Mate For His Highness

Maisie's POV:

“What do you think you are doing?” Came a voice into my subconscious as I continued to lie there without even knowing there was a change to my atmosphere.

My eyes burst open to see Mother standing there, towering directly over me. I was still lying there on my pad of a bed on the cold, hard dirt floor that got wet when it rained. Or here, lately, whenever someone left the water hose on just outside the wall where I slept. I watched her lean in closer, as I was in shock at the sudden appearance of being watched. The expression on her face was anything but pleased to see me lying there.

She shocked me even further when she reached up, drawing her arm back, and slapping me across the face with her claws. I moaned when the sudden action of her force caused several scratches to appear on the soft skin of my face. This is something she did practically every time she saw me.

“You are supposed to start cleaning up before breakfast is served to the rest of the house!” She continued to rant and rave at me as she stood up straight this time. “Now get up and get going before I come back here and really have at you!”

I quickly rolled to the side and got to a position on my knees as I bowed toward her, my hand still pressed against the side of my face, waiting for her to leave. My knees were screaming in pain, but I knew better than to say anything at that precise moment. She would take my tone as a 'perceived attitude' when the only attitude I had was that I was in a tremendous amount of pain. If I tried to say otherwise, I would be given a treatment again.

I was waiting for her to leave before I stood back up, or even took a breath, for that matter. Anytime sooner, and I would undoubtedly be struck again. Once she was finally gone, and not just hiding around the corner as she had done many times before, I quickly rose and walked over to a hook on the wall by the door, where I hung my one and only garment.

I was to wear this single item anytime I was supposed to leave this very room. I grabbed it quickly, put it over my current undergarments, and rushed out of the room I have called home for as long as I can remember. I made my way toward the kitchen to start my duties as quickly as I could manage. I had a bit of a limp caused by an older injury, one that was not my fault, but I couldn't ask anyone else about it. Otherwise, it would get back to her, and I would be in trouble once more.

I quickly reached the back door of the castle that led to the kitchen as I headed inside. I headed straight for the broom closet, grabbing the bucket and a rag so I could start cleaning up the cabinets first. I'm not sure who the cook was, but they certainly made sure to make a mess whenever they did something. It was evident they had no care to clean up after themselves. In the end, it was like they did it on purpose.

For as long as I can remember, I'm not allowed in the kitchen whenever they are cooking, and it's been that way for some time now. So, there's no sampling of the various dishes that are prepared. I got severely punished for tasting a crumb from a biscuit I found on the counter while cleaning up after a meal. Matron walked in that day and saw me. She made sure and told Mother. I was severely punished for it, too. 

So, after that, I'm only allowed to eat what is left, which is only at the end of the day, after I have finished all the chores I was given. Finally, I managed to finish the last few dirty cabinets before heading into the dining hall to ensure everything was in order, just before breakfast. Mother never wanted me to be seen by anyone else, so I had to start early. Today, she got me up before sunup. I guess it was a big day or something. She doesn't want me around anyone else, let alone to have other special guests see me.

I am the youngest in my family, and I tend to the needs of my other five siblings, in addition to cleaning up after the pack where we live. I either clean up or do everyone else's laundry. Therefore, no one tells me anything about the importance of special events, especially. 

Once all the chairs were wiped down, I walked over to the window to look outside. It was rare that I got a chance to view out the front of the castle, and since I was finished, I only wanted to admire the view. I didn't have a window in my room, so there was no view like the one I cleaned every day, which overlooked the front of the castle. However, I didn't realize Mother had just entered the room at that moment, too. 

Suddenly, I heard something behind me and turned at the exact moment she walked up to me, slapping me across the face once again with her claws out, causing more scratches to form on the side of my face. I immediately placed my hand over my face and bowed before her as she spoke.

"You know you are not to be seen!" She yelled at me harshly. "By anyone, especially through the front castle windows!"

"I... I'm sorry, Mother," I said without even thinking that I was speaking at that moment, as I was truly caught off guard.

"How dare you address me in such a manner!" She said in shock, and after she spoke, I received another slap on the opposite cheek, this time as I forced myself to bow before her. "You are to go to your room at once. Until I had best decide what to do with you." 

I stood back up from my bowed-over position, making sure to steady the bucket and rag I was using earlier to clean with. However, when I attempted to walk past her around the end of the table, she tripped me. I couldn't believe it when her action caused me to fall onto a chair at the end of the table, making it come crashing to the floor right along with me. At the same time, I dropped the bucket, which was still partially filled with water, causing it to spill all over the floor.

I gasped as the garment I was wearing was now nearly soaked. However, the most important thing about falling was that the arm railing broke when the chair crashed to the floor. I tried to get up, but my weakened state made it difficult as I was slipping in the now very evident puddle of water all over the floor around me.

"What is all the commotion?!" Asked the Alpha of our pack. He walked into the dining hall and looked directly at me, then looked over at Mother.

"I'm so sorry, Alpha," Mother said in a harsh tone as she scowled at me. I knew she would surely punish me if I said anything to him. She did not want anyone to see me, especially him of all people. "The servant was being clumsy and knocked over the chair, causing it to break. I will take care of this for you, personally." 

I couldn't believe her words. What was I going to do? He would kill me if I spoke up!