Chapter 10

A few more days passed and a few more girls were gone. Dorcas had been taken last night. Now her room was empty.

I wandered the long, grand halls, since all of my roommates were gone I didn't have to attend classes with a group, so I spent most of my time alone.

Besides, I knew all of the rules and regulations like the back of my hand.

There were quite a few other girls who's roommates were also gone, but I didn't want to mingle with them.

I walked to the main chamber where the fountains were and exited the arches into one of the many gardens. I had never seen gardens like these before I had come here. The only ones I had ever seen were vegetable gardens ridden with weeds and pests.

But these, these were a glorious display of the most beautiful things in the world.

Flowers.

I moved my fingers along the soft, colourful petals of the periwinkle coloured hibiscuses and deeply inhaled the pleasant fragrance of the white lilacs.

I sat down on the stone bench and watched the brilliant yellow fish dance in the shallow pond.

I liked it here. It was peaceful and full of life. Some hummingbirds zipped in and stole a drink of water then zipped back out. I watched mournfully as the bright birds flew around freely.

I sighed deeply and rose from my seat.

When I turned to face the entrance of the garden, I saw Hadok standing there, his imposing, dark figure blocking one of the archways.

I waited for him to speak, but he just continued staring at me.

I moved to go back to my room but his words froze me in place.

"The Sovereign wishes for you to come to his chambers."

I began searching frantically for a reason as to why he would ask for me. Other than the obvious. He let me go! He'd said he didn't want me! What did he want now?

Hadok moved to drag me or something but I raised my hand, "I can walk myself, Hadok."

He nodded and walked away, I followed.

He led me to the room where I had been prepared before. Hannah was there waiting.

When she'd seen me the morning after I'd been chosen she was shocked and confused. But, as always she began working as though nothing had ever happened.

She took my robe off and began putting clothes on me. She put a corset on and pulled it tight. I'd been trained how to wear corsets but I hadn't been wearing one twenty-four seven so it was still hard to breathe.

She put an underskirt on, and then two more. She put on an underdress and then the actual dress, which was a deep blue with gold embroidery and buttons. Once she secured the dress to my body she put a small ringlet of gold around my head, and my dark hair was put up in a braided bun.

She began rubbing oils into my skin and painting my face. I looked in the mirror while she went to get the jewelry and almost didn't recognize myself. My lips, which were usually a pink peach, were now bright red. And my pale cheeks were dusted with colour so that they looked healthier and more plump. My grey eyes appeared to pop out of my face with the detailed outline Hannah had traced around my eyes.

I no longer looked like my mother, no… I was turning into someone else entirely. A pang of pain stabbed my heart at the thought. Who am I?

Hannah quickly came back and put the same necklace I'd worn that night. The silver chain with a sapphire jewel dangling at the end. She draped it around my neck gently.

I was now standing with Hannah circling me and fixing things here and there. She dusted my collarbone and cheeks with a gold dust to make them stand out.

She was standing in front of me, her blue eyes trained on me.

"Am I not done?" I asked her.

She looked at my face and tucked a stray hair behind my ear.

"I hope this time he doesn't throw you away." She said seriously.

My eyes widened, and my heart filled with warmth. I smiled and struggled to find the words to say, "Thank you Hannah, I'm sure he won't."

She nodded, and then said I could leave through the same doors as I had that night.

I walked through the doors, my feet were already beginning to hurt from the shoes I was wearing. I had been trained in wearing them as well, but not for daily use.

I was met by one of the other concubines that would replace Adhira from time to time. I believed her name was Chavi.

"Well, come on then, we can't keep the Sovereign waiting." She grabbed my wrist and pulled me along, reciting the same words that Adhira had.

We got to the end of the hallway and she unlocked the door and shoved me through. A eunuch on the other side caught me then hurriedly brought me to the Sovereign's doors.

He told the one of the guards outside the door that I was here, and he went in and announced my arrival.

I stood there my heart pounding, my hands beginning to sweat. 'Was he going to punish me? Was he going to take me to his bed, but this time use that drug on me?' My thoughts were in a frenzy and by the time the guard came back out to tell me to go in my head was spinning and black spots were dancing in front of my eyes.

I saw the eunuch's mouth moving but I couldn't hear a sound. The world began tilting and I felt someone catch me.

Sound rushed back in and with it, clarity.

I steadied myself, one of the guards had caught me, and entered through the open door.