The prince left her in the room for a week. Slaves came and went, bringing food, finest dresses... time passed very quickly. Not fast enough to leave her with her thoughts. In day time, she would plan her escape and at night she cried for her mother and all that she knew. Few more days passed and she started accepting the reality of all that's happened. After all, that's what kings done. They waged war and took over lands. Even the king of Haress had slaves. He's people rebelled against him many times for taxing people more and more over the years. Even Maze's own mother used to spit and curse him.
In a way she was glad that she wasn't given into slavery. She was a very beautiful girl and she would surely ended up as a whore or even worse.
A old woman slave brought dinner and she saw the pain and sadness on the princesses face. "Your highness, if I may speak?" She bowed. This was the first time she spoke to anyone here.
"No, don't bow to me and don't call me a princess. I'm Maze." Maze got up to help the old woman up.
"You are a princess now. The law in this land is different. I'm from Haress too. Your highness, you can use this opportunity to help your people. Our king has fallen. Whole bloodline has been slaughtered. Haress is no more. We live in Tyran now and Tyran law we must follow." The old woman whispered so that the guards wouldn't hear but one of them entered the room. "What you talking about you bitch?! Get out before I cut you!" He grabbed the slave and pulled her out of the room and locked the door, leaving Maze alone again.
The slaves words played over and over. -Haress is no more. We live in Tyran now and Tyran law we must follow.-
The old woman was right. If Maze was ever going to be free, she had to play this by their rules.
Next day the prince finally visited her.
"Have you thought about what you want?" His first words put her on the spot. His eyes tired, filled with noticeable hope. Body stiff, waiting to storm out again if she turned him down again. Maze took a deep breath, closed her eyes and dropped her shoulders, breathing out. A reaction that puzzled the prince. He shifted his weight and was about to ask again but she started speaking. "Your Highness, I had lots of time to think about what we have said." She gestured at the room she nearly spent two weeks in. "I realise now that, you have shown nothing but incredible kindness towards me. A peasant girl from a inferior land that you have taken. Please, forgive me my earlier behaviour. Mourning my mother and my whole village clouded my judgment." Maze explained as best as she could. Voice trembling making her even more nervous. Her gaze was down and she was yet to see the princes reaction. She slowly looked up and faced him. She had no idea what to make out of his stone expression. He's sudden movement to live and the speed he approached her made her squill and she shut her eyes. Just as she thought he will kill her, the prince grabbed her in his arms and pressed his lips on hers. She opened her eyes wide with shock. He pulled away and stared down at her still closer than ever. Her delicate body against his. Her breasts pressing against his chest. Her heat and smell intoxicated him. For a moment they stood there, staring into one another's souls, no barriers. He started feeling the burning, rising in his stomach. The hunger he was cursed with. He softly placed a kiss on her forehead and let go of her. Maze had to steady herself and placed her hands on his arm. Her palm burning on his bare skin. She quickly pulled away and hissed with pain. "Ow! You're so hot." She looked at her palm and the little blisters started to show. "How arreee..." when she looked up, the prince was gone. She looked around the room, run into the bath chamber, even tried to check out of her confinement but the door was locked. She had no idea how he disappeared like that. How could his skin burn hers? A slave walked in with a vile in her hand. "Your highness, may I?" Then she gestured for Maze's hand.
Maze placed her hand in the old woman's hand and she whispered to her. "How is this possible? Where is the prince?"
The old woman poured the ointment on her burnt skin and leaned closer so she doesn't get in trouble again.
"The prince is not the kings blood. He's father is the king of underworld." The old woman stopped speaking and started looking over her hand even though she was done. "The pain will pass in minutes, your Highness." She said as a guard came closer.
"Thank you... what's your name?" Maze asked as she didn't know anyone's name apart from the princes.
"My name is Naya, your Highness." Naya bowed and exited the room. The guard sent Maze a look of discontent and walked out.
Maze marvelled at what Naya said to her. Didn't the king call Demi his own blood?
Maze took another look around the room and realised she still had the dress and jewels on.
She unclipped the necklace and placed it in the wooden box taking the beauty of it in. She looked at herself in the mirror and she noticed how exhausted she looked. She took the pins out of her hair and got up. She strode to the bed and slipped her dress off. She felt uneasy for some reason. As if she can feel someone watching her. She looked up and she saw his eyes in the shadow. She hugged her dress closer to her chest. "Lu, Lucian?" She narrowed her eyes but the blue was gone with a blink of an eye. "Ahh, I'm too tired.. I'm starting to hallucinate things.." she dismissed her worry and laid in the queen size, four poster bed. Let's remember it's reinforced with iron. As she wondered how her life changed and how she will have to change, she drifted off to sleep.
