Ignoring all better judgment, I stepped out of the room and made my way toward the kitchen. I was being entirely stupid, but the mixture of exhaustion and hunger provided me with an ample lack of care.
As I wandered the dark halls, I found they were indeed unoccupied. I managed to make it all the way downstairs and into the back kitchen hallway before running into another life form.
A large black pile of dog lay snoring across the floor, blocking my way into the kitchen. I cautiously tried to step over the sleeping beast. His sensitive nose twitched as I drew near, causing him to open his eyes. At seeing it was me, he bounded upward, knocking me off my feet.
“Ouch!” I whispered in offense. “Be careful, Bartholomew! You shouldn’t be sleeping in the middle of the hall like that.”
He stared at my light scolding with a similarly grouchy expression. It was then that I noticed his fur had a fresh floral scent to it, along with a soft sheen.It looks like somebody got his bath.
“Look, I’m sorry alright?” I apologized halfheartedly. “I didn’t have a choice. I’m sure you’ve noticed that I’m not supposed to be here. If any of the staff catches me, I’ll be in big trouble.”
If possible, the dog seemed to raise an eyebrow at me, and I gave him a pleading look in return.
“Think we can call a truce?” I held out my hand to the creature as if for a handshake. The dog tilted his head slightly at first from the gesture, then he placed a slimy lick upon my palm.
“Deal,” I whispered with a slight giggle. “But if we’re going to be friends, we’ll have to do something about your awful name. Bartholomew doesn’t suit you at all, and it’s a terrible mouthful.” I pressed a finger to my chin in consideration for a moment as his brown eyes looked at me inquisitively.
“How about Bear?” A slight smile crossed my lips as I spoke the name aloud. The dog cocked his head again at the foreign word.
“Yes, I quite like that, actually. It’s short, simple and suits you far better thanBartholomew.”
Bear stared at me blankly, without a single degree of understanding. I gave him a gentle pat on the head, earning a tail wag. A quiet laugh escaped my mouth as I felt my fondness for the animal increase.
“Well, Bear, I was going to go find some breakfast. Would you fancy accompanying me?” I scratched behind his ear, earning more tail wiggles. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
With my new ally following me, I crept into the kitchen, taking a direct route toward the pantry. Shutting Bear and myself inside, I got started munching on a few slices of bread with a thin layer of jam. While eating, I tossed small pieces to my partner in crime, earning affectionate looks from his big, doughy eyes. We had stowed away for maybe fifteen minutes before the sudden sound of a new voice caused us both to jump.
“Bartholomew?” a shouted whisper permeated the air. “Are you in here, buddy?”
My eyes darted to the dog, whose tail was already wagging at the familiar voice. It sounded like Elias, the master’s son.
I began to panic as Bear lifted his paw to scratch at the pantry door. I leapt toward him, hoping to stop the action before he alerted his master, but my movements were too slow for the excited beast. Just before I wrapped my hand around his traitorous paw, Bear scratched the door once with a resounding scrape.
I held my breath, hoping that the sound wasn’t as loud as I feared.
“Bartholomew? Are you in the pantry?” Elias questioned.
My body tensed as I held onto Bear. He let out a soft whimper, confirming his location to the searching master. I shifted my eyes around the room in a frenzy, trying to figure out what to do next. I released Bear, who scratched more furiously. The potato sack I hid in previously was too far for me to get into now. As quickly as I could, I crouched in the corner of the pantry, hoping the morning shadows would conceal me.
The door opened, and the master let out a sigh of relief. “There you are, boy. How did you end up in here?”
I pulled my knees in as tightly as I could, praying that my luck hadn’t run dry yet. How had I been so stupid? Shutting myself inside a closet with the enemy’s pet was definitely on my top ten list of dumb ideas.
I held my breath as a calming silence drifted through the room, along with the sound of the door shutting. I released my breath and looked up, but I wasn’t alone.
Bear stood directly in front of me with a silent wagging tail. With terror running through my veins, I raised my head the slightest bit higher and saw what I feared most.
Elias was glaring at me dangerously with a broomstick raised. He stood in front of the door, guarding my only chance at escape. His shadowed eyes pierced me through the dark with a fearless sheen as all seeds of hope shriveled inside me.
“Who are you?” His voice was fierce and unmoving. I flinched at the direct question, not realizing how long it had been since I’d been asked one. My startle caused me to remain silent for longer than intended.
“Answer me!” Clearly, he wasn’t pleased with my hesitation.
I scrambled to my feet to assume my own defensive form. “M-my name is Aurelia,” the words stuttered out of my mouth. My hands trembled as I raised them slightly in surrender.
“Aurelia?” He looked puzzled for a moment but didn’t falter. “What are you doing here?”
“I was lost,” I answered honestly. “I had nowhere else to go and got stuck out in the rain. It was sheer luck that I found a way inside. I meant to leave days ago, but your servants have been guarding the only unlocked door. Please, I never meant any harm, I just want to leave.” I bit the inside of my cheek to prevent a tear from escaping. I wasn’t going to resort to crying, not yet.