A Visit By The Prince

TALIA'S POV

I can't tell what day it is. The air in this dark room does not change to indicate sunrise or sunset. No one opens the heavy metal door that is locked from the other side since I don't get fed or checked.

I am so thirsty and hungry that I doubt I will survive for ten more hours. My head also hurts, probably because of dehydration and overthinking.

Somehow I feel like I wouldn't mind if I die right now. It would save me from enduring more pain. My lips are so dry that they have begun cracking. I would exchange anything for a drop of water right now. this really hurts more than the hanger.

The feeling of misery is intensified by the lack of anything in the room to distract me. I keep thinking of my family and where they may be now. Have they been sold already?

It's hard to believe that my family is now completely ruined and not because of a crime we actually committed. My heart pounds harder every time I imagine little Michael as a slave. Can he even survive the work?

There is nothing I can do about it now. The only time I will see the outside of this cell will be the hour of my death.

I may have been wishing for my death to come quickly so I can finally rest without feeling hunger or thirst. But I shiver when the metallic door clicks open.

Light bounces in and blinds my eyes which had gotten too used to being in the dark. Guess it's time for me to leave this world. I don't feel ready for the pain or the shame but who else cares?

My eyes finally adjust to the light in time to watch four men walk into the room. The beautiful Prince Evan walks in front of the other three, he makes a face as he looks around.

A prison cell is definitely not the kind of place someone of his social class should be visiting. He is too refined to be in here.

Is he still too mad over his servant's death that he wants to oversee my execution himself? I would be honoured.

I never thought I would have the chance to see him this close. Every time I saw him he was surrounded by a thick wall of his soldiers and female admirers.

He is just as attractive now, but I already know he is not as perfect on the inside when he is infuriated.

"How have you been?" His husky voice asks, sounding as if he actually feels concerned. But I think he just wants to know if their form of torture is working.

"Why would you care? You are going to execute me anyway." I reply. Girls are usually sweet to him. But why respect him when he and his family are destroying mine?

"Why not let your evil mother suffer for her crime? It's not too late to change your mind you know?" He says as if there is a chance for me to switch places with my mother again.

As long as the decision to take her place was made official by the council, there is no going back. But I bet there is nothing that is impossible for him to change. He is the powerful Prince Evan after all.

I also don't want my mother to be the one in here, thirsty, hungry and waiting to die. Hopefully, she will one day find a way to escape her slave's Master since she is such a good warrior.

"The only evil person I know is your so-called good mother! Sometimes the true devil is the one dressed in sheep's clothing." I say and his eyes literally glow with anger.

"I don't react too kindly to people that insult my mother." He warns. Guess he trusts his mother to a point of believing that she cannot do a single wrong thing.

I would be afraid of angering him, but I am going to be executed anyway. I have nothing to lose even if he hurts me.

"I only called a spade a spade," I say and he snorts.

"You are no better than your jealous mother." He matters. Then all my feelings of pain, hunger and thirst suddenly intensify to a point of becoming excruciating. a scream escapes my lips.

I must have really pissed him off for him to so mercilessly use one of his powers to cause me pain. His ability to intensify your own negative feelings actually hurts more than a thousand blows.

I start writhing when he makes them intensify even further. Then it stops just as suddenly as it had begun. I sigh in relief even though I can still feel the thirst, hunger and dull headache I had before.

"You only have one more day to live. Do you really think your mother is worth the sacrifice?" He asks and I remain silent, not wanting to receive another dose of intensified pain because he definitely won't like my answer.

It sucks to know that I will be in here for twenty-four more hours. Why can't they just kill me now and be done with it? It's not like my pain will bring back the dead servant.

"I don't think she is smart enough to change her mind, sir, you are wasting your time." One of the soldiers behind him comments.

"You're right, she is quite a knucklehead." He agrees, turns and walks out of the room. His soldiers immediately close the door again and I am once again surrounded by darkness.

Just one more day and I will rest in peace.

EVAN'S POV

Dump people are hard to help. Why did I even think she would change her mind? She is just as toxic as her mother. Her willingness to die for her evil mother honestly baffles me. One would think thirst, hunger and loneliness would make her think twice. But no, she is determined to endure it all for a person that doesn't deserve such a sacrifice.

Her mother really brainwashed her and her siblings to believe that the Queen, my mother is a bad person. The question is why did they decide to try poisoning me? To hurt my mother? I wouldn't have felt a thing even if I took the poison. I am a lot stronger than people imagine. I just don't boast about it because if people knew exactly how strong or powerful I am, they would start fearing me. And a feared King is not what I want to become.

"Here he is finally." My mother says and sighs when I walk into the dining room where everyone else is already seated and eating.

"Where have you been honey?" Since my servant died she has become overprotective, acting as if I could just walk around the palace and disappear into thin air.

"I wanted to see if the girl we locked up would agree to let her stupid mother get the punishment," I say and my mother's eyes instantly go wide.

"You did what? Didn't I ask you to stay away from that sick family?" She asks in a panicked voice.

"What can a wolf-less, hungry girl possibly do to hurt me?" I question.

"I don't know but you shouldn't have gone to see her. That family is way too evil and can say all kinds of lies." Her hands are shaking as she places the cup of tea in front of me. "what did she tell you?"

"Nothing important. She still wants to die in her mother's place." I answer and mother sighs in relief.

"Why does she care so much about whatever lies these people can tell? It's not like anyone is going to believe them.

"Even if she agrees to let her mother get the punishment, she and her siblings shouldn't be allowed to live in this Kingdom. They will always be a source of trouble." She says, finally seeming relaxed enough to eat. Father nods.

"It would have been better if Miss Abram was the one paying for her crimes. Slavery is a small punishment for such a wicked murderer." He says, appearing disappointed.

Mother looks up at him with a smile. "She will get well punished if we choose to sell her to the cruellest of all people. She will be lucky to last a few years alive." Father once again nods to his wife's advice.

I would think the decision is unfair if my servant didn't die. A man that had a wife and kids to take care of. The person responsible should never be allowed to leave her full life while her innocent victim rots in a grave. Doesn't matter if the evil family feels punished twice.