Her desperation.

Once the door closed behind her, the panic and fear she had been trying fervently to keep at bay this whole time finally caught up to her. The fear she tried so hard to hide since she woke up from the sedatives finally made it to her throat, chocking tears out of her.

God what was happening; her gut told her they wanted something from her. And she has been trying to wrap her brain around what she could possibly offer and every time she thought of it, her mind brought her to one conclusion. Her life.

She was left in the dark about what plans they had installed for her. And if there was anything she feared more than never getting away from her parents, it was the unknown. She hated secrets and hidden agendas, it made her vulnerable and she hated being vulnerable.

When she calmed down a bit, her mind wondered to the previous night. She was now convinced that Brandon wasn't the one who sent her that message. Someone used his phone to send that message knowing she would take the bait because it was him.

But who would do that to her? It could have only been someone close enough to know his password. And the guy had a long list of friends that had access to his phone. She couldn't think of any one of them who would want her gone.

Those people, it was as if they were waiting for her to come. That would explain how an alley known for it's drug dealing would be dead silent as it was last night.

Weren't junkies always buying drugs?

She wondered if anyone has noticed her absence. Per her daily schedule, she should be at work by seven but today was different because of her presentation. She was planning on being at the office as early as possible to make double sure everything was in place. Her presentation; she'd work so hard for it and now she wasn't even there to see it through, how vain.

Her mom might have already found out if you tried calling her phone this morning.

She didn't even know what time it was. She wasn't sure she could continue like this without loosing her mind. She didn't know how long they were going to lock her up in here or when she was going to get her answers and she was starting to think she wouldn't be sane by then.

But Rangard had told her she would find out why they unceremoniously pulled out of her life without her concern soon. She didn't know how long soon was but she needed a shower.

And she needed to get out of this dress first, how people looked her way with unusual gazes a while ago at the hallway didn't escape her. Surprisingly, there were clothes in the large wardrobe that sat at the far corner of the room. Although the all the clothes in it looked like ball gowns, they were better than what she was wearing and people from this place dressed like that. Her eyes fell on the window then, and she run to it to check it out. She might need to jump after she comes up with a solid escape plan. The distance from her window to the ground was quite long, but she could pull it off.

A knock sounded at the door and a servant entered with a food of tray in hand. Meryl was getting a little confused, first a prepared room with a wardrobe full of clothes her size and now breakfast?

Why did she feel like someone was going out of their way to be hospitable to her? What she needed now wasn't food but answers. Did whoever this was think she could stomach any food considering the predicament she found herself in? Well they thought wrong.

The servant approached the window where she sat after she was done setting table, giving her a smile and bowed. What?

"Your breakfast is served my lady," she said staring at Meryl's confused face.

"His highness assigned me to take care of you so please feel free to ask for anything you may need," she continued despite the other woman's confusion.

"His highness? Where is he?" She asked in a whisper getting more confused. A prince? Was he behind her abduction?

Wait he couldn't be the owner of those expensive shoes, could he? Meryl shook her head.

"Yes my lady he said to inform you to eat and get some sleep. He would be back before lunch to meet you," the servant cut through her thoughts.

She was young, a year or two older than her maybe. She wasn't the friendliest but at least she provided with the information she so desperately needed.

Finally someone was going to explain this bull shit to her.

"Did he ask you to prepare the wardrobe as well?" she felt the need to ask, if she was going to talk to him, she might as well gather everything she could about him.

"Yes and the room," she confirmed.

"Would you mind if I pried a little?" she asked the maid who gave her a skeptical look before nodding.

"You might not know why I'm here do you?" The servant wore a frown following her question before answering awkwardly.

"His highness mostly entertain his lady guests in the palace without telling us anything my lady. I'm sure he will let you know why you're here if he hasn't already told you."

After her fully sunk into her brain, it was her turn to frown. Did she think she was a slut?

Of course not, she had no romantic relationship with the prince, she wanted to yell but couldn't bring herself to it.

"Should I get you something for that? It getting a little dark," she pointed at the left side of her face. Right that gut wrenching slap.

"I'd like that, thank you."

"I will be back then," she said and left.

Meryl stood up from where she sat and made her way to the mirror, she has not seen how bad it looked. It looked horrible, that's why she felt such great pain for a numbing thirty seconds or so.

She remembered what happened to him, he lost his head for it. The thought of it brought chills down her body.

How could anyone decapitate someone with their bare hand so easily.

The servant brought brought the cream and helped her apply it carefully on the left side of her face before easing out of the room again. She didn't touch her food, she was not a big eater to begin with and now she had no appetite whatsoever.

Waiting for God knows how many hours for lunch time to come was maddening for her. The fact that she didn't know what time it was, was not of good help to her. The maid, who she learned was called Isla, came to fetch her untouched breakfast sometime after she brought the cream.

The cream was as effective as she said, the dark line under her eyes were now faint.

The moment she's been waiting for finally arrives when Rangard informed her that the prince wait waiting for her in the dining hall.

Meryl was nervous as fuck as she made her way down the hall to the dining hall with Rangard leading the way through the dark hallway, her fingers locked at her front. She wanted answers but she was also scared at what she might find. Something told her it wasn't going to be anything pleasant. Not when a prince and a palace was involved. The more they neard their destination the wilder her heart beat quickened.