The next morning, I awaken to the sound of birdsong filtering through my window. Alden's gift still lies on my nightstand, its light casting a warm glow across the room. I take a deep breath and get out of bed, ready to face the day ahead. As I dress, I can't help but feel a newfound sense of purpose and determination. Perhaps, I think to myself with a smile, I won't let Stephanie's words get to me anymore. I won't let them make me question my place here. I will continue to serve Alden faithfully, and perhaps one day, I will find my own place in this world.I make my way to the kitchen, greeting the servants along the way. They nod at me respectfully, their expressions softening when they see the pendant that Alden has given me. It's a small sign of acceptance, of their belief in me. I take my place at the kitchen table, ready to help prepare breakfast. The morning chatter fills the air as we work, and for a moment, it feels almost like home. Alden is already at the table, sitting next to Lady Thorn, when I enter the dining hall. He looks up at me with a warm smile, nodding in approval of my attire. The servants begin to file in, taking their places around the table, and the air is thick with anticipation. Lady Thorn clears her throat, bringing the room to silence. "I trust you've all heard the news by now," she begins, "Stephany and her parents will be leaving today, and the repairs to the castle have been mostly completed." She glances over at Alden, who gives a small nod of agreement. "We are all grateful for the hard work and dedication you have shown during this difficult time. It has been an honor to have served with you."Her words echo in the silence that follows, and I can feel the weight of them pressing down on my chest. I've grown so used to Stephany's constant taunts and insults that the thought of her leaving seems almost unreal. I catch Alden's eye, and he gives me a small, reassuring smile. Perhaps he senses my unease, or perhaps he just wants to offer me some comfort. Either way, it's enough to steady my nerves.

Lady Thorn continues, "We will miss you all dearly, but we know that you each have your own paths to follow. Stephany, dear, please come here and give everyone a proper goodbye." Stephany reluctantly rises from her seat, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment or anger, I can't quite tell. She approaches Alden and bends down, kissing his cheek. Her parents follow suit, their words of gratitude and well-wishes falling flat against my ears. I can't help but feel a sense of relief as they finally leave, taking their spoiled daughter with them.

As the door closes behind them, Alden clears his throat, breaking the heavy silence that has settled over the room. "Well," he begins, "now that we're all alone, I have a few announcements to make." My heart skips a beat, wondering what he could possibly mean. "First off, I want to thank each and every one of you for your hard work and dedication these past few weeks. The castle would not be where it is today without you." His gaze meets mine, and I feel a blush creep up my neck. "And, Duna, I want you to know that you are an invaluable part of this household. Your loyalty and service have not gone unnoticed, and I am truly grateful for all that you do."

