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I couldn't believe I was not dead.

I did not get into trouble. I was still alive and had another day to go. I mentally vowed myself not to mess things up today as I tried to have some determination.

Tried.

"All is going to go well. You can do this Eve. Just breathe work breathe work and you're done." I muttered under my breath.

"Could you please stop that?! You're making us worry! Nothing bad is going to happen to you Eve. You are doing your job fine." India firmly reassured me. But that wasn't enough. I just had this bad feeling inside of me.

"I know I know. There's still too many 'what if's'. I mean anything can happen today." I panicked.

"Yes Eve, good point. Anything can happen. Anything. Means something wonderful could happen too you know. Why are you acting like the world's gonna end?" Bethany faced me crossing her arms.

"He's back Beth! How can something wonderful happen? I wouldn't even know if he's in the room or not. What if I dropped something? What if the food is not to his liking? What if I accidentally poured blood on him instead of his chalice?! What if...."

"SHUT UP!"

This time is was both of them.

"Nothing. Bad. Is. Going. To. Happen. Eve!" Beth shook me like a rag doll.

I think it helped because the blood must have gone up to my head and I started to actually believe her words.

"You know what? I know what can make you slightly calmer. Here." India came back and presented me with a fresh white rose. I didn't even notice her leave for a while. I accepted the little flower gratefully. I love India.

When I brought the rose up to my face and inhaled its scent, I felt myself calm down almost immediately. It held such a sweet fragrance I sighed in content.

"Wow how did you do that?! It worked like magic. She finally shut up. Thanks India." Bethany crushed her into a hug.

"Didn't you know? Eve is addicted to flowers for some reason," she answered. "Now that you're okay, you can start your duty."

We were still sitting in the dinning area. We finished our breakfast around half an hour ago. I became panicky all of a sudden and started ranting about different possibilities of the day. Most of them ended with me dying. Too bad the victims of my rant were none other than my two new friends.

And now I couldn't rant anymore.

It was time for work.

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I placed his breakfast on the table just like last night and waited there patiently for his arrival.

A few minutes past and I still waited. He has to eat right? If not the food then definitely the blood. More time past and he was still a no show. I just waited and waited. Every once in a while I looked out the window. Some of the servants on gardening duty could be seen from where I stood. They seemed so bright and happy out there. How I wished I was a part of that group. It was never a good thing being stuck inside.

I put a stop to my thoughts before it could escalate further. I had to accept this just like the rest.

"This is your life now." I muttered turning away from the window.

I don't really know how long I stood waiting but I continued to do so afraid of punishments.

After some time I couldn't stand still like a plank any longer.

So I didn't.

"Right leg front, right leg back aaaaand left leg front, left leg back. Here we go, right leg to the left, right leg to the right. Left leg to the right, left leg to the left," I sang in a hushed tone quietly to myself.

That's when there was a knock on the door. I returned to plank mode in a split second.

Who was it??

I didn't know whether to talk or not so I held my tongue and waited. I took deep breaths to calm myself as the knocking got louder.

Then the handle moved. I broke out in cold sweat as I prayed it wasn't one of the royals or Him.

Before I could finish my little prayer Ms. Odelle barged in.

Again.

I threw my head up and whispered a thanks.

"Why didn't you open the door?" she demanded.

"Ah I thought you were I mean I didn't know who it was so..."

"The only ones that ever come to this room is me and Prince Phoenix and the Prince doesn't need to knock before entering his own room Eve."

"Oh."

"Come now. Remember what I said. If you don't see him and nothing is requested of you, you leave the food and come back later to clean." She motioned for me to follow her out to which I quickly did.

"Well I just thought that since he's back I should wait on him or something, I don't know." I said as we walked through the hallways outside. I was just afraid that I would get carried away with other things like last night.

"I already told you. He's extremely private. If he doesn't ask don't do. Except the cleaning of course. This time Eve, please remember," she said strictly "I came to check on you because India said you were a bit agitated this morning." Her face turned into a look of concern. "Anything wrong?"

"Nope. Nothing madam." I quickly said.

"Call me Ms. Odelle."

"Okay."

We just walked in silence for a while until she thought about something and smiled. I of course imagined it to be a pleasant memory but after what she said I nearly threw up.

"I hope you didn't do anything weird dear. The prince was in there the whole time."

I choked on my saliva as I recalled everything I did and mentally face palmed myself.

Why do I keep doing this??!!

"Wh...what??" I still couldn't digest her words.

"Well it's been some time since there was a servant assigned to him right? Naturally he wants to know what kind of a person goes to his room everyday and meddles with his stuff."

"Meddle? Don't you mean clean and arrange?" I asked as politely as I could. Honestly I was a little ticked off with her words.

"His words Eve. Like I've said many times. He loves his privacy."

Then why assign a personal servant?! If he hates anyone coming into his room, why not clean it himself?! Take care of himself?!

I wanted to shout.

"You can clean and arrange the vases on a few tables in this hallway for the time being but don't get carried away. Remember to go in after an hour. The Prince is your priority," she reminded me.

"Yes Ms. Odelle."

