Stolen (The Blueblood Stories Book 1) Page 8

  “Did you hear me?” he asked, and though I couldn’t bear to look him in the eyes, I could hear in his tone that he was smirking at my humiliation.

  “Yes Master Drake,” I said, locking my eyes firmly on an ornate rug.

  “You need to collect my sheets too.”

  I didn’t wait — I dashed for the bed, pulling the sheets away as quickly and haphazardly as possible. It wasn’t easy. The sheets had been folded in such a way that prevented them from easily being untucked. I pulled at the far corner, frustrated.

  “I suppose it shouldn’t come as a surprise to me that you have no idea how to remove linens,” he jeered, leaning over me and reaching for part of the sheet.

  I froze in fear, my eyes peeled as I waited. To my surprise however, I wasn’t thrown onto the bed . . . he didn’t even touch me. He simply pulled the corner of the sheet away then placed the fabric into my hands.

  “Thank — you,” I muttered, temporarily humbled by this surprising gesture.

  “Forgetting something?”

  My face dropped. “Master,” I said hurriedly, angry that I had already made a mistake. “Thank you Master Drake. I’m so sorry.”

  His eyes narrowed, but all he said was, “The replacement sheets are in that cupboard.”

  When I’d gathered the fresh sheets, I moved back towards the bed, my hands trembling. Master Drake stared skeptically at me as I pretended to know what I was doing.

  “This is the first time you’ve changed linens, isn’t it?” he asked, moving over to me.

  “No Master Drake,” I said, taking a hesitant step backwards, holding tightly to a pillow, as if it were some sort of shield.

  He moved to follow me, narrowing the space between us until I was pressed up against the wall with nowhere to go. “Then why don’t you seem to have any idea what you’re doing?” he asked, taking the pillow from me and pulling the slip over it. “How is that even possible? What sort of sheltered life did you live before this, that you never had to build a fire or tend to linens? Or did your brother do all the linen duties in your household as well? Let me guess — you were the fighter in the family?”

  “I — I — I don’t know.”

  “Tell me that you didn’t just forget to address me by my title — again.”

  “Oh — no Master Drake,” I said, suddenly aware that he was very naked, and his body was pressed up against mine, separated by the very thin strips of fabric that made up my dress. Without realizing it, I bit my lower lip.

  “Stop doing that,” he demanded, holding my jaw so that I was forced to look him in the eyes. “It drives me wild.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Let me ask you something,” he said, still holding my face. “If there was someone beneath you who refused to address you accordingly, what would you do? And don’t say that you’d let them off with a warning — we’re well past that.”

  “Well, I suppose I’d hope that someone respected me enough to want to use my title, not just call me something because I demanded it of them.”

  “I see,” he said, releasing my face. “So, you don’t respect me?” I faltered, staring back at him. “Why do you take so long to answer me?” he asked, looking down at me curiously. “I’ve not known a woman who did not say the first thing on her mind and yet, you seem to ponder every single thought you have, as though you are afraid of them.”

  “I’m sorry master.”

  “Yes, you seem to always be sorry. In fact, apologizing appears to be what you’re best at. But I don’t want your apology — what I want is your respect. I have not asked anything of you except that you address me accordingly and carry out some simple household chores. Why do you struggle with this? Are you trying to anger me; do you wish to test my patience? Or, perhaps there’s something else you want — something you’re unwilling to admit to yourself?”

  “I don’t know what you mean, Master Drake.”

  “Nat, you’re an intelligent woman. Surely you must have noticed that when you don’t address me accordingly, it draws my attention. When I asked those in line to join the harem, if they didn’t want to be a part of it, you stepped back. I would have thought that if you had no desire to catch my attention, you’d be quick to learn the rules that ensure you aren’t noticed. And yet here you are . . .”

  “It was a genuine mistake,” I said, my face blushing so that my cheeks burned with embarrassment.

  “Well then, let me put this as simply and straightforward as I can. You will address me as master. If you do not, then I’ll assume you have ulterior motives. Do you understand?”

  I nodded quickly, then, when I saw his eyebrows raise, added, “Yes Master Drake.”

