90

Sia never took me shopping, nor did we have lunch together. I was left alone in the royal garden but that is not my greatest concern at the moment.
Right now, my biggest problem is Cocci.
I ignored the first blow, dismissed the second, but woe betide me if I let him get away with the third.
Firstly, he hit me. I let him get away with it. Secondly, he poured blood into the bathtub where I was to have my bath this afternoon. Now, he has destroyed Sia’s bed, drenching the feathers from the pillows with blood. The fuck I’m going to let him go scot free.
“Mila?”
“Yes, my lady.”
“Get me my coat.”
She helps me put it on. “Are you going out my lady?”
“Yes Mila.”
“Should I accompany you, my lady?”
“No Mila.”
After the laces of my boot have been tied, I tuck in my knife.
“Are the princes still having dinner Mila?”
“They should be true with it my lady.”
Good. I exit the South wing, marching onward to the dining room, looking for my prey. The servants cast me irritated looks but I ignored them. Their disgusted looks will never affect me.
The guards stopped me from entering and I didn’t hide my scowl. “No one is allowed to enter when the royal family is having dinner.”
Even when it’s urgent? I don’t think so. “I don’t give a fuck about the royal prince family. I just want to know where Prince Cocci is.”
They would have replied, if not for the bastard’s presence. “Am I the only one wondering why the young she wolf is seeking me out?”
Whipping my knife out of my boot, I face him, pressing the silver blade to his throat. At once, spears are pointed at me. I know the guards won’t kill me unless they want their beloved prince dead.
Cocci raises his hands up in defense. There’s nowhere for him to run now, so I begin my interrogation.
“Why did you do it?”
He frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“Don’t play dumb with me Cocci. Why on earth did you do it?”
Before he could reply, the dining room door opened and my favourite brothers stepped out. Izal, Thane, Sia, Ruarc and Massa.
“What the fuck is going on? Crinka, drop the fucking knife.”
For someone whose daughter hates curse words, he does swear a lot.
Swiftly, I turned to Thane, pointing the knife at him. “You… you better stay out of this. All of you, I mean it.”
Then I turned to Cocci, holding the knife to his throat. “You’ve got two minutes to tell me why you have decided to make my life a living hell or I’ll make sure you won’t be able to eat again.”
“Cocci, for the love of God, tell her what she wants to know so that this early morning madness must come to an end,” said Massa.
Cocci sighed. “I didn’t mean it. Any of it.”
At least he has stopped pretending. “You didn’t mean to do it? What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”
“I never meant to hurt you Crinka but there’s this voice in my head that keeps telling me to eliminate you. Sometimes I give in to the pressure and shit happens.”
I laugh. “You’ve got to be shitting me. Do I look like some kind of joke huh?”
“I’m sorry if my comment had implied such Crinka, but you must know that I am telling the truth. The voice is fucking persistent.”
I press the blade closer. “Crinka step the fuck back!”, Ruarc barked. It’s a shame I don’t pay attention to dogs.
“I’m not doing shit.”
“Crinka!”
There it is. The fierce authority I had hoped to see one day in an Icelander. Ruarc bore that fierce power that only alphas bore. In that twinge of moment, I was duly reminded of my status before engaging with royalty. Nothing but an omega. Yet somehow, this nobody I am, this nobody I have become, refused to obey the alpha’s order and I had my reasons. Alphas didn’t squat for other Alphas. It didn’t matter if they had once been in a relationship or if you had become an omega. As long as you once had that ominous title before your very name, you were an alpha. And we squat to no one. Therefore, Crown Prince Ruarc of the noble Icelands, can take his orders and shove them up his tight little hole because I would bow to no one.
Alpha or Omega.
“Crinka, I don’t want to hurt you, so drop the fucking knife and step the fucking back!” Ruarc yelled.
Had I remained that Crinka, the one who was too quick to accept her fate, the demeaning fate bestowed upon her, I would have stepped back. But I am not that Crinka, thus, the Crown Prince would like to think again, before infusing alpha’s dominance in his tone, because this Crinka, would bow to no one.
I turned to him, and gritted my teeth. “Take your orders and shove them up your ass. I won’t back down.”
“Then you leave me no choice.”
It felt surreal, the pain in my cheek, and never in a lifetime would I have expected the Crown Prince, as treasured as he was to lay hands on a woman. Who am I kidding? I did expect it. And for an utterly weird reason, I liked that he slapped me. It only added to the list of crimes committed by him, and thus no one should blame me for exacting revenge after this year has been concluded. I couldn’t show them though, that the beating was what I wanted.
“You.. you fucking slapped me!”, I yell, facing Ruarc. “How could you?”
“You refused to submit.”
