Chapter 4 Accused and Alone

Aria’s POV

I lay exhausted on my bed, my body aching from a long day of cleaning the Queen's ginormous chamber. I had just drifted off to sleep when two palace guards burst into my room. I jolted upright, my heart racing, as they grabbed me by the arms and dragged me out of the bed.

"What's going on?" I demanded, struggling against their grip. "What have I done?"

"Silence, slave," one of the guards growled, his voice like a snarl. "You're coming with us."

I kicked and squirmed, but they were too strong. They hauled me out of my room and down the corridor, their grip like a vice. I couldn't believe this was happening. What had I done to deserve such treatment?

"Where are you taking me?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

"You'll find out soon enough," the other guard sneered, his eyes glinting with malice.

I shuddered at the sinister tone in his voice. What did they have planned for me? And why were they treating me like a criminal?

Before I could ask any more questions, the guards tossed me into a lavish parlor, the walls adorned with intricate tapestries and the air thick with the scent of perfume.

The Queen and a gathering of high-ranked female wolves sat on plush couches, their eyes fixed on me like predators.

The Queen's voice cut through the silence, her tone icy.

"So, you're the one who attended to my chamber this morning?"

I nodded, trying to keep my voice steady. "Y-yes, Your Majesty. I was assigned to clean your chambers today."

The Queen's gaze narrowed.

"I see. And did you find anything... interesting while you were there?"

I hesitated, unsure where this was leading. "N-no, Your Majesty. Just the usual dust and dirt."

The Queen's eyes seemed to bore into my soul, searching for any sign of deception. Then, her voice turned cold and sharp.

"I can't find my Starlight Diamond necklace. It was in my chamber this morning, and now it's gone."

My heart skipped a beat. I knew I hadn't taken it, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being accused of theft.

"I-I don't know anything about the necklace, Your Majesty," I stammered.

"I swear, I only cleaned the chamber and left."

The Queen's expression turned skeptical. "We'll see about that," she said, her voice dripping with menace.

"Guards, go search her room. I want every inch of it turned upside down. If that necklace is there, I want to know about it."

The guards nodded and exited the parlor, leaving me alone with the Queen and her entourage. I felt a sense of dread wash over me as I realized my space was about to be invaded.

"Your Majesty, please," I protested, my voice trembling with desperation.

"I swear on my life that I didn't take the necklace! What would a lowly servant like me do with a valuable treasure like that?

I wanted to cry out in frustration, but my tears were stuck in my throat, frozen by the weight of the Queen's suspicion."

The Queen's gaze was unyielding. "I'll be the judge of that, slave. And if we find that necklace in your possession... let's just say you won't be cleaning chambers anymore. You'll be lucky to be cleaning the floors of the dungeon."

I felt a shiver run down my spine as the Queen's words hung in the air, threatening and ominous.

"We found this in her room, Your Majesty," one of the guards announced, holding up a sparkling diamond necklace that seemed to shimmer in the light. I turned, my eyes widening in shock and horror as I saw the Starlight Diamond necklace dangling from the guard's fingers.

My mind raced as I tried to comprehend how it ended up in my room, but I knew I had never seen it before, let alone touched it.

"No! Where did you find it?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady, but it came out shaking with fear and desperation. "I didn't put it there, I swear! Someone must have planted it!"

The Queen's expression turned from skeptical to outraged. "Enough of your lies!" she spat, her voice venomous. "You've been caught red-handed. You're a thief, and you'll pay for your crimes."

I shook my head, tears streaming down my face. "No, Your Majesty, please listen—"

The Queen's hand shot up, silencing me. "I've heard enough of your excuses. You'll face the consequences of your actions. Take her away!"

The guards closed in, their grip like a vice.

"NO! Please, Your Majesty, listen to me! I'm innocent, I swear!" I cried, my voice echoing through the parlor as the guards dragged me away.

My pleas fell on deaf ears, and I was pulled out into the dark corridor, the Queen's words still ringing in my mind: "You're a thief, and you'll pay for your crimes."

