“In his chambers. Although, I’m not sure he’ll like to be distur-”
She stormed past him in anger and took indignant strides away.
Chad continued forward until he arrived at Danika’s room. He was about to open
the door when it swung open.
Sally rushed out of the room, took one look at Chad and the way he carried the
princess, and burst out crying.
“He k-killed her?” The kings killed slaves all the time, and it meant nothing. A
slave was just an animal, not a human; it meant nothing if they shed their blood.
That was exactly the rule of King Cone…and so many other kings.
“She’s not dead, Miss. She’s just sleeping.” Chad carried Danika inside the room
and set her on the bed gently. Danika sighed, shifted comfortably, and settled back
into sleep.
Sally let out a deep sigh of relief and bowed her head promptly in greetings.
“Thank you so much, sir. Thank you so much.”
Her enthusiastic salutation embarrassed him. Chad knew this girl well, from their
period in captivity. “You’re welcome, Miss.” He inclined his head.
Sally blushed fiery red and ducked her head. “I’m not ‘miss.’ I’m no girl of
privilege, sir. I’m just Sally.”
Chad nodded and left the room.
Sally stared worriedly at her princess. She confirmed the steady rise and fall of her
chest and could relax a little. She wasn’t dead. She was indeed sleeping.
Vetta stormed to the king’s door, but the two guards blocked her way. It was the
first time they stopped her from seeing the king, and it made her furious.
“Move away from the door, now!” she commanded them.
They bowed their heads. “I’m so sorry, Mistress. The messenger is in the room,
and the king instructed that nobody should disturb him.”
She stopped and listened carefully. She couldn’t hear anything. The king’s
chambers had thick walls, but she wasn’t thinking clearly at that moment either.
“I dare you to place a filthy finger on me!” She stormed past them and pushed the
big door open, but she stopped short when she saw she had indeed interrupted an
important business meeting.
A messenger stood at the center of the room with a long scroll, reading out loud
from it while the king sat behind his desk, listening attentively.
When Vetta stormed in, they stopped and stared at her. Anger darkened King
Lucien’s eyes.
“Vetta?” One word. A loaded question.
“I’m s-sorry, my king. I didn’t know you were in the middle of something so
important.”She faltered because she knew, but she hadn’t believed it.
Lucien’s mouth flattened in displeasure. He turned his attention back to the
messenger. “Get out,” he said, dismissing her.
Vetta didn’t need to be told twice. She bowed her head and stepped out of the room
in shame. She didn’t have to disgrace herself like that. Slave Danika had her twisted
in knots, and she acted without thinking. She shouldn’t do impulsive things that
would make her lose the king’s favor.
No, she needed to do something else, she thought with a sudden smile.
It was high time she started that torture session the king had given her permission
to do. She just had to get Danika alone.
Danika woke up the next morning to see the entire room swept and cleaned. She
didn’t need anybody to tell her it was Sally.
And speaking of Sally…
She looked around but couldn’t find her former personal maid. “Sally?” she called.
When she saw that Sally wasn’t around, she got up from the bed. The previous
night was hazy. She could still remember the session. The things Chad taught her.
The things the king did to her…
Danika didn’t understand how it was possible. How could something that gave
such tormenting pain give such a pleasurable sensation?
She remembered the way he was with her last night, and her insides warmed up. It
was a side of him she never thought he had.
How many other sides did he have apart from the side that hated her and wanted to
punish her?
The king was the most unpredictable man she had ever known. Not that she has
known a lot of men.
She got up from the bed, holding the white sheet to her body, when she realised
she was naked underneath it. Her jaw hurt from overuse.
She groaned miserably when she realised she fell asleep on the king’s bed. Would
he punish her for it later?
Danika forced the thought out of her mind. No need to dwell on the things she
couldn’t change.
Danika found her sandals cleaned and waiting beneath the bed. A smile crossed her
lips as she slipped her feet into them.
The room smelled fresh. None of her clothes were in the small clothes cabinet.
Suddenly, the door burst open, and Sally entered, carrying a bunch of red roses.
“Good moooooorning, my princess. I see you’re wide awake now.”
“That I am, Sally.”
“How do you feel?”
“I feel very good.” Danika looked around. “This place is looking so beautiful.
Thank you, Sally.”
Sally blushed at the compliment. “You know it’s nothing, my princess. You’ve
always liked the place tidy and airy, and I brought roses too!” She stretched out her
arms, grinning excitedly.
Danika took the bundle and sniffed it. The fresh scent of the flowers almost
brought tears to her eyes. Golly, she missed this so much.
“I know how much you love them, my princess! I might not be so good in learning
to read and to write, but I still remember a lot of things!” Sally enthused excitedly.
“They’re so beautiful, Sally.” Danika could barely speak with the emotion that
tightened her throat. Her day always started by looking grim, and her wondering how
much suffering she’d endure. But here Sally was, changing a lot of things for her.
“I know, right!?” Sally whirled towards the wardrobe and looked guilty. “I’m sorry
about the clothes. I washed them because they no longer had fresh scents, even though
they were still clean.”
“You should have woken me up to go wash together. I would have helped.”
Sally looked absolutely horrified at such a prospect. “No way. Never.”
Before Danika could say anything else, Sally was grinning and talking again. “I
want to go into the village and get some things the room is missing. I’ll be back
soon!”
“Oh, Sally. You might get in big trouble staying here with me. I love that you’re
here in my room, but I don’t want you to get in trouble for leaving the palace slave’s
quarters to stay with me.”
“No one cares in the palace quarters, so no one will tell on me.” Sally lowered her
voice in a staged whisper. “I think Madam Baski knew I was here, and she didn’t
mind. She didn’t tell on me.”
“Really?” Danika whispered too.
Sally nodded her head enthusiastically, grinning from ear to ear. “I’ve got to go
into the village, but I’ll be back reeeeeal soon!”
Danika nodded. “Alright.”
Sally stopped at the door and turned with a huge grin. “The day is looking so
bright, my princess!”
Danika’s lips stretched into a big smile of its own. “The only person brightening
up the day is you, Sally.”