I'm jolted awake by the sound of the door opening. The princess is standing there, a plate of food in her hand. She smiles down at me, her eyes cruel. "Time for breakfast, slave." She says, her voice cold and mocking. I struggle to sit up, my muscles protesting from the strain of being in the same position for hours. The princess watches with amusement as I struggle, eventually helping me to my feet. "Don't worry," she says, "I'll let you have a moment to stretch before I make you eat." She hands me a bowl of gruel, and I take it. "Thank you Your Highness" I mutter staring at the gruel. She laughs, tossing her head back. "Oh, don't thank me, I'm only doing this to make your miserable life a little more bearable." I swallow hard, not sure if I should eat or not. The princess reads my expression and smirks. "Oh, come on, don't be a baby. Eat it before it gets cold. "Can't I have some real break fest please?" I say in a whisper. "Maybe next time, if you're a good little slave," she says, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Now eat."

"But, I've done everything you've asked.." I start to tear up. "Please, I'm so hungry." She eyes me for a moment, considering something, before finally relenting. "Fine. You can have some bread and cheese, but that's all." She tosses the food to me, and I quickly catch it, tearing into the bread and cheese with relish. As I eat, she watches me, a malicious smile playing on her lips. "See, wasn't that better?" She asks sweetly. "Now why don't you go back to your little corner and think about how lucky you are to even have this much?" I swallow the last bite, nodding miserably. "Yes, my lady." She turns and leaves the room, and I hear the click of the lock as she secures the door. I lean back against the wall, exhausted from the brief exchange, and close my eyes. I don't know how much longer I can take this. After I finish my food I test the lock on door, it's not budging defeated, I sit back down my corner, burying my face into my knees. Hours later the princess comes back through the door carrying a book. I sit and watch her. "I'm going to read a book for a while, if you need anything just call out for me." She says, tossing the book on the bed. "Can I have a book to read too?" I mutter hoping she'd give me something to do. "No." She answers curtly, "You have your duties. You'll wait on me when I need you." Then she climbs back into her bed, picking up the book and beginning to read. "Please, I don't have anything to do in here." tears start to fall from my eyes. "Fine." She sighs, tossing the book at me. "But only because you're being such a pitiful little thing. And if you touch that book in any way other than reading it, I will take it away and make you clean the floor with your tongue." I nod, quickly wiping my tears. "Thank you, Your highness" I mutter back thankful for something to do than just sit in silence. I take the book and start to read, it's not the best book but it's better than nothing. As I read, the princess seems to forget about me for a while, focusing on her own book. The silence is almost peaceful, a welcome relief from the tension that's been building between us. As the hours pass, I become lost in the story, forgetting about my own predicament for a while. The princess occasionally glances over at me, but for the most part, leaves me alone. Suddenly the door opens, revealing Vergo. "Princess, Lady thorn wishes for you and Duna to attend lunch." "Very well, send them in." She replies, not even bothering to look up from her book. The servant nods and exits the room, closing the door behind them. I quickly put the book back where I found it, trying to act as if I was just finishing it. The princess finally looks up at me, a sly smile playing on her lips. "Well, slave. Looks like you'll have to wait a bit longer for your next meal. Guess you'll just have to find something else to do while you wait." She says, enjoying my discomfort. "Why do I have to wait?" I ask confused." Because I said so." She answers curtly, her gaze returning to her book. I hesitate for a moment, debating whether to push the issue or not, but decide against it. I sit down in the corner of the room, feeling a mix of hunger and frustration. She gets up and leaves the room, locking the door behind her. I sit in the corner of the room, feeling a mixture of anger, frustration, and hunger. As I wait, I begin to pace back and forth, unable to keep still. I try to focus on something else, anything to take my mind off of my hunger, but it's difficult. The room feels so empty without her, and the silence is almost deafening. Time seems to slow down as I wait, and I begin to feel dizzy from hunger. Suddenly, I hear a faint knocking noise coming from the door. I freeze, listening intently. "Duna, it's me Vergo are you feeling better?" I swallow, "Um, yes can you get me something to eat please?" She whispers back, "I'll see what I can do." Then, after a moment, there's a click as the lock turns. The door swings open, revealing Vergo. "Come on, I'll sneak you something to eat." I follow her out of the room, grateful for her help. As we make our way through the castle, I can't help but wonder what the princess will do when she finds out. But for now, I'm just glad to have a little something