Chapter 3

Three years labour was certainly the last thing she expected. The King was certainly a nice man to hear her talk about his people and still give them three years. She expected to be imprisoned for life or enslaved for at least twenty years.

He had to be a nice person. They weren't even going to work in chains or sleep in that dark stinking place. They were given a room among the servants who were humans just like them. She was damn relieved her tongue didn't push them to their graves.

Maybe he was trying to prove his people weren't as animalistic as she perceived. Whatever it was, she was happy she wasn't going to spend her life here. Just work for three years and She was free to go.

Changing into the servant uniform, she stared at the isolated building several metres away from their quaters. She wondered why such a place would be abandoned. It was part of the palace, wasn't it?. A hand rested on her shoulder and she turned.

"Hello, I'm Freya" The freckled girl introduced stretching her hand. She looked about her her age only slightly taller. She took the hand and returned a genuine smile.

"Valentine. Nice pigtails by the way" She said. Freya smiled. This was the first time someone complemented her. Others ignored her and mocked her most of the times.

"T..thanks" She replied shyly.

Valentine smiled, knowing fully well the girl needed a friend. She wasn't so good with friendships but she could try at least to get her out of her shell.

"How long have you been here?" She asked.

"Five years" Freya replied. She looked back at the abandoned building. Would five years be enough for her to know about it?. That building looked older than five years.

Freya stood beside her and followed her eyes to the building.

"It looks pretty old, doesn't it? They say that tower used to be the most beautiful part of the palace but they stopped looking after it."

"Why?" She asked with keen interest.

"I don't know but it's forbidden to go near it or even enter. Punishment is immediate execution" Freya informed. She didn't like how interested Valentine seemed about the tower. She just started work today. It'd be terrible if she got into trouble on her first day.

"Do you know why? Did you bother to ask? Tell me, is there anything else you know about the tower?" She asked.

"No. All I know is that it's forbidden but before that, it used to be a treasury. Gold, silver, diamonds, name it. Everything was stored in there".

At the mention of treasury, Valentine was already devising means to break in. If She could get a piece of diamond or gold each day for three years, her life would never remain the same.

She wouldn't even need to steal again. She already made up her made to sneak in there no matter what punishment was stated. She could only be punished if she got caught, right?.

She carried out her duties for the day judiciously under the watchful eyes of the soldiers. They pretended not to pay attention to her but she could tell when someone was watching her. She just hoped it would end at the close of the day so her plans could go smoothly.

Her last duty for the day was to water the royal garden. She groaned on seeing the size. She wondered if her mom was doing any work cause she hadn't seen her all day. Or maybe she was out to steal again so they could spend additional five years.

She chuckled at the thought. It pointed more to her than her mother. She watered the fruits and vegetables as well as the flowers. Just as she was about to leave, she noticed a lone rose. It was dark red and almost dying. She simply plucked it and fixed it in her hair. It smelt so nice.

After retiring for the day, she showered and waited for everyone to be asleep. Her mom was yet to be back as well but that was the least for her worries. She had bigger goals. As soon as she was sure the girls were asleep, she sneaked out.

She managed to hide from the guards at several intervals. Especially when they popped out of nowhere. The night was her major shield. On reaching the old abandoned place, she paused to rethink her decision.

She still had no idea why the place was abandoned. What if something bad happened in here? Who would come to her rescue? But again, gold, silver and diamonds were in there. She needed as much of them as she could carry. She pushed the double doors slightly and they gave way more easily than she expected. Another bad sign she was too stubborn to take.

She walked into the darkness and the door slammed shut. Her heart raced. Maybe she should turn back now she still had the chance but the diamonds....She couldn't leave them. She walked further into the dark relying on her instincts to lead her.

She hit her foot against the stairs and groaned. So much for trusting her instincts. She followed it up to the very last. It was even darker than it was downstairs. Her legs ached from so much climbing. She couldn't tell where she was and there was so sign of gold.

The rattling of chains startled her. What the hell was that? The gold couldn't be in chains. She started trembling as the rattling got closer. Why was it getting closer? Who was in there with her?.

"Little human. Pathetic thief. I can almost feel your trembling feet". She froze on hearing that. That voice sounded human in every way but there was a ruthless tone leading it. What if she was stuck with a rogue? Is that why the tower was forbidden?.

Without thinking twice, she took to her heels feeling the walls for any room she could hide in. She felt a handle and pushed it open immediately. Thankfully, it didn't make a sound. She was almost safe. The moonlight struck the room with just enough light for her to see.

She stumbled to the wardrobe and climbed. Her heart wouldn't stop pounding heavily against her chest. She was almost sure he could hear it from wherever he was and she wasn't wrong. She heard the door open few minutes later and her eyes watered. He was going to kill her.

"Your scent gives you away. Come out". It was a calm but cold order. What scent was he talking about? She sniffed herself lightly but perceived nothing. Then it struck her. The flower! It was the flower all along. She was so doomed.

"Don't make me get you myself". She wrapped her hands round her trembling self. She couldn't come out and face her death. In a flash, the wardrobe door was yanked off and a force sent her flying to the bed. A gasp escaped her lips. This was more terrifying than she expected.

Before she could get off the bed, the beast was on top of her. The moonlight reflected on him. He had hair concealing his face but his strong arms trapped her beneath him.. Then he raised his head and her throat dried up as those fierce amber eyes pierced into hers.

She never felt the urge to pee like she did now.