Luxury imprisonment

Alexia followed Liam down the grand hallway. The walls were lined with tapestries of rich, deep colors depicting scenes of battles and triumphs. Crystal chandeliers hung from the high ceiling, their light reflecting off the polished marble floor.

Potraits of royals adorned the walls, their stern expressions seeming to watch her every move. Every detail spoke of wealth and power. Her eyes couldn't help widening as she took in the splendor, feeling a mix of curiosity, surprise, and anger.

"Good evening, my lord" Servants bowed low as they passed, their heads nearly touching the ground.

Liam ignored their greetings altogether his steady footsteps showing no signs of stopping as he walked on.

They reached a grand staircase, its railngs carved from dark, polished wood and adorned with golden accents.

Alexia hesitated for a moment, her gaze lingering on the magnificence before her. The steps seemed to stretch endlessly downward, and couldn't help making one feel quite dizzy.

She had climbed them while coming up, but her focus had been so fixed on devising a plan to escape that she hadn't paid much attention to her surroundings.

'How long will it take to reach the bottom?' she gazed down at the seemingly endless stairs. She took a deep breath and followed behind Liam, her steps barely a whisper against the stone steps.

As they descended, Alexia's gaze lingered on the intricate carvings on the railings. She felt like a mere mortal in a realm of gods, her anger grew. ' I'll definitely get rich one day, then I'll have all this, maybe even more.' She gritted her teeth more determined.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn't even realise when they finally reached the bottom of the stairs and entered a vast, spacious chamber.

The room's high ceiling, adorned with intricate frescoes seemed to stretch towards the sky, while the walls draped in lavish tapestries, shimmered in golden and sliver threads.

Plush carpets soft as silk covered the floor with windows draped in heavy velvet curtains, allowing beams of sunlight to filter through, casting a warm golden hue across the room.

Soft, deep cushioned sofas and armchairs were clustered around the area with a grand mahogany table at the centre inlaid with porcelain teapot and teacups decorated with fresh flowers in crystal vases.

Maids scurried about, each going about their own duties.

Liam, with his hands clasped behind his back, didn't stop, but headed out the door.

They emerged into a vast courtyard, the evening air cool against her skin.

The courtyard was lined with trimmed hedges and blooming flowers, a fountain at its center adding a gentle sound of flowing water.

The courtyard connected the prince's palace to another, less grand but still imposing building. Liam led her across the courtyard, his steps unwavering.

They approached the servants' quarters, a palace in its own right. The building was simpler in design but solid and well-maintained.

Liam opened the wooden door, and they entered another hallway. It was lined with rows of doors, each identical to the next. The hallway was clean and orderly with a small plaque bearing a name or symbol on the doors.

Liam stopped before one, his hand reaching to grasp the handle.

The door creaked open to reveal a modest yet spacious room.

It was sparsely furnished with a simple wooden bed and a quilted blanket. A small writing desk, its surface neatly organized with parchment and quills, occupied another corner. A wardrobe, its doors slightly ajar, revealed a modest collection of clothes. The only decoration was a single painting of a serene landscape hanging above the bed.

Although it seemed simple, the room was still ten, if not a hundred, times more impressive than her own. The sheer size alone was equivalent to ten of her rooms combined.

Liam stepped aside, gesturing for her to enter first. As she did, she couldn't help but take in every detail of the room, her gaze scanning the space with wonder.

"This will be your quarters," Liam said, his voice devoid of emotion. "You will remain here until further notice."

Alexia turned to face him. "And what is it you expect me to do here?"

Liam's expression remained unchanged. "You will wait. When the time comes, you will be summoned. You should be glad you even have the chance to experience such luxury. If it were up to me, you'd be long dead, thief." Without another word, he turned and left, the door closing with a soft click behind him.

Alexia stood in the center of the room, her shoulders downcast; feeling the weight of her situation settle heavily on her shoulders.

She crossed to the window and pulled back the curtains, revealing a view of the courtyard. The fountain continued its gentle play, the evening light casting long shadows across the trimmed hedges.

With a sigh, she turned away and sat on the edge of the bed. Her thoughts raced, she had to find a way to escape.

She was greedy, yes, but she was not foolish; she knew if she stayed longer, sooner or later she would be killed. The prince already knew she was a thief, so there was no way he'll allow her stay so comfortably.

"Grrrrgle"

Her stomach growled loudly, snapping her out of her thoughts and reminding her that she had skipped lunch. She hadn't eaten since morning and her belly demanded attention.

'Wait a minute, since I'm not allowed to leave this room, what am I supposed to eat?'

"Knock knock"

A knock disrupted her thoughts. She turned her gaze towards the door, got up from her bed, and went to open it.

A beautiful girl, dressed in a maid's uniform, stood in the hallway carrying a tray of food.

"My lord sent this to you" She handed her the tray.

"Your lord?" Alexia frowned, but collected the tray nonetheless.

The maid immediately turned to leave, but Alexia quickly grabbed her arms, holding her back.

The maid's gaze snapped to Alexia's arm holding her, her brows knitted in disapproval.

Alexia promptly released her grip. "Sorry, sorry, but who is your lord?"

'It couldn't possibly be that stone hearted guard, Liam. Not to talk of the fact that he just left, she was sure he wanted her dead. So there was no way he'd give her food.'

"My lord is sir Lucien" The maid hissed, before turning around once more and walking out.

'Ah, that cold faced man. Yes, that makes more sense' she nodded to herself, and turned back into her room, slamming the door behind her.

She placed the tray on the table beside her bed, then sat.

'I should probably change first'

She realised she was covered in dried blood - both hers and Raphael's. Her body reeked of sweat and blood, no wonder the maid had looked so revolted when she touched her. She was a mess, her appearance utterly gruesome.

She would have preferred to bath, but she didn't see a bathing chamber anywhere.

She walked to the wardrobe and pulled out a pair of men's clothing, they looked a bit big but that was just how she liked it. Free and comfortable.

She laid the clothes on the bed and gently pulled off her boots, then quickly stripped off the rest of her garments.

Her body was a canvas of wounds, covered in scars of all kinds, but she didn't flinch. She had long grown accustomed to pain.

She swiftly donned the new clothes and hurried to the bed, where she sat down and devoured the food with reckless abandon.

She didn't bother to consider whether it might be poisoned or not; the prince had far more sinister methods to kill her, and he didn't have to resort to poisoning.

'Burp...' She let out a contented belch after finishing, patting her belly with a satisfied grin.

'This isn't so bad, at least I get a free meal out of it.' With that, she dropped the tray back onto the table.

With a contented sigh, she collapsed lazily on the bed, not bothering to even position herself properly, her legs splayed wide apart. Drool trickled from her mouth, dripping onto the bed as she drifted off to sleep, a satisfied grin still plastered on her face. Her body surrendered to the exhaustion of the day.