Hello my lovelies! I know I just updated a couple of days ago but I really wanted to give you guys another chapter. Plus I'll be in training for the next two weeks and don't know when I'll be able to update again. So this will be a great surprise.
Enjoy!
BPOV
After sometime I opened my eyes and realized I was still on the floor. I slowly sat up. The little blood on my knee had dried and crusted on my leg. The room began to feel a bit chilly as the fire in the fireplace was now small and barely lit. In maybe an hour it would become nothing but embers and soot. I must have fallen asleep in the midst of crying. I don't know how long I was asleep but it was long enough that my arms and legs went stiff. I stood up just as a knock sounded throughout the room.
I looked at the door to see a small girl poke her head through.
"Hello, Isabella." A chime-like voice sounded throughout the room as she closed the door behind her and stepped in front of me. She was about as tall as my shoulder and had a thin frame. Her raven hair barely reached her shoulders as her gray almond eyes looked straight into my brown ones. "I am Alice. I'm here to see if you would like to freshen up with a warm bath and an even warmer meal." She smiled showing all her teeth as she cocked her head slightly to the left.
I stepped back from her as I eyed her. How could I truly trust her?
"I understand you are wary of me Isabella. Your situation is very...interesting to say the least." She said, her smile not faltering in the least, "But I promise you that I am here for your well being."
"If you are interested in my well-being then you will help me escape from here!" I screeched at her face. Her smile faltered a bit but she did not seem surprised by my outburst.
"I'm sorry Isabella, but I cannot do that." She said with a serious face.
"Please," I begged as I walked up to her and held her hands. I could feel tears forming within my eyes again but I refused to control them. "I must go home. I need to be with the sun and the sky. The grass and my home with my mother and servants. As a fellow girl yourself you must understand." I cried while my tears blinded my vision.
Her hold on my hands tightened as her face grew more darker and serious. "Isabella, if you wish for my help to escape, you came to the wrong girl. My loyalty lies with Hades. If you ever do escape, he will find you and do worse than just keep you locked up in a room for disobedience." I shivered as I snatched my hands from her grip and stepped back from her. I could feel the truth within her words and it scared me to the bone. "Now Isabella, you will come with me for your bath and meal. You have not eaten a thing in hours and you will become sick." She said as her smile returned.
I swallowed a lump in my throat as I silently nodded my head. She smiled wider and turned. She didn't look back which must mean that she expected me to follow her. I did. I would listen for now for I feared what a punishment would be.
Just as her hand touched the golden knob she picked her head up but didn't look my way. "And Isabella? If you think about running away or plotting as escape I will know. I always know." Her voice had no smile in it and I again shivered with fear.
After a minute of silence between us she finally turned the knob and opened the door. I kept my head down as I followed her. But as soon as I left the familiarity of the room I was kept in I was in...awe. The floor was a pure gold. And somehow, although I was barefoot, my feet were neither cold nor hot. It was just the right temperature. The walls were a beautiful marble color. But what amazed me the most was that the room was lit my hundreds of torches floating in midair by nothing. It created a beautiful scene. I was so transfixed with the decor that I barely noticed Alice walking ahead of me. "Keep up Isabella, or you will surely be lost." I snapped out of my thoughts as I quickly caught up to her. I followed her down so many rights and lefts, I was certain that I would be lost if I was alone.
She finally stopped in front of a large black door and pushed it open to reveal a large communal bath. There was no one else around and the water seemed to be freshly filled. With steam still rising to the ceiling. Alice stepped forward and stood before a beautiful lilac dress sitting near the edge of the bath.
"This is our communal bath. For now it has been specifically reserved for you. Take all the time you need. When you are done you will wear this dress for supper. Enjoy your bath." She smiled as she stepped out of the room and closed the door behind her. I could hear a large thud against the wooden frame. probably Alice locking the door.
