Here is Chapter 3! It is longer than my other chapters, so I hope you guys enjoy!
Please leave comments below letting me know your thoughts. Encouragement always makes me write faster :)
*****
Iris heard the pulse in her temples
thud
loudly as the guard dragged her through the hallway and down several flights of stairs to what she presumed was the servant's quarters. She was finding it hard to keep pace with the guard and almost fell forward twice before he tightened his ironclad grip. This was when she spied the dagger housed in a pouch attached to the guard's metal belt. Angry at the guard for her treatment and wishfully thinking perhaps she can stab the guard and go find her family members who may not be too far from her at the moment, she reached for it. Unfortunately for her the guard detected her movement and pushed her forward. Iris fell the last few steps and landed on her back, having the wind knocked out of her.
The guard slowly but menacingly moved towards her; he was tall and broad, with a red beard and a balding hairline. His dark eyes glistened with disgust and anger as he grabbed her in a chokehold and lifted her to standing. He didn't let go of his hold and squeezed further cutting off air into Iris's lungs. "I can't wait to see you broken after the King is done with you" he spat and squeezed with more force one last time before letting go. Iris's hands immediately shot to her throat as she stumbled some steps back gasping for air. The guard took this opportunity to restrain her with handcuffs
this time
before resuming down a corridor.
When they reached the servant's quarters, the guard requested the head maid, Maria, who came waddling in with an icy smile. He rapid fired some orders at Maria and left Iris in her care but not before giving Maria the key to the handcuffs and warning her about Iris's previous offending behavior.
Maria summoned other maids who led Iris into the bathing room, where she was given a stern warning by Maria to behave before being un-cuffed. Iris contemplated whether to try and escape as there were only five maids, including Maria in the room but where would she go; down the corridor and up some flights of stairs? She didn't know this massive palace well and even if she does escape her current holding place (hoping she makes it this far without getting caught), she will be risking her family member's lives and she had no idea where they were taken.
Iris by no means was close to her father and Amir was no different. There was a time she foolishly sought after her father's affection but was left greatly disappointed when all her father could see was Amir, his first-born son. She could not remember the last time she and her father shared an embrace or had a proper conversation without him spitting insults at her or ignoring her all together. The feeling of being unloved by one's own father deeply saddened her especially when she compared herself to her friends who were showered with love.
Iris's relationship with her older brother was rocky as well; he resembled his father too much and similarly acted coldly towards her. Although scarred from the two older male figures in her life, Iris eventually learned to move forward and focus on all the good things in life she has been given thus far.
And despite her unfair treatments by her father and Amir, Iris remains loyal to them and found character traits in both she admires; her father had a hand in bringing her into this world, clothed her, gave her food and an education. Amir, although cold and indifferent towards her, was softhearted towards their ailing mother and Collin. So whatever the consequences, she has a responsibility in saving her father and Amir. Not to mention that guards have most likely been sent to capture her mother and Collin and seize their properties at once. Iris's heart ached when she thought about her younger brother and mother; they are so innocent and are blindsided in what is to come. The future of her family's life -
her life
- lay in the hands of the King. This woeful thought made her stomach turn. The only way to keep her family alive is to some how convince the King they are not part of the resistance and
she wasn't
, but knew her father and brother were far from innocent; all those secret meetings that occurred in the study of their house convinced her this much. From what she heard from the King today when he claimed a 'fair trial' would be conducted to determine their innocence, made Iris suspicious that the King in his mind have already decided that they are guilty.
Through all these thoughts, Iris barely registered the maids beginning to strip her of her clothing. This act normally would not humiliate her as maids have attended to her before. But due to her circumstance and unfamiliar surroundings as well as the fact that she may have to face something dark and sinister at the end, stripping her of her innocence all together, made a shiver go up her spine.
She was guided into a warm bath where every inch of her body was soaked in fragranced rose water, which she normally would have enjoyed if it weren't for
what is to come
weighing upon her consciousness. What
is
to come? She asked herself but knew that whatever cruelty she is to face, she needs to be smart about her actions. Her previous offense with the guard flickered in her mind and knew that she may have to pay for her dim-witted outburst. For now she must keep herself in check.
After the bath Iris was dressed in a light pink silk nightgown that perfectly hugged her womanly curves. She shivered as she felt so exposed; her nipples erect and the protrusions clearly visible through the silk. One of the maids caught her discomfort and kindly brought her a silk robe in the same color. She blinked at the unexpected kindness and whispered a quick 'thank you'. Her thick long blonde hair washed and dried was let down into soft curls cascading along her back.