As I was dragged out, Sophia stepped forward, a wicked smile spreading across her face like a triumphant mask. "You're not only a whore, but a thief too," she sneered, her voice dripping with malice.

She shook her head in pity, her eyes gleaming with a false concern. "You're so desperate for attention my dear and stealing the Queen's necklace was a foolish move, even for a filthy slave like you."

I struggled against the guards' grip, my face burning with anger and shame. I was positive Sophia had set me up, but the weight of the Queen's accusation and the guards' firm hold left me feeling defeated.

I remained silent, my eyes fixed on Sophia's triumphant face, my mind racing with thoughts of how she had orchestrated my downfall.

The guards dragged me away, my dignity and reputation torn to shreds, as Sophia's mocking gaze followed me like a shadow.

But just as all hope seemed to be lost, a voice I knew rang out, stopping the guards in their tracks. "Where are you taking her?" Henry demanded, his voice firm and authoritative.

The guards halted, looking uncertainly at each other. "The Queen's orders, Your Highness," one of them muttered. "She's accused of theft."

I searched Henry's face, desperate for a glimmer of hope, but his eyes narrowed, his expression unreadable, like a mask hiding his true thoughts.

He looked at me with a blank stare, his gaze piercing but unyielding, as if I was a stranger he'd never met before. The silence between us was deafening, heavy with unspoken words.

I felt like I was drowning in his indifference, my heart sinking with every passing moment.

Then, without a word, he turned and walked away, leaving me alone in the hands of the guards, feeling like a forgotten soul.

I felt a surge of anger and hurt, realizing that he had never truly cared for me. He had only wanted my body, and I thanked my stars that I had never surrendered to him. His actions were a blessing in disguise, a wake-up call to the truth.

I was thrown into a dark cell, the heavy iron door clanging shut behind me. The sound echoed through the small, damp space, and I was enveloped in darkness.

I stumbled forward, my hands outstretched in front of me, trying to feel my way through the blackness. The air was musty and dank, filled with the stench of mold and decay. I tripped over a loose stone and fell hard onto the cold, unforgiving ground.

As I struggled to my feet, I heard the sound of footsteps echoing outside my cell, growing fainter with each passing moment.

The guards were leaving me to rot in this hole, abandoning me to the mercy of the darkness. I was alone, with nothing but my thoughts to keep me company, and they were far from comforting.

The darkness seemed to press in around me, a physical force that threatened to suffocate me, making it hard to breathe.

I knew that all hopes were lost once you ended up in this cell. Maybe I should just accept my fate, suffer in silence, and wait for the inevitable. No food, just water, to prolong my agony.

The thought of my fate sent a shiver down my spine, and I didn't know where to find the courage to face the inevitable. I was really scared, my heart racing with fear.

But then, I remembered the words of my late foster parents, who had always told me that my life would turn out to be magical and that I was strong and capable of overcoming any obstacle. Their voices echoed in my mind, reminding me of the resilience and determination that lay within me.

But I couldn't gather any of those, no matter how hard I tried. The darkness seemed to suffocate me, crushing my spirit and leaving me feeling helpless.

As I slumped against the cold stone wall, I thought I heard a faint whisper in the darkness. "Aria, don't give up."

The voice was soft and raspy, but it sent a shiver down my spine. I strained my ears to listen, but the silence was deafening once again.

Was I hallucinating, or was someone there with me? I pushed myself up from the wall, my heart racing with a glimmer of hope. "Who's there?" I called out, my voice barely above a whisper.

The darkness seemed to swallow my words, but I waited with bated breath for a response. And then, just as I thought I was alone again, I heard the whisper once more. "Aria, hold on. Help is coming." My heart skipped a beat. Was this a trick, or was someone coming to rescue me?

I waited with bated breath, my eyes fixed on the small crack in the door, hoping against hope that I would see a glimmer of light, a sign that I wasn't alone in this darkness.

But for now, I was trapped, left to wonder if I would ever escape this darkness...