Fallen

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Hayden

When I was done talking, I couldn't read the mix of emotions on his face. Eventually, though, he dismisses himself allowing me to go to bed.

The next morning I was awoken by someone other than Angela.  The girl looked a year or two older than me with golden blond hair braided over her shoulder, easily signifying she wasn't a Fallen.

"I'm here to dress you for the day.  I'm your new maid."  She says with an obvious faked smile.

I didn't want her to treat me like one of them so I tried to act as normal as possible.  "What happened to Angela?"

There was an apparent sadness in her eyes as I asked that question that immediately made me realize the answer.  Angela was dead.

Now I knew why Isaac was so worried.

The two of us worked together in silence.  I honestly didn't understand why I needed help dressing at all.  I mean I was a perfectly capable human-ish being, I can clothe myself.  But I assumed it was "royalty" custom and I didn't want anyone else dead because of me.

My outfit today was much more extravagant than yesterday's.  It was a legit ball gown, fitted and jeweled through the waist where then it plummeted into a big, poofy, black mess.  And did I mention it weighed, like, a hundred pounds.  It didn't end there, either.  Next, I was handed a pair of three inch heels.  I stare at them in shock.

"They aren't expecting me to where this all day, are they?" 

She smiles, "Yes they are, Ms. Chambers."

I shudder at the name.  "Please call me Hayden.  Ms. Chambers was my mother," I add with a sad smile.  "What's your name?"

"Well, technically, as one of the human slaves I don't have a name here.  But back home it was Lillian, my parents called me Lilly."

The way she said that irked me, but I shook it off.  "That's a really pretty name."

She blushes, "Thank you."

I sit on the bed, dying to get off my feet already. 

"Um, M... Hayden, can you sit in that chair over there please?  So I can do your hair."

I smile, "Of course."  I wobble my way over there and sit in the chair for her.

So many questions were flowing through my mind that I wanted to ask her. How she ended up here? Was it her choice? Did Isaac really kill Angela because of my actions yesterday? I didn't ask any though, I didn't want to overwhelm her.

I had always liked when my mother would play with my hair. When it was long she would always braid it in a way similar to what Lilly was doing. She started at my part and wrapped it partially around my head. What Lilly did that was different was, she stopped halfway, where my mother would continue, and just let the rest of my hair fall over my shoulder.

"Where did you learn to do this?"

Lilly smiles, "I used to do my little sisters hair all the time. Do you like it?"

"I love it." I bite my lip as I think about what I'm going to ask her next. "Where is your family now?"

"You don't really want to know about me, do you? I mean I'm just a servant and you are practically a princess!"

"Not if I had any say about it," I mutter and Lilly just smiles.

"Fine," she says as her face takes on a more serious expression. "There was an accident, my family, they were killed. Leaving me alone." I start to tear up as I remember what happened to my parents. I take her hand comfortingly.

"How did you end up here?"

Before she can answer, the door is blown open and in waltzes Isaac, again. It felt like he had just left though.

Lilly suddenly straightens up and yanks her hand away from mine, before curtseying.

"Good morning, your Highness."

Isaac smiles, "Good morning. You may be dismissed."

Lilly nods before running out of the room.

I stand and hold my posture. "Do you even know how to knock?"

He laughs, "I knocked last night."

"That doesn't count," I complain.

He laughs some more.

"I'm here to escort you to breakfast."  He offers me his arm.

"What if I don't take it?"

"Just take my arm, Hayden."

I purse my lips and hesitantly take his arm. I guess in the past few days I've learned that not everyone in this hellhole was that bad.

He leads me back to the dining hall.  I was starting to figure it out the way.  There was was tapestries that caught my attention down this hall that was different than the others.  Instead of a gruesome image on it was a picture of the royal Fallen family, and they actually looked peaceful.

We entered the hall similarly to yesterday, except today I was planning on behaving myself. Immediately they started serving food. I straightened my posture and tried to look as innocent as I could. With all of the adrenaline flowing through me yesterday, I actually hadn't realized how hungry I was. Now I felt like my stomach was about to growl as loud as a lion. I was ready to eat. But today, well I guess it could have happened yesterday too, before we began to eat the King and Queen rose and faced the crowd.

"This morning I would like to introduce everyone to your future Queen," the King announces. "Ms. Chambers, would you like to join us up here?"

Isaac immediately takes my arm and I feel my other arm go instinctively to my necklace. I don't know why I haven't gotten rid of it yet. The two of us walk to the front next to the King and Queen. Out of the corner of my eye I can see Crystal's appreciative smile. So I force a smile for her. Then in the back of the room I see Colton. He has a large bruise already forming around his jaw.  I couldn't help but feel bad about what I had done yesterday.  The two of us make eye contact and I mouth at him, "Meet me later."  He nods and I know I got my point across.

But to be a hundred percent honest, I wasn't sure I was ready to talk to him again.