Chapter X: The Stranger in The Castle

Frodo noticed the glances from all of the servants as soon as he and Merida passed through the impressive castle gate that was the entrance to Castle DunBroch. The men looked at each other nervously before hastily heading back to their work. The women flushed and bashfully averted their eyes before glancing back up at him. The children looked on with wide-eyed wonder and curiosity, eagerly pointing at him as they tugged at their mothers' skirts and their fathers' boots and kilts.

Frodo swallowed hard. He'd never been this self conscious before. He pulled his cloak about him as Merida led the horse they were astride into the stables. She offered her hand to him as soon as she dismounted Angus, and he took it. He tried not to wince when his feet hit the ground. The sensation of rough, dry hay against his bare feet didn't help with the unfortunate side effect of turning his fin into a pair of legs.

He wrapped his arm around her shoulder to support himself. Merida wrapped hers around his waist. She could feel his trembling body against hers as she guided him around one of the back doors and led him inside through the room where several servants were doing laundry.

Maudie, a plump, large chested woman who sported a simple and the simple beige dress of a servant, carrying the next load of laundry when she noticed the two of them. As soon as she glanced at Frodo, she gasped as her face turned as red as a beet.

Frodo was about say a polite "hello" when he was promptly reminded that he couldn't speak due to the absence of his voice. He sighed and put his hand to his throat. Maudie ran as fast as she could and hysterically shook the shoulder of one of the other servants as though someone had suddenly dropped unconscious. She accidentally tugged on her mousy brown braid, who yelped and rapidly turned in her direction.

"Agh! What is it, Maudie?!"

"Him!"

She pointed directly at Frodo. He and Merida awkwardly glanced at one another as he bit his lower lip. From the way Maudie was acting, the princess might as well have brought in some ferocious beast.

"Oh," the other woman responded.

She promptly went up to the two of them and scanned him lengthwise.

"Who's this, dearie?"

Frodo tried to speak again and shook his head in frustration.

"Um, I think his name's Frodo," Merida responded. "He saved me after I was kidnapped."

"Oh! Did he?" the woman responded. Her voice rung with a strong overtone of genuine, gleeful intrigue. "Well then, what a pleasure it is to make your acquaintance, Master Frodo!"

She heartily shook his hand before continuing.

"I'm Annis, by the way. You'll have to excuse my friend Maudie over there. She's... a bit anxious - especially at the prospect of a handsome stranger like yourself slipping through the castle! If we don't handle this properly, we could wind up with quite the scandal on our hands. First things first - you can't be walking around in nothing but a cloak! Come, follow me!"

She took his hand and led him straight on - presumably to a bathing chamber.

...

The next thing Frodo knew, he was in a large room with an ample, sturdy wooden tub in the middle.

Steam rose from the water in it in gentle tendrils, making the tub look surprisingly inviting. Frodo's gaze dropped down to the steaming water as he finally made the decision to remove his cloak and get in. Annis made sure to look away as he unclasped the only garment he was wearing.

She took it as soon as he got in, spreading it before her to preserve his modesty.

However, she couldn't suppress a giggle as she recognized who the actual owner of the cloak was.

"Oh, dear - you're in desperate need of some decent attire! I'll return this to Princess Merida!"

She glanced at him, still making sure to maintain his modesty.

"I'll have this washed and leave you some proper clothes."

Once the door closed, Frodo sank into the tub and sighed, feeling relieved and embarrassed at the same time.

It'd been a long day. He'd gotten as close to the princess he'd fallen in love with as was possible in one day, and he had quite the roof over his head. That had to count for something.

...

Annis was quick to take the cloak back to the wash and make a beeline straight for Maudie.

"All right. We've got a new garment to add to the next load - and a new guest!"

Maudie looked at her, wide eyed.

"What? Him?! Annis, what are you doing?!"

"Returning the favor he did for the princess."

"You want a strange man roaming about the castle with Princess Merida about to be betrothed?! The queen will be horrified!"

"Queen Elinor is a wise and rational woman. I'm sure she'll understand once she knows what he did for Merida - and if she doesn't, I'll gladly pay the consequences."

Annis paused before continuing as Maudie stared at her, awestruck.

"Now, can you please help me pick out some clothes for him?"