A Walk on the Water

Alannah found Maria and was taken to the guest quarters on the southern side of the chateau. She learned that Nicolò was out working in the gardens and would not be joining them for their afternoon meal. Alannah drew a bath, added bubbles, and before undressing all the way she looked out the massive window in her room onto the gardens below. There she saw Nicolò, he had changed into something a little cooler and had doned a hat to keep the sun out of his eyes. He looked up and saw Alannah watching him, she was standing in nothing but her white underdress, which with the brightness of the day he could see the perfect outline of her body. He waved to her and she back to him, then she turned stepped out of her underdress, drawing the curtain closed as she walked into the bathroom. She stepped into the clawfoot tub that was filled to the brim with bubbles. She lounged in the bath, taking her time to relish the fact that it had indeed been ages since she had taken a real bath. She sat in the bathtub, her head resting on the edge of the tub, trying to relax and let go of the past. Closing her eyes she tried to imagine what a future would be like here on this island, could she really find peace and happiness? She washed her hair, and then grabbed the hand made soap that Maria had left for her, it smelled like lilacs. She began hand washing her body, letting the feelings of her long journey wash out of her with each pass of her fingers. This was in no way a sensual moment for Alannah, but more of a time for healing and reflection. Her many years of running from the monster she called her father appeared to be over, and for once she finally felt free.

When she stpped out of that bath, nearly an hour later, she felt cleaner that she had felt in a very long time - cleaner than just on the surface, but deep down into her soul. Alannah got dressed and discovered that a bath and a change of clothes did much to revitalize her sullen mood. As she did back home at her families estate in Ireland, she wore a simple peasant dress with nothing underneath, she felt the deliciously cool abreezes and she felt free from constraints. She would have liked to go barefoot but decided upon a pair of light leather sandals that matched her dress.