirt. Celia preferred to ride straddled, like her father and brothers, for she hated the feeling like she was slipping off when she rode like her mother and sisters. Besides, she had always been racing her brothers, and one could not race worth anything when one felt like they were about to fall off. Her mother, naturally, had been horrified at Celia's, as she put it, "dreadful, unladylike habit," but Celia insisted enough that even her mother allowed it.
Celia stepped outside, but noticed a chill in the air, so she stepped back in for a moment, grasping her cloak from the stand next to the door, then running down the huge staircase from the front door, struggling into her cloak in her excitement to be outside once again.
Before she went riding, Celia decided to explore outside the house until she found the stables. She looked around, down the carriage driveway that was soon engulfed in the tangled trees, then to her right, which appeared to be an orchard of some kind, then ending by looking to her left, where she noticed the beginning of a garden hedge. Celia chose that direction.
Celia walked though archway after archway, peering at the spectrum of colors that the garden displayed. She suddenly noticed that she was at the end, for the path she was following stopped at an old wooden door. Celia turned the bolt and pushed, but it only groaned, squeaked a little, but other than that, remained perfectly motionless. Celia tried again, leaning against the door. Whatever the door was caught in, it suddenly broke free, for the door swung open, taking Celia with it.
Thankfully, Celia kept tight hold of the door, so she did not fall in the dirt below. She hadn't expected something between a step and what seemed to be a sheer drop. Letting herself down gently from her grasp on the swinging door, Celia paused to get her bearings.
When she heard a familiar whinny from the huge building in front of her, Celia felt her entire body relax in relief. She picked up her voluminous skirt, and freely sprinted to the gigantic stable.
Entering it, Celia was even more amazed to find Camille to be the only horse in it.
"So, they're spoiling you, too!" Celia whispered into her horse's ear when she reached her.
In response, Camille neighed and stamped her foot.
Celia laughed, glad to be away from the constant tension she could not get away from at the house. She saddled and bridled Camille, since someone had undone that all, and led her outside, where she mounted.
Celia looked around at the meadow behind the stable, finding a nearby willow tree to use as a landmark, so she could find her way back later, then urged Camille on, up the hill.
The pair paused, as Celia stopped to take in the breathtaking view of not only the meadow, but of the majestic terrain behind it.
Now, the meadow itself was beautiful, for it was a strong spring green, all even, lacking the darker and lighter patches that most meadows had, and not a single stray weed could be found. But behind it, a range of mountains rose up and swallowed up half the sky. Directly in front of her, two of them overlapped to form a valley in a jagged "V" shape. The mountainsides were green, and the color seemed to flow down into the valley, where a sparkling blue river could be seen, far below the snow-capped summits.
After a few moments that Celia allowed herself to take it all in, she pushed Camille into their normal pace, perfectly between a trot and a bone-jarring gallop. As the wind pushed her hair and the tips of her cloak back, Celia closed her eyes and enjoyed the wind and the slight warmth from the sun. The meadow was obviously long enough for Camille to be able to guide herself.
After a long while of this, although it seemed so short, Celia began to get a little hungry. On habit, she reached into the saddlebags attached to the saddle, but was shocked to find them full, for she hadn't filled them herself.
Shrugging, she dismounted and leaned against Camille's side, enjoying the sandwich that had been provided her. Camille was fed a lengthy carrot and a lump of sugar, which had been wisely insulated enough not to melt.
Celia was about to remount and return to the stable when she suddenly felt very strange. It was an odd feeling, and Celia looked around, for it felt as if someone else was there. Seeing no one, she was about to turn back to Camille when something bright in the distance caught her eye. She squinted, and finally the image became clear.
Celia gasped in realization, fear, and curiosity. Why would the bear be watching her?
A/N: dum, dum dum dum dum...DUM!!!!!!!!!!! STOP!!!! YOU!!!! DON'T YOU DARE CLOSE THIS STORY OR CLICK 'GO BACK' OR ANYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!! REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (or no more story until february!!!!!!!!! not...THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
Chapter Six: In which the mystery thickens once again...
'So much for trust,' Celia thought before hurrying downstairs.
Hoping that the bear would be there, she thought how absurd her life had been over just the past two days. She had arrived at a magnificent castle with a kind, soft-spoken bear, not nearly related to the monster that she had imagined, and then she went to sleep, to get away from it all, and she wakes up to find her husband, which the bear failed to mention, in her bed. One could go mad over the insane things that went on without question here!
The bear was there, and he looked up to see her as she entered the dining room. He opened his mouth, as if to say something, then looked down at himself and shut it again.
Celia's curiosity was captured. "What is it? Do you want to ask me something? Fell free to, I'm a very open person and I'm sure that whatever you ask would not offend me in the slightest bit, so, please! Ask away!"
The bear was solemn for a few moments, as if unsure of what to respond with. "No. It was nothing...nothing at all. I'm sorry."
"It's alright. Anyway, would you like to eat breakfast with me?" Celia had noticed that no used plates or bowls were in front of his seat, like the morning before.
His expression immediately brightened. "Yes, if you'd like."
"Of course! I always welcome company!"
