Alora’s POV
I huddled at the far end of the cold cage where I am imprisoned. My entire body aching massively. The slave collar on my neck feels a little too heavy today and wounds that were inflicted on stung as though my body had been bitten terribly by a group of dangerous ants.
I bit down hard on my lips to reel in the pain and suppress the heat that burned up my insides as the images of my mother in that pool of blood and my father being killed flashed through my head.
It has been a week since my family was massacred in cold blood and I still can’t get over the trauma that ca with it.
Taking deep breaths, I tried to find my footing but failed miserably as I crashed down to the cold, hard surface.
After Ryan rejected that day, he had brought to the palace to serve as one of the lowest ranking slaves and everyone here bullied , especially Keira, his sister. I wish I had just died along with my parents instead rather than being alive to go through this constant pain and bitter torture.
I can’t rember the last ti I had a proper bath or a good al. My hair was dirty, ssy and unkempt and my clothes could pass for rags at this point.
"Alora..." Soone called out to from the cage. I recognized the familiar voice of Martha, my cellmate and a fellow slave who was also locked up in the cage with .
She reached out to and tried to push up but I wouldn’t budge. I was too exhausted, frail and weak. I was starving and Ryan had ordered them not to serve food. I only eat dry bread every day at the quarry or crumbs when he’s generous to let have sothing decent.
"Get up Alora!" She cried out desperately, careful not to touch my bruises and open them up for the second ti.
"Keep your voices down!" A guard yelled from outside the cage. He whipped the bars continuously to silence our voices.
"She’s sick!" Martha croaked out "She’s burning up. She needs to see a physician. If you don’t help her, she will die!"
"And do you think that I’ll be bothered in any way if she lives or dies?" Ca the guard’s snide remark "Slaves die in here every single day so it doesn’t matter if she does. She’s just as worthless as the rest of them."
"So shut up your hell-hole otherwise you’d be clearing up the mines alongside the other slaves assigned for the night. Do you understand?" He grunted in anger and I heard his receding footsteps until they were gone.
"Martha... I don’t feel too good! I hurt everywhere!" I whispered wearily while she pulled closer to herself to offer comfort.
She pushed out my damp and sticky hair that had glued to the side of my face and tucked them behind my ears. I felt the sweat break out of my skin as my entire body trembled and shook under her arms.
"Nothing will happen to you Alora." She breathed into my neck soothingly "You’ll be fine. The goddess will not let anything happen to you my dear." She sobbed sympathetically. Martha was the closest thing I had to a mother ever since I was brought in here by Ryan who accused of sleeping with a guard and trying to elope with him.
The guard had tried to force himself on and when caught, he lied that I had tried to seduce him. I know that Ryan could tell that he was lying but he still chose to believe him so that he could use that as an excuse to punish .
Tomorrow was supposed to be my eighteenth birthday but I don’t think I’ll make it out of here by then.
"Everything will be fine my dear." She tried to reassure amidst sobs but I knew that nothing would ever be fine. My life had taken a drastic turn for the worse.
Ever since I was brought here, I have been bullied and harassed on multiple counts by the male guards that supervised the slaves and each ti I tried to protest or show any form of resistance, they punished as a way of teaching a lesson.
Earlier today, one of them had tried to force himself on again and because I had hit him, the chief guard took it upon himself to whip till my back beca numb and that’s why I had ended up falling sick to the point of dying.
"I am f-fine Martha." I smiled weakly "I am just tired, that’s all."
"You are just too young, Alora." She cried pitifully, "No one should ever have to go through this." She was right but my fate had already been decided since the day I was born. I will live and also die here. There was no hope for a common slave like now.
"Alpha King Ryan is approaching the dungeon. Pay your respect!" I heard the sudden announcent made by one of the guards and I panicked.
He’s here. Oh no!
I trembled in fear as I suddenly beca restless. Why did he chose to co here today of all days? I heard the clattering of keys and before I could assimilate what was happening, he was already in my cage. His huge frad body occupied the space and I suddenly felt small and insignificant in his presence. I could feel his peering gaze on my skin even though I wasn’t staring directly at him.
"Alora..." He drawled in his deep voice that startled and I suddenly went numb in the knees but still I forced myself to kneel down in front of him, my head bowed to the ground.
Martha did the sa as well. Who would’ve thought that I would one day bow down in this manner to the man I once loved. To the man that I had once intended to marry? To my own betrothed?
"Welco, My L-Lord!" I greeted him in the usual manner that he had forced to.
He crouched down beside and lifted my chin to et his scary and solemn face. I squird when my eyes ca in contact with his dark and scary ones.
He was fuming in anger and I could see the rage registered in them. Gone are the days when these eyes looked at with love and admiration. Now all I could see reflecting in them were nothing but pure hatred.
"I hope that you have learned from your mistakes?" He questioned but I didn’t reply. Angered by my silence, he slapped across the face till I tasted blood which caused to yelp in pain.
"When I ask you a question Alora, you answer imdiately." His grip on my chin tightened and I struggled to breath through my mouth "I do not tolerate it when I am put in an unnecessary suspense."
"F-Forgive, My Lord!" I whimpered, my hands flew to carress my bruised cheeks that had just been assaulted by his hands. Tears trailed down my bruised cheeks as I struggled to maintain eye contact with Ryan’s compelling ones.
"Now, I’ll ask again. Have you learned from your mistakes?" He repeated for the second ti, eyes burning with fury as they bore holes into my skin.
"Y-Yes M-Master." I choked out a reply. My insides, hurting massively from all the pain.
"Good. Next ti when you try to whore around, keep it in mind that I own you Alora." He tightened his grip on my chin and I almost felt him breaking my jawbone. I grimaced but he still didn’t stop. Instead, he only applied more pressure.
"You’re the paynt for what your father did to my parents so don’t you ever forget that." He pushed my chin away forcefully and I crashed to the ground, gasping for air.
"I’m releasing you today because I’m feeling generous but anything out of line will attract dire consequences Alora and you should know by now that I do not bluff. Your dead parents should be enough proof to support this claim." He threatened before gesturing to the guard to unlock the chains that binded my hands and legs except the ones on my neck.
I cannot believe that he would say sothing like this about my own parents who practically raised him and welcod him into their ho as their very own.
He took one look at before exiting the dungeon and I stared at his back until he was out of sight. I was led outside by a guard only to see the head maid waiting for with my maid uniform in her hands which she presented to as soon as she saw .
"Clean yourself up and wear this." She ordered. I quietly took it from her hands without uttering a single word.
"et in the kitchen when you’re done. The Alpha King is making preparations for his banquet which is tomorrow evening and everyone is working busily so don’t think you’ve been left off the hook."
I sighed deeply. "But I’m hungry and bruised. I haven’t had anything to eat for two days and my wounds aren’t even healed yet. You don’t expect to—"
She chucked. "And so what? You think that you’ll be given any kind of special treatnt because you haven’t eaten?" She questioned.
"You seem to be forgetting that you are no longer the Alpha King’s woman. You are just a maid, a slave like the rest of us and I don’t care if you’re limping or will die tonight. It is none of my business so go ahead and change." She spat fiercely before walking away.
I glared at her with hurt. My eyes burning with the flas of anger but worried about getting whipped again, I wiped my tears with my palm and headed towards the kitchen.
Right then and there, I vowed to myself that if I should ever survive this one day then I would beco the greatest nightmare to the whole Royal family. They are going to pay for everything that they have put through.
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