Chaptee Five & Six

"Mia! Mia!!" , Eve shook Mia from her bed. "Mia", Eve whispered once more while shooking her to wake up.

" Yeah", Mia answered and rubbed her sleepy eyes.

"My food, Mia", Eve pouted.

" What? ", Mia had to strain her eyes to look at the clock.

"My dinner. I'm hungry", Eve complained.

" Oh", Mia struck her palm to her forehead. "I left some food for you in a small bowl Go take it before it's too late"

"What about my cake and juice?"

" I don't think you should take the cake tonight. Maybe tomorrow", Mia said and Eve grumbled.

"You could have the juice though" , Mia added.

"Yes...thanks Mia", Eve replied and tiptoed to the door so as not to wake the others. She was about to put on the switch in the kitchen when she felt a hand on her hand.

" Lady Elizabeth", She shrieked out in fear.

"I caught you red-handed, right? By the way, I heard something interesting today" , Lady Elizabeth said and Eve's heart started racing.

'Did she find out about the ice stuff?', Eve thought and gulped while watching her carefully.

"I heard you pretended to faint today so you could be carried into the prince's bedroom", Lady Elizabeth revealed and with dark eyes. "Is that true?" , She asked.

"-" *PAAK*

Lady Elizabeth slapped her in the same place she has slapped her earlier that day. Eve could swear that she tasted blood.

"You bloody bastard!!" , She roared. "You would dare lie to me. That reminds me. What are you doing here?" , Lady Elizabeth asked with suspicious eyes.

"I told her to come get her food", An unnoticed appearance came to light.

"Prince Lex", Lady Elizabeth bowed her head.

"And she didn't pretend to faint. She really fainted because she is heavily tasked for a person of her age. Lady Elizabeth, please make sure your source is strong" , Lex scorned her.

"My Prince. I apologise for this" , Lady Elizabeth bowed her head. Prince Lex stared hard at a black bird that perched on Lady Elizabeth's shoulder.

"I don't think you should apologise to me", Lex smirked.

" I can't apologise to her", Lady Elizabeth said stubbornly.

"Then, I reject your apology", The prince said strictly.

Lady Elizabeth stared hard at the young girl she was supposed to apologise to. "Forgive me, Eve", She finally said while gritting her teeth.

"You are forgiven", Eve replied but she still tastes blood in her mouth.

"Is that all? ", Lady Elizabeth asked the Prince.

"Yes"

"Good night" , The lady said and went away angrily. That would be the first time in her entire life to apologise to a mere slave. It was all the fault of the stupid Prince.

"Thank you", Eve thanked Lex for saving her.

"I didn't do it for you", Lex said arrogantly.

Eve avoided his eyes only for her to hear his annoying question. "Why don't you look at me when I'm talking to you? Am I ugly?"

"No", Eve replied. Her hair was tied into a messy bun. The pains all around her body were only a little that she could still feel it. Her cheeks still hurt too. She felt Lex's hand on her chin and lifted it to look straight into her eyes.

"Or am I too handsome for you to see?" , Lex asked and Eve laughed exposing her dimples.

The prince was stunned but quickly concealed it. She was damn beautiful. Her laughter was melodious too. This is the first time he would see her laugh but he had not seen her smile. He guessed it would be beautiful too. Unfortunately, he does not do maids.

She escaped his gaze and took the bowl she came for. She also took the cake and juice. She can't wait till tomorrow to eat the cake.

"Does it hurt?" , Lex asked after some moments of silence.

"What?" , Eve was confused.

"Does your cheek hurt?" , He asked again.

"Not much" , Eve replied.

"Come and sit here. I'll take care of it", The prince pulled a table close to him and patted it for her to sit.

"There's no need for that, Prince Lex", Evelyn rejected his offer and tried to leave when he pulled her back.

" I said you should sit or I'll eat everything in your hand while you go to bed with joy", Lex threatened her and saw her hold the bowl tighter.

Eve obeyed him and sat on the table. He placed his hand on her cheeks while she closed her eyes from imagining any nonsense in her freaking head.

"You should be able to heal yourself since you're now an ice element", Lex spoke and she opened her eyes immediately.

"Don't look at me like that. Your boyfriend must have been discussing it and I happened to hear it", Lex smirked and Eve gasped.

"He's not my boyfriend. He's just...a friend ", Eve sighed.

