Amira's Slave

Chapter 23

Claire woke barely able to move and once again Edward refused her any food. She felt weak and dizzy as he dragged her down to see the King. The room was full of scared looking slaves cowering on the floor. Claire wondered which one would get Edward or would he take her back again. He didnt seem ready to give her up as he took her to the front.

"Careful with this slave" he told the King handing the chain to him "The most stubborn one Ive ever met, got itself a taste of freedom and will run if given the chance. Keep it chained and heres the whip you will need it." Claire hung her head feeling a small sense of relief as Edward left her.

"Slaves" the King addressed them all "I apologise for what has been done to you. You will be the last of your kind but Im afraid I cannot set you free. You will however be looked after from now on and I plan to give you all different jobs. Please bare with me."

The King scanned the room there were hundreds of slaves and this was going to be a long job. He looked down at the slave in front of him. The famous slave who had managed to escape nearly making it to the free land. Chained at his feet the slave didnt look as bad as he had been told, she looked terrified. He bent down to her and gently helped her to her feet. "Id like you to take care of my family" he told her.

The girls eyes grew wide with terror "No please let me go back to Edward, please your highness hel be mad."

"Edward can no longer punish you you dont belong to him, now follow me."

He led the crying slave through a door at the back of the room and down a corridor. He took her into a large bedroom very similar to Amira's old bedroom. The beautiful lady was in there sitting in an armchair.

"Take care of her" The King spoke to the lady in the chair.

Claire still crying tried to cower away. The lady had a soft gentle voice as she approached Claire she tried to comfort her. "we will look after you, Frederick doesnt want you as a slave he wants to help you. We know how Edward has treated you."

"Please I cant stay here I have to go back!"

"Shhh its ok" the lady said. She undid Claires chains freeing her arms. She also took off the coller from her neck and removed the shock cuffs from her arms. Claire grew more terrified she would definatly be for it now when Edward got hold of her.

"Im Queen Kira" the lady told her "My daughter Kali cant wait to meet you she is at school at the moment. Im afraid we cant let you out of these rooms but we will take care of you and you really dont need to worry about Edward anymore."

At that moment the King entered the room. Out of habbit Claire ran to his feet and knelt with her arms behind her back. "See this is exactly why I had to ban slavery" he told his wife.

"You dont need to do that, no more chains for you." he told her gently. If you dont mind slave I need to ask you something."

Claire continued staring at the floor, she had no idea how she was going to escape talking to him but Edward would be furious.

"I understand you were originally brought for the princess Amira?" he said

At Amira's name Claires eyes welled up but she nodded.

The King looked sad "I wish I had the chance to meet her but I was sent away before she was born. I only found out I had a sister when I arrived here and was told your story."

Claire continued to stare at the floor. Hearing Amira's name spoken reminded her how she would never see her or Chelsea or Emily again.

Claire heard Queen Kira approach her "Leave her Frederick cant you see how your upsetting her.". She turned to Amira "Let me show you to your room."

For the first time Claire noticed the bedroom they were in had rooms attached to it. One was the Kings daughter Kali's bedroom and to thr side of that there was a little room with a single bed in it. "This will be where you sleep but you are welcome in any of these rooms. Im sorry I cant allow you to wander around the castle unless with one of us."

"Please take me back to Edward" Claire begged "He will be so mad, please" Desperation was building up now as she wondered how Edward would punish her when she was able to return.

"Dont worry, you are safe in here. Edward cannot get to you. Now wait here and I will get you some food you look starving."

In all the stress of that morning Claire had forgotten that it had been two days since Edward had allowed her to eat. She stared in disbelief when the Queen handed her a plate. A whole cooked breakfast to herself? she didnt understand why had the Queen not eaten what she wanted why was it not just scraps? She realised that her hands were still free and the Queen had also handed her a knife and fork she wouldnt have to eat with just her mouth. When she finished she looked up at the Queen expecting to be punished or something but the Queen smiled at her as if understanding her fear. "You wont be punished for eating dont worry you are skin and bone you need some good meals in you." She said as she took the plate from Claire. "Now relax in here and stop worrying about Edward, Frederick will take care of him."

Later on that evening as Claire lay on her bed she could hear the King and Queen talking.

"I cant believe the state some of those slaves are in" the King was saying "The one I brought back here and the other one that Aralia had, they are a mess I cant believe they are alive still."

"Its awful Im glad we can put a stop to it its just a shame we cant free them. When I look at that poor child in there and how close she came to a better life with your sister it breaks my heart."

"I agree and you know if Amira showed up here now I would let the girl go. But I cant just set over a hundred slaves free, where would they go? How would they survive? All I can do is put a stop to it after these there will be no more slaves."

Claire listened until she fell asleep. In her dreams Amira had come back for her and the King set her free. But when she woke in the early hours of the morning she realised it was just a dream. She knew Amira wasnt coming back there was no way Amira would ever know it was safe too and she probably thought Claire was dead anyway. She tried to get back to sleep but couldnt so she lay awake replaying in her head the events of the day.