Chapter 8

THE CASTLE

SKY

"Hey! Hey!" Sky groaned when she felt someone waking her up. She's not in the mood to get up. Who would thought that bed felt amazing. For the first time in a long time she doesn't feel her back aching from the cold hard floor, and she actually felt so comfortable in that soft bed.

"Wake up Sky! Wake up!" She groaned when she felt someone shaking her, she opened one eye to look at who is shaking her harshly, she ended up seeing Shahara hovering above her.

"Why?" Sky asked before covering her face with the pillow trying to get back to sleep, Shahara only raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean why? C'mon breakfast would be serve soon. If you don't get up the queen would be mad." Breakfast? She thought, she hadn't have breakfast too, in fact it would be her first time to eat breakfast, back in the brothel, madam Juanita would often give her lunch, dinner seldomly came by. It depends on madam Juanita 's mood if she'll get anything warm to eat. Sighing Sky removed the pillow from her face and looked at Shahara before sitting up.

"Can i change first?" She asked her before standing up,she was still wearing the same thing from yesterday. Shahara nodded and gave her a pair of cloths that were quite similar to her cloths but only it's color pink and quite more revealing. Sky strips of her cloths and change into what Shahara had given her. After she's done, she followed her out of the room.

"Do you not get lost in this huge house?" Sky asked as they walk down the hall.

"This is a castle not a house. You'll get used to it soon don't worry" Shahara said. Sky's gaze wonders in the castle wall, she saw large windows, large painting of nude women and men and even war. Grand tapestries hangs from the wall and large chandelier could be seen from above.

"We're here." Shahara announced as they step into a room with a large and long table and has many chairs on it. She followed Shahara but soon she stops at her track. She saw the queen talking to the regent, the queen was seated on the head of the table on her left is the regent, to her right sat Shahara. On the regents left side sat sir Borrington and next to him were five old men or old vampires.

"What's the matter?" Sky looks at the Queen, they were all looking at her she hadn't realized that she had frozen in her place.

"You're to sit next to Shahara, pet don't be shy." Regent Catherine said, Sky nodded and sat next to Shahara, she then looked at sir Borington who didn't look at her, he and the queen is busy reading something. She then look at the old men who were glaring at her. And then one of them finally said something.

"Excuse me my Queen. But why is that dog here?" He asked. Sky visibly shrinks at her seat feeling embarrassed at being called a dog, she doesn't like the insult, but she can't do anything either to protect her pride.

"She is my pet Lord Jonathan." The queen's short reply.

"But she is a dog and i believe dogs are meant to eat on the ground." The other man said making the other laugh and looked at her mockingly. Sky had to clench her fist, she wanted to get out of that place. The brothel is a much more nicer place, as she had Ebony to defend her.

"My Uncle offered her to me as a concubine. It would be rude of me to just send her to the breeding house. Right?" She glance at the queen who spoke. Few of the men raised their brow at the Queen's words.

"A dog? Would you really take her as a concubine my Queen?" Lord Jonathan asked sounding somewhat horrified at the notion that queen is indeed taking it to mind to take a werewolf as a concubine

"Yes, do you have a problem with that?" The Queen then glared at Lord Jonathan.

"She is to be treated like Shahara, if i heard any of you mistreating her, i would not hesitate to behead you. Do you understand?" Sky saw how Lord Jonathan clenched his jaw before saying yes.

"What was he thinking though when he sent you that dog?" Everyones attention was drawn to the woman who just walked in. She looks like the queen, although with shoulder length hair, Sky felt herself shiver. The woman is something. Sky could feel the sinister air coming out of the woman's body.

"Lysandra." The queen said glaring at the woman. When Lysandra's eyes fell on her she froze, she just stared at her as if she knew her. Sky saw the change in her eyes. From hatred to recognition.

And then she smiled, like really smiled with no hint of deceit.

"Well now i know why. Who would say no to such beauty?" Lysandra said and then she sat next to Sky. She then gently grab her chin and stared at Sky's blue eyes.

"Those eyes. They are unique." She whispered, Sky felt lost as she stared at this set of dark green eyes. If the Queen's eyes is full of pain, sorrow, hatred and wrath. This woman eyes is just down right evil. Her eyes, it looks like a sea and at the bottom of it were monsters.

