Chapter 7

“Wow,” I said and it echoed back to me. I was in the foyer of the castle. It was a long hallway and alongside the walls, gold-framed paintings of old men hung lazily. Kent and Max were in front of me, leading the way. 

“Max, I am sure you are tired.” Kent snapped his fingers and a giggling young girl ran up to him.

“Ser,” she bowed. 

“Clothes for Max.” He simply said. The girl disappeared and another appeared in her place with a set of clothes. “Turn the other way,” Kent said to me.  I did as I was told. So did the other girl.

“Max release,” Kent commanded, I slightly turned my head to see the dog, whose back I was riding a few moments ago, reassembled as a man. He was skinny, short, and looked tired. His eyes were dull, but kind. His hair was dirty red and shaggy but not in a purposeful way like Kent's. He looked quite messy. The rags Kent had ordered—loose brown pants and an even looser white blouse—didn’t help Max any. “Take her to her room. Lock her in there till we can figure something out.”

“What?” I asked. Max just bowed and grabbed me by the arm. His touch was firm but not painful. He led me up the massive O-shaped staircase picking the right side as our path. 

I looked back at Kent. What was his purpose in bringing me here? I thought I was here to help prepare Marianna. That seemed to be a lie he told us. Or was it a lie my mother told us? 

I was guided up and up as we ran into another set of long winding staircases. We didn’t stop till we hit the end of the staircase, at least 14 stories tall. When we did stop, it was in front of a tiny door. He opened the door.

I expected the room to be small, however, it was a large circular room, with several windows and a maroon canopy bed in the middle. I walked towards one of the windows to find I had a bird’s eye view of the green mountains and the river. It looked beautiful in the view of the sunsets. Pink, orange, and purple colors danced behind the forest green mountains. 

“It’s beautiful!” I voiced.

“It’s also inescapable. Get inside.” Max demanded.

“I don’t understand. Why?” I asked. I still didn’t know what my actual reason for being here was. 

“I don’t have the answer for you either. Really, you should blame your mother for keeping you so sheltered.” Max said. “Dinner will be brought up shortly by one of the girls.”

“Girls?” 

“One of Kent’s girls. I am not sure which one, but she will be your handmaid.” 

“He has girls?” I said in an almost whisper.

Max either didn’t hear me or pretended not to, because he just left me. Alone. In this very pretty, very large, room. 

It wasn’t freedom but finally, the four walls I usually stared at were different. Finally, there was a beautiful view I could stare at for days without having to do anything else. So I did. 

I grabbed a pillow from the bed and rested it on the wall of the windowsill. Thankfully the edge was large enough for me to sit with folded knees. Then I looked out, maybe for hours but it felt like minutes. The pink sky turned into a dark blue, then eventually fully black. The moon was high and bright today, causing the light waves in the river to glisten. It felt like silk and diamonds gliding around the floor. Each wave made the glint dance at a different pace.

I didn't know what time it was when I heard a knock on my door, but it did two things. First, it reminded me that I was at Blackwood Castle. Second, I remembered I wasn't here at my free will. 

“Come in,” I said, because what were my other options?

The door slowly swung open.

“Food, my lady.” a pink-faced young girl with dirty blond hair tied up in a slick ponytail, and a flowery apron on her plain white dress, said. She was carrying a tray of food. Chicken legs, a sandwich, soup, a glass of milk, and a plate of pudding—a piece of chocolate cake. 

“That’s more food than I’ve had in a week.” I shot back. 

“Sorry, my lady. You must eat it all. Alpha Kent’s command.” she determinedly said.

“And what happens if I don't?” I argued back.

“Nothing good ma’am. Nothing good,” she whispered. Her eyes were shining with fear. 

I decided that she wasn't worth arguing with. None of this was her fault. In fact, she and I were in the same boat. Under Kent’s ruling. I grabbed the tray from her hands.

“Thank you—umm what's your name?”

“Madeline. I am one of Kent’s girls and your handmaid. Please shake this anytime you need me.” Madeline handed me a blue beaded bracelet. I took it, but stared at it for a while, not because the bracelet was anything curious, my mother had handed me several different ones depending on how she wanted to keep a watch on me, but because I had a question in mind. I just wasn't sure I was allowed to ask it.

“What do you mean by one of his girls?” I slowly asked anyway.

“Every month, when the moon is full, Alpha picks one of the girls to share the night with him.” she giggled as she said this.

“That's disguising.” I cried. “He forces you to–”

“It's not forced. We fought for this honor.” Madeline shot back.

“That's because he brainwashed you.” I scoffed.

“My lady, I may be your handmaid but I am loyal to Alpha Kent and I will not hear you mock his clan. He is the best Alpha we've had, and I will not hear another bad word about him.” Madeline strongly said before stomping out, leaving me and this obscene amount of food alone.