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T he door to the master bedroom was solid wood with fancy iron hinges and fitted with a glowing crystal door knob. When she looked closely, she could see glowing stars swishing in a clear blue sea.

It felt warm and opened with no drama. Lamps came to life in the room beyond, revealing a good-sized chamber painted pale green with white and gold furnishings. There was a large canopy bed adorned with gold and white flowers. A small table with a comfortable chair sat next to the enameled stove.

An ivory writing desk stood next to a massive bookshelf, and she promised herself she would investigate it thoroughly later.

Thick rugs warmed the floor, and a glass door swung out to a balcony.

Best of all was the luxurious bathroom she spied through an open doorway.

“Nice,” Zelda breathed. She couldn't have imagined a more perfect room.

She stepped inside. Everything was spotless, without the dust she would have expected from a sealed room.

She washed up and took care of the worst of her injuries, promising herself a soak in the big tub later. She was exhausted but hungry, too.

Delicious smells drew her downstairs. The table was covered with steaming dishes of fried eggs, roast vegetables, and sliced meat. There was even sourdough flatbread to go with it.

After nothing but travel rations for what seemed like forever, this was a feast!

Two iron kettles sat on the table, one with strong goblin coffee and the other with herbal tea. There was even a bottle of wine, probably unearthed from a hidden cellar.

“My lady,” the steward said formally. “The castle welcomes you. I haven't seen a feast like this since before my wife died. Please, be seated.” He drew out a chair at the head of the table.

“Better the castle not make a habit of it,” Uncle Tank grumbled. Her uncle might be old, but there was nothing wrong with his brain. “The castle feeds on your energy; it's how it powers its magic. You want to save that for things that matter, like castle defenses.”

The steward cleared his throat. “Besides, now that the lady is back in residence, people will come seeking jobs.

We don't want them to think that they will be fed, too.

This isn't the place for handouts, and the castle can only cook what there is in the larder. Or on the mountainside, I suppose.” He looked at the tea, slid a glance at the pickled mushrooms. “We’ll need more supplies in the morning.

Half of this was foraged from the mountainside, I'm sure.

I haven't seen eggs in a long time, and you will want cheese and wine.”

“I’ll show you the books when you're ready. I've done the best I can, but we haven't had much income for a long time, just enough to retain the guards. The town has sent a token amount of goods, since the soldiers help keep the bandits away and the wildlife down.”

“You’ll also need to tour the grounds and take inventory... although those things are best done in daylight, when you've rested.”

Zelda's lips flattened. There was a lot to do. She would have to work hard to keep the castle from draining her too much, or she would have difficulty getting it all done.

“We'll need to look at the castle defenses, too,” Uncle Tank said darkly. “Workers aren't the only ones who will show up.”

“Bandits?” Zelda asked.

“There are plenty of opportunists. Best to prepare.”

***

T HE BEAST QUEEN LOOKED out from her rocky fortress. The birds had brought word. The lady of the castle had returned.

Her claws left marks on the stone windowsill as she growled. The chit presumed to move in on her territory. It would be a costly mistake.

She prowled away from the window. She had plans to make.

***

T HE GOBLIN CHIEFTAIN stood next to a boulder, out of the wind. He listened intently to his advisors. The lady of the castle had returned. Opportunity knocked.

“You should marry her,” his uncle said. “Gain control of the castle.”

“If she'll have him,” his friend said with a smirk. “The plains ladies might love him, but what is that to a foreign-raised girl? She might have funny ideas about what's appealing.”

“She might be ugly,” his old weapons instructor said doubtfully.

“Let's go find out,” the chieftain said.

The Beast Queen had flooded the grasslands with briar wolves. They had eaten the game and were constantly attacking the herds. His people were tired and in danger of starving. They were herders, but they needed a secure stronghold.

They needed a castle.

The problem was, the lady essentially was the castle. They could not be separated. She could be tricked and seduced, but if she was dead or unwilling, the castle was useless to them. They needed an alliance. A marriage was one possibility.

His friend clapped him on the shoulder and looked at him sympathetically. “Don't worry, buddy, all cats are gray in the dark.” What he meant was, if she was ugly, turn out the lights at bedtime.