" I see", Lex said and asked her, "Would you like.to to go somewhere with me tomorrow?"

Eve was confused. She has never gone out of the mansion without Lady Elizabeth 's order.

"Does she know?" , Eve asked.

"Yes", Lex smirked.

Eve looked at him and slapped his hands away from her cheeks. "She didn't tell me anything so I can't go. Besides, I can't leave the house without her permission else she'll kill me", Eve said.

Lex looked at her and sighed. He knew what she was saying was right but he wanted to go with her. He wanted to be around her even though she was a mere maid. He doesn't want to see her around that mama's boy. He looks boring so he wants to be the one to make life interesting.

"Please" , Lex pleaded with her.

Evelyn looked at him and had a good laugh. She stood up and saw his face. "Did you just beg me?" , She asked.

Lex felt that his ego was no longer there after pleading with her. "Did I?"

"Oh you didn't", Eve said and baded him good night. Lex pulled her back and bit his lips, "Okay I did. I said 'please'", Lex said.

"Then, I'll spend some time with you tomorrow. You just protect me from that witch at all times. Good night and thanks" , Eve walked away.

Lex just accepted her terms and let his face glow with the beautiful smile on it.

"Pasta", Eve muttered as soon as she opened the covered bowl. 'The aroma is nice ', She thought. She sat on the chair in the angle and put the food in the table. She tasted the food and praised it.

The pepper made her feel uncomfortable. It stings. She closed her eyes to absorb the hotness of the pepper and caressed her lips with her hand. She noticed that the pepper was no longer hot after she did that.

She didn't mind it and ate the food. There was no fish, meat, egg or any type of protein in her food because she was not a royal or someone with an important post.

She was just a low class member that had just been blessed with her gifts. She set the plates that pasta were served in aside and focused on the delicious cake. There was butter icing on the cake thanks to Mia. She are the cake it by bit to relish the moment. She put the last chunk of cake in her mouth and ate it happily.

It was not every time she gets to eat delicious desserts like the cake. Thanks to the royals, she would eat some delicious meals in the next two days! She sipped the orange juice little by little and had a small thought about her life.

"Mum! Mama!!" , Ten years old Eve screamed for her mother among chaos and ruins. "Ma-a -ma!! ", She shrieked in fear.

"Baby!! ", A woman in a blue dress that was stained in blood rushed to Eve.

"Mama!! B-blood! ", Eve shrieked.

"Mama is fine", The woman comforted her. The woman has a small blue crown on her head. Her hands were shaking as she held her daughter.

" Mama", She called.

"Where is Jamal and Raphael? ", A man with a bigger crown walked up to them and whispered into the woman's ear.

"No! No!!" , The woman yelled. "No Richard. She can't go. She won't go! I can't leave my daughter" , The woman shouted at the man.

"Mary, please listen to me. As a queen, you have to make some decision", The man said.

"And as a king, you look for alternate choices" , The woman replied him.

The man sighed in frustration. "Ralph and Jamal have been taken away" , The man announced to the woman.

"What?" , The woman clutched the man's clothes. "Taken? Taken to where?! Answer me, Richard!!!" , The woman trembled.

"Calm down, Mary. They've been taken to a safer place by the soldiers" , He assured.

"And where is the safe place?"

"To the king of Blahds"

"The king of Blahds? That greedy fool", The woman shrieked. "It is settled, Mary. Don't worry", He assured her.

The woman left his clothes and placed her hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Since that's settled, let's take Eve to him too. We can always protect ourselves, right? "

"What? No!!" , The king rejected her offer. "I made an alliance with him and traded with that greedy man. They are boys that can protect themselves. She's a girl with no powers or knowledge of martial arts. That fool will ask for something in return for her protection. We both know that, Mary", The king added.

"Are you saying that Eve should remain here to die? ", The queen asked and pulled her daughter to herself.

"No. I'm saying that I can't send Eve to him"

"Then, what's going to happen? "

"Well, Lady Elizabeth is here", The king said.

" Then? What do you mean?", The queen was confused. She thought for a moment and sent a fierce glare to the king. "You must be out of your senses, Richard!"

"No, baby. This is the best decision we can make. I promise we're gonna take her back when all this is over - the war. Baby, listen to me. There is no time to think. She's gonna be safe. I promise", The king tried his best to convince his wife.