  “Very well. You may go.” I’d barely moved past him when he caught me by the wrist. My whole body recoiled back towards him. “Don’t test my patience Nat. I find it difficult to control myself around you. All I need is a reason.”

  Without preamble I ran as fast as I could, out of the room and down the stairs. By the time I made it to the kitchen I was panting. My face was flush from my encounter with Drake and there was a growing desire inside me, lusting for a taste of the punishment he promised. Quickly I shook my head. What was wrong with me? I should be disgusted. Trying to distract myself, I started peeling some potatoes.

  I was half way through an enormous pile when Fluna appeared, smirking.

  “Guess who’s in trouble,” she sung, skipping into the room, a look of triumph on her face. “Catena’s not very happy with you. She came in while I was re-stacking the wood. I heard her telling the other harem girls that she’s got something fun in store for you. I’m glad it ain’t me is all. I’d watch my step if I was you.”

  Great — just what I needed, to make an enemy out of Catena.

  “And why are you so happy?” asked Molsa, joining us in the kitchen a moment later and staring at Fluna suspiciously.

  “Just a beautiful morning is all,” said Fluna, looking at the pile of potatoes distastefully. “That and the fact that Catena agreed to speak with Master Drake for me. Looks like you girls will be on your own soon enough. Sorry.”

  “Why do you want to be part of the harem?” asked Molsa, rounding on the potatoes.

  “Why don’t you?” countered Fluna. “Oh, that’s right. Precious Potor. Well, you won’t see me falling head over heels for some stupid farm boy. All the men in this village are so backwards thinking; they care about grain and the harvest and that’s it. I want a soldier man and I don’t care if I got to give a pound of flesh neither.”

  “The master seemed to be pretty interested in crops and the harvest,” I said, reminiscing on what he’s said yesterday. “Didn’t he say to Catena he wasn’t so concerned with his harem as much as he wanted to make sure there was enough grain for the winter?”

  “Yea, well, as long as he dresses us in silk and gives us nice food, I don’t care what he does,” said Fluna.

  “Is food and silk all you care about?” snapped Molsa.

  “It ain’t just that. Like the girls said, being in the harem is a place of respect. I don’t want to end up like me ma, sitting inside some dank cottage, mending linens and slaving over a stove.”

  “You three better stop fighting and start focusing on those potatoes,” Madam Kracker interjected, appearing suddenly from the pantry. “I have enough to get on with, without having to hear all your rubbish.”

  After that we didn’t speak but set to work preparing the food. It was lunchtime before we could finally sit down and eat ourselves. Madam Kracker had set aside a plate of cheese, bread and roast pumpkin for us to share, which we ate in the kitchen.

  “Do you think we’ll be allowed to see the other villagers soon,” said Molsa, swallowing a mouthful of bread and cheese. “It would be good to see my family.”

  “And Potor,” said Fluna, her eyebrows raised as she watched Molsa. “Precious Potor with his handful of seeds and a watering can.”

  “Give it a rest Fluna,” I said, starting to lose patience
with the girl.

  “What about you Nat?” Molsa asked me, before Fluna could rally her response. “Don’t you want to see your brother? And what about your family? How far away is your village? I bet you miss them all. At least I’ve got some familiar faces around here.”

  Fluna smiled stupidly then rolled her eyes, indifferent.

  “Marcus was assigned to the guard,” I said, careful not to reveal too much of the truth. “I saw him last night. He looks to be ok. But the rest of my family is ages away. I have no idea how they have fared since the attack.”

  “Don’t worry. I’m sure they will be alright,” said Molsa, sounding sympathetic.

  “I hope so. I just, just worry that they might have fought and —” I stopped myself just in time. Both Molsa and Fluna stared at me curiously. “It’s just, my parents are very religious; they wouldn’t have taken the invasion well.”

  “But Master Drake said we’re free to worship,” Molsa reminded me. “I still say my prayers to Medeina at night and I’m sure most of the village will continue to do the same.”

  “Medeina?” Fluna snickered, clicking her tongue. “Why should we bow to her? What help has she ever offered us regular folk? And, just look at the bluebloods! They were favored by her and where was she when they was killed?”

