The Serpent's Chains

Chapter 21: Captured

Sabine

Rosalie kept her arm looped through mine. I felt stiffer than cardboard as we walked through the main street of Vagra. It was the first time I returned to the city since Prince Cole took me from the auction and I was being paraded around by a princess.

"Is this necessary? Don't you have seamstresses at the palace to make your dress?"

Rosalie laughed and flipped her strawberry hair over her shoulder. "This isn't a shopping trip for me. We need to get you a dress."

"Me!?" I came to a dead stop.

The armored guards with Rosalie's crest on their chests closed in around us the moment we stopped moving.

"Is everything alright, Princess?" the lead guard asked. He dropped to a knee before her.

She flicked her wrist at him. "Everything is fine. We're continuing on our way now."

The guard stepped aside and Rosalie pulled me into motion again.

"Sabine, the Solstice Celebration is a huge event for the palace. You'll be attending as my brother's personal attendant."

"I will?" I arched an eyebrow at her.

"Of course! I know you're new to palace life but you're the closest staff to a prince. You'll be at every important event. But you have to look the part."

I sighed and nodded. The dress I had on was nicer than anything I ever imagined wearing. What could possibly be nicer than this?

"It doesn't feel right," I admitted.

"You're representing Cole at this event, and, in essence, the royal family. He expects you to look a certain way."

"I meant it doesn't feel right to have a princess accompany me."

Rosalie laughed and commoners stopped what they were doing at the sound. We had eyes on us from every direction.

I kept my eyes down and hoped no one noticed the collar on my neck. It was inappropriate for a princess and a slave to spend recreational time together.

"I don't mind tagging along."

I kept my eyes on my sandals as they shuffled along the cobblestone street. Rosalie's guards gave us plenty of space. They took up the whole street and carriages had to wait until we passed by before they could continue their journeys.

"As far as anyone knows, you're my attendant. You don't need to worry about what they think." Rosalie waved her hand over the pedestrian spectators that stared after us and our entourage.

That was easy for Rosalie to say. I'd lived my life in the shadows, as part of the scenery.

The dress shop Rosalie brought me to was on the main street of Vagra. It was where all the high-end shops that the nobles and people of the court used. Those that were wealthy enough to have the best but not important enough to have personal seamstresses.

"The seamstress here is lovely. She designed my mother's dresses when she was a girl. Madame Cecily will have something for you."

The shop was cluttered. Shelves stacked with the finest fabrics of silk, chiffon, and velvet in every color imaginable lined the walls. There were smaller cubbies loaded with ribbons and lace. One of the walls had shelves covered in fabric shoes of all designs.

Dress racks covered almost every square foot of floor space with dresses of every fashion. I'd never seen designs like them before.

The only area cleared of fancy dresses and merchandise was a section of the store that had an alcove of mirrors and a large, round pedestal to stand on while being fitted.