All Chapters of From Chains To Crown: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

The hallway stretched ahead of me, dimly lit, silent except for the sound of our footsteps. I walked behind him.I was too tired to think. Too numb to hope.Eventually, we reached a familiar door.His room.He turned and looked at me, expression unreadable.“Stop outside.”His tone was low, not cruel, just… commanding.I stood by the door as he walked in and closed it behind him. The silence was thick. I could hear faint movements — drawers being opened, keys clinking, the rustle of fabric. I waited, not leaning on the wall, afraid he might see and think I was slacking off. My hands hung uselessly by my sides.Moments later, the door opened again.He stepped out, holding a key in his hand, his expression still unreadable. Without a word, he turned and began walking again — but this time, not down the long hallway of cells.He went toward the back of his room.I followed.The hallway back there was narrower, cleaner, and much quieter. After a few turns, we reached a small wooden door.

The morning light filtered through the small window, casting a soft glow across the room. I was still asleep, unaware that dawn had broken, when a sudden splash of cold water jolted me awake.I gasped, clutching the blanket to cover my bare body. Standing before me was the Prince, his expression stern."What are you still doing on the bed? Don't you know your duty?" he demanded.Shivering, I replied, "I can't go out like this without clothes.""Valentina will bring them. Today there's a party in the kingdom. Only go to my room and tidy it. I should not see you outside, or else you might be sold," he warned before turning and leaving the room.I mimicked his last words under my breath, "Mtsww," expressing my frustration.I stood up and headed to the toilet to take a bath. The cold water stung, but it was refreshing.A few minutes later, I emerged from the bathroom to find Valentina sitting in the room. I smiled at her, and she returned the gesture.She handed me a gown that reached my

As everyone left the room, I quickly grabbed Anna by the arm, dragging her back forcefully.I slammed the door shut and covered her mouth with my hand so she couldn’t scream.“I know Emily didn’t steal that crown,” I whispered harshly. “Why did you do that, Anna? Why?!”I leaned close, my breath hitting her face. “I’m going to remove my hand now. If you scream, or say anything other than the truth, you’ll regret it. I swear, Anna, try me and see.”I pulled my hand away.She glared at me.“If you dare lay a finger on me,” she hissed, “I’ll tell Mom and Dad that you’re lying. And everyone will believe me.”“You’re responsible for what just happened,” I growled. “I know it was you.”She smirked. “Think whatever you want.”And with that, she turned and walked out — leaving me standing there, boiling in anger.Hmph. This girl is trying me. I don’t care that she’s my sister — I will deal with her.If a Prince can sleep with a slave, why then is it forbidden for a Prince to get one pregnant?

Valentina took me back to my old cell — cold, dark, and heavy with the stench of iron and filth. And just like that, my old life resumed, as if nothing had happened. As if I was never given a glimpse of warmth, comfort, or the illusion of love.The chains were placed back on me — rusty cuffs around my wrists and ankles, with a thick metal collar digging into my neck. The weight felt familiar now, like an old enemy I could never escape. I resumed the duties of a slave, duties I knew too well: scrubbing the palace floors until my fingers bled, fetching water from the far well with buckets heavier than my own body weight, cleaning the livestock pens, tending the royal gardens under the burning sun, washing clothes, and sometimes standing still for hours as a human decoration during royal feasts. My back ached. My feet cracked. My soul, numb.The Prince — Damien — returned to the cold-hearted beast he had always been. A single mistake from a slave now meant death. Beheadings and stabbings

As Damien's fist drew back, a hand gripped his wrist, stopping him midair.I turned, breath caught in my throat.It was the King."What is going on here?" His voice was low, but sharp — the kind that slices silence.Damien looked stunned, then furious. “Is it not this—”“Stop.” The King’s voice cracked like a whip. “No goat in this palace. Speak with sense.”Damien yanked his arm free and swept his hand across the table. Glass shattered, food spilled, and the tension in the room burst open. Without another word, he stormed out, thundering up the stairs. A distant crash followed. A wall, maybe.I stood frozen, hands clenched, heart pounding.Precious pulled me by the wrist, guiding me back to the kitchen.“All this chaos is because of you,” she muttered. “And yet… the princess was laughing? What kind of game is she playing?”I didn’t answer. I didn’t have the energy. My voice would’ve cracked anyway.Who even knows what Anna is planning now? Still, I whispered, “I’m not afraid of any o