  “Fluna!” hissed Molsa, looking shocked. “You shouldn’t say such things.”

  “And we don’t know that the royal family is dead,” I added, my heart suddenly very loud in my ears.

  Fluna looked as though she were about to reply but just then the door to the kitchen flew open. In strolled Catena. Her hair was pulled into a high bun with wisps of blonde locks dangling down. The moment she looked at me, I blushed and looked away, thinking of the horrid event I’d interrupted that morning.

  “You three need to follow me,” she said, already spinning around and leaving the kitchen. “I have work for you.”

  We raced from our seats and followed her up the stairs and out onto the courtyard. Drake was there, sitting at a table by the bath, deep in conversation with a soldier. The pair didn’t even look at us as we walked past, rather their attention was focused solely on some old maps that were spread across the table. There were several guards stationed around the courtyard but unfortunately, none were Marcus.

  “Now,” said Catena, speaking superiorly as she led us over to the edge of the courtyard, “I want to make this place more appealing. You three are to clean this courtyard top to bottom. Molsa, I don’t want to see a single scrap of dust on any of the statues. Fluna, you can cobweb. And as for you Nat — I want you to scrub every inch of these sandstone tiles until they sparkle. Do you understand?”

  “Yes Catena,” we all chorused back.

  Fluna raced off, returning with two large feather dusters, one of which she gave to Molsa. Looking down glumly at the bucket and scrubbing brush, I quickly set to work, scrubbing the floor. It was demanding work, bent over on my hands and knees as I scraped years of dirt and moss from the filthy sandstone.

  Half an hour into my task, perspiration began dripping from my face. The hem of my aqua dress was stained from the dirt and my knees were red and swollen. Molsa had long since finished polishing the statues and was helping me scrub the floor. Fluna however, had preoccupied herself by dancing around the courtyard, picking up stray leaves that had fallen from some of the many large potted plants.

  I was just making my way around the bathing area, relentlessly scrubbing the mold growing along the edge, when Catena came back into the courtyard. The rest of the harem followed her. There were eight of them in total, including the three new girls who had been selected from the village.

  The group sauntered around the courtyard, occasionally stopping by the table where Drake sat, clearly hoping to catch his eye. The moment Fluna saw the group, she moved to Catena, bowing low as she pointed excitedly to the walls. Catena waved her hands at Fluna, shooing her away, and instead sauntered over to me.

  Catena took one look at me and placed her hand on a large pot with a wild rose growing inside. With a wicked grin spreading across her face, she pulled the pot forwards. It shattered loudly, spreading dirt all along the courtyard, not to mention covering most of my dress.

  “You foolish, clumsy girl!” Catena shrieked, doing a marvelous job at pretending I was somehow to blame for the mess. “Look what you did. I asked you to make this place more appealing, not a pigsty.”

  Everyone in the courtyard had turned to watch the spectacle. I tried to brush the soil off, but it was in such a large heap that it weighed down my dress, pinning me in place. Seeing my trouble, Molsa rushed to her feet to help.

  “No — let her fix her own mistake,” said Catena, holding up her hand to Molsa.

  Molsa stood there, watching me, then finally moved back over to the edge of the courtyard and continued scrubbing the stone. Taking a deep breath, I began pushing the soil off my dress.

  “Looks like your talents for housekeeping also extends to garden duties.”

  Looking up, I squinted at the bright sunlight, trying to see who had spoken. Next minute, Drake was on his knees, his large hands raking the soil off my hem. My eyes danced down to his strong hands, admiring the black art of the tattoos etched in his skin. Within seconds I was free of the pile of dirt. But why was he helping me? Was this some sort of mind trick? Was he about to punish me?

  “Thank you,” I whispered, already starting to collect the little pieces of ceramic pot scattered across the floor.

  Drake reached over and took my hands in his, pulling me back down towards him. We both had dirt under our fingernails, and it was this that I stared at, rather than the piercing eyes I could imagine were boring down on me.

  “Tell me that you forgot to call me master on purpose?” he whispered hopefully, speaking so quietly I was sure I would be the only one who could hear him.

