The brunette and I sat down at a table in the corner and I finally noticed her uniform.

It was the same blue and burgundy as mine which explains why Lucien probably chose her to assist me. Also, I think I've realized that this is a uniform not every maid has.

Only a handful of maids and servants were wearing this and I knew I was in for something huge. More than enough people in here gave me sidelong glances and looks full of disdain, pity and curiosity. I suppose making an entrance with the General called for it.

"So, um, wh-what's your name?" The girl inquired shyly as she too sat down and ate a soon of her porridge.

I picked up the hard slice of bread and sniffed it. Who knows if these were drugged? But then again, I couldn't starve either.

 "Cara." I replied curtly then took a moment to observe her.

Short brown hair and normal brown eyes, flimsy body structure, not enough meat on her bones, the usual. Probably 17. "And you?"

"O-oh, me?" She gulped. She's too shy for her own good. Not like me, she's not putting up a front. "K-Keely."

I smiled a bit at her, if only to give her some courage and nodded then ate the bread.

"General Lucien is so fearsome." She said quietly.

I nodded again. "So, um, who's Milla?" I asked her, changing the subject. The sooner I get the information on everything I can, the better. And the more aware of my surroundings I am, the quicker I can escape.

"Well, she's the Queen's personal handmaid who overlooks all the maids and servants working in the Palace, but there are only some of us that work directly u-under her." She started. "Milla is hard and so s-stern, no room for complaints or mistakes when you're under her division. Also, only those under Milla can be in the West Wing: The R-Royals' Wing. The cleaning and o-other necessities of the West Wing are the duties of those that Milla handpicks."

This girl is shy and broken and afraid, if her stuttering and slight shivers say anything.

"I see." I finished my porridge and Keely stood up, "Come on then, we shouldn't be late."

"Right." 

We both silently kept the dishes in the sink where the kitchen staff must be taking care of it and then started to head out while keeping our heads down.

Before we exited, Keely met my eyes timidly and asked, "Why though, w-were you with General L-Lucien?"

I sighed and shrugged as I stared at the hallway ahead, "Even I don't know."

•○•

So, when Keely said that Milla was stern and hard? She was NOT lying.

"I want you here everyday at sharp 7:30. The Palace won't clean itself." Milla sneered as her cold eyes scrutinized me. I nodded.

"No mistakes. From ANYONE, clear?" The woman with the tight bun and a cane in her hand looked at all the maids in the room. There were about 30 in the same uniform. I don't think the West Wing is done justice with just 30 maids. They must be using all their energy!

Like I will have to.

I bit the inside of my cheek again to contain my anger.

 Of course that's why they put me under this women's command. 

If I had no energy or time, I'd automatically fall into the routine where only work and avoiding vampires and mistakes would be on my mind. Escape would be a long gone thought.

"You all know your works." She dismissed us with a stiff hand and all the girls fell out of line, heading in their assigned directions.

"And Britt, if you cherish your life, you will not resist or look at another vampire again or leave a speck of dust." She pointed to one girl, her voice hard, who bowed, her jaw slightly clenching but fear evident in her eyes and quickly hurried out.

"And Lisa, you would be smart not to break another vase ever in your life." Milla gave the said girl a cold glare and then turned towards me.

"Keely, hold up." As Milla stared at me, I kept my head bowed.

 Keely stopped on the spot and squeaked. "Yes, ma'am?"

"Take this new one with you to work in the West Wing." She ordered Keely and I slightly rose my eyes. The women's facial feature could be made of marble! So cold and hard.

"Of course." Keely took a hold of my hand as Milla narrowed her eyes and dragged me with her to the exit. "Come on!" She whispered and I increased my pace.

Wow, she sure wanted to get away from Milla.

Can't say I'm not in the same boat.

•○•

"You have to be joking!" I hissed in a low voice to Keely who blushed hard and smiled tightly at me.

"You might wanna keep your voice down, remember these are vampires with better hearing." She whispered as we gathered the bucket and dusting clothes from the closet and started heading to the hallway Keely worked in usually along with that one other girl, Britt who was already ahead of us.

"Sorry...." I muttered. "But have you seen these windows? These aren't windows, these are walls!"

She smiled sympathetically. "You get used to it."

When Keely told me that the task we had for today was to clean those...those walls, I almost wanted to hit someone. The hallways are numerous and long, it'd be so tiring and lengthy!

I sighed lightly as we entered yet another lobby that was our destination. "How long have you been here?" I questioned in a low voice as we both set down our respective bucket and rags. Britt was on the other side.

She glanced at the guards on the ends of the hallways and then back to me while she dunked the cloth in the water. "Th-three years."

"And how old are you?" I did the same Keely did.

"17." She replied as she got the water out of the cloth and then turned towards me. "You can start with the windows here with me, I'll tell you some things." She lowered her eyes.

This girl had been here since she was 14. My heart hurt for her and my determination only increased.

