NOVEL NEXT Chapter 6: Bath
Krista pushed open the heavy wooden door, the hinges groaning in protest as they entered. The interior was dimly lit, the air thick with the smell of stale beer and woodsmoke. A handful of patrons sat at rough-hewn tables, their voices a low murmur.
A burly man with a stained apron stood behind the bar, his eyes narrowed slightly as he saw Krista and Fur enter. However he was the type to not judge his patrons no matter who came through that door, if they had coin, he would let them in. This fact alone has made his inn quite busy.
"Need a room?" he asked, his voice gruff. He gestured towards the stairs leading to the second floor, without looking them in the eyes.
"Yes," Krista replied, her voice flat. "For two. The price?"
The man eyed them both suspiciously, but nodded. "One silver coin a night, two if you'd like meals. You have the coin?"
Krista didn't say anything, only placed one silver coins on the bar. The man pushed a key towards her. "Room 7." he said, turning his attention back to the ale he was polishing.
Krista took the key and then made her way towards the stairs, Fur following close behind. The patrons of the inn watched as they ascended the stairs, their gazes lingering on the odd duo. Some seemed to mutter words between them but not loud enough for Krista to hear or care for.
As they reached their room, Krista quickly opened the door and they entered. The room was spartan but clean. A bed, a small wooden desk, and a wash basin was all were the only furnishings. Krista closed the door and the windows making the room dark, finally allowing herself a moment of reprieve, she sat on the bed and called out. "Dianelle, you can come out now."
Black slime erupted from her feet and turned into the figure of Dianelle.
"Congratulations Mistress, we infiltrated the city without suspicion. To think humans are still too naive." She purred with a wide smile, her joy downed slightly as she took in her surrounding of this cheap inn room.
"They are just careless because they are confident that all Vampire have been erased from here. Besides we didn't encounter any high ranked hunter or guard. This mistake will cost them dearly." then she turned to Fur, her expression softening slightly. It was obvious fur was exhausted, and and not to mention too filthy. She looked at her and spoke one of the words she has trained her to understand.
"Strip!"
Fur heard the word and narrowed her eyes. She understood this word. This word meant submission, to show her scars to her. To feel her cold hands on her bare body. She hated it.
She hated bathing.
"Nnnnnrrrr." she growled clutching her fur robes tightly around herself, her glare sharp but betrayed an hint of insecurity.
"I will not repeat myself..' Krista added with a glare. But fur didn't budge growling at her aggressively.
"Mistress...May I...?" Dianelle offered help eager to please Krista but she waved her head dismissivly getting up herself.
"Just fill up the basin for me.." she stepped closer to fur who took back steps after step until her back pressed against the door.
There was no escape. Krista cold eyes met hers.
"Did you forget what happens when you don't behave?" Krista grabbed the collar of her fur suit a yanked it towards herself, tearing it off clean Fur's body in one go.
Cold breeze inside the seeped onto her bare flesh making a chill ran down her spine as she found herself naked and under scrutiny. Fur hugged herself to escape the cold as she stared hatefully at Krista. Her skin was marred with gore, blood and wounds in various stages of healing. Her hair was also matted with greasy substances.
She clearly needed this bath yet she refused to be ordered around of Krista's whims.
Krista dragged her towards the basin which was half full with water by now thanks to Dianelle.
Fur dug her heels into the wooden floor, her body trembling as Krista dragged her closer to the basin. The cold water shimmered under the dim light, a stark contrast to the warmth of her stolen fur robe. Most likely this water just came from melting the snow, it was cold but definitely not icy cold it's usually is in these parts. Fur's face was contorted in a mixture of anger and fear, her eyes blazing with resentment as she glared at Krista.
"Stand," Krista repeated, her voice sharp and commanding. She released Fur's arm, but her gaze remained fixed, a silent order that brooked no disobedience. Fur, despite her defiance, knew that resistance was futile. With a frustrated growl, she straightened her back, her naked form exposed to the cool air.
Krista grabbed a rough cloth from the desk and dipped it into the water. Without a word, she began to scrub Fur's face, her movements efficient and ungentle. Fur winced, her fists clenching at her side, but she remained still, knowing any resistance would only result in more pain. The water was cold, and the cloth scraped against her skin, but she endured it, her eyes fixed on a point in the distance.
Dianelle watched the scene unfold with a mixture of curiosity and mild amusement. She had seen Krista's methods before, she understood her mistress's need for order and control. Besides, the display of raw dominance was always a sight to behold.
"You need to be more obedient," Krista said, her voice low as she moved to scrubbing Fur's neck Though she wasn't sure if Fur understood her words.
Fur remained silent, her jaw clenched tight, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. She hated this, this wasn't about shame or the cold, but the feeling of being ordered around. She hated Krista for it, for her coldness, hated to her core.
Krista continued to scrub Fur's body, removing the grime and blood that clung to her skin. Not hesitating to touch even the most intimate areas. Each stroke was precise, each movement lacking any tenderness or care. She examined each wound, noting the progression of healing and any signs of infection. She did not use her skills on it. She had to limit them to necessities.
When Krista was finished with her basic inspection, she moved to Fur's hair. She ran her fingers through the matted strands, carefully separating them before dipping the cloth back into the water and begin to scrub her head. The process was long and tedious, but Krista did not rush, methodically working until her hair looked more or less clean.
As the last of the grime washed away, Fur stood before Krista, her skin pale and raw from the scrubbing, her eyes narrowed. She looked at herself. She looked and felt clean and comfortable. This annoyed her even for as Krista was responsible for this but she didn't say anything.
"Dianelle," Krista said, not taking her eyes off Fur. "Bring the oil."
Dianelle, who had been idly tracing patterns on the wall with her finger, nodded and retrieved a small vial from her cloak. She handed it to Krista, her smile still playful.
Krista opened the vial, the scent of herbs filling the small room. She poured a small amount of the oil into her palm and began to massage it onto Fur's wounds, her touch firm as she ensured that it covered each area. The oil was cool against the girl's skin, providing a brief moment of relief from the abrasive scrubbing.
Once she was done she dried her body with a large towel. Krista stepped back, her gaze sweeping over Fur's cleaned body. Fur stared at her defiantly, her arms crossed against her chest in a futile attempt to shield herself from the vampiress's scrutiny.
"Get on the bed," Krista said, her voice returning to its usual cold tone. She gestured toward a the bed covered with cheap but thick blankets. Dianelle had packed some clothes in her cloak but none were for Fur as she had only that one robe that she had made herself. "And don't make me repeat myself."
Fur didn't need to be told twice. She grabbed the edge of the blacket and climbed in the bed, still naked, her movements jerky as she tried to cover herself as quickly as possible. Immediately her body felt better as the contact of her skin with the cold air was cut off. She turned her face away from the two
Her eyes close, her body still trembling slightly. The bath was over, but the cold lingered, and so did the hunger. Krista's gaze, however, lingered on Fur a little longer before turning away, finally satisfied with her work.
Then she grabbed the hem of her own black gown and pulled it off.
"My turn now.." she mumbled ignoring the gawking Dianelle.