Chapter 3
1619 Words
The fire had burned down during the night and now the prince’s bedchamber was cold. The prince got out of his bed, the noise waking the girl. She shivered on the floor as she opened her eyes. Realizing he was awake and looking at her, the girl snapped to her feet.
She heard the prince walk a few paces away and opened a small door that was within this room. He did not bother to close the door before peeing into the chamber pot. The palace had built in chamber pots with seats, the girl knew that much about this place. Listening to the sound of him pee made her realize her own need to relieve her bladder but she tried her best to hold it.
The prince walked back and put on his trousers from last night as well as his shirt. Once he got his boots on, he stepped towards the girl. Like an obedient slave her eyes were turned downwards. He stood close to her for a moment and his musky scent filled her nose.
He leaned down and lifted the bed to free her chain. He grabbed it and tugged at her to follow him. The headed towards the door.
Rafael’s two servants ushered behind the girl once again as they made their way down several hallways. They would occasionally pass a few guards of servants all of whom would stare at the girl. Stopping outside a door a servant tried to greet the prince but he was ignored. The prince pushed right past him and entered through the door leaving the servant stuttering while following us in.
In a flustered manner, the servant wiggled past the prince just in time to announce his arrival to the lady sitting in the large living area of the chambered they were in.
“His royal highness, Prince Rafael, is here, Your Highness,” stammered the servant who was looking nervously at the lady seated.
“Yes, well, I can see that,” said the lady to her servant.
“Brother Dearest! To what do I owe the pleasure?” she said getting up on her feet.
She brushed some crumbs off of her dress and made her way over to him. The lady, his sister, looked at the chain he was holding and ever so slightly peeked around him, catching a glimpse of the girl.
“She needs a dress,” Rafael stated in a gruff voice.
“Oh, but she has a dress,” replied his sister in a teasing manner.
“She needs a better dress, Tenille,” he said a little louder.
“Alright, well let me see her. You there, let me see you,” the princess Tenille asked trying to get the girl’s attention.
“Ahem, uh, slave girl, step around here,” ordered Tenille again.
The girl realized that the princess was talking to her and took two steps to the side so she was no longer behind the prince. She kept her eyes down, however.
“What’s her name, Rafe?” Tenille asked her brother.
Rafael looked to the girl but he didn’t know her name. Tenille realized the same. With an eyeroll she asked the girl her name.
“Slave Girl, what is your name?”
“Kiera, Your Highness” said the girl without looking up.
“Ah, well. That’s pretty,” Tenille said aloud.
The prince’s stare hadn’t moved from Kiera. The sound of her voice was like a song. He kept staring until Tenille cleared her throat in an attempt to get Rafael’s attention.
“Here, I will be back for her later,” said Rafael handing his sister the end of Keira’s chain.
Tenille surveyed the heavy chain in her hand in confusion.
“Wha—Is she dangerous or something?” Tenille asked in a concerned tone.
The prince and his two servants left without another word. The princess called for one of her servants. One of her ladies arrived quickly and she handed her the chain leash while brushing her hands clean.
“Anna, this is Kiera. My brother requires me to find her a new dress. Let’s not disappoint him,” spoke Tenille.
“Yes, Your Highness,” said Anna.
“From the looks of her, she will need to wash,” said the princess looking Kiera up and down.
“What of the chains, Your Highness?” asked Anna.
“I guess they will remain on for I do not have the key,” said Tenille.
“Yes, Your Highness, I will get started right away. Come with me, Kiera,” said Anna.
The princess sat back on her lounge and picked up the pastry she was eating before she had been interrupted.
Anna led Kiera down the hall and into a small room with a tub and water basin. Like the rest of the palace, this room was entirely made of pretty stone, marble and granite.
To one side there was a cupboard and Kiera could see that it held bottles of oils and herbs. This was a small bath house within Tenille’s chambers. Anna shut the door behind them and then let the chain drop. She took a look at Kiera to see what her plan of action would be.
“You don’t have to keep looking down, now,” said Anna to Kiera.
Kiera looked up. Her neck was getting stiff with always having to be bent down over the last few days since being taken to the palace. Anna’s eye got a little bigger when she saw Kiera’s face. The bruising and swelling had gone down quite considerably but she still looked like she had been through quite the fight.
“I wasn’t prepared for a bath but I do have the basin full of clean water. I will have to cut your sleeves so I can remove your dress since your hands are bound.”
Kiera nodded in response as Anna grabbed a small pair of shears and began ripping at the fabric. The dress was so tattered and dirty there was no use trying to save it anyway. The dress fell to the floor and along with it her under dress. Kiera stood naked.
“I will help you wash your hair, let me grab some oils,” said Anna.
“Would you mind if I used the chamber pot first, Ma’am?” asked Kiera.
“It’s not Ma’am, its Anna, and the pot is right over there,” replied Anna as she turned to the cupboard.
Kiera met Anna back at the water basin. It was basically a small tub. Kiera got on her knees and flipped her head forward into the water and Anna began washing her hair.
Once Kiera was all clean and her hair had been brushed free of tangles, Anna rubbed ointment on Kiera’s cuts and bruises.
“His Highness was not too easy with you,” she mumbled to Kiera.
“Oh, this wasn’t from him. This happened before last night,”
“So, the prince didn’t do this to you?” asked Anna.
“No, he hasn’t touched me.”
“At all?” Anna asked with a certain tone to her voice.
Kiera stared at her back in the eyes. She knew what Anna was hinting at. She wondered if the prince had touched her or taken her to bed or any other s****l things one could imagine. Kiera already made it clear that the prince hadn’t laid a hand on her.
“Apologies, I was just curious about His Highness. Let’s find you a dress,” said Anna and they went to another room that contained many wardrobes and chest of drawers.
“It will have to be something without sleeves so that it will go on with those chains,” Anna said.
She opened some doors and began rummaging through the closets. Anna almost disappeared in some as she was hunting for the perfect dress. Kiera looked around but made sure not to touch anything. Finally, Anna reappeared with two different dresses. Both were strapless. She held them up for Kiera to see.
“Emerald or Red?” she asked out of breath from digging.
“Red,” said Tenille standing at the entrance of the room.
She startled both girls and they immediately evaded their eyes. Tenille strolled in around Kiera and went to a set of drawers.
“Red is more his color,” Tenille voiced in a sultry tone.
Kiera stared up at Anna wondering why the princess said it that way but Tenille caught their exchange.
“It’s the color of blood,” she said to the both of them
This had Kiera worried about what kind of monster the prince actually was. He was feared by many, Kiera knew that much, but the prince also hadn’t done anything to harm Kiera, yet.
Anna helped Kiera into the silky strapless red dress. It hugged her chest and waist but flowed straight down to her feet. There was a silk sash that Anna tied once in the front letting it hang down in the middle. Next, Anna slid on a pair of gold sandals and laced them around her ankles. At least Kiera would not have to walk around barefoot any longer.
“Here, she can have these,” Tenille handed a pair of earrings to her servant.
- Writer