"I really hope my boys at safe and my little girl is going to be safe. I don't trust that witchy whore", The queen hissed.

"So, let's make this quick"

The queen removed a blue bracelet from her wrist and wore it on her daughter's wrist. She closed her eyes and chanted, "May this bracelet keep you from every harm, hide you from every enemy and give you strength. May this bracelet turn invisible to every eye that bewitches you. Till we meet, my one and only treasure. I love you Eve", The queen kissed her daughter on the forehead and cheeks.

Lady Elizabeth felt the glare that was sent by the queen but she did not say anything. "Keep my daughter safe if you still value your head", The queen threatened her.

" Yes, your majesty", Lady Elizabeth bowed.

"Bye mother! Bye father!!" , Evelyn waved with tears in her eyes.

"Bye my princess", King Richard wished.

"Bye baby", Queen Mary baded her daughter goodbye. "Till we meet again, Elizabeth" , The king said and watched they leave his sight. The king and queen both sighed in relief and worry.

*

-Behind the Curtains -

Lady Elizabeth took a purple portion in a bottle and a blue portion in another bottle. She mixed them together in a wooden bowl and began to chant an incantation,

"Princess Eve Centrion, I calleth thee. The title thou shalt not know neither shalt thou know that family. From hence with, thou shalt stay here. Thou shalt forget they mother and thy father, thy brothers and thy maids. Thou shalt respond to me only as Eve. I alone are thou family from today. Eve! Eve!! Eve!!! I am that master and the one thou cometh along with"

Eve's eyes were blue and she stood still while responding to the incantation, "I am Eve, thou calleth me. My title hath I forgotten neither my family I do know. Thou art my family and thy slave I am"

"Ye spoke well, good servant of mine", Lady Elizabeth responded with a large wicked smile.

*when the war was over*

"Lady Elizabeth! The king and queen of Azariah are here to see you", A man servant announced to Lady Elizabeth.

"Have them sit in the meeting room. I'll meet with them soon", She replied.

"Okay, Lady Elizabeth"

"Wait! Call me Eve on your way"

"Yes, Lady Elizabeth" , The man servant said and left.

•KNOCK• •KNOCK•

"Come in"

"You called me, Lady Elizabeth"

"Yes Eve. Come and wear this beautiful necklace I bought for you", She said and wore and a black rusty necklace around Eve's neck.

"It's beautiful ", Eve commented.

" Oh! It's nothing dear"

"Thank you"

"I'd like you to meet these generous couples downstairs ", Lady Elizabeth took her hand and led them downstairs.

" Eve", The guests rose to their feet.

"Good day to you both. I am not Eve but Eve walked into the carriage just now. She is waiting for you both ", Eve replied with her eyes all blue.

"Is that so? We'll be in our way now. Thank you for looking artery daughter, Lady Elizabeth" , The king dipped his hand into his pockets and brought out a small bag full of money. He threw it at Lady Elizabeth who received it with speedy hands.

"You are so generous, King Richard. May the gods favour you and fatten your wealth", Lady Elizabeth prayed.

"Richard, let us be on our way, I pray thee", The queen complained.

"Yes. Goodbye, my good friend", King Richard said and turned to go.

" Goodbye King Richard. Good bye Queen Mary. I wish you both a safe trip back to Azariah", Lady Elizabeth wished.

------

Immediately the king and queen returned to their castle, they forgot about everything. They forgot about Eve. They forgot about embarking on a trip. They forgot about having a daughter. Whenever someone mentioned Eve's name, they would punish such person. The name 'Eve' became a taboo to be pronounced in the kingdom.

After some months, everybody in general stopped talking about Eve and forgot about her. The whole kingdom forgot about a princess of Azariah. They forgot Princess Evelyn Centrion. All they know was there was a king named Richard, a Queen named Mary, Prince Jamal and his brother, Raphael, and together they were the Centrion.

*****

Eve returned the dirty plates and cup to the kitchen. She washed them and put them in their positions. She put off the lights and retired to her room. She brought out a bracelet she had not seen in many years - two years at most.

She wore it to the bathroom to freshen up. The water drenched her hair and made her feel relaxed. She was also relaxed after spending some time in the bathroom.

She applied some shtomher to her hair and rinsed out the lather. She turned off the shower and wrapped her towel around her body. She stepped out of her bathroom and saw him while her heart skipped a beat.