My mouth fell open as my heart flew into my throat.
"W- what?" I cried out, already feeling light headed while my ears began to ring.
Henry's grin widened and he stepped closer to me, making me unconsciously lean away. He grabbed my shirt and wrenched me forward, knocking the breath out of me. My eyes briefly darted to the table, noting again that no one was interfering, they could hear what was happening but were clearly uninterested.
Are they not seniors?
"You were such a badass back there when you talked back to me, right? Now, don't question me and fucking do what I say." He growled, voice filled with a dark warning before he let go of my shirt.
"But Iris assigned me to only serve his meal." I mumbled weakly, feeling the intense urge to crumble on the ground and just stay there forever.
Henry laughed for a bit before focusing on me again. "Well, Iris isn't here, is she?? Since she isn't, we the seniors call the shots. You should have thought of that before you mouthed off to me out there. You were trying to impress my girls, weren't you?" His eyes raked over me as he paused for a bit then let out a mocking scoff.
"But you shouldn't have tried anyway. You're as short as a midget, no girl would look at you twice, you fucking fool. Now, run along now." Once he was done, he began to turn away.
"I'm sorry, okay?" I forced the words past my lips. I didn't want to apologise but now that he was clearly hell bent on making life hell for me when I've barely settled in, it was clear that apologizing to him is the best thing I could do, especially if that would get him to forgive me.
However, he laughed in my face. "I knew you'd do that next. You stupid lots are the same. After acting out and you can't take out what's dished out to you, you'd proceed to dish out a half assed apology." He drawled before folding his arms and leaning against the table.
"But my decision is final, so get lost before you piss me off even more. Once you get to the end of the next hall, cleaning supplies are there. Take all you'd need then ask anyone to point you in the direction of the prince's room. Good luck returning unscathed."
Returning unscathed?? What does that mean?
"And don't think of running off to complain to Iris, that bitch doesn't care so she'd ignore you. However, it would piss me off even more, so use your brains on moving forward."
After that, I was unceremoniously shoved out of the office before the door got slammed in my face.
I pounded on the door while apologizing over and over again, pleading for them to open it, but I didn't get a response
I was beyond desperate right now. The thought of serving the prince his meal alone had been terrifying enough, but I had hoped and assumed that I wouldn't have to do that alone, because as a royal myself, whenever I get served a meal, one maid wasn't enough to bring everything in. And also because his dining room sounded way safer than getting into his bedroom.
The thought of entering his bedroom to clean sounded like a death sentence. I didn't even know what to expect. He didn't kill me when in his beast form, but there was no gurantee he wouldn't snap my throat when I'm cleaning his bedroom simply because he was bored.
A hand suddenly landed on my shoulder, making me stiffen at once before I whirled around to see two people standing a few feet away- a boy and a girl.
"That was pointless so we wanted to ask you to not waste your time anymore and just do whatever any of the seniors asked you to." The girl spoke, sounding sympathetic and I had to swallow down the urge to burst into tears from how frustrated I felt.
"How did you know—"
I began but the boy gently cut in. "Because we've witnessed this happening countless times, heck we've also experienced it. Just know that the seniors never change their minds after making a decision so just… it's best to do the job assigned to you fast, for your own good."
I nodded, feeling numb and light headed as I moved away from the door and began to walk beside the two people who were going in the direction of where cleaning supplies were at.
If the job I wasn't assigned to wasn't so scary, I wouldn't be feeling like I was about to pass out right now.
"I'm Theo, and this is Belle." The boy introduced, offering me a small smile and I tried to smile back but couldn't.
"Lilac." I supplied quietly just as we arrived at the room of supplies.
"Where are you assigned to?" Belle asked just as I began to get some cleaning supplies.
"To clean the prince's room." I responded bitterly and they both froze up before appearing extremely scared. That made my anxiety skyrocket and I almost burst into tears at once.
"Oh." Theo commented and I nodded numbly before asking.
