A Taste of Her Freedom

EMMA✓

The next morning, two guards stood by the door of the prison, and they both were giving me a deadly look. One of them had the key in his hand, while the other held the stick fire due to the dungeon was so dark.

I was terrified to see them, my brain couldn't stop from thinking what they might be up to. They were wearing an emotionless expression on their faces, giving me reasons to think they were gonna kill me even before the Lycan Alpha do so.

"No. No, please, don't take me. Please, I beg you, don't…" I pleaded.

"If you don't wanna die, Miss, then you better shut the fu*k up!" Yelled one of the guards, causing me to keep quiet. "You are free now. Luna wants to see you."

I glared confused at them. The Luna? Does that mean I can go home now? I was so happy, I felt freed like the birds. I never thought I'd be opportune to look at the sky once again. But then, a thought bumped into my mind. Why would the Luna want to see me?

I decided not to say a word, and I decided not to ask either.

I followed the two guards to the castle, silently walking behind them. The castle was a very busy one as maids and servants walked to and fro.

The inside of the castle looks like those drawings in my favorite Dracula sequel. Some parts of the castle were dark, like night was a constant weather for those sections.

We passed two long staircases, walking through a wide hallway. Then, we got to a brown door which had golden designs and handles. One of them knocked on the door, a soft feminine voice said from the inside. "Come in."

"You can go in now." He said, and the both of them left, leaving me alone.

"Come in." The voice said again, and I opened the door.

She looked like she was in her mid forties, but her beauty never faded gave her an assuring smile that every thing was alright. I remember seeing this face the previous night, could it be she is the Luna? She thought to herself.

"It's okay, I'm not gonna hurt you." She said, her voice sounding assuring.

"Who are you?" I asked, terrified despite knowing she is the Luna. The feeling of freedom suddenly left me.

"My name is Mrs Taylor Malfoy, and you are?" She asked back.

"Emma… My name is Emma Slate." I replied, my body was still shivering.

"It's okay, Emma, like I said, I'm not gonna hurt you. I just wanna check on you, that's all." She said, maintaining the warm smile.

"Why am I here? I wanna go home. Please, let me go home, I swear I won't tell any one about this."

"Look Emma, you have to understand that what happened last night has become a tradition to both our land and your home. If we have to let you go, then the sacrifice will be in vain and the gods will have us dead for an incomplete sacrifice." She explained.

"Please, I don't wanna die. I have so much left to do, and I can't drop out from school, no." I begged for my freedom.

She left her seat, walking to my direction. "Now let me tell you some thing no one else knows," she said, "Do you wanna know what it is?"

I was so confused and likewise scared to say yes. I wasn't sure what it could be and didn't want to create an easy way to my grave.

Mrs Malfoy smiled. "It's okay, you don't have to say a yes or no. Well, the sacrifice for this year has been completed, therefore, you won't be eaten." I sighed inwardly in relief. "But.." my heart skipped a beat. No, not now. "You still can't go home. No one has to know you are alive or they think we have been making a fool out of them concerning the sacrifice."

I was so devastated by her words. Is that supposed to make me feel happy? "What's wrong?" She asked, noticing my countenance.

"W-what if he sees me?" I said, referring to the lycan Alpha. "H-he's… he's gonna… he's gonna kill me." I stammered.

Mrs Malfoy smiled at me, like what I just said was funny. "He's not. And besides, he doesn't stay in the castle, but you will be working in the castle."

Did she just say I'll be working in the castle? I sighed in relief, slowly feeling my lost breath. "Thank you. I promise, I won't fail you." She promised.

I have always thought Lycan's were wicked and heartless as history had foretold, but guess I was wrong. I'm standing right before one who is as kind as the moon goddess herself.

Mrs Malfoy nodded her head. "But… you are to serve the king on an urgent basis, understood?"

The king? Isn't it the one who had wanted to kill me the previous night? Wouldn't it be an opportunity for him to have me killed immediately?

"Don't worry, he won't kill you." Mrs Malfoy said.

How on earth did she know I was thinking about that? Did she just read my mind?

"That's what we are, the mind readers." She stood up, walking towards the window. "You don't need this dress any more. A new one will be given to you after you have taken your shower. Your duty starts immediately." She informed. "Some one will be here in the next two minutes, she is the one to help you get prepared for your duty."

Just as Mrs Malfoy had said, in the next two minutes later, there was a knock on the door. "Come in." She permitted.

The door opened and a woman in her late thirties walked in. "Your majesty." She greeted with her head bowed to the ground.

"Take Miss Slate with you. See to it that she has a good shower and the best maiden dress. And… give her some brief training on how to serve her duty." She commanded.

"I will do so, Your Majesty."

"Miss, please follow me." I stood up, following her out of the room to a different room. "This is the bathroom." She told her. She directed me to one of the bathrooms, "Your water is ready."

"Thank you." I walked in, spending ten minutes of my time there. When I came out, I followed the woman to a different room.

I appeared in Mrs Malfoy's room dressed in my duty wear. Mrs Malfoy glared at me from head to toe, then back to my face. "I love this." She complimented. "You can go now, Mrs Jonathan. Thank you."

"Any time, ma'am." She exited the room.

"So.." back to me. "I have a duty for you. The king is away for the meantime, I want you to serve him his meal before he returns." 

I took a deep breath. 

"Here is his meal, take it with you." I didn't like the idea, but I have no choice. I took the tray of food, "One more thing, don't you ever look at the face of the king if in case he is back." She warned.

"I'll keep that in mind." I left the room.

I realized I had forgotten to ask where his chamber was. Luckily, I saw the Mrs Jonathan, I asked her of the king's chamber. She directed me, and I followed her direction.

When I got to his home, there were guards standing in front of the house. They look huge and taller than any normal human. 

"I'm here to serve his majesty his meal." I announced, hiding how terrified I was.

They let me in. The king's home was damn so beautiful that I almost mistook it to be heaven on earth. I have seen so many mansions in the city but none was as beautiful as this.

"Your majesty?" I called, trying not to get too carried away but there came no reply.

I took the tray of food to the dining room, dropping it on the table. But when I turned to leave… the door closed.

~~~~

To Be Continued…