The Reckoning - Book Two

Chapter Twenty One - Daella

I walk towards the dining room trying my best to keep last night's events far from my mind but it was difficult as I continue to see his haughty expression standing over me in every guard I pass.

I just needed to get through my morning, ignore the urges from within to beat him to a pulp. Resist the desire to scream at him until I lose my voice. Hold back from cursing his name to everyone that I pass.

I just needed to get through my morning.

The dining room is a flutter of excited faces and conversation as the other chosen take their seats. It sends a pulse of unease through me. Their excitement could mean nothing good.

Servants set down dishes and pots of tea as I take my seat and grit my jaw tighter.

"Wasn't it so good to get out last night?" I here Layla say sitting beside her sister, their identical faces held with the same identical smiles.

"I know what you mean!" Millie grins back. "It was so nice to have an event, it's been so long."

I try my best to ignore their conversation as I scoop porridge into my bowl, each sloppy spoonful getting dumped into my gold rimmed bowl in angry dollops.

"It was so nice to be able to dance again!" Elodie smiles brightly and I remind myself to take slow calming breaths as the anger builds within.

"It's a shame there weren't as many males there though." Hannah says and I feel every one of my inner walls break.

"Are you serious?" I bite out, looking at the girls. They turn to me in confusion. "Why would you be sad that they weren't there? You should be glad! Glad you weren't made to parade around in front of them!"

They continue to stare at me, wide timid eyes with no idea what was going on as they look to each other in confusion.

"Daella, maybe they were just excited to have some entertainment." Roux says quietly beside me and I laugh humourlessly and I know I sound crazed but I can't help myself.

"Entertainment?! You would call being primped and painted and forced to behave like perfect chosen as entertainment? What else would you consider entertainment? Shall we start performing for them? Shall we sing songs for them and learn lines for them? Then we really will be the perfect little pets won't we?!" I bark and I can feel it, feel the fire burning within me and while I know I should just stop I can't.

"Daella, it's not their choice where they go or what they must do, they are just making the best of their situation, we all are." Fynley says from across the table, watching me with concern in her eyes and I know I should listen to her, listen to her words, but the anger won't let me. The tiny voice of reason is being drowned out by the rushing sound of flames.

I stand suddenly. "You're all idiots! Naïve, stupid, foolish idiots if you think any of this will end well for any of you! You are being made to think and feel like you are blessed, that you should be grateful for being chosen but it is the farthest thing from the truth. They don't want us! They want a breeder, they want someone young and pretty and obedient, that is what they truly crave, beauty and obedience!"

"Daella!" Fynley stands suddenly. "I think you should sit down and remember where you are."

I am breathing hard, I stare at the table, beautiful cutlery and delicate china stare back at me, mocking me, reminding me. I am just like them. I am stuck here just like them. I am primped and painted and paraded around just like them. There was no way out for me. I had agreed to this life for all of mine.

I grip the edge of my bowl, feeling the delicate china in my hands and with a sudden rush I lift it and smash it against the table.

An audible gasp fills the room as the chosen stare at me in shock and silence and I stand holding the remains of the shattered bowl as porridge covers the tablecloth and parts of my dress.

"What's going on here?" I hear her voice and freeze in place, dropping the remains of my bowl onto the table.

She walks into the room and I can feel her eyes searching the room as it remains in silent suspense.

I should be terrified, I should be trembling from head to toe, but instead I feel nothing.

The raging warring anger has gone quiet. Instead there is just this numb feeling slowly taking over every part of me.

The Mistress moves closer, until she is standing behind me, her sharp, shrewd eyes taking everything in.

"Go back to your breakfast chosen." She says brightly before I feel her claw like hand take my elbow and nearly drag me out of the room.

We walk quickly, she doesn't say a word, just grips my elbow so tightly I know there will be bruises left behind, more for my collection.

We turn corners, moving further away from the chosen's wings to a part of the palace I am unfamiliar with, and then we start descending. The stairs take us further down into the underbelly of the palace and it grows cold and dark, and feels like I have stepped into a different world.

As we move further down, the walls change from white and gold to rough grey stone like this place has been dug into the earth itself. There are no beautiful paintings on the walls, no polished floorboards beneath out feet, just the same cold pale stone. It even grows darker, the sunlight that usually filled the palace corridors can't reach this place.

How could a place like this dark dingy stone covered place exist with the world above of gold and glitter and opulence?

And then I realise where we are.

"I knew you would be trouble, from the moment you stepped into this palace you have done nothing but cause problems. You are disobedient, unwilling, unruly and while I have done my best to remove those traits, you have been stubborn." She says, voice dark as metal bars comes into view.

Cells. They are cells.

"I have done all I can, and now I will do what I must. You will learn obedience one way or another. I hope a few days down here will help you see what is best for you." She smiles as she drags me to one of the cells. She opens the door, the metal groaning, before she shoves me inside.

I hit the ground on my knees and I turn to look back at her.

The gate closes with a clink and she stares down at me, satisfaction playing on her smile.

"You are all alone in this world Daella, the sooner you learn that, the sooner you will accept your fate." She locks the gate and turns on her heel, her shape fading into the darkness.

I am all alone in this world.

The sooner I learn that, the sooner I will accept my fate.

Where was all my anger? It was quiet, lifeless, not even embers remain.

All I could feel was the numb feeling settling itself inside of me, reaching every crevice, blotting out the bright spark of anger.

I am all alone in this world.

The sooner I learn that, the sooner I will accept my fate.

I had given myself to this world, to this life. I may have been bought here unwillingly, but then, then, I had agreed to stay here, to live here, forever.

Even with them at my side, even when the war is over and they return, this place will stay the same.

The cold stone I sit on creeps through my dress, setting in my bones and I shift, sitting on a pile of straw I lean against the wall.

My head falls back and rests against the wall and I close my eyes.

I am all alone in this world, this world they have created, the world of beauty and obedience, of treaties and laws.

The sooner I learn that, the sooner I will accept my fate: I will never leave this place. I will never leave this place because I fell in love.

Have I given up my freedom only for it to be replaced by pretty shackles?

My fingers find the necklace at my throat, the gift that never left my neck. I feel the smooth moonstone beneath my fingertips.

Was it just another symbol? Another sign telling me that I had given up myself for the feeling I craved from the love I felt for them?

Would it be worth it in the end?