  My eyes widened in horror. I looked up, searching his face. How had I forgotten to call him Master? Was it because of the kindness he had afforded me? Or, did I crave his attention?

  “I’m sorry Master Drake,” I said, speaking in the same quiet voice that he had.

  “Are you sure it was an accident?” he asked quietly. My hands trembled. “Well, you may enjoy testing my resolve, but you should take care with Catena. It would be better for you to stay on her good side, rather than seeking out trouble.”

  I nodded, quickly pulling my hands from his, my own thoughts lost in what had just happened. Drake hadn’t only helped me, he had spared me the punishment I thought sure he would deliver for not addressing him accordingly. But why?

  When I worked up the courage to chance a glance at everyone else, I could tell how confused they were. Not Catena though. She was watching me with narrowed eyes. She didn’t look confused — she looked furious.

  It was dark when Molsa and I finally finished scrubbing the courtyard stone floor. The master had remained at the table the entire time, discussing matters with different soldiers. On occasion, I caught him looking down at me, watching me work. Each time I locked eyes with him, I was left paralyzed. And even when he wasn’t looking at me, I found myself daydreaming about him.

  The moment the moon appeared in the sky, the courtyard table was cleared of the fruit bowl and filled instead with all manner of delicious foods for supper. I looked longingly at a bowl of olives until Catena moved over to me.

  “You three may leave,” she said indifferently. “Tend to the fires then go to bed. All three of you will skip supper provisions tonight. You can thank Nat and the mess she caused earlier.”

  Fluna glared at me as we left the courtyard, breaking eye contact only to glance longingly at the table laden with food. I in turn looked at the girls in the harem. One of them, Sindra, was sitting in the lap of one of the soldiers, while the other girls all danced around Master Drake. When one of them moved, I saw his face. He was staring right at me. My cheeks grew warm with desire. Quickly I turned around and raced off. What was wrong with me? How could a single mome
nt of kindness replace what I knew to be true of Master Drake?

  The master is a monster . . . the master is a monster . . . the master is a monster . . .

  Chapter Seven

  Next morning, I was dressed and ready before Fluna or Molsa even stirred. I’d spent most of the night contemplating my strange encounters with Drake. So far, he had done nothing to hurt me — in fact, he had done the opposite. In some bizarre way, the exchanges I’d had with him felt like the first real encounters I’d had with anyone.

  True, I had my family, but no one else, certainly no true friends. I only really conversed with the attendants about mundane matters, like the weather or what I would wear to feasts. Even my guardians, who spent the most time with me, were more strangers than friends. Marcus was different, but I’d barely had the chance to speak with him before the invasion.

  Not that the encounters with Drake were always pleasant — but at least they were real. As it was, my feelings were torn. I knew that I should fight the attraction of speaking with him — he was my enemy — I was his prisoner. If I wanted to find out what had happened to my family, then I needed to stay out of trouble. Only then would I be able to escape with Marcus and find a way to take back the kingdom. And to do that, I would have to avoid the attentions of Drake.

  Already I’d put a plan into motion that would ensure just that. Last night, I’d let slip that Master Drake was staying on the third level. Fluna’s eyes had nearly popped out of her head and she had quickly volunteered to light the fires in the loft. Naturally I’d accepted. Hopefully, the master would focus his attentions on Fluna instead of me.

  Skipping down the hall and towards the first level, I made my way through the house, lighting the fires quickly. Since Drake’s demonstration, I’d just about mastered the art of building a fire. Being busy and preoccupied kept my mind from wandering upstairs, to where Drake was undoubtedly teaching Fluna all manner of lessons she was desperate to learn.

  Most of the rooms I went to were occupied by sleeping soldiers, who didn’t even stir when the room was ablaze with warmth. Finally, when I reached the last room, I was so preoccupied with thoughts of breakfast and the meal I’d missed last night, I didn’t realize at first that there were two people in the bed. One of them, a man, was sitting upright and sitting on top of him was Sindra. My eyes danced to the man’s strong hands, which were wrapped around Sindra’s tiny waste, moving her back and forth. Sindra winked at me when she saw me, and I blushed.