Islinda cried herself to sleep and was roused at the creaking of the door. She first opened a swollen eye and peered at the servant who pushed in a tray full of food. Islinda groaned in annoyance at the sight of the Fae. Why couldn’t they leave her alone? She already told Aurelia she wasn’t hungry.
Of course, it was the opposite. Islinda was indeed hungry having eaten nothing all day, and her stomach grumbled angrily at the sight of the tantalizing delicacies. However, she wanted nothing from Aldric and starving herself was punishing herself for falling for the idiot and also, an act of rebellion against him.
Islinda sat up, glaring at the servant, having woken up in a foul mood. She said gruffly to the servant, "Take the food back, I don’t want it."
Although the servant heard her, she still put on a smile on her face and tried to convince her, saying, "I heard that you haven’t eaten anything all day, my lady."
"I said that I don’t want it. Take it back! And stop calling me by that title, I’m simply a captive human with no power around here." Islinda yelled at her.
The Fae sighed. She took a deep breath and stared Islinda dead in the eye, saying, "I’m afraid that I cannot do that, my lady."
"Why is that?" Islinda asked, although already having a premonition who might have ordered it.
"The prince specifically ordered that I bring this food to you." The Fae answered, and her guess was right.
Anger hummed through her veins, and the first course of action that came to her mind was tossing the tray away and causing the food to splatter. However, before she could achieve that, the servant added immediately, "Prince Aldric said to inform you that any reckless action of wasting this food would result in my death."
"What?" Islinda felt her blood run cold.
"You heard me right, my lady." The servant affirmed without looking her in the eyes.
"No, he wouldn’t." Islinda spoke to herself, feeling the blood rush to her ears. She refused to believe that Aldric would threaten another’s life over a meal. However, Islinda was not oblivious to his cruelty. This was the same bastard who had no regard for life and treated her like shit after their coupling. Killing a mere servant was not beyond him.
Islinda burst into hysterical laughter startling the servant. She laughed so hard that tears escaped her eyes and the Fae looked on in confusion, having no idea what to do. The poor Fae was already frightened for her life as it was. Islinda had her life in her hand.
"So this is how it is from now on." Islinda said to no one in particular. With a resigned sigh, she ordered the servant to bring the food.
The servant set out the food for her, and Islinda began to eat it. The food was well-made and her appetite was roused, yet she did not show it with the way she ate lifelessly. It wasn’t until she picked the tea and took a sip that the Fae informed her, "Just so you know, the prince made that himself."
Islinda froze.
The Fae, oblivious to her inner turmoil, prattled on, "We were honestly startled when he came into the kitchen and demanded that we make dinner for you. Then to our shock, he prepared the tea and instructed you to drink it all. He said it would calm you and everything would be okay afterward.... By the gods, my lady....! " The Fae exclaimed, startled over the tears that ran down Islinda’s face.
"Are you okay, my lady? Is it something I said?" The Fae shuddered and fell to her face, "Forgive me, my lady. I should have minded my mouth, please don’t tell Prince Aldric. I’m sorry!" The servant began to beg her, scared to meet the same fate as Sura.
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