Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I suddenly found maids replacing the soldiers as they marched backward.

They array themselves in a cue, and it seems so organized yet frightening. Three maids approached me.

"Welcome on board" the first said, as though it were a whisper. None of them had a bit of excitement and I presume they were depressed.

I stood up, gave a bow willingly but with a broken and heavy heart. I was stepping on the broken pieces of glass to show my preparedness.

This was a chance. It wasn't to escape fate but to take him down and when a leader is down, it means the city crumbles.

Two maids drew closer to me, gave the king a bow and directed me outside the palace. I stood in between the doors, rubbing my wrist and sobbing, but then, my eyes locked with his, and I was glued to a spot.

The room felt like it was closing in around me. In my mind, I was growing larger and larger, expanding with rage. If I didn't do something, fast, to get myself under control, I'd explode and take out everyone and everything around me, but that was impossible. Then I saw it, his dirty smirk at me as though he won.

We both stared at ourselves intensed, as though he peered at my soul with those nomad gray eyes.

The last I saw of him was when the doors automatically slammed against each other.

The next time that door opened, I found myself cleaning the arena. I had become a maid to work at this milestone, a chance for me to take down my foes. I haven't seen him for a week. Probably off to fight wars and capture more debris, tributes and rebellious humans.

Life here wasn't preferable. The only difference is that we've got to see light and a place to lay our heads. I became more and more despondent. I wanted to see him as one week felt like seven years.

Everything was strategized, I had people set up to aid me. Finally, I finally got the news that his spaceship had arrived. The enliveness in me reawakened; he was back for me to finish the task.

While I was glowering at his throne, two maids approached me with a detestable look. They grudgingly said:

"You're to welcome the king"

I ducked my head at them as that had never happened before. I was new here and still learning. The head of maids should be doing that.

"I think there's a mistake somewhere", I pointed out, but they gave me no response. One thing I noted: the people of the palace were people of few words and more actions. Everyone who comes in here gets used to it, except me. I wonder what would change if we met again.

Nevertheless, I accepted the duty. At least, I'd get to see him. The memory of him got me to recall the incident that transpired a week ago. How he made me jumpy with an antsy heart.

I was dressed up to welcome him. I almost cried at how roughly the maids in charge handled me. It was as though we had a beef.

My ears heard their distinctive voices and what I could filter from them was:

"Why is she different?"

"Perhaps she must have cast a spell on him"

I shunned their words as I stared at myself in the mirror.

For the first time, I got to see a lucid picture of myself in the mirror but was puzzled at how elegantly they dressed me up to welcome the man I loathe.

Bunches of flowers were planted in my hands, and they gestured to me to put on a broad smile. Anyone would guess I was a bride but one in distress.

The blooms from conducting electrons, the particles that carry negative charge from the air to the ground. I was literally holding an electrifying bouquet in my hand.

The gown stuck to my skin as I couldn't breathe. Are they aware of these wretched rose shocks?

Before I could go for a change of dress, I found myself outside the palace, at the hanger where all the ships rested. When they land, they cause tornados.

The whirlwind caused by the ship could blow off anything ashore. I could barely hold my balance. Quite similar to that of humans, they had marshallers.

There was a vacuum in the sky, releasing Stoic steroids, dust and debris, but it was suspended. It was my first time expressing this and I freaked out.

As I stood gazing at the monstrous contraption, my body shivered as though ice had replaced my spine.

The cold air that blew into my face engulfed my entire body. The multiple layers of clothing could not protect me against the swish of frosty air. I used the bashing flower to cover my face.

It's fragrance spelt burnt. Lightening struck the place and my breath was trapped, and more adrenaline pumped inside me.

It seems I was the only one having issues with the engines and landing.

Standing at the edge of the elevating cliff, I peeked through to see if I could get a glimpse of him and there he was. The sight of him melted my body as every muscle lost its tension to the spring air.

The wind tossed my hair to cover my face briefly. Even when the trumpet flared, I forgot my duty.

This was life, real life. When our eyes locked, it anchored my soul, creating a tether to this plane of reality. He was standing inside the ship while the exit door fully dropped to the ground.

His stern and serious look would make one dig his own grave, but why couldn't I stop myself from staring? My face had become hot.

It was as if space and time became the finest point imaginable, as if time collapses into one tiny speck and explodes at light speed. My world stopped on its axis. Once again, I was the only one standing in the midst of bent heads.

Mounting from the ship like a leopard, I was bemused by his threatening demour. juddered, he didn't take those eyes off me. I must have evoked anger in him again. What would he do this time?

His soldiers roar and sing his praises, and it disgusts me. When he was an inch close, I then recalled my lines and bowed like the rest of the maids.

He left out a scoff, leaned his face to mine and my eyes fell on his plump lips. For a moment I thought he'd kiss me, judging from the position he took, but he directed those enticing lips to my ear.

"Serve me tonight" he whispers in my ears and it tickles. His hot breath made me squirm. He was an alien and the queer feeling I got from him being close was understandable.

"Yes my lord", I replied, raising my head to look at him without much consideration and I caught him gawping at my cheek, the place he had bruised earlier. It was gone, thanks to a maid who helped me heal up with tantalum and whatever medics she used.

Away from that, all my world was surrounded by him, and I was lost in his daze. He was drawing me by himself and that was perfect. I've learned not to look in his eyes, but my heart knows he didn't want to keep to their laws.

Tonight, one of us died.