Mystery behind the ritual bath

Chapter 4

The queen's words cut deep, her tone dripping with disdain. "No squatting – kneel and eat the food you wasted. Whether it's badly cooked or not, you have no choice. You're not here to be pampered like a princess; you're here to cure my stepson, the Crown Prince who's gone feral."

Her gaze pierced mine, her voice icy. "You can't decide your life or live as you like. We'll decide for you. And you're just a weak human from an inferior realm; worthless, stinky, and brainless." Her smirk was a cold, calculated gesture.

I knelt, my fists clenched at my sides, staring at the rotten, stinky food. I gritted my teeth in anger, seething with resentment.

This humiliation, I'll make her pay for it someday. I didn't care if she read my mind; my determination was clear.

With tears streaming down my face, my trembling hands reached for the food, hoping the queen would relent, but her silence was deafening.

I forced myself to eat the maggot-infested food, a putrid mixture of rotting scraps and animal waste.

"Get out! Don't forget your tea and meal tonight. Tomorrow, you'll be assigned to your real task: mating with the feral Prince. Hopefully, he'll be cured, regardless of what happens to you." Her words dripped with callous indifference, leaving me shaken and horrified.

I rose and headed for the door, but the queen's voice stopped me. "Come here, human!" I turned, feeling an inexplicable pull.

"You're to thank me for feeding you," she said.

I forced a bow and a mocking tone. "Thank you, your lineage, for the delicious meal." As I reached the door, I heard her chilling command: "If she dares to throw up, don't hesitate to slaughter that maid."

I pushed open the door and ran off not looking at my front, and I didn't realize when I had bump into a wall of muscle. I was bounced back, upon looking up my eyes get hold of a beautiful devil.

But the tears in my eyes and the grief wouldn't even make to stay a little longer to properly view the man before me. I ran.

~~~

I collapsed on the cold stony floor in my room, my head knocking on the floor nonstop.

Guilt washed over me as I thought about the maid who lost her tongue because of me. I wondered how the queen discovered I hadn't eaten the food. Then Lefika's warning echoed in my mind: "There's no secret in this palace. The wall has ears. Trust no one."

A tiny voice whispered, "Look." I spun around but saw no one. "Over here," it said, and I followed the sound to a hidden opening in the wall.

I approached the wall, torch in hand, and ran my fingers over the stones. "Who are you?" I whispered, but there was silence.

My instincts took over, and I began to remove the stones, revealing a hidden passage. The stones seemed to have been recently displaced as if someone had deliberately concealed the entrance.

My instincts urged me to step into the passage, curiosity getting the better of me.

"I'm waiting... come, Ellie," a voice called from within, sending a shiver down my spine. Hearing my name mentioned sent my heart racing, and fears swirled in my mind.

I glanced at the door, hesitant, wondering if someone would discover the hidden entrance after I left.

The thought of the entrance leading to a cave or escape route crossed my mind.

But with the maids likely arriving soon for my bath, I knew I had to act fast. If they couldn't find me, they'd surely report to the queen, and I dreaded her wrath.

Swallowing hard, I squeezed into the narrow passage and jumped down to the other side.

The eerie air enveloped me, sending shivers down my spine. One part of me urged retreat, while the other part pushed me to explore.

I walked on, the wind howling around me, threatening to extinguish the torch's flame. I shielded it with my hands, grunting in frustration. As I ventured deeper, the mysterious voice grew fainter.

I arrived at the center of a grand, abadaoned  podium, this place might have served a royal gathering place or court  but now shrouded in dust and neglect.

A strange sense of deja vu washed over me as if I'd seen this place before, though I knew I hadn't.

The familiarity nagged at me, and suddenly , a memory burst forth , 'the dark tunnel, the whispering voice, the warnings; 'watch out and stay safe princess!' The connection sent shivers down my spine.

The biting cold intensified, and I spun around, to face the most terrifying creature I've ever seen in my life. My screams were trapped in my throat as I flinched. "Welcome, daughter of Mandra, future wife to Prince Abidziek of Anthrika kingdom," it said, it's words dripping with an unsettling tone.

I tensed at the monster's words who looked like a feral vampire, but their voice was as smooth as butter.

"Don't eat me please," I begged, my eyes fixed on her razor-sharp talons, bloodshot eyes, and elongated  mouth. Her smiles was enigmatic, leaving me to wonder if it was a predator's snare of a genuine welcome.

"How do you know my name?" I demanded, my voice trembling with panic. "And who's Mandra?"

"That's just a tip of my talents. Your name is Ellie and your bloodline scream Mandra but let leave all history aside as I have a purpose of calling you here." I raised a skeptical brows at her.

"Relax. The purpose involves me, you, and Abidziek which you know as the feral prince. We are all entwined in one way or the other. You need me to survive tomorrow, the prince needs you to survive his feral state and I need the prince to get out of this place where my soul is trapped."

I raised an eyebrow, skeptical of her words. "So, let me get this straight," I said, trying to process the complex web of connections she was spinning. "You're saying we're all linked - you, me, and Prince Abidziek? And I need you to survive, the prince needs me to survive his... feral state, and you need the prince to escape this place where your soul is trapped?" I studied her, searching for any sign of deception.

She laughed. "The food you're going to eat tomorrow, the fragrance and drinks would make the feral Prince tear you into pieces before you even get near him. You're just a pawn in the game, but if you agree to help me I'll also help you."

"Tell me about the food and the fragrance. Was it being plotted by the Queen consort?"

There was silence.

"I was trapped here by someone and drained of my powers. The realm was sealed off. While the person who was supposed to open the realm surfaced, he was made to go feral as a beast. That happens because of me." The figure said in a somber tone. "I'm saddened at the way he kills his people that he loves and cherishes and would've done anything to protect."

I listened, but cautious of the being. I don't want to be swayed by her story then I ended up in her tummy.

"Tomorrow you'll be seeing the Prince and you'll die. The poison that normally makes the Prince go berserk is in what you bathe, and eat and the fragrance you will put on tomorrow. It will make the Prince see you as a threat, and rip you into pieces."

My heart squeezed at that.

"So how do I stop myself from eating, bathing and putting on the fragrance tomorrow?" I asked.

The figure winced in pain. "Intruder. Someone is trying to enter your room. You'll have to go now."

"Tell me how can I avoid the bath, food, and fragrance tomorrow? I don't want to be ripped into pieces. I want to die peacefully in my sleep and be buried with my whole body." I persisted, desperation edging my tone.

The creatures form began to fade, "leave human!"

Fears gripped me as I approached the wall and forced myself into my room, then began to swiftly arrange the stone to seal the door.

A faint voice whispered"Mortal princess?"