SO MUCH FOR BEING INVINCIBLE

I carefully made my way to the dining halls, my footsteps echoed through the empty corridors. The castle seemed unusually quiet as if it held its breath in anticipation. I made my way through the grand dining hallways of the castle, the weight of the tray in my hands a constant reminder of the task ahead. I still couldn't believe that I was assigned with the daunting duty of serving the king and the prince their evening meal. It was a responsibility that left me feeling both nervous and uncertain.

As I approached the ornate doors of the fining hall, a sense of unease settled within me. I couldn't help but go back to what Katrina said. Her voice still echoed in my head, warning me to be invincible if I must. I still had no idea how to do that, she seemed to have forgotten that I was only human and possessed no supernatural abilities.

Taking a deep breath and trying to calm my nerves, I waited for the guards to push open the heavy doors. Squaring my shoulders, I stepped inside. The room was filled with an air of importance and regality. The king sat at the head of the table, his presence commanding and his gaze piercing. The prince was seated beside him, his expression unreadable as he stared at nothing in particular.

The eyes of the guards and other staff that were present followed my every move, their curiosity palpable. I approached the table, my footsteps steady but my heart pounding. I kept my gaze lowered just as how I've been trained.

I approached the king first, setting the tray carefully as I placed all the dishes on the table. I could feel the king's eyes on me, watching my every move but I focused on my task, ensuring that I carried out each movement with grace and precision.

Then I moved towards the prince, who didn't even spare me a glance as I served him. When I was done, I then moved to where the other servants quietly stood in the corner.

The prince picked up his spoon first, tasting each and every single one of the dish and he waited for a minute or two before he gave a slight nod.

"It's okay." He confirmed and I frowned a little bit as I watched the King nod his head before he picked up his spoon and began eating.

A frown creased on my forehead as I watched what just happened. It was quite an unusual sight, one that made me question the dynamics between the royal siblings. It was clearly obvious what had just happened, Corion had tasted the food for poison and made sure it was okay for King Aspen to eat.

What if it had actually been poisoned? Would he watch his brother die? There were clearly tons of servants who could have done the job but Corion was the one who did it instead. Was there a lack of trust between them, or perhaps some underlying tension?

I couldn't help but feel a surge of curiosity but I knew better than to let my thoughts wander in such dangerous territory. Instead, I tucked away this intriguing piece of information, saving it for later contemplation.

I decided to look up at that moment only to meet the prince's gaze boring into mine. My heart skipped a beat and a rush of warmth flooded my cheeks. I couldn't decipher the emotions reflected in his deep green eyes but for some inexplicable reason, I couldn't look away either. I met his stare, staring at him and not wavering a little bit.

But just as the intensity of the moment reached its peak, a servant standing beside me cleared her throat, breaking the spell. I quickly averted my eyes, my cheeks burning with embarrassment. I had forgotten myself, lost in the prince's gaze and I had broken one of the cardinal rules of serving a royal which was never stare directly in their eyes.

Flustered, I pulled myself together keeping my head bowed just as I should have done before but I suddenly heard someone clear their throat.

"My cup needs to be refilled." The King stated.

A servant carrying a wine jug stepped forward to go do his duty when he was stopped. "Not you," He suddenly said and we all looked up only to find him looking at me, "I was talking to her."

Shit! I tried not to let my fear show as I grabbed the jug from the male servant and began to walk towards the king with my head bowed. I refilled his cup which was empty about to take my leave when he suddenly grabbed me by the wrist. I looked up at him only to find the king watching me with a small smile on his face, a smile that made me feel uneasy.

"What's your name?"

"Aneesa." I answered still looking at me and when he held my hand tighter, I stared down at his wrist then arched a brow up at him.

The king smirked at me, "I see you don't fear me."

"Those who fear are those who have committed a sin which I haven't, so I see no reason too." I answered him while he raised his brows up at me and I quickly looked away suddenly remembering my manners, "Unless you want me to fear you of course, I can do that." I said in a soft tone.

"Can, not because you actually are." The king muttered more to himself than me.

 With a sigh, he released me and I immediately stepped away putting away some distance between us. He grabbed me by my wrist there's no telling where he is going to be grabbing next.

"I think I like this one Corion." I heard King Aspen say, "She's got wit and is more composed than our other servants, for a mere human that is." He said as if it was a compliment but I knew it wasn't.

Corion didn't say anything, just continued to silently eat his food. I shot him a glare unable to stop myself. I wasn't exactly expecting him to come to my rescue but since I was something valuable to him, the least he could do was look out for me.

"As from today henceforth, you are to be in charge of bringing our meals." King Aspen announced in a commanding tone.

Fuck no, I am not interested! Get someone else to do it! "As you wish your majesty!" I said smiling as I bowed my head while silently cursing my rotten luck.

King Aspen released a smile as if pleased. "Good!" He stated before pushing his chair backwards and he stood up, leaving the room without any other backward glance.

As soon as he was gone, it felt like some of the tension in the room left with him. I heaved out a breath and stared at the prince who was staring at me with a look in his face, one I couldn't understand but I could tell that we were definitely thinking the same thing.

So much for being invincible!