The bear closed his huge eyes, and Celia watched as her breakfast floated towards her, landing on the huge table in front of Celia and the bear.
Breakfast was indeed enjoyable, and Celia felt herself becoming more and more comfortable with talking to the bear. They discussed a variety of different things, and Celia even forgot, for a little while, that she was still a prison, no matter what the bear or her husband told her.
As soon as both were finished eating, the bear turned to Celia and said, "Thank you. Forgive me, but I must be going, for I have many things to do. Feel free to explore the castle, inside or out, or you can even go for a ride in the pasture behind the stables. If you look around outside enough, you will eventually find the stables. I put your horse there after you fainted. Well, whatever you decide, I wish you a good day. I may see you for dinner, or I may not. I can never be absolutely sure. Whatever the case, if you don't mind, I'll be there every day for breakfast. Good day, Celia."
With that, he got up and walked out of the room.
'I wonder what he does all day,' Celia wondered. 'Everything in this place is so mysterious!'
Wisely shrugging away her curiosity, Celia decided to take the bear's advice and chose to ride Camille. She went up to her room to change into the skirt she had worn when she arrived-could it have only been two days ago? The skirt had been made with lots of extra material for a full, yet flexible skirt. Celia preferred to ride straddled, like her father and brothers, for she hated the feeling like she was slipping off when she rode like her mother and sisters. Besides, she had always been racing her brothers, and one could not race worth anything when one felt like they were about to fall off. Her mother, naturally, had been horrified at Celia's, as she put it, "dreadful, unladylike habit," but Celia insisted enough that even her mother allowed it.
Celia stepped outside, but noticed a chill in the air, so she stepped back in for a moment, grasping her cloak from the stand next to the door, then running down the huge staircase from the front door, struggling into her cloak in her excitement to be outside once again.
Before she went riding, Celia decided to explore outside the house until she found the stables. She looked around, down the carriage driveway that was soon engulfed in the tangled trees, then to her right, which appeared to be an orchard of some kind, then ending by looking to her left, where she noticed the beginning of a garden hedge. Celia chose that direction.
Celia walked though archway after archway, peering at the spectrum of colors that the garden displayed. She suddenly noticed that she was at the end, for the path she was following stopped at an old wooden door. Celia turned the bolt and pushed, but it only groaned, squeaked a little, but other than that, remained perfectly motionless. Celia tried again, leaning against the door. Whatever the door was caught in, it suddenly broke free, for the door swung open, taking Celia with it.
Thankfully, Celia kept tight hold of the door, so she did not fall in the dirt below. She hadn't expected something between a step and what seemed to be a sheer drop. Letting herself down gently from her grasp on the swinging door, Celia paused to get her bearings.
When she heard a familiar whinny from the huge building in front of her, Celia felt her entire body relax in relief. She picked up her voluminous skirt, and freely sprinted to the gigantic stable.
Entering it, Celia was even more amazed to find Camille to be the only horse in it.
"So, they're spoiling you, too!" Celia whispered into her horse's ear when she reached her.
In response, Camille neighed and stamped her foot.
Celia laughed, glad to be away from the constant tension she could not get away from at the house. She saddled and bridled Camille, since someone had undone that all, and led her outside, where she mounted.
Celia looked around at the meadow behind the stable, finding a nearby willow tree to use as a landmark, so she could find her way back later, then urged Camille on, up the hill.
The pair paused, as Celia stopped to take in the breathtaking view of not only the meadow, but of the majestic terrain behind it.
Now, the meadow itself was beautiful, for it was a strong spring green, all even, lacking the darker and lighter patches that most meadows had, and not a single stray weed could be found. But behind it, a range of mountains rose up and swallowed up half the sky. Directly in front of her, two of them overlapped to form a valley in a jagged "V" shape. The mountainsides were green, and the color seemed to flow down into the valley, where a sparkling blue river could be seen, far below the snow-capped summits.
After a few moments that Celia allowed herself to take it all in, she pushed Camille into their normal pace, perfectly between a trot and a bone-jarring gallop. As the wind pushed her hair and the tips of her cloak back, Celia closed her eyes and enjoyed the wind and the slight warmth from the sun. The meadow was obviously long enough for Camille to be able to guide herself.
After a long while of this, although it seemed so short, Celia began to get a little hungry. On habit, she reached into the saddlebags attached to the saddle, but was shocked to find them full, for she hadn't filled them herself.
Shrugging, she dismounted and leaned against Camille's side, enjoying the sandwich that had been provided her. Camille was fed a lengthy carrot and a lump of sugar, which had been wisely insulated enough not to melt.
Celia was about to remount and return to the stable when she suddenly felt very strange. It was an odd feeling, and Celia looked around, for it felt as if someone else was there. Seeing no one, she was about to turn back to Camille when something bright in the distance caught her eye. She squinted, and finally the image became clear.
Celia gasped in realization, fear, and curiosity. Why would the bear be watching her?
A/N: dum, dum dum dum dum...DUM!!!!!!!!!!! STOP!!!! YOU!!!! DON'T YOU DARE CLOSE THIS STORY OR CLICK 'GO BACK' OR ANYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!! REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (or no more story until february!!!!!!!!! not...THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!)