in my stomach. We end up in the kitchens, where Vergo grabs a few bits of bread and some fruit for me. "Here you go," she says, handing me the food. "Eat up and hurry back before anyone sees you." I nod gratefully and stuff the food into my mouth, savoring every bite. "Thank you" I mutter as I swallow down the food." Don't mention it," she replies with a smile. "Now let's get you back before you get into any more trouble." I follow her back through the halls, feeling a little more hopeful now that I've eaten. Maybe the rest of the day won't be so bad after all. As we approach the princess's chambers, I hear laughter coming from inside. The princess and Lady Thorn sound as if they're getting along quite well. A strange feeling settles in my stomach as I realize that the two of them might actually be enjoying each other's company. Maybe there's more to them than I thought.We sneak back into the room, making sure not to attract any attention. The servant is still busy with other tasks, giving us the perfect opportunity to slip back in unnoticed. Once we're safely inside, I mutter back to Vergo "Can you tell lady thorn I'm not sick anymore." I ask in a timid tone. "I'll let her know," Vergo replies with a reassuring smile. As we wait for Lady Thorn to arrive, I can't help but feel a sense of relief wash over me. It's not that I don't like the princess, but having someone else around who seems to understand me is... comforting. When Lady Thorn finally appears, her expression softens when she sees my face. "Ah, Duna. I'm glad to see you're feeling better," she says, offering me a warm smile. "Yes, I am," I reply, my own smile tugging at the corners of my lips. The princess shows up behind her frowning at me."Are you sure you're feeling better?" She asks, her voice laced with doubt. I nod, trying not to let her skepticism bother me. "I am, Your Highness. Thank you for asking." I reply politely. She gives me a unamused look." Well, now Duna can attend you like she used to, no more being lock in the room" Lady Thorn says, trying to lighten the mood." Duna why don't you take the day off tomorrow, take some extra time to heal yourself" "Yes, that sounds like a wonderful idea." I say, grateful for the opportunity to have some time to myself. The princess sighs, clearly not happy about the idea but decides not to argue. "Um, mistress can I request something?" I mutter back. Looking around for the girl that saved me. "What is it, Duna?" Lady Thorn asks, tilting her head curiously. I take a deep breath before speaking. "Can... Vergo take the day off too tomorrow?" I ask pressing my fingers together. The princess narrows her eyes at me, clearly suspicious. "Why do you want her to have the day off as well?" she demands. I swallow nervously, not responding, waiting for Lady Thorns response." Oh, that's a wonderful idea!" Lady Thorn exclaims, beaming at me. "I'm sure Vergo would appreciate the rest as well." She turns to the princess, trying to convince her. "You know how hard she's been working. It would be nice to show her some appreciation." The princess glares at me saying nothing. "Thank you mistress" I say meekly
Later that night, as I lie in bed, I can't help but feel a mixture of emotions. On one hand, I'm grateful to Lady Thorn for defending me and helping me get the day off. But on the other hand, I'm worried about what the princess might do to me tomorrow. I wonder if the princess will ever understand why I acted the way I did. The princess comes through door as I lie on the floor with the blanket she gave. "Well, I guess you're smarter than you look huh?" 

"I... I don't know what you mean," I stammer, looking up at her." She sighs, running a hand through her hair. "I just can't help but feel like you're playing some sort of game with me, Duna. You act so meek and submissive one moment, and then you're sly and manipulative the next." I look down at the floor. "Why did you lock me in the room your highness?" I venture to ask." I wanted to teach you a lesson, that's all. You're a slave. I can treat you how ever I want." She leans in closer "And you can't say or doing anything about it can you?" I swallow hard, the lump in my throat making it hard to speak. "No, Your Highness." She smirks, pleased with my response. "I'm not gonna lie, I'm impressed with your little stunt, so I won't get in your way tomorrow, In fact," She grabs my chin forcing me to look at her. "I'll tell you what I'll be nicer to you if you do everything I say, when I say it." I nod. She grins down at me and jumps back in her bed. I lay my head back down on the floor, unable to shake the uneasy feeling in my stomach. Even though Lady Thorn had helped me, the princess still held all the power. I close my eyes, trying to find some peace in the darkness. The night passes slowly, and eventually, the morning light filters through the window. I rise from my makeshift bed, stretching my sore muscles. I can't help but feel a strange mixture of anticipation and dread as I prepare for the day ahead. What will the princess have in store for me? Will she be angry about the extra day off I requested for Vergo? Will I even get the day off? I've been lied to before. These thoughts circle endlessly in my mind as I carefully gather my possessions and dress myself.