Unclaimed

Chapter Forty-Eight - Glass Walls

MaryAnne

I stir the pot in front of me as it boils over the too big, too hot fire. The bubbling thick soup filled with roughly chopped meat and vegetables. The only thing that could accompany it was bread which I had to make fresh, as nearly all the ingredients were caught with rot. It was a humble meal and the only one I could scrap together for the troops.

Harald has made it my responsibility to plan the meals, gather the ingredients and cook all on my own.

Beau would never be this cruel.

The kitchen is crowded with skinny starving bodies that I notice are moving closer to the stove where I am. I could feel everyone's eyes on me as I stirred the pot in front of me. The silence in the room was profound as I hear the angry growling of empty stomachs. I feel something brush up against my leg and look down to see a small girl.

Looking at the spoon in my hand as if it were made of gold. I look around quickly, people jerking their heads away as to not be caught staring. Silently, I lift the spoon out of the pot, a small lump of potato coated in the thick gravy. I bend down holding it to the girls mouth.

Blowing on it as to not burn her. She looks at the lump of potato for a few seconds before hesitantly opening her mouth and taking the spoon in. Gently sliding the spoon out of her mouth and watching as she slowly chews and swallows. Shuddering as the food rolled down her throat and filling her stomach. Her frail tiny hand lifting to her stomach as a rosiness bloomed in her cheeks.

"It's warm." She mutters, her voice barely above a whisper, and I feel my chest cave in. A lump forming in my throat at the thought of these children going hungry for Harald. I lean up again, filling to spoon again and hold it out her. This time a piece of beef waiting for her on the long wooden spoon.

She takes it with no hesitation this time. Sliding the cube of meat into her mouth and chewing slowly.

I feel something brush up behind me and it's another child. Soon it's another. And another. No adult in the room had moved but watched as I fed spoonfuls to the children. I rushed to make another pot of food, quickly realizing that there was barely any food left.

The people here were starving and this was the first pot of food they've probably seen in weeks. Without thinking I serve the rest of the pot to the servants. Not caring I could potentially get in trouble for feeding them before Harald.

But Harald had disappeared somewhere with his concubine. There was no concern for him.

"Cook!" Everyone in the kitchen jumps at the not so distant yelling of Harald's right hand. Will.

Everyone in the kitchen runs towards the open door that led outside. Pushing and shoving with all urgency as they were afraid of being seen. Soon the whole kitchen is empty, just with me standing by the stove. Stirring a nearly empty pot trying to look as normal as I could.

"You!" Will's voice threatening but I maintain a placid neutral expression as I turn to face him. "Harald wants food. Bring it to him, he wants it in ten minutes."

I nod without saying anything turning to prepare a tray. Will stands still in the kitchen watching me as I lay out the soup, toasted bread, grapes and wine. Walking behind Will as he lead me to Harald's room. My eyes roaming the halls of the Dawn Palace noticing the walls were nothing but glass.

Just glass?

The clear glass letting in the glooming light of the storming day. The rain streaming down the tempered glass.

The closer we got to his room, we could hear yelling. The double doors that separated us muffled the loud yelling and banging we heard from inside. The two guards that stood by his door winced as they heard the muffled screaming of a woman.