"H- have any of you done that before? Or do you know anyone who has? How was it?"
Theo and Belle exchanged looks before shaking their heads at once.
"Only experienced slaves are assigned there cause it's a dangerous territory, and despite the slaves being experienced, it's still risky since the prince is cursed and very…" Theo trailed off.
"Very psychotic." Belle supplied and I stiffened as Theo shot her a look while she shrugged. "What? It's true, everyone says he is. They say he's mad and a psychopath."
"A psychopath? How?"
"Well… we don't…" Belle began but Theo nudged her hard.
"They're just rumors, Lilac. We aren't sure, but we just know that he's dangerous and very scary. Even high ranked officials in this kingdom are scared of him." He revealed and I exhaled shakily before nodding.
"What does he look like?" I asked and they both shrugged.
"Um… we don't know. We haven't seen him before, not a lot of people have." Theo responded and I nodded again.
"But- I heard that even in his human form, he doesn't look fully human. He's like half human and half monster and that's why everyone…" Belle was still speaking when Theo nudged her again.
"I swear, you'll get in trouble one day for saying things you aren't certain of!" Theo admonished while glancing around but Belle shrugged.
"What? But I'm sure it's true! Everyone says so." She reasoned but Theo shook his head like he couldn't believe her before they both focused on me, wearing matching pitying expressions.
That instantly made my skin prickle and I pushed my hair out of my face and whirled around to grab brooms, brushes, a mop, some soaps and a big object to carry them all in. When I turned back to face them, I forced a confident look on even though I was literally crying and throwing up on the inside.
"Um, I guess I'll see you guys later?" I asked with forced cheerfulness. If they could see through my act, they thankfully didn't point it out and instead nodded while smiling at me in return.
"Yes, of course. We'll be underneath the oak tree in the compound with the rest of our friends."
I nodded and slipped past them, and after taking two steps, I stopped and turned back, asking them if they could point me in the direction of the prince's wing.
After a very vivid description— because apparently even though most of the slaves haven't been assigned to serve the prince, they all knew his wing so they could avoid it at all cost—- I thanked them then began to make my way there, with each step feeling like I was walking right into where I'd meet my end.
~~~
Lilac
I was amazed that I didn't trip over my feet so far. My heart was hammering hard against my chest and my ears were ringing loudly as I went in the direction I was pointed in, while chanting a prayer repeatedly in my head. I felt so dizzy and nauseous.
I could still feel bits of pain within me from the beating I got in the grand king's room. Even though I got healed, It still felt like I needed to rest some more, but that wasn't something I was entitled to right now. Since I was now a slave, I'd have to work from morning to night every day.
The prince's wing was quite far from the Slave quarters, and I felt breathless and tired once I finally got to his wing. At the entrance of his wing stood about five guards who looked me over before demanding what I wanted.
"I- I'm here to clean the prince's room..," I stuttered out, heart lurching into my throat when one of the guards reached out to cup my face and tilt my head up, then he leaned down to sniff at my throat, making me instantly stiffen.
"Mhhm, you smell good." He crooned as he pulled away and looked me over again.
"You look like you take cock well. Are you new here? I haven't seen you around here before." A different guard spoke and I cleared my throat, feeling awkward and uncomfortable. Are they not guards? Are they allowed to speak to the slaves like this?
"I'm new here." I muttered, eying them wearily as they hummed and nodded, their eyes tailing over me once again before they nodded.
"We can tell. However, it's protocol that we search everyone about to go into the prince's wing, so if you'd just lift your hands up, this would be easy and fast." The guard continued and I stepped back, eyes widening as I glanced between them and noted the gleam in their eyes.
"I- I don't feel comfortable, can I just go in? I don't have anything on me!" I forced the words past my tooth despised how nervous I was currently feeling. The guards sighed like they were already tired of this conversation.
