Private Property

Punished

Chapter 3

    *Alex’s POV*

    “You’re never going to add up to anything you know, Alex. You’re weak and weak people never make it in the world. It’s not a surprise that your parents left you here at the orphanage, they were probably disappointed that they had you for a daughter. I mean, I would be. You are just a waste of space.”  

I shivered in the corner, the cut on the side of my head pounding. I looked at her with tears streaming down my face. No one was going to talk about my parents that way.

“No, my parents will come back for me someday, Just wait. They aren’t going to make me stay with you anymore,” I said confidently.

She leaned over me and slapped me across the face. 

“Comments like that are what get you in trouble. This isn’t your little dream world anymore, you need to grow up and do your work. Start pulling your weight and then you can eat. Your parents will NEVER come back for you. Do you see any of the children leave here with their parents? Do you see any of them leave at all? Face it kid, you are stuck here. And no one cares.”

I jolted awake to find myself sprawled out all over the shirtless Niall, whose arms were tightly wrapped around me. His eyes were partly opened, watching me to see what I would do. It would have startled me if we hadn’t been in the same situation several times last night. I probably should have told Niall about my night terrors. Well he knows now, and is probably really tired at the moment. As for me, despite the circumstances that was probably the best sleep I’ve got in a long time.

    I turned around so I didn’t have to look at him anymore. The sun shone through a tinted window in his majesty’s room, casting blues and greens everywhere. There was a desk in the corner with stacks of papers and scrolls occupying every square inch of it. Tons of pictures covered the walls, some of beautiful ladies whom were probably past lovers I presume. I slowly willed myself to get out of the soft bed, and I realized that I only had a tunic on, nothing else. 

I looked at Niall; his cheeks were a bright scarlet. I snatched a loose blanket and draped it over my bare legs while the prince tried to regain his composure. I cleared my throat and confidently said,” Can you have one of your erm- servants bring me some clothes?” Except it sounded more like,”Um… c-can you get me some erm- clothes from your maids-I mean-servants?” 

Thankfully he just nodded and silently rang a small bell. After about five minutes, which mainly consisted of me awkwardly clearing my throat and Niall looking at the pictures on the wall, a small, round lady with bright red hair hurried in. “Oh my!” she shouted gasping at my current attire. She turned to Niall with a scowl. “Why didn’t you ring me before she woke?”

Niall looked down and started to say something but the lady wouldn’t let him say a word. “Have I taught you nothing about how to act around a lady? She may be your property but you still need to be a gentlemen,” she said with both hands on her hips. “And you,” she said turning to me with a sparkle in her eyes that warmed my heart,”Let’s get you cleaned up and ready to start your lessons.”

“Lessons for what, Mam?” I asked curiously. She quickly wrapped a silk around me and ushered me into the prince’s bathroom. 

“Well, the king has recommended that you have an education and the prince has approved it,” she said starting a bath. 

“Really? I’ll get to learn about politics and science?” I questioned excitedly. She looked at me oddly and cocked her head to the side.

“Why would a woman ever need to know that kind of stuff?,” she asked me. This made me a little uncomfortable. They apparently did not believe in women empowerment here…