Chapter 15

I dropped the clothes into the wardrobe and walked out of the maids quarter feeling their eyes piercing my skin. I breathed out a depressed sign walking into the lonely hallway.
I opened the door to the store room and stepped inside, closing the door behind me. I slumped on the floor resting my back on the door.
I pulled my knees to my chest, hugged it gently and rested my head on my knees, sobbing quietly.
I don't deserve this, do I?
I was only trying to help, hell! She would have fallen face flat on the ground if I hadn't helped her. Even her maids couldn't do anything to help her. Why can't she be appreciative for once?
All I did was help her, I never tried to hurt her and this is what I get? This is what I get for trying to be helpful.
I hugged my knees tighter and wept. I felt my heart quenching tight in pain, I gasped for breath squeezing my chest lightly. It felt like there was no oxygen left in my lungs. I tried to steady my breath, squeezing my chest to stop the pain.
I never imagined being in this position, where I have no control over myself, where I'm subjected to somebody's order. Why do I have to be the one suffering somebody else's sin? Whatever King Conrad did to them has nothing to do with us, with me.
Why can't they just think?!
Why can't they realize they are punishing the wrong people?
Now, trying to be helpful, generous and humble, this is what I get. This is what I get for trying not to hate them, for trying to patch things right, for trying to make them see that we're not evil as they think.
What exactly can she use to justify herself?
I was only trying to help.
I broke down into another round of tears, pouring out my pain and anger. It hurts me so much I'm being punished for trying to help. I've never felt so broken before.
I tried to control my sobs so I'll get out of here before that bastard finds me. He's using this as a good opportunity to get back at me. I know he hates us, Gwen and I. This is a perfect opportunity to work out all his plans.
I groaned lightly, feeling pains all over my body. My body hurts so much for staying up late yesterday, that stupid Griffin made sure I work my ass out. I swept and mopped a lot of rooms in the castle, even digged mines. That was a whole lot of work for just me. I also worked on the palace farms, uprooted the weeds and still went to bed hungry and worn out.
Yet, the bastard thought that was not enough. This morning he woke me to continue cleaning the palace, both the interior and exterior part of the castle. I feel so weak and tired right now.
I wiped my face with my cloth and stood up from the ground to head out before he catches me resting. I opened the door and walked into the hallway, as I turned right to the hallway leading to the stairs I sighted the bastard coming.
I was just in time.
"Oh there you are slave." He mocked with his usual devilish smirk on his stupid face. He stopped in front of me before continuing. "I'm just trying to be nice here slave, you're done with your punishment. You are free now."
I wanted to smack his face hard and yell at him that, "My punishment was supposed to end yesterday!" But that would only put me in more trouble and suffering, especially with a bastard like him.
"Let me give you a little piece of advice. Next time, do not step on the wrong person's toe." With that said he walked past me into the hallway. I breathed out a sigh of relief and walked down the stairs to find somewhere to rest or probably something to eat. But, as usual, things don't go my way.
As I was about to reach the last stair, I heard a deep voice call my name from behind. I turned around to see Killian standing at the top of the stairs looking down at me.
"What?" I asked, looking at him drily, I wasn't ready for this big frowny faced guy.
"The prince has been expecting to see you since morning. You should go see him now, he had sent me to look for you but I couldn't find you."
Oh god, I'm hungry and not in the mood for that stone cold prince. I groaned under my breath before climbing the stairs again. As I reached the guard, I suddenly turned to him without thinking. "You should learn to smile, big guy."
*
*
Eleanor knocked twice on the door of the Prince's room and awaited his command before stepping inside.
"Good afternoon master." She greeted bowing her head slightly.
"Where have you been?" He growled.
"I... I was busy."
"Busy with what?" He asked.
"I... I had work to do in the palace... I was pun-"
"You had work to do at the palace!! You don't tell me bullshit!!" He suddenly stood up and slammed his hand on the table making Eleanor flinch. "Who's your master?!! You left my room unkempt and now you're telling me you had work to do in the palace!! Come on, tell me who's your master here?!!" He lashed out angrily slamming his hand repeatedly on the desk.
"It... It.. I got pun-" she tried speaking.
"You don't talk when I'm talking!!! You-"
"And how else do I explain myself?!!" Eleanor suddenly yelled, staring angrily at the prince. "Tell me how else do I explain myself. You just yell at me like it's my fault. Like it's my fault I'm a fucking slave. Do I look stupid? Did I deliberately leave your room unkempt?!! You just stand up and think it's nice to yell because you're a fucking Prince!! Because you have some dumbass title that's making you feel like you're on top of the world. That's making you all feel like you're better than us when you're just shitty dumb ass fools who doesn't know the right thing to do!!!"
Eleanor paused, breathing hard, staring at the prince who just stared at her dumbfounded.
"Ohh, now you're staring at me like you don't know what I'm talking about." She chuckled humorlessly using her hand to wipe the single drop of tears that escaped her eyes. "You're all treating us like shit! Like we're some ally to a certain person's death! Why can't you just see that we're the innocent ones here! Why can't you all act like the royals you are and think with your fucking brains! Why can't you just see you're punishing the wrong people?!! Instead, you think it's best to make us suffer for somebody else's sin!!!"
"You think it's best to make us work our asses out?!! To make us dig mines all day to get stupid gold!! Hell!! Have you ever worked the mines?!! Do you know what it feels like to go hungry for days and yet work hard like a horse? Hell, even horses get tired?!"
"We're humans just like you!! Just like you and every other person in this damn kingdom!! But why do we have to be treated like trash." By now Eleanor was sobbing loud and hard, she never thought she would break down in front of the prince.
"I'm human, you can't expect me to work the whole palace day and night like a machine and not be tired!!! You can't expect me to be okay after being punished for just rendering help!! When would you realize it doesn't pay to be wicked and heartless?!!"
"Have you ever thought of what it feels like to be a slave? You all just act selfish like you don't know human feelings when you're human!!!"
"Do you think I love being a slave?!! Do you think I'm okay with the way my life's going?!! Do you think I'm okay living and breathing under somebody's order?!! Do you think we're all okay living under you heartless people?!! People who can wake up one morning and decide to end our lives?!!"
Eleanor stared at him with her hand on her chest, tears pouring down her face. "Do you think I like serving you?" She asked, staring at him eye to eye. Luciano stared at her, unable to utter a word.
"You heartless prince who does not understand human feelings, you selfish bastard." She spoke through gritted teeth. " I hate myself for being so vulnerable, I hate Cordenia, I hate this castle, I hate the King, I hate the Queen and I-" She paused and took a deep breath before concluding. "I hate you, I fucking hate you Prince Luciano." She used her hand to angrily wipe the tears that would not stop rolling out of her eyes, she took her eyes to her right side keeping her gaze on the floor, trying to calm her breath.
Luciano stared at her for about a minute before he finally spoke. "Killian."
The huge guard stepped into the room and bowed his head before the prince. He felt a little pity for the slave maiden, he sure heard her voice and all she said for how loud she was yelling and he knows the prince is not saying anything favourable right now.
"Lock her up in the dungeon." He ordered in a cold voice that would have previously sent shivers down her spine but not anymore.
Eleanor stared at the prince pouring her hatred into her gaze. "Yes, my prince." Killian took a bow before he turned and stretched out his hand to hold but stopped mid-air when she growled. "Don't touch me. I can walk myself." She said glaring hard at the prince who also stared back at her. She took one last glance at the prince before walking out of the room with the guard.