My heart swells with happiness at his words. It's more than I could have ever hoped for, and it fills me with a newfound determination to continue serving Alden and this household to the best of my abilities. As I sit there, basking in his praise, I notice the way Lady Thorn watches us, her expression a mix of curiosity and concern. It's clear that she cares deeply for Alden, and I can't help but wonder how she feels about his words to me.Alden continues, "Now, as for your duties moving forward, I have a few changes to announce. Duna, you will be promoted, effective immediately, to the position of head maid. I know you have leadership capabilities despite you never showing any, and I have full confidence that you will continue to excel in this new role." There is a murmur of approval around the table as Lady Thorn nods her agreement. Alden turns to me next, and my heart begins to race. "Vergo, I am also promoting you, effective immediately, to the position of personal servant to Lady Thorn. I trust that you will continue to serve me and the family faithfully, and that you will take this new responsibility seriously, you will send down messages from Lady thorn herself instead of zipping around as you did before."
I feel a mix of pride and anxiety at the announcement. Serving Lady Thorn directly will undoubtedly be an honor, but it also comes with a great deal of responsibility. I must ensure that her needs are met at all times, and that I am always attentive to her moods and desires. As I sit there, contemplating these new duties, I can't help but notice the way Lady Thorn watches me, her expression unreadable. It's clear that she is both intrigued and cautious about this development, and I am determined to prove myself worthy of her trust. Over the course of the day, I familiarize myself with Lady Thorn's routine and preferences. She takes her meals in her private chambers, prefers to spend her mornings in the garden, and enjoys long baths in the evenings. As I assist her in these activities, I do my best to anticipate her needs and make her feel comfortable. At times, she asks me about my life before serving in the castle, and I find myself opening up to her, sharing stories of my family and village, I finish tending to lady thorn, walking out of the room and into the dark hallway, time flies by today. I turn an start to walk to Aldens room.As I walk, I heard noises coming around me, like the sound of footsteps. I pause for a moment looking around wondering if Vergo is stealing food again. I heard the same footsteps again, I turned around to see where they were coming from, when suddenly a dark figure jumped on me from behind. I felt a sharp pain on the back of my head, and everything went black.When I regained consciousness, I found myself lying on cold, hard ground, my hands tied behind my back and a gag in my mouth. My head throbbed in pain, and my vision was blurry. Slowly, I managed to roll over onto my side, wincing as the movement sent fresh waves of pain through my skull.As I struggled to make sense of my surroundings, I noticed that I was in one of the castle's lesser-used storage rooms. The only source of light came from a small, dusty window high above, casting eerie shadows across the floor. Nearby, I could see the figure of Jim standing over me, his arms crossed over his chest. Beside him were several of the servant girls, their faces pale with fear. One of the girls steps forward with a scornful face. And looks down on me "Well, Well if isn't the princess herself." she smirks down at me.My heart sinks as I recognize her as one of the girls who had picked on me before. She was always the ringleader, encouraging the others to tease and torment me. Her two cronies flank her on either side, their expressions equally malicious.I try to summon the courage to speak, my voice muffled by the gag. I manage to shake my head slightly, indicating that I don't know what they're talking about. The ringleader girl huffs and takes a step closer, her face contorting with anger. ""Don't play dumb with us, princess," she sneers. "You think just because you're Master Alden's pet now that you're better than the rest of us?" She pauses, glancing around at the other girls for a moment before continuing. "You're nothing but a stupid, little servant. Just like the rest of us."I nod trying to say that I don't think I'm better than anyone, but I can't speak through the gag. The ringleader girl's face twists into a sneer, and she grabs a nearby object, a rusty metal tool of some sort. With a savage swing, she brings it down hard against my bound hands, making me cry out in pain. Blood trickles from the wound as she continues to strike me again and again, her anger fueling her blows. I try to curl into a ball, protecting myself as best I can, but it does little to lessen the impact of each blow."That's enough" jim interjects we need her in one piece no is gonna buy a dead slave. "The girl pauses for a moment, panting heavily, and then backs away, clutching her sore arm. "Fine," she spits. "But next time I see her acting all high and mighty, I'm going to make sure she remembers her place." She glances around at the other girls, her expression challenging. "Anyone else think she's getting above herself? "There are a few murmurs of agreement, but not as many as I had feared. One of the other girls steps forward tentatively, her voice barely above a whisper. "I-I didn't have any problems with her. She always treated me nice."My heart lurches in surprise and relief as I see the girl stand up for me. The ringleader glares at her, her eyes narrowing, but she says nothing. After a moment, Jim finally speaks up, his voice firm. "That's enough, all of you. We have work to do. Take her back to her quarters and make sure she's tended to. No more of this." His expression makes it clear that he means business.The servant girls exchange uncertain glances, but eventually they obey Jim's command. They help me to my feet, their hands not quite gentle as they lift me up. My head spins and my knees wobble, but they don't seem to care. They roughly half-drag, half-carry me out of the storage room and down a dimly lit hallway. The musty smell of old books and dust is replaced by the pungent odor of cooking fish and sewage as we emerge into the bustling market district outside the castle.The cage they place me in is little more than a wooden box with a metal barred door. It's not big enough for me to stand upright, and I have to hunch over to fit inside. The bars are rusty and jagged, and the wood is splintered and rotting. I feel trapped, helpless. My tears flow freely as I look around at my new surroundings, wondering what fate awaits me now.Instead of taking me to an slave, auction they carry my cage over to a knight. He's tall and broad-shouldered, with a scar running across his cheek. He wears the insignia of a noble house on his breastplate, but it's worn and tarnished, as if he's been fighting for a long time. His horse is equally worn, but there's a sense of dignity about them both. As they approach, the knight meets my gaze for a moment, his eyes full of sorrow and pity. The servant girls deposit my cage next to the knight's horse and step back, their hands folded meekly behind their backs. "Here you go, this is her, Jim says to the knight." I start to realize that this was a pre-planed scheme. The knight nods, his expression grave. "Thank you, girls. You may go now." They exchange glances, clearly uncertain, but finally they turn and scurry back the way they came. As soon as they're out of earshot, the knight crouches down next to my cage and gently pushes open the door. "Sorry kid, I'm just following orders."He whip's the horses as they start to slowly move, away from the castle.The ride is long and arduous, through winding paths and rocky terrain. The landscape around us slowly changes from lush, green forest to plains. The wind whips through my hair, stinging my eyes and pulling tears from my cheeks. Despite the harsh conditions, the knight and his horse seem to be in their element, moving with grace and ease over the treacherous terrain. As we climb higher, the air grows colder, and I begin to shiver uncontrollably in my thin, ragged dress. After a while we stop in front of a small castle. the Knight, attaches shackles to my wrists and legs, moving my hands to