✔️ The Unwanted Bride (Book One) **UNDER EDITING**

A Cold Wake-up Call

     "It's lunch time." I say and Reena's stomach lets out a loud rumble. She looks to me and then to her stomach, then gives it a quick pat.

     "Wonderful timing." She exclaims as we continued to walk. "I wonder what they will have today." She trails off as if deep in thought, placing her hand to her chin as she gazes ahead. I too find myself going deep into thought as well.

     Images of soft bread and beautful green salad flood my brain. I can almost taste the saltiness of the meats, or the sour taste of lemonade. A burning sensation grows in the pit of my stomach as we walk closer and closer to the place we usually eat. I don't think my stomach has ever burned like this before. It feels strange, like someone has set it on fire. Is this what hunger feels like?

    Soon we are inside the building, and our guards go to the edge of the room, talking and greeting other guards as they do. In the front of the room, there are several large tables stacked with large silver plates of food. Behind each table, two guys stand preparing plates of food and handing them to the girls. Reena lets out a quiet "ooh" as she looks around all of the tables.

    "Oh my gosh... It's food heaven!" She exclaims pushing on her tiptoes to look at the center table. "There are so many options! Do you know what you will want?"

     "No." I say as I glance around the person in front of me. "How can we possibly eat all of this food?" I whisper to myself as I quickly swing my head back around after the person in front of me threw a disgusted glance back at me.

     "Please keep your filth in your own space." She hisses swinging her long, golden hair and hitting me in the face slightly.

     "Sorry." I say quickly, but I only get a snort as a reply. I glance over at Reena, but she is still so enthrawed with seeing all the food, she did not seem to catch the conversation. The line of girls slowly shrinks and as we get closer to the front, I am finally able to read the signs. There are five, long tables, drapped in silky, creme colored cloths.

      The first table, has a large bowl filled with salad and several other smaller bowls with colorful things that I do not know. The second table has various breads and large pots, I assume filled with soup. The middle table it stacked with various meats and cheeses of yellow, white, and orange. The last two tables are desserts and large pitchers of tea and lemonade. After taking everything in, my stomach burns hotter and hotter with each smell. The smells of the food only add kindling to the flames of hunger burning within. I wonder if the guys eat this too. There is no way they could expect us to eat off this on our own. I find my way to the salad table and he gives a bow before taking a plate, waiting for me to tell him what I want. I point to the largest bowl, filled with light green leaves of lettuce. Staring at all the other things, I feel overwhelmed. He stares at me, waiting patiently, while the girls behind me grumble complaints. Finally, I just shake my head and extend me hands for the plate. "That's all."

     "You just want lettuce?" He asks raising an eyebrow as I give a curt nod. "Are you sure? That doesn't seem like enough food."

     "I don't know what else to get." I breath out quickly and he nods as he looks around and smiles.

     "One second." He bows and hurries off quickly. More grumbling echos behind me and I feel my shoulders slump. After a minute or so, he comes back with bits of chicken and toated bread on the plate. He quickly compiles other things onto the plate before handing it to me. "Here you go!" He gives me a sheepish grin as I take the plate. "This is my mom's favorite that I make. I hope you enjoy." After that, he bows and I hurry out of the line.

     I glance over my shoulder towards him. He is young, nearly as young as the girl that brought me food to my room, Rosalind was her name. His face still has the childlike glow to it. His hair has various parts of unkemptness, and his teeth are slightly crooked as he smiles. As he hurries to get the girls order, I see him glance towards me and smiles before another girl calls for his help. He's just a kid... I find myself thinking it over and over again as I make my way to the back of the room to find Reena already there with three plates sitting in front of her, untouched.