I stared after the door for a couple minutes and then back to the water. As much as I wanted to stand by the door in a silent protest, I felt grimy and in desperate need of a bath. I begrudgingly removed my dress and placed one foot in the water. I moaned once I felt how warm the water was and slowly fell into the water til it came to my shoulders. I could feel my muscles begin to loosen and my body relax. Even if my mind was still running. I thought over Alice's word and what Hades said. I could tears yet again so i decided to purge myself under the water. Although the water was warm it was nice enough to be under. I moved my arms about for a bit and it soon turned into swimming. I closed my eyes as I imagined myself back home. I saw I was swimming at the lake with my mother. We would splash each other and chase each other like children. I can still remember her smile and laugh as she would splash my way but never push me away. I opened my eyes to see her swimming in front of me, smiling and beckoning me to hug her. I felt a smile cross my face as I reached out to touch her cheek. Once my hand touched her face she disappeared. I waved my hand again for her to reappear but she didn't. I broke the surface to breath fresh air only to be met with reality. I wasn't in a lake near home swimming with my mom. I was in a strange communal bath with a waiting stranger outside the door. Locked in like a hen ready for the cooking. I bit my lip as I jumped from the cooling water and dried myself. I couldn't take this room anymore. I threw the dress on myself and rung most of the water out of my hair. Once I deemed presentable i knocked on the door and waited. After a couple thuds the door opened to a smiling Alice.
"I trust you enjoyed your bath?" She asked as she started walking in the opposite direction from which we came from. I refused to answer her but followed her instead. She didn't speak again. Hopefully she sensed my emotional state and chose to have pity on me. After a couple minutes she stopped in front of two large, golden doors as she knocked three times. The doors automatically opened to a grand feasting room. The ceiling was almost as tall as the sky and the room was probably larger than my home back on earth. Alice walked me to a large table enough for probably 100 and sat down next to me. I quickly scoped the room to see about thirty armed guards guarding the room in various spots. I didn't know if it was because I was here or if that was naturally like that. I shook it off as a young girl, no older than ten, place a bowl in front of me. She bowed her head at me and I bowed in return as she turned to leave.
"I believe you will enjoy this meal. nothing but the best for you Isabella." Alice smirked as she too had a bowl placed in front of her.
I looked at the brown liquid and saw various vegetables and meat floating therein. The aroma was inviting as my stomach howled in hunger. I could feel saliva gathering in my mouth as I quickly picked up the spoon and dipped it into the liquid. I raised it to my lips and forced it into my mouth. It tasted delicious but familiar. I dipped the spoon back in the bowl but made sure to gather a piece of meat this time. Once the meat hit my taste-buds I froze and stared at the bowl before me.
"Is this ...lamb stew?" I asked cautiously.
"Yes it is."
Lamb stew was my favorite meal. I also had lamb stew the day my mother told me she was leaving. Three days before I came here.
I jumped from my seat causing the chair to fall behind me. Alice quickly stood beside me as she placed her hand on my shoulder. "Are you okay Isabella?" She asked worriedly but I pushed her hand back.
"Okay? Okay! No I am not okay!" I screamed as I stepped back from her. "I am eating Lamb stew! the same meal I had when I last saw my mother. The last meal of my normal life. My life before the god of hell kidnapped me and basically assaulted me!" I shouted as my heart beat increased. I'm fairly certain my face was red but at the moment I didn't care. "Then he tells me I am to be his wife while I am kept prisoner. How can any sane person handle this? On top of that a woman I barely know speaks of threats if i devise a plan of escape worse than what has already happened!" I was finding it harder to breathe but I had opened the dam and I refused to close it back up.
"Isabella, please calm down." Alice whispered.
"I will calm down when I damn well fell like. What I really want is to go home. in my bed, in my room. With Angela and Ben and my mom. I want my mom!" I sobbed as my lungs began to burn.
"Isabella!"
Black spots began to form in my eyes but I ignored them as everything I felt came to the surface. "I want to go home! I want to be free!"
My legs began to waver as they gave up and i felt myself falling backward. "I want..."
My voice gave out as darkness took over. And I gladly welcomed it.
I hope you guys really enjoyed this chapter. i just wanted Bella's struggle to really shine through here. it gets ugly before it gets better.
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