A guard was called to escort her to the King's quarters, and to her surprise, two guards arrived- perhaps the word has gotten around that she is a flight risk - if so despite the circumstance she did take some pride in it. One of the guards she recognized immediately as the balding redheaded man, Krane, as the other guard addressed him as. He smiled at her disturbingly, which made Iris chill to the bone.
They took a different route to the King's floor and as she was led up some flights of stairs, she noticed each floor became more grandeur; the shiny marble floors greeted her footsteps and the paintings framed in gold, which captured the past, decorated the walls in chronological order. There were also pillars with intricate designs carved into them and rumor has it that King Henry ordered them to be transported from the worn down castles of the ancient age, which were in use before the nuclear war. She would have appreciated the historical splendor of the palace, if she didn't feel like she is walking to her death (
that may be a perfectly accurate possibility
, Iris thought to herself)
Finally they arrived at the King's floor, which had more scenic painting hanging on the wall. They stopped at two double doors at the end of the hallway, which Iris presumed led to the King's chambers. Krane gave her another menacing stare and knocked on the door, but there was no response.
"May be the King is in his study," the other guard said to Krane.
Krane nodded and opened the door. They were greeted to a large living area with floor to ceiling windows on the left that provided an immaculate view of the city lights at night. The area was decorated with dark brown leather couches, a white rug and a small Kitchenette area in the corner. To the right of the space were two other double doors that led somewhere Iris didn't know and on the wall opposite from where they stood, was another door, which was left slightly ajar, letting light stream into the living room. Iris was guided towards this room and Krane knocked again, this time there was quiet but audible 'enter'.
The King sat behind his desk, making notes while studying a number of maps. His headshot up, as Iris and the guards entered and he shrewdly looked her over, his gaze lingering on her chest and curves. Iris noticing his unwavering attentions looked down at the floor, hoping to avoid his gaze.
"As requested your majesty" Krane's voice taking on a very submissive tone to than what Iris is used to.
"Ah...my entertainment for the night", the King said with a wicked smile and his steele-blue eyes sparkling with nefarious humor. "Thank you gentlemen, you may take your leave".
Iris, now alone with the King sucked in her breath and expected the worse. But to her surprise, the King turned his attention back to his work. He would write a few lines now and again and check his maps. She stood there dumbfounded and humiliated. She could feel her cheeks warm with a flush, but 'perhaps I should take this time to gather myself' a small voice in her head sounded. But what surfaced to mind more strongly is '
what is to come'
, which made her even more apprehensive. To
try
and calm herself she decided to take in her surroundings; The King's study, smaller than what she expected but quite quaint, she thought begrudgingly, had two adjacent walls to her filled with books, some of which she recognized from the titles on their spine. The wall she was facing and what the King had his back to was another large ceiling to floor window, which provided another pristine view of the city at night, with the lights distantly twinkling reminding her of all the individuals safe in their own homes. The King's large desk made of dark mahogany sat magnificently at the centre of the room faced by two chairs and a large leather chair the King himself sat on while he worked.
Iris now having a thorough look over the study couldn't help but
passively
glance at the King, before her eyes were redirected to the bookshelves once more; His eyes were fixed on his work, with a burrow forming between his eyebrows every now and then as he looked over the maps. He was the youngest King in history to amass so much wealth and land. From what Iris had read in an article published in the National News Paper, King William at the age of 25 has already conquered more than half of the Western Lands, which is quite the accomplishment considering the barbaric nature of those Kingdoms but then again Iris wouldn't refer to King William's rule to be anymore civilized. He was infamous for his quick temper and notorious for executing or savagely torturing anyone who went against him or has not followed his orders to the letter - rumor has it that he placed his cook's head on a pike when he didn't make his breakfast the way he preferred. Iris had always taken these tales to be fictitious in order to keep the people in line, but now she wasn't entirely so sure.
In the seconds Iris's eyes drifted towards the King, she noticed he was wearing a white button-down shirt, which flawlessly hugged his lean muscular form. Two of the buttons at the base of the neck remained undone, giving a hint to a patch of sparse dark blonde hair beneath. Iris mentally kicked herself for letting her eyes wander over him, and focused intensely on the bookshelves.
After what seemed like hours to Iris but could have been less, the King finally dropped his pen and leaned back on his chair kicking his feet up onto the desk, looking at her intently. There was a look in his eyes that she couldn't identify.
"Iris was it?" The King asked in his calm way with a hint of a smirk playing on his face