"So, you didn't do anything weird this morning right?"

"No. I was completely normal." I shrugged.

It's not like I randomly did an exercise slash dance in the middle of the room.

Why did she have to keep asking?!

"Alright I'll leave you to it then. Bye now." With that she left me to my chores.

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The vases I arranged were truly exquisite. All of them had unique designs. Each one different from the other. I traced my fingers across the vases as I wiped them clean, admiring their beauty when suddenly there was a loud crash followed by a bloodcurdling scream.

"You will be punished for this slave!! GET BACK HERE! NOW!" A masculine voice boomed. It was so loud and frightening that I almost dropped the vase I was holding. That voice had to belong to a Royal.

I quickly put the vase on the table before I turned around. There was another servant running in my direction. He looked very young, around fourteen at most. He ran pass me so fast but not fast enough.

What was he thinking running away from a royal vampire?!

He didn't get very far before one of the castle guards caught him. They didn't even give the boy a chance to blink. More guards immediately came with shackles for his wrists and ankles to have him bound. He kicked and screamed while they dragged him away to God knows where.

Then it was pure silence. An eerie feeling crept inside of me. I stared at the same spot where they all were moments ago. My heart was pounding as I trembled where I stood.

What could he possibly had done?

I didn't know how long I stood frozen in that spot before another servant girl walked through the hallway I was at. Apparently she was looking for me. "Come now all of us must gather at the hall immediately." She said. From her tone I could tell nothing good is going to happen. She grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the hall.

Once we reached there my heart stopped as I took in the sight before me. The young servant boy was hanging by his wrists. Wrists that were bound by heavy shackles with chains connecting to the ceiling. Both his feet were bound too, tightly connected to the ground. He could barely move from his position. Surrounding him were every servant in the castle. No one spoke. They were just waiting. I looked around for Alex and spotted him at the far corner. He looked worried. I began pushing through the crowd to get to him.

"Alex!" I whisper yelled. His face immediately brightened up but went back to being dull. "Alex what happened? Did you hear anything?" I asked regarding what's going on.

"Robbie. It seems when one of the Royals wanted to drink from him, he refused and put up a fight. That's not the problem Eve. After doing so he tried to run away. Such a dick move." Alex said massaging the sides of his temple. "What are they going to do to him Alex?" My question was answered by a very familiar man who walked up to the middle.

"Now! All of you will watch what happens when you break the rules!!" It was General Octavius.

What caught everybody's attention was the whip he was carrying. It wasn't a smooth whip. It was rough with small spikes poking out.

"Robbie here decided to break not one but two rules today! Pretty bold if you ask me!! First, refusing and resisting a Royal. Second, running away!" He bellowed. Then he let out a sickening laugh. "Hey kid!! Did you actually think you could escape?! From vampires?!" he laughed again. The boy looked pale and seemed to be about to burst into tears. He was so much smaller compared to the guard. A scrawny kid with dark hair and baby blue eyes. Eyes that showed pure terror.

"Eve? Eve calm down," came Alex's far away voice. I didn't realize that I'd started to hyperventilate. "Hey breathe in. You can do it, take deep breaths that's right." Alex guided me as he rubbed my back. Whatever he was doing did not prepare for what was going to happen next.

"Robbie here will receive 20 lashes for his unacceptable actions!! He is considered lucky that his master did not order an execution!" The man spoke. He didn't wait any longer as he raised the whip up high and fiercely brought it down to Robbie's back. The poor boy screamed in pain. Servants all around let out gasps and cries of their own.

By the time he reached the fifteenth blow, my face was already covered in tears. Robbie's back was covered in blood and he could no longer keep his eyes open. His back was full of cuts. One could see his flesh. He didn't even have the strength to scream anymore. He coughed out blood a couple of times.

When all of it finally ended and when they freed him, Robbie fell face first to the ground. If it weren't for his shallow breathing, everyone would have thought he was dead. Moments later, Robbie was carried away by another guard.

"Now this is what will happen when you think you have a choice in any matter!" Octavius spoke. He was out of breath and his face was littered with blood splatters. He looked so evil at that moment.

I had never felt so much anger towards anyone in all my life. Every time I looked at him my blood boiled. How could he? How could he do something so horrible to a kid?

"Eve come on we have to go. It's over we have to get back to work." Alex said dragging me out. Once we were out I quickly wiped my face and said my goodbyes to Alex.

Before I left he stopped me. "This is going to be something normal and we have to get used to it." he said cupping my face. "You understand? Violence and blood are some things we're gonna have to get used to alright?" I numbly nodded at his question.

I don't want to get used to violence.

I continued my walk to Prince Phoenix's room. Once there I did what was needed to be done in a daze. My mind couldn't stop drifting off to Robbie. That look on his face. How powerless we all were. I couldn't help but allow the tears to slide down my cheeks. What happened earlier today was never going to be erased from my memory.

Still in a daze, I walked to the kitchen and brought his dinner to his room.

This time I remembered what Ms. Odelle said and left the tray on the table, ready to walk out. Just as I was about to turn the door knob I was stopped.

"Did I ask you to leave?"

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