 I nodded gratefully. "Thank you."

She smiled slightly and got to rubbing the rag on the glass windows - walls as I prefer calling them because windows are not something acting like glass walls on the side of a lengthy hallway. I copied her motions and was soon doing the same rubbing.

"Why was Milla scolding Britt?" I whispered. I had been curious about the blonde girl. Though she had bowed submissively and kept mum and she was scared, the slight clenching of her jaw said that a small flame of life still burned within her. If I wanted an accomplice, perhaps I could find one in her.

"Oh, Britt?" Keely glanced to the end of the hallway where Britt was furiously dusting the sills and the decoration pieces in the hallway. She sighed. "Britt has a tendency to.....deny. She denied a vampire noble her blood when he wanted to drink from her and even looked into his eyes. She was only let off with a....slight punishment and a warning because she was under Milla's division and no one does something to those who are under her without her permission."

Britt must've had to endure pain or being drained painfully in some form as punishment. I felt my stomach churn at the thought.

So, firstly.....I was correct. Britt was indeed harboring a flame of life and wanted an out. If I could somehow befriend her, I could get information in a shorter amount of time. But my living place was the stable - still can't believe it - and I knew I wouldn't get many chances for interaction with any other people besides maybe Theo and Lucien.

Secondly, "Denied him blood, what's that mean?" I quizzed slowly.

Keely glanced at me nervously. "The vampires are free to drink from any slave or maid or servant in the Palace and we cannot, absolutely cannot, deny them or there are definitely consequences."

Of course.

"Is there a criteria for those who are chosen to serve under Milla?" The question had been bugging me since I joined the puzzle pieces together and I wanted an answer.

"Well....not really. I don't know. We all have our different stories and reasons." She admitted.

I was confused, "What was yours?"

"My blood." She answered. "Apparently, it's really favored by Vampires."

But before I could ask her more, a guard from the other end yelled, "Hey, you two! Get to work and stop slacking!"

Keely nodded in his direction then nudged me towards a window on the other end and side. I subtly nodded at her, mouthing a 'sorry' and then headed there with the rag and bucket.

Soon, I immersed myself in my thoughts while my hands worked on the glass WALL. I looked out the window I was washing and saw the vast gardens. The endless guards here and there and the magnanimous iron gates that were my biggest problem. I sighed internally and scrutinized the rest.

The garden, surprisingly, had flowers other than blood red roses. And trees as well. I saw a guard patrolling ahead of the window I was washing and saw the same pattern almost every 10 feet. 

They have an abundance of guards to post in every nook and cranny.

Dammit.

I shifted towards the right side of the window-wall and scrubbed more as my eyes fell upon the stables that were apparently visible from even this angle. 

Another reason perhaps why I was placed in the stables was its strategic placing and how almost every angle gave a view of it.

As I observed, a figure with unmistakable platinum blonde hair and regal looking sword hanging at his waist and a cloak came out of the stables with the familiar storm grey colored horse, Veta who had taken a liking towards me. I narrowed my eyes when Lucien mounted Veta, and after a few exchanged words with Theo, he was riding out of the Palace grounds.

This was great. 

With him out of the Palace, it seemed like a burden was off my shoulders, like I knew that his eyes weren't on me anymore. Though I did wonder why he had such an abrupt leave and when he would be back.

I couldn't have been more wrong.

Before I could assess anything more than that, a small feminine cry filled with pain and surprise caught my attention and I whipped around, my hand instantly landing on my thigh where I had hidden my knife in the thigh sheath I still had.

The sight I met was not pleasant.

There stood Keely with her hands clenched, eyes brimmed with tears and neck arched. She bit her lip tightly probably suppressing another cry when her hair was gripped onto tightly and her brown eyes met my green ones. I felt rage boiling my blood and helplessness leaving me unable to do anything. I was strong and stubborn but like I said, I was smart enough to never let impulsive emotions take control.

I inhaled sharply when my eyes traveled lower, to where a pair of fangs were inserted into her neck. A mop of jet black hair that fell forward obstructed my view of anything more.

And then slowly, as if he could feel my eyes on him, he raised his head.

Electric blue eyes, crackling with real lightning met mine. I felt like I was captivated beyond words. Like I couldn't move.

Like when he stared so, so intensely at me.........

I could see what he was imagining.

Like he was imagining me in the very position Keely was. And as he sucked her blood in front of my very eyes, it seemed like he was promising me the same fate. As if he was....sucking my blood even though he was so far off.

A shaky breath left my lips as the realization of who it was hit me like a thousand bricks, breaking the tiny house of hope I'd just managed to build.

Those lightning eyes belonged undoubtedly to only two Celeran Royals.

The King.

And the Prince.

And right now, this vampire was making my heart stop with his captivating electric eyes, his jet black hair and the oddly promising look he was giving me.

I suppose I spoke too soon when I said that no one as important as Lucien would have their eyes on me anymore.

Because Prince Damien did.

•○•