"Without being searched, you can't be let in. That's our job." The first guard added this time and i took another step back, eyes darting around for a moment. There was nobody around, just me and these creepy and beefy guards who write still trailing their eyes over me.
If I chose to return back to the slave quarters, I'd be punished for not doing my job, and I didn't know what the punishment would entail, and I wasn't sure I wanted to find out.
I tentatively stepped forward after sucking in a deep breath, still eying the men wearily.
"Um, okay then." I reluctantly agreed and they all grinned, making me want to instantly snatch the words back. The first guard stepped forward and pressed on my cheeks till my mouth opened, then he shoved two fingers in till I gagged.
"There's nothing in my mouth!" I bit out through coughs after he pulled his fingers away and he nodded.
"I just wanted to make sure." He informed me and before I could respond, the second man was patting me down from chest to bottom, his touch firm and lingering. I remain stiff and uncomfortable as a different pair of hands palmed my butt and cock, till they got to my feet and finally pulled away with a matching nod.
"You're indeed not carrying anything." They announced and I scowled, wishing I could scrub my skin right now till it bleed.
"I told you that." I muttered and one of the guards stepped forward.
"Watch your mouth, slave. We're in charge here, are we clear?" He warned and I instantly stiffened before nodding, cursing myself out on the inside. The guard stepped forward and gripped my chin to jerk it up before continuing.
"You'll come to us tonight. Once it's ten. Once you arrive, we'd all have a nice and long conversation with you in private. Are we clear?" He continued and as realization dawned on me, my eyes widened and I attempted to wrench myself away but his grip was strong and he didn't let go till I agreed.
"Good. You may pass through now." The guard drawled as they all parted way for me to pass through. However, my limbs were shaking and I almost lost my footing as I walked past them, feeling bile rise in my throat while I tried to figure out why my life was just so unfortunate.
I've barely started to work as a slave and those guards out there had started making my wretched life more harder than it already is. Like I didn't suffer enough in the hands of the grand king, they wanted me to come to them tonight. I wasn't gonna go, because I wasn't stupid- but what would they do to me next as punishment for disobeying them? So far, I got the impression that even the guards had power over the slaves.
As humans here, we were on the very bottom of the hierarchy, and that also left us at the mercy of the guards.
Tears welled in my eyes as I walked down a large hallway and I roughly wiped it off while reminding myself this wasn't the time to be crying since it won't change a thing. It wasn't the time to be feeling pity for myself either.
Perhaps I deserve all of this for living my entire life in disguise. Who knows?
The halls were large but quiet, there was nothing hanging off the walls, and I felt unnerved to the core, my heartbeat starting to pick up again. I wished I had someone else with me right now, then perhaps I wouldn't feel this afraid.
I took two turns till I arrived before a large door that towered over me in a really intimidating way. I sucked in a sharp breath and exhaled it, eyes trailing over the black door, while everything in me was pulling at me to turn around and run away from this door this instant.
But I knew I couldn't. Basically, I had no choice in this situation.
I exhaled again as I placed the cleaning supplies down and knocked on the door as quietly as possible, my stomach forming multiple nervous knots while I completely stopped breathing.
Nothing happened after waiting and waiting, and I knew I should knock again but I was too afraid to. What if he was asleep and my knocks ended up disturbing him? That's like a death wish.
So what am I supposed to do?
I remained outside the door for long moments, knowing I couldn't leave here without cleaning the prince's room but also feeling too nervous to dare knocking again.
After what felt like ages, I summoned the courage to knock again, as softly as the first time, then I held my breath again, feelimg the urge to cry from frustration when nothing happened again.
I leaned my head against the door, completely at a loss of what to do next.
However, in the next moment, the door which I was leaning against suddenly gave out, and I fell right against someone.
I stiffened at once in realization, unable to make a sound as I gaped at my hands which were resting against a chest- a naked, hot chest.
With a panicked cry, I wrenched myself away fast, eyes widening in horror as I fell on my butt.