Chapter 5

Celine didn't know how many hours had passed or how many weeks had passed, but she perceived the door of the room opened and someone walked in with a lamp in his hand. She could barely see the person's face but she could tell with the dressing of the person that the person was a male. 

"Stand up," the man commanded and she stood at once. She had not been fed food ever since she was here and she was so hungry. 

"Follow me," the man said and she followed the man outside the dark room, she watched as the guard closed the room. "Alpha Feathers had ordered for your release and had asked us to serve you food. But I'll advise you not to ever attempt to run away again. Sincerely, you are lucky, if it were other people, he would forgot them there and they would starve to death." 

She was lucky indeed. She had done nothing deserving to be released. 

"I'll be careful from now henceforth," she said but as she turned to leave, a voice sounded," who let her out?" 

Celine turned and saw Barbara dressed in her noble regalia, the guard bowed his head on seeing her and said, "good afternoon, ma. Alpha Feathers ordered for her to be released and also ordered for her to be serve food."  

"Lock her back inside," Barbara declared. 

"Ma?" The guard was shocked at what Barbara said, "That would be disobeying our Alpha, ma," the guard remained respectful to Barbara. Eventhough Barbara wasn't of the Alpha's family, she could still make his life hell if she wanted to. She was the Beta's only daughter. 

"Obey my command first then I will tell you what next to do," Barbara declared. 

The guard was helpless, he took Celine back inside the dark room and lock her up then waited for further instructions from Barabara. 

"How many days has she been there?" She asked. 

"Two days, ma," the guard responded.  

"How many days can one live without food and water?" 

"Erm...without food and water! Barely four to seven days, depends on the person's stamina," the guard responded. 

Barabara brought out a sum of money and handed it over to him," keep her there for another five days, don't give her food or water. Whenever Alpha Feathers ask of her which I doubt he will, bring her out of here and threaten her not to ever tell Alpha Feathers that she was still in the dark room, understood?" 

The guard knew this was a great risk. He had worked as a loyal servant of Alpha Feathers during their days of training in the forest and he knows how much Feathers hates dishonesty and betrayal. 

"If Alpha Feathers finds out I've been lying to him, not only am I likely to die, my entire family will suffer in his hand. Please, I don't want to do this," the guard pleaded. 

"I'll double your money," Barabara said and brought out another sum of money and stretched it towards him but he was so reluctant in receiving it. She threw the money at his his feet and said," do as I have said and you will enjoy this castle, otherwise, I'll make you and your family suffer." She then walked away. 

Celins clutched her hand around her stomach in the dark room, she was so hungry and she didn't know how long this will last. She can never understand why Barbara hate her. Was it because she was a slave living in the castle with royal families? She had never done anything bad to Barbara and her mother and she does not think that her father had hurt their family in the past yet she hated her this much. 

Feathers walked over to the royal dinning table in the morning of the following day, he sat majestically on the kingly sized center chair. The Beta's famy were part of the royal family. So Irma and Barbara were sitting by the left while Beta and Feather's grandmother was seated by the right side of the table. 

Feathers father had been killed, his mother died few seconds after giving birth to him. He was raised by his grandmother who was part of those enslaved by Brett during his invasion but she had become a free woman now ever since Feathers freed his people. 

"I supervised this food and ensured that it was delicious, Alpha Feathers, I'm sure you will like it," Barbara said, trying to get his attention. 

Feathers only hummed and according to their culture, it's only when the Alpha had taken the first spoon that others seated around the table can begin to eat. 

He took the spoon and got from the vegetables before him, once he fed his mouth with it, the taste disgusts him but he didn't show it. 

"Alpha Feathers, you like it, right?" Barbara asked.

"Don't you see the satisfying expression on Alpha Feather's face, he sure likes it," Irma said making Barbara blush. 

Feathers looked at one of the guards standing a distance away from them and ordered," bring Celine here." 

Barabara coughed immediately, almost choking.

"Are you alright?" Irma asked Barbara but quickly realized that Barbara reacted that way because she was too scared as Celine was still in the dark room which was against the Alpha's order. Should Feathers know, he is likely to wipe our their entire family for disobeying him. 

"Alpha Feathers, I don't think it's right for you to invite a mere slave to eat with us ... It will make us all to loose our apetite, isn't that right, Beta Roy?" Irma asked her husband. 

Roy was innocent of the mother and daughter's doing, nevertheless, what his wife said made sense. 

"That's right, she must be dressed in some filthy clothes, she doesn't deserve to appear here at a time when we are about to eat," Beta supported his wife earning him a smile from Irma. 

"Celine was the daughter of an Alpha, so a member of a royal family, what is wrong with her appearing here? Are we not rougues before we came here to the castle to live?" Feathers asked and looked at the guard he commanded who didn't know whether to act on his command or maybe he would change his mind," bring me Celine now!" He ordered making the guard leave at once in an attempt to bring Celine over to the dinning room.