Chapter 20

“Out,” Princess Cerena ordered the servants that were busy getting the bath ready.
“You don’t order us, slave,” the oldest of the servants stated.
“I am the princess’s servant,” Princess Cerena said, looking at Iris to back her up.
“It is fine, thank you, ladies,” Iris said.
The servants bowed a knee along with their heads before leaving.
“Put more wood under the tub, I need a hot bath as soon as possible,” Princess Cerena ordered.
“Excuse me?” Iris asked, shocked.
“You heard me. You know you are the real servant so get on with it already,” Princess Cerena ordered.
Iris just looked at her, stubbornly refusing to be a servant, “right now I am the princess, and you are the servant; actually, you are a slave.”
“You selfish, ungrateful bitch!” Princess Cerena shouted.
“Selfish? I have been stuck in your body, taking your punishments!” Iris sneered.
“Would your family still be alive if it wasn’t for me?” Princess Cerena questioned.
Iris did not know how to answer so she stomped over to the bathtub and got it ready for Princess Cerena.
“Ask the guards to send for some food, I will not eat with the servants or slaves,” Princess Cerena ordered.
Stubbornly Iris walked over to the door and opened it, “have my food sent up to my room and I want extra food for my servant.”
Iris closed the door and leaned against it for a moment, looking over to where Princess Cerena was soaking in the bath, in her former body.
“The hell with it,” Iris said as she pushed herself off the door and walked over to the bathtub. On her way to the bathtub, she took over her dress and got into the bathtub with the princess.
“What do you think you are doing?” Princess Cerena scooted into a sitting position.
“I am taking a bath,” Iris said and took the bath sponge from the princess.
The princess's mouth dropped at Iris’s actions, “when we swop back again, I will remember how poorly you treated me.”
Iris smiled, “until then, I am the princess, and you are my slave.”
“Actually, I am prince Remington’s slave,” the princess said and got out of the bathtub.
After the princess dried her body, she walked over to the wardrobe to look for a nightdress.
“What are you doing?” Iris questioned.
“Looking for something comfortable to sleep in,” the princess said, pulling a nightdress from the wardrobe.
Iris was still soaking in the bathtub when a knock came from the door.
“That must be food,” the princess said, walking over to the door.
“Your majesty?” the princess bowed her head when she opened the door and found King Evander at the door.
Iris sat up straight in the bath and slapped her hands over her breast.
“Why are you wearing Princess Cerena’s nightgown?” King Evander walked into the room.
“She told me to, she hates dirt, and my makeshift dress was way too dirty for her presence,” the princess said, her head and knees still bent.
“Why is your hair wet?” King Evander touched her wet hair.
“I obviously had to wash up before washing her,” the princess said with a hint of sarcasm that earned her a slap from King Evander.
“Ah!” the princess cried out, grabbing her cheek.
“King Evander!” Iris shouted.
“This is my kingdom now and here slaves and servants should know their place,” King Evander said, “and the same goes for princesses.”
“Is there anything I can help you with?” Iris spatted.
“I just came to inform you that we are getting married tomorrow,” King Evander stated, and turned on his heel to walk out.
“What about princess Aisley?” Iris questioned.
“Prince Remington gave her one look and fell in love,” King Evander said and shot a distasteful look at the slave girl and made her eyes drop to the ground.
‘Thank goodness,’ the princess thought, relieved.
As the king walked out of the room two servants walked in with two trays of food.
“You are feeding the slave like a queen?” King Evander questioned, stopping the servants in their tracks.
“I requested it,” Iris said quickly.
“She can go and eat with the rest of the slaves,” King Evander demanded.
“Of course,” Iris said quickly, “since there is enough food for two why don’t you join me then?” Iris asked, thinking it was a good time to start gaining his trust.
“Leave us,” King Evander demanded everyone out of the room.
“That includes you,” King Evander said, grabbing the slave by her arm and shoving her out of the room.
The princes were not too happy about it and shot Iris a look that said, ‘you will pay for this.’
Iris ignored the princess's look and stepped out of the bathtub and wrapped a cloth around her.
“Prince Remington will leave in two days’ time with princess Aisley,” King Evander said, sitting at the small table at the window where their servants put the trays of food down.
“And his slave, my former servant?” Iris questioned, not sure how she felt. On the one hand, she wanted her body nearby but on the other, she hated how demanding the princess was.
“We have not yet discussed the matter. If you want to keep her, I will pay for her but I rather her not stay, you have must have spoilt her too much in the past,” King Evander said, watching her put on a dress.
King Evander stood up again and walked over to where Iris was struggling to fasten the dress.
His hands brushed over hers as he took over from her and helped her with her dress.
“She is like a sister to me, we grew up together,” Iris lied.
“I see,” King Evander said, taking his seat again.
“She is really beautiful, I dare say even more so than you and my guards might enjoy her so keeping her around will have some purpose,” King Evander said before stuffing his mouth with food.
“No guard will touch her,” Iris said flatly.
“I will have all the guards have their way with her if I please,” King Evander said.
“And you?” Iris wondered.
“You know I don’t do slaves,” King Evander responded.
“If she was not a slave?” Iris asked, trying to fish out if the King really meant it when he said that her former body and face were better looking than the princess.
“If you did not exist, yes,” King Evander said before gulping down his goblet of wine.
“What about your sister? It appears that she had hopes of becoming your queen,” Iris questioned, thinking it will be a good idea to get rid of Princess Marchelle if she should stand a chance of gaining the King’s full devotion.
“I am yet to find her a husband,” King Evander stated, looking at the princess with his wine still in his hand.
“What happened to your parents?” Iris asked, trying to get the king to open up to her and be vulnerable with her.
“Everyone knows the story; Marchelle’s father killed mine so that he could make my mother his second wife and instead of letting me become a slave he took me as his own,” King Evander told her the story.
“I mean, what happened to Marchelle’s father, the former king and your mother, well and her mother?” Iris asked, taking a small bite of food.
“Marchelle’s mother killed the king and my mother before taking her own life,” King Evander said even though he was not so sure if that was what happened.
“I am sorry to hear that,” Iris said, reaching out and touching his hand. Iris genuinely felt sorry that he had to lose his parents in such a way, thinking, ‘guess that is why he killed to princess’s parents so cold-heartedly.’
King Evander felt strange for her to touch him in such a kind and loving way and didn’t expect how it will make him feel when she finally does show some sort of affection towards him, so he pulled his hand away.
“Get some rest; the dressmaker will come by tomorrow morning early to get you ready for the wedding,” King Evander said, standing up and walking towards the bedroom door.
“Good night then,” Iris said after him.
King Evander mumbled something and left.
Moments later two servant girls went into the princess room to remove the food trays.
“Do you need help getting into your nightgown?” one of them asked.
“No need, I am here to help her,” the princess said, walking into the room.
“Yes, you may help me before you leave, thank you,” Iris said, knowing that the princess will not help her, and she needs someone to untie the dress.
The servants placed the food trays back onto the table by the window and helped Iris out of her dress and into a nightgown.
The servants bowed a knee with their heads before picking up the trays and leaving the room.
The princess slapped Iris through her face, “don’t you ever dare send me to eat with the slaves again!”
“If you touch me again, I will send you away,” Iris glared at her.
“Oh, please, and have anything happened to your precious body?” the princess stared at her, getting into bed.
“You cannot sleep in my bed. If you get caught the King will get the wrong idea and might just kill you, never mind send you away,” Iris said.
“You will come up with something to tell him,” the princess said before turning on her side.
Iris just shook her head and got into bed next to the princess.