I laugh. It’s bitter. “You slapped me because of him? Because of this two-timing bastard?” Then I turned to Sia. “And you? You just stood there and let him hit me!”
“Should I have squatted?”
“Fuck you! Fuck all of you!”, I yell, ignoring the lump in my throat. The hell I’ll cry before all these men.
“Someone put a fucking leash on that bitch or I will,” threatened Izal.
“And how do you intend to manage that? With only one arm?”
“Crinka!”, Sia yelled. “Just stop it! Jesus! I’ve had enough of your excesses! Your insults and disobedience! It’s high time somebody showed you what obedience is all about. Guards seize her and take her to the servants’ quarters.”
My eyes widen. “What?”
“Take her there. Have her change into a maid’s outfit and wait for my orders.”
The guards seized me and began dragging me away from them. “You’re seriously doing this? I know you hate me but this is just…”
“Gag her, will you? She’s talking too much.”
One of the guards forced a dirty rag into my mouth before dragging me out of the palace. I haven’t been to the servant’s quarters before, but I know it’s next to the royal stables.
The Icelanders that we passed all looked at me with disgust. They jeered at me; some even threw tomatoes. I ignored all this, cursing Sia under my breath. This is what I get for loving him. Rubbish.
The royal stables come up in view and I pause to admire it. It was a beautiful wooden structure. The door handles were made out of iron. The faces of the royal family were painted on it and I scowled when I saw Sia and Ruarc’s face. I’ll get them back for this.
While the royal stables stood out in beauty, the servant quarters were a mess. It was a fairly large cottage with peeling walls. The roof had holes in it and I wonder how the servants living here cope when rain falls, if it ever falls.
A busty woman greets us when we knock on the door. She is richly dressed in linen clothes, ears adorned with golden earrings.
“And who is this one?”, the woman asks, folding her arms under her ample breasts.
“The she wolf,” the guard on my left replies. “She is to be here until the prince says otherwise. She is not to be harmed.”
“Of course. Come here dearie. There’s a lot of work to be done.”
She yanks me into the cottage, shutting the door once I’m in. There are a few girls here and I recognize some as the ones I passed on my way to the South wing.
“Zora, bring some of those maids’ clothes so that she can change.”
“I’m afraid we’re out of stock milady,” the Zora girl replied.
“Very well then. Guess she’ll just have to work in these clothes. It’s such a shame to get beauties like these dirty. Know how long it took them maids to work on them. Zora, take her to the royal stables. Give her a towel and a bucket to clean them horses. Need them sparkly and shiny for the hunt tomorrow.”
I frown. What hunt? Before I could ask questions, Zora pushed a bucket of water into my hands and a clean towel. She motions for me to follow her and I do.
“The royal stables in our kingdom are unique due to the harsh and cold weather conditions that prevail in this part of the world. The stables are made of sturdy materials that can withstand the ice and snow. They are also equipped with modern facilities to ensure the comfort and safety of the horses.”
“Um, I don’t really need the lecture.”
She glared at me. “The training is mandatory for new workers. As I was saying, the stables are spacious, with enough room for each horse to move around and exercise. They are also equipped with heating systems to ensure that the horses are comfortable despite the cold weather.”
“Wow. I wish I was a horse,” I joked, shutting the door behind me. She only glares in return. Jeez, can’t someone take a joke?
“The horses in the royal stables are bred and trained for a variety of purposes, such as transportation, riding and racing. They are well cared for and receive proper nutrition, exercise and medical attention. The royal stables are a testament to the people’s love and respect for horses. Now if you look around, almost all the homes have got a horse or two. The stables are also equipped with modern grooming and cleaning equipment. The stables have dedicated washing areas where the horses are bathed and cleaned thoroughly.”
She paused, opening the door to the royal stables. “At times, the slaves clean the stables or the workers will clean the horses. Use a pitchfork to remove the soiled bedding and replace it with fresh straw. Sweep the stalls to remove any remaining dirt and debris. The horses are very sensitive to their environment, so, do well to keep it clean at all times. Once you are done cleaning, groom the horses. Brush their coats and use the hoof pick to clean their hooves. Now go in and do as you have been told.”
I scowl at her before I go in. As I walk into the stables, I can hear the sound of horses neighing and moving around. The smell of hay and manure fills the air. Each stall is allocated to at least one royal. Ranging from Thjis to his sons, grandchildren and in-laws, there is a horse for them all. Sia’s own has a blue and white coat and I suppress the urge to murder his horse.
I move forward and that’s when I see her. The female. She’s seated on the ground next to a heap of hay, sobbing. Her back’ is to me, so I can’t see her face. Her clothes and hair are dirty.
“Hey, why are you crying?”
She turns around and I gasp as. I recognize her.
“Toreh?”