Chapter 9: Slave of the beast.

~Lyra's POV~

"Yes, your majesty..." they start pushing me toward the bathing pool. Steam is coming out of the water and it looks warm and inviting.

I haven't had a hot bath in a while now. They start pulling off my dirty clothes quickly. I guess I should be thankful to the beast king for calling me a slave and making his servants quiet down.

They push me into the water. Since I know I won't be allowed to enjoy it, I just prepare my mind for whatever is coming next.

"You need to hurry. We can't die because of a stupid bitch like her," says the maid who had been insulting me earlier.

Again, she is insulting me. "We need to fight back, Lyra. I cannot be insulted by these people," Lauren hisses in my mind. She sounds very angry.

Lauren, please calm down. You and I both know we are no match for these beasts. Have you forgotten how powerful they are? They say even the weakest of them is still more powerful and stronger than any Alpha. So do you really want to fight against that kind of power when we are so weak?

"No, you are right. I am sorry," Lauren says. Lauren is as proud as I am. Being insulted over and over again must be really annoying and disgusting to her.

Once again, I am pulled out of the pool roughly. They dry me while another brings a very pretty dress that feels like silk against my skin.

I don't know what a cloud might feel like, but I think this is how it would feel. The silk is beautiful and tempting, and it matches my hair color.

It falls off my shoulders on its own. I want to tell them to find something for me to wear over it, but it would be useless to say anything because I know they wouldn't listen to me anyway.

They style my hair in a very complicated way that I have never seen before, but I have to admit it looks beautiful. They leave some of it to fall around my face.

They put beautiful emerald jewelry in my hair that matches my eyes. When they are done, I look like my old self.

Stunning and breathtaking. In fact, my own beauty surprises me. Well, I can't say anything less. The only thing I have a problem with is my dress. It slips off slightly, showing my cleavage.

And my nipples are showing through because the silk fabric is so thin. It sticks to my body like it is my skin. Every curve and shape of my body is on display.

"She's beautiful," I hear a maid say dreamily as if she is lost in my beauty.

"Even if she is, she will see women more beautiful than her," says that mean maid. Honestly, I don't care who I am more beautiful than.

"Besides, we all know no one can beat the beauty of Concubine Seraffim, Eleanor, Alla, and the late queen Alvira."

"Slave, I like how quiet you have become. If you were this quiet before, Lizzie wouldn't have died. That being said, you better behave at the banquet because if you don't, I will make your life in this palace hell." She turns and walks away.

Some of the maids follow her. Five of them stay with me. They start cleaning the room. The next minute they start dressing themselves up in the color red like me.

"What are you all doing?" I can't help but ask out of curiosity.

"Can't you see we are dressing up, slave?" I guess it isn't just that blonde maid who is mean.

"I know you are. I am asking why," I say in a sarcastic tone. I am tired of trying to be calm.

"I thought you said we should keep our cool," Lauren snorts at me.

It was easier said than done, Lauren. She just laughs and then goes quiet. The one I spoke to looks angry, and if eyes could kill, she would have murdered me.

"My lady, we are dressing up like you. We represent you. We can't look any less. If we do, it is an insult to you and to the king. It is the way of the Underworldlians," a shy-looking maid explains.

When she raises her head, I am shocked speechless. Goddess, these underworld beast women are indeed beautiful. I have never in my entire life seen purple eyes, but this maid has them with purple hair.

"You are beautiful," I say before thinking. The girl immediately falls on her face, shaking.

Did I say something wrong? Damn. "Why are you kneeling? Stand up." I get up from where I was sitting to help her up.

"I am sorry, my lady. I didn't mean to. I will put a scar on my face to ruin my face. Then no one will look at me or outshine you," she is crying now.

What kind of nonsense did she just say? Put a scar on her face? I turn to look at the other maids, and then I see the scars on their faces. Not huge scars, but clear for all to see.

What the hell is this madness? "And why would you say or do such a thing?" I ask, confused.

The other maids look angrily at me, and then one of them says furiously.

"You are a slave. What right do you have to tell us to ruin our faces because you are scared of being outshined?"

"I still can't understand this madness. I was truly giving her a compliment because she is beautiful. And when did I say she should put a scar on her face? And who asked anyone to scar their faces because they are insecure?" I am getting angry now at their accusation.

"My lady, please forgive me. It is the way of our tradition. If a noble lady compliments us, it means we must ruin our faces. It proves we are lowborn, and lowborn cannot be more beautiful than noble ladies."

Before I can reply... "Bring the slave to the banquet."

The voice echoes through the room. All the maids immediately stop what they are doing and bow deeply.

"Yes, your majesty," they say together.

I feel my heart start beating faster. This is it. Whatever Ragel has planned for me, it's about to begin.

The maids surround me, but this time they are more careful. They check my dress one more time, making sure every piece of jewelry is in place.

"Remember," one of them whispers to me, "you represent the king now. Do not embarrass him, or we will all pay the price."

As they lead me toward the door, I catch a glimpse of myself in a mirror. I look beautiful, but I also look like a prize being displayed. Like something valuable that someone owns.

And I guess that's exactly what I am now.

The slave of the Beast King, about to be paraded in front of his guests.

I just hope I can survive whatever sick game he is playing tonight.