Captured (Completed but editing)

Chapter One

Rachel smiled. She went over to join Taylor. "That's a perfectly normal reaction. It's the same for others too but don't underestimate it's abilities! It could heal any cut." She raised her eyebrows suggestively and watched Anne's swift movements.

I nodded and watched Anne dab the cotton on my wound. While she was busy dabbing it, Rachel took a mirror from the top of the dresser and held it for me to see. The holes where the soaked cotton had come into contact with gradually started to disappear. In mere seconds, the holes disappeared completely. I stared at my reflection in the mirror with awe. As if I couldn't quite believe what I'd just saw, I lifted my fingers to touch my neck. The skin was smooth and tender. It's almost like there wasn't even a wound there in the first place! "Gosh, the wound really did disappear! It's so miraculous!"

Taylor smiled. "Thank you, Anne and Rachel. We will be going to have her as a maid to replace Ditton." Both of them winked at me and turned away. Taylor led me to another room which was filled with girls wearing aprons and white dresses decorated with pink sashes. Maids? So, Taylor want me to become a maid? And that was why I was brought here? These questions were at the tip of my tongue but before I could speak, Taylor waved to a woman who was scolding a girl. The girl hung her head and looked very sorry for herself. Her eyes were downcast and her hands were clenched together; presumably to stop them from shaking.

The woman looked up and her face brightened. "Taylor!" she exclaimed, completely forgetting about the poor girl beside her. The girl lifted her gaze a little to meet mine for a brief moment. Before I could smile, she averted her gaze.

"Sue." Taylor whispered her name in a sweet tone. Sue ran over to us. "What have you brought me?" Sue shifted her gaze to me with curiosity. Her eyebrows arched as she scrutinized me. "Who is that?"

Taylor put an arm around my shoulders. "She will be our new maid. Actually..." Her voice trailed off and she cast a me a look before pulling Sue a little further from me. I get the feeling that there's something between them which I'm not supposed to know.

~.~.~.~.~.~.

"She is going to be the prince's meal but she's only seventeen. She has to be eighteen for him to feed from. That's the law we've been following all this while. So I was thinking, to wait until she reaches eighteen in another couple of months. I think the day she turns eighteen is two days before the summer solstice. Just right on time! But for now, get her an outfit and set her on doing some work." Taylor whispered to Sue.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

I saw Sue nodding and I couldn't help but wonder what was all that about. Taylor waved goodbye to the both of us and went away. Sue smiled and pulled me to a small room- adjoining the previous one-filled with dresses of all kinds. I touched the dresses with awe. "Wow, these are all silk and satin!" Sue smiled and looked almost sorry for me.

"Ah, that is for the royalties. These dresses will soon be delivered to their chambers. However, a normal girl like you wears this." She gestured to a plain white dress with pink sash.

I took the outfit gratefully and readied myself in the bathroom. It feels good to have a shower. As I emerged from the bathroom looking all clean and nice, Sue threw me an apron and a pair of white flats. After tying the apron round my waist and putting on my shoes, I followed Sue to a large room filled with books. I gasped in awe. I'd never seen such a huge library before. My instincts were immediately awakened at the sight and smell of those books.

"Sweep the floor nicely with this broom and dustpan. I do not want to see a speck of dust on these carpets. The royalties are extremely particular about it. Do you understand?" Sue delivered her order in a firm voice.