"Tell me what you see." She commanded, Sky's body went stiff, she felt scared. She couldn't look away and as if she was bind by an invisible chain.

"Monst-" Before Sky could answer, someone had slapped Lysandra's hand away from her." When she look up to see who it was. It was Regent Catherine glaring down at Lysandra.

"Go find your own pet to mess with. This one is already taken." She said, Lysandra raised her hand in a mock surrender before standing up and moving to the other side of the table. And then Catherine went back to her own seat, soon breakfast was served and Sky, for the first time in her life have been served with freshly bake bread and hot breakfast, together with milk. She couldn't help but drool, she was about to grab it by her hand when Shahara stopped her.

"No, don't use your hand. Use this." Shahara showed her the spoon and fork. She hold it, but didn't know how to use it. So she look back at Shahara helplessly. Shahara couldn't help but smile.

"Here let me teach you." Shahara said, guiding and teaching Sky how to use the utensils. A second later, Sky could do it without struggle. She ate happily, the taste of the food was a pleasure in her mouth that she couldn't help but moan. She's doing it without knowing tha affect she has on the people around her.

"Shahara." The Queen said getting the attention of Shahara.

"Yes my Queen?" Shahara asked.

"I want you to show her around the Castle. Teach her what i'm expecting for her to do. Be her mentor while she stays here." The Queen's eyes were on Sky as she happily ate.

"Of course my queen." Shahara respectfully bows her head before taking a quick glance at Sky.

After they are done eating, Shahara did as the queen told her to do.

"This is the Art room. Most of the time the regent is working here, if she's inside and painting, she must not be disturb." Shahara said, Sky admired the paintings of which were many women, some are dressed, some are naked. But what really caught her attention is the large portrait of the Queen, it so realistic.

"It's so pretty." She said, Shahara only nodded. They continue to walk around the castle. Shahara even brought her to the library.

"Those thing? What are they?" Sky asked.

"Oh, those are books." She looked at Shahara in confusion. Shahara bit her lower lips before explaining.

"A book is a set of paper stock together. There are many kinds of books, some have stories, some have information you could use and some are blank. A book can also be used to, you know writting and storing down the history. And you can all read them or write on them." Sky only nods her head.

"I....i don't know how to read." Shahara then stops at her track and stared again at Sky. She almost forgot about it. Wolves cannot be teached to read or write.

"Ah, i'm.....i'm sorry." To avoid the akward moment Shahara then guided Sky to the Garden, Shahara was startled when Sky gasp loudly

"Wow! Are those flowers?!" Sky asked ecstactically, like a child.

"Yes, they are winter flowers." Shahara said. Since the West had long winter season, the former queen Elleina ordered for her men to plant flowers that blooms in winter. Which are Maule's quince, pansy, heather, cleamene, winter jasmin,hellebore, phlox and many more. Sky looks like a child, Shahara could see the excitement of Sky.

"Go on, just touch it. Don't pick it up, the gardener would be mad if you do." Shahara saw how fast Sky went to the flower. She examined it, touched it's petals and even smells it. So very child like.

"What are those? What do you call them?" Sky pointed at the yellow flowers.

"Those are winter jasmine. But don't ask me too much. I don't know which is which. Now come, i must explain to you something." Shahara said pulling Sky with her.

"The Harem is in there. The Queen and the Regent has 19 concubines and i'm one of them. You are the 20th concubine. Anyway you must not go there without me or the Regent or the Queen." Sky stared at the left wing of the castle. She couldn't see anything but the wall and the large windows.

"Why aren't we there?" She asked.

"That is because we are different." Shahara said as they continued to walk, they stopped at the Large bath house with pool in it that has a fresh running water."

"You said we are different, what are you?" Sky asked again when they exited the bath house.

"Well, you are werewolf, and. I'am a shape shifter. I can morp into any kind of Animals or creature. The Harem mostly consist of noble women, some of them even came from the Last 6 royal families of the vampire clan. Though you are a gift from lord Dutton of the Clan Waevlor, it means you kinda of....represent their family. So that's why the queen accepted you." The two of them continued to talk until they reach the the second floor of the castle. And by the time that dinner came, Sky was already exhausted.