The chieftain snorted. His friend was practical like that.

***

Z ELDA RELUCTANTLY OPENED her eyes. She had slept better than expected, but she was sore today.

She contemplated the dangling flowers over her head. They glowed with firefly lights, gently bobbing among the blossoms. They had been dark when she went to bed, so she assumed this was the castle's way of waking her up.

Swinging her feet over the bed, she slid into the furry slippers and robe that had conveniently appeared, wondering how much magic these actions took. Hopefully, very little.

The briar wolves had torn up her battle ram and scattered the goods in her saddlebags. Their nasty black drool had ruined most of her meager belongings.

She had only the clothes she'd been wearing, and those were filthy. The castle had produced a flannel nightgown for her last night, but she was wary of letting it use too much of her magic. She had many things to do and didn't want to waste it on minor things.

But maybe magic was like a muscle. Maybe she could build it up, and these little exercises were useful? She had no one to ask, so she was just going to have to find out the hard way. If she suddenly collapsed after the castle cooked breakfast, then that would be a sign.

She glanced at the closet door, a faint memory stirring.

She had peeked in there yesterday, but fatigue had clouded her thoughts, and she hadn't bothered to investigate it thoroughly.

The details were hazy. She remembered finding the nightgown—it was the first thing she saw when she opened the door—and that was all.

Curiosity piqued, she opened the door again.

This time, it was like stepping into another world.

The closet turned out to be a walk-in, complete with enchanted lanterns that cast a soft, warm glow.

As she stepped inside, expecting to see a wall, the space expanded into a massive room.

Racks of clothes and mannequins displayed garments of all kinds, curated like some sort of magical museum.

Plaques beneath the clothes informed her of which ancestral lord or lady had worn each piece.

The collection was impressive, and she couldn't help but wonder who had put it together. Some long-dead lady of the castle, perhaps? Or was it the castle itself, inviting her to choose something to wear?

Unfortunately, the ladies' tastes ran toward extravagant and occasionally dreadful. There were feathers and sequins and exotic fabrics galore. Plunging necklines and sheer dresses. “Did these people enjoy looking stupid?” she muttered.

“Not at all,” a cultured voice said behind her.

She shrieked with surprise and spun toward the threat, her hand going to a non-existent knife. She hadn't expected to be attacked in her closet.

The speaker was small, brown, and furry with a yellow belly. He came up to her knee when he stood on two legs and wore a brown utility belt. He looked like the world's fattest squirrel crossed with a beaver.

He looked at her quizzically. “I beg your pardon, I didn't mean to startle you! Allow me to introduce myself. I am Digger, and I will be your castle consultant.”

“What are you?” she asked, astonished. She'd never met a talking animal before.

He drew himself up proudly. “I am a rock chuck. My family has served the castle for many generations. We are experts on all things pertaining to it.” He waved a paw.

“To answer your earlier question, these garments were high fashion back in their day. Of course, the ladies of the castle tended to make the fashion.”

She grunted. They had horrid taste, then. Still, she didn't want to be distracted from this unexpected visitor. “How did you get in here?”

“The castle let me in, of course. It wants you to be happy and comfortable, and it wanted you to know you could choose any of these clothes you like.”

“You talk to it?”

“Indirectly. My people are experts on rocks and dirt. What is a mountain except a large pile of it?”

True. Satisfied that the rock chuck probably wasn't going to attack, she glanced at the nearest rack of clothing.

It was either wash her clothes, which were torn and smelled terribly of sheep, or pick something. Since she didn't want to wander around in her pajamas while her clothes dried, it was an easy decision.

She considered the options. She needed something comfortable and practical, but dressy. She had a new job, and it was important to dress the part.

She started scanning through the racks. The striking fabric of a green snakeskin-patterned dress caught her eye.

At least stains wouldn't show on that, but there was no way she was running around with the thigh-high slit and that weird bodice.

If it had been any normal long skirt, maybe with a dark green underskirt.

.. a comfortable shirt, maybe a jacket, since it was so cold here. ..