Chapter 19 The Royal Meeting part one
Liliana Roslyn's POV.
The early morning chirping sound of the birds, standing on the rail of the wing's balcony awoke me and I find myself on a bed when fully awoken. King Adrian's bed! Clearly do I remember yesterday that I slept off on the chair bed and not on an actual bed. That pervert must have placed me here during my sleep! King Adrian's nowhere to be found. While my eyes were searching for his presence, I sight a cloth on the bed's edge. Its a silver gown that has red stones, forming some beautiful shapes on the chest area as design. Its length will probably reach my knees while the sleeves might reach my ankles as I view it while holding it in my hands. Beside it is a small note that says, follow the guards outside the door after eating, to the slave quarters. You will stay there until the meeting start at dusk. No troubles, little fighter. Just in case you want to know, I put you to bed.
"Hmm." I say and look around the room, searching for where the food's placed. I later found it, placed on the bedside desk. Quickly, I rush over to the food not minding the fact that I'ven't brushed nor bathe. The dish contains a simple food just like the dress. I just hope today will be simple too. It's a Roasted red pepper pasta with a fruit juice placed beside it. I look over at the small paper note again and smile. There's no need for a name to be placed before I'd know that its king Adrian. Such a pervert, he even had the audacity to tell me that he put me to bed- His bed.
*****
After battling with the food, I get ready for the royal meeting my captor is having and which I must be present at. The door buzz technically like always while opening and the frame of Mr meany face is the first to come to my sight. Seriously? This boring bender is going to take me to the slave quarters? How bad can today get?
I huff out-loud and walk past him then his Miss sidekick decide to spoil the moment more when her frame comes into view too. Later, we reach the quarters and the guards by the door took me in while Mr meany and his sidekick stays outside or probably left. Anne's frame comes into view and I immediately run towards her. When she sees me, she opens her arm and embraces me. After our short friendly time, I look around to find the quarters crowded.
"The emit and slaves of each commanders are present here. Its the royal meeting after-all." Anne says. She must have notice me checking out the room. I nod in response and she add. "We, slaves of each commanders are meant to dress up their emits, so we need to part ways for now. Commander Lucas' emit must be looking for me now." She says. Linda, that pretty bitch is going to be present too, I hope she doesn't disturb me.
"Um.. Wait." I call when Anne is already walking away but just centimeters away. "How do I locate king Adrian's former emit?" I say, trying my best to avoid the word.. Slave.
"Follow me. She should be around there." Anne says, pointing to a direction. She leads me 'there' and a womanly frame appear. Anne talks to her for some seconds before she faces me and the new girl smile at me. She probably will be just some years older than me. She has a jet black hair that reaches her waist as she braid them into a one thick binded-strand and letting it fall. Her hair beautifies her sand natural undertone skin and she's wearing a plain lemon dress that reaches her knees while the sleeves stop on her shoulder. Her brown eyes looks over to me and she bring out her hands.
"Hi, I'm Elena." She says. She seem friendly just like Anne. Anne taps my shoulder and give me a have to leave look before leaving.
"Liliana." I say back and accept her shake. She offers me to sit on the chair in front of her while a mirror is placed just opposite me, then she wears me a light makeup. I sometimes don't understand this benders. They call us slaves or emits yet they let us do all this- wearing standard clothes and doing makeup, well for the emits. Slaves, theirs much lesser. Who knows maybe one of them might even kill someone in this meeting?
"You look lost." Elena says, looking at me through the mirror.
I decide to share my thoughts with her. "I'm just surprised by all this." I say, referring to the charade. "Why do these benders treat us sometimes like we are equal and still they think of us as slaves?"
Elena snicker lightly. "Well, I have no answer to that but my work here is to tell you about how the arrangements for the royal meeting are done."
"Arrangements?" I'm surprised. I didn't know that there's meant to special way of attending the meeting.. Royal meeting, I mean. Figure of speech.
"Yes, there's an arrangement and I'm going to tell you everything." She says.
*****
From what I learned from Elena. When its dusk which is the time for the meeting. The emits are expected to have arrived earlier and sit on a chair beside their owner. The slaves would stand behind by the wall and their duty is to serve foods both to the royals and their emits when the meeting begins. When the royals arrive, the emits will stand up in respect and courtesy as their owner sits. When the meeting start, no emit should talk and should give access if her owner wishes to feed from her. These are the warning she gave and even though I wouldn't dare agree to all of it, I still nod in agreement. She warns me that if any emit does the don't, then its likely that the slave whom is the emit before her get punished but not killed, before the emit gets punished and can be killed since she's the current emit- A buyer from bender that has to pay with her body. Then, if the owner likes, he can choose the slave back who will become his emit or choose another.
