Chapter Six

I wake up as early as 7am the next day. I barely got any sleep throughout the night so when I finally see the first rays of sunlight filtering in through the windows, it feels like an escape. I go ahead to fix myself a hot bath. The water does me good and I don't get out of it till I begin to feel it go cold. Clad in a fluffy terry robe, I make my way to my bedroom, intent on the task of drying my hair. 

I hear the door to my living room open and my brows furrow worriedly. I'm not expecting anyone. I hear the soft footsteps of people as they make their way in and my confusion grows. I walk into the room to see a small group of smartly dressed omegas, wheeling in rows and rows of dresses, all in varying shades ranging from white to silver to blue to black. The one who seems to be the head turns to me when she hears me come in, a pleasant smile pasted on her face.

"Good morning, Luna". The others chorus the greeting, their voices much more timid. 

"Umm….good morning. What…. what's going on here?".

"We apologize for the late introduction but we are a team of meticulously, hand picked attendants who are honoured to serve you, Luna. We'll be taking care of all your needs at all points in time.". She sounds way too happy for someone who's here to serve me. 

"Oh…I see".

"My name is Anna and I'll be leading the team. Please don't hesitate to communicate your needs to me no matter what they may be. Girls…..". She turns to the rest omegas. ".... please, get to work". The bustle begins simultaneously, wheels and wheels of clothes are wheeled in, my vanity is set up, boxes containing what I suspect to be jewelry and carried in….this is quite extravagant if I dare say so myself. I take a seat by the private dining area and watch them go by as they work efficiently.

"Luna?". I turn to see Anna behind me. "If you please, we could start getting work done on your hair and makeup for the day".

"Oh…I wouldn't mind". Her smile widens dramatically and she leads me to the vanity where we proceed to get me dolled up. At the end of the session, I have to admit, she's good at what she does. Quite a chatterbox she is but I don't think I mind her much. Despite her professionalism, she's still a Silver Glow and quite randomly, makes comments that give away that she's a bit nervous and curious around me, just like everyone else. She admits she's never seen hair as dark as mine before and wondered if it'd feel different. I just found that funny.

"Will you be handling my lesson schedule too?". I ask as I push up from the seat.

"Yes I will, Luna".

"What do I have first? And what time?". She pulls up a tablet I didn't notice had been in her pockets all along.

"The first lesson we have here is History. By 12pm and it shall hold for an hour. Lunch is by 2pm and by 4pm, you shall have your second lesson, Internal Affairs which will last for two hours". My brows furrow as we make our way into the closet.

"Internal Affairs? What's that even about?".

"It's basically a lesson to expose you to your Luna duties". Doesn't sound so bad. I wonder what a Luna is supposed to do over here on this side of the world. We maintain a steady pace of conversation till I get dressed and go down for breakfast. When I walk into the dining room, the first thing I notice is that the table is only set for one. I resist the urge to ask Anna about that as I settle down. I guess I'll be having my meals alone. I convince myself that I'm relieved by that idea. Draaven's sight isn't something I'm particularly keen on….I think.

I stare warily as the dishes are served. After the incident yesterday, I'm more than a little hesitant to eat anything from that kitchen. But everything seems fine today, the meals all look like things I'm well used to. I reach for a piece of hard bread, dabbing a fine layer of avocado on it. I'm just about to dig in when someone walks in. My appetite drops significantly when I see that it's Rosa. She's dressed in a cashmere sweater and jeans, her hair braided down her back in an elegant do. Her smile is drenched with faux sweetness as she strides towards me. 

"Luna". She comes to a stop just a few feet away from me and my eyes fix on her heatedly. "It's a lovely morning, isn't it?". She glances at Anna for an answer but she doesn't receive one. I stare at her coldly, unwilling to give away any form of emotions. "I wanted to make sure you were enjoying your meal. As usual, a lot of thought was put into every single dish. I hope you have a lovely breakfast".

Sighing lightly, I drop the piece of bread I had intended to eat earlier. "That's thoughtful of you. And I don't assume you are just anybody. No random person would care so much about what I eat….and don't eat".

She laughs, a high, shrilly laugh that's more unpleasant than the sound of metal on metal. "I don't think we've been introduced properly. I'm Rosa Altair, Head of the Kitchens and private chef to the alpha and his household". She extends a hand and I eye the limb in disdain.

"You must be really unfamiliar with Shadowflame cultures. I'd think some things were general knowledge. Like the fact that we don't do handshakes…..or eat deers". I see her cheeks redden just a fraction. Oh I bet she didn't expect me to be so outright about the incident yesterday. Before she can speak, I quickly continue. "But that's fine. Not everyone can be informed, I guess". Her cheeks redden even more. "And while I'm adapting to the culture, I guess I could start learning the handshaking thing". I reach forward and brush my fingers against hers ever so lightly. "It's my pleasure meeting you, Rosa. In due time, I'll have to get acquainted with my subjects. I'm honoured to have begun with you". 

I see the indignance in her face at being called a subject. A sick part of me feels gleeful for that. "Oh and one more thing". I turn to Anna. "While I'm sure Rosa is a nice girl, I won't be indulging in her meals from now on. Do find me a private chef before the end of the day. A well informed one too, please". 

"Yes, Luna". I push up from the seat and glance down at the table. 

"I've lost my appetite, I'm afraid. I'd appreciate just a cup of coffee, please". I turn to Rosa, a faux smile mirroring hers pasted on my lips. Except this time, she's not smiling back. "If you'll excuse me now. I have some important lessons to get to. I'll see you around". And with that, I leave the room.