After the info, we move to another discussion of how the slaves life are different from emits. According to her, their life's even worst than ours.
".. Death's better than living in that way." I say and she smile.
"Liliana." Elena calls. "It's better to stay alive. Wanting to die is like being a coward, to me. Stay alive." She says for once ending the conversation and Anne appear. Elena is already done with her work so she decides to leave.
"Its almost time." Anne says, taking the sit beside. My eyes glance around the crowdy room before looking back at Anne.
"Yes." I nervously say. I've never been around all the royals before. I can imaginarily feel my heart hammering against my chest. Trying to ease my brittleness, I change the topic. "Do you know the reason why commander Lucas treated you fairly?"
She narrows her eyes at me "No, I.. never knew the reason but I think it has something to do with me being close to that child." Anne says, referring to the child she failed to keep safe. "Commander Lucas never told me and I never ask, guess I was afraid he might change his ways towards me." She finishes and I nod and hum.
After some minutes, Anne decides to ask. "Do you know the names of each commanders and their recognition?"
Oh, gosh! I'm so idiotic. "No." I reply.
Anne shakes her head at me and bring out a magazine. She opens it and I lean closer to her to check out its content. The contents include the pictures of each commanders and their name. She pass it to me to read and I thankfully collect it from her.
"Commander Lucas ordered me to give you." She says as I continue to master .
*******
King Adrian's former emit, Elena joins Anne and I when its finally dusk. Anne on the other side, went off to meet Linda. They told me that each slaves needs to escort the emits to their sits which will be besides their owner. Guards follow behind us as we move to the meeting room. On the way, words of Elena start to come back to me. What she said about continuing to live in this wretched life is only half of the truth. Its partly true that succumbing to death mean cowardice but this life that's being ruled by benders is in unutopia, meaning that we can't fight against them. Its just better to die. Its better to die than continuing to fight a battle, you can never win, not even a scrap of it can one win.
We finally arrive at the room and its truly massive. The circular table goes into a long distance, so long and averagely broad with multiples of golden chairs arranged along its broad sides. Its structures are well designed both the dining table and dining chairs. Not to mention the dining room itself. Since my stay here, I've noticed that everything concerning benders are made of beauties. I just wish that their minds can be of beauties too. Even if its just a bit.
Well based on what Jasmine told me at the kitchen, I guess these benders must have lived a rough past life, so much that a sinister behavior has been built inside them. But why are they venting it on us? Was it because of humans have killed some of their ilks? Seriously in similarity, they've killed ours too. Even more than we ever could possibly kill.
As informed, we take our sit while the slaves stand behind, holding silver trays of dishes. An unknown bender start to call the names of the royals. Starting from the king himself. King Adrian graces us with his presence as soon as he's called.
Instantly, all my worries go away and he smirk lightly as his eye's locked on mine. He's looking smoking hot as always, so delicious. He looks like a irresistible cupcake in humanly form, wearing a plain light blue shirt that's unbuttoned to the top. This is definitely a punishment. He moves so perfectly towards me and sit while I continue to look at him, taking in all his wonderful frame. His hair is in perfecto, packed in a hard part comb over while some strands wash down his forehead as forelocks. He's a devil beautify as a god. His black jeans, covering his warm ivory skin showcase his muscular legs.
At last, I finally look away from him and see new faces in front of me, all sitting. Why are they all looking at me? Have I done something wrong again? Emits, slaves, and royals alike continue to look at me. Shit they're scaring me with their lethal-like gaze. The moment seem too tense for me.
"Sit, Ana." The voice of king Adrian says, inside my head. I look over at him and realize that all the commanders are present already. Few of them carries their emits on their laps while the others let them sit on the chair beside them. Quickly, I take my sit and king Adrian declares authoritatively.
"Let the feast begin!"
The slaves walk closer to our table and start serving the food. The royals were served first before us, emit. Elena looks over at me as she's serving my plate with a pleading look. She doesn't want me to spoil any of this. She doesn't want me to inflict her with pain, that's if in case I don't do anything stubborn. I'll try my best but that's if the commanders and their king cooperate. I hope they don't do something that will make me retaliate.
I look over to Lucas and his face holds tiredness. He's still weak from the accident. My eyes wonder over to Linda and at the same time she looks over to my side. She doesn't send any death glare to my side which hopefully means I don't have to deal with her for now, she's more of scared.
King Adrian picks up his cutlery and cut out a piece of his Thai red curry shrimp. And that's when I decides to check the plate in front of me. I'm served a Faster steak frites. Oh, at least I'm glad that we too are served a bit of a fancy food.
When king Adrian finishes eating his first bite, I notice that the other commanders follow his action. They respect his status a lot, there's no doubt in that. I cut off a pieces from the steak when I see the emits eating their food.
"Brother, thank you for inviting us all for the meeting." Lucas says and smile as he raise up his wine cup that most likely is filled with tainted . His smile grows more and I feel like they are more directed to me. Why?!
"Oh, don't flatter me, brother. There's no need for an appreciation." King Adrian says, flashing the same brotherly smile back.
"Well, there's a need for it when it comes to the food." Lucas reply as he eat more of his food.
"Yeah, there's no argument in that." King Adrian says chucklingly.
"Didn't.." A voice says, pausing for a short moment. ".. Lucas just appreciate you for the food?" The masculine figure faces King Adrian, who at the same time looks at the known figure. "I personally serve you a nice food prepared from my country and you didn't even show gratitude? I want my gratitude now." The figure demands and I can hear king Adrian laugh lightly beside me. The figure is sitting just opposite us in the circular shaped dining table. Commander Chris Andy. No human can dare forget his image after seeing his picture.
"My sincere apologies, Chris. The food is delicious than what words can express." King Adrian says. Wow! That's a greatly nice way of showing gratitude. I didn't know that a sinister king can also appreciate. That's cool.
"Accepted." Commander Chris says. If I didn't know better, he's the creature nicknamed as the Butcher. Extremely duteous and aims to kill without a second thought. He's one of the many commanders that humans fear of. We fear of being transferred to his country. Even me, I'm not excluded.
Commander Chris Andy of South America, a handsome man with a malignant, sinister behavior. He's smoking hot almost like king Adrian, but he can't dare compete with king Adrian. The finest of them all, or maybe that's just what my brain believes and my eyes sees. The butcher, blessed with a dazzling sky-blue eyes, grey but almost ash-coloured hair that's well combed to the right, not leaving a strand flopping down to the forehead. His skin milky and tanned with a southerner accent.
"I see you finally choose her but still haven't learn, no wonder the academy complains a lot about the toy." Commander Chris says. Oh, no! He's noticed me checking him out. I look up to check the expression that is on his face. If it doesn't say I'll be killed soon. And why the hell would I do that? "Looking at me with those humanly eyes, uh, toy." He says, referring to me as a toy. What rubbish! Nonsense even! No.. Crazy to the highest order! How dare he!
"That toy can make your life miserable." Another voice says, talking to commander Chris but the frame isn't looking at him but at me as he flash me a somewhat devilish smile. Is he defending me against his others? Well, maybe. I remember the frame, commander Lorenzo. I notice that he's the only one using a different cutlery- he's using a wooden kuaizi (Chinese chopstick).
Commander Lorenzo has a fierce, fire-coloured eyes that's amusing and yet scary, polished dark hair in which the front part is combed slightly to the forehead, and accompanied with a fair skin- Milky too.
"Maybe. Maybe not, but I'd like to see it try. How about I teach it on how to drop it gaze when in front of it superiors." Commander Chris says, gripping a small knife. Shit! What's happening? Quickly, I drop my gaze. Why was I even looking at them? Any of them?
Beating my self subconsciously, I warn myself to not look at them again. Oh, this is all because I don't want to punish Elena. Somehow, I can feel her fear, maybe it's just my mind playing tricks. I'm not supernatural. Don't look! Don't look! Don't look! I repeatedly warn myself.
"Stop this silliness now. I see no reason why you'd talking about my emit. We are here for a more important reason.." King Adrian looks over at me and I'm grateful that he move the tense moment away from me until. ".. And more so, there's no reason for discussing about a particular toy when there's many. This one's full of void. It's useless." He finishes and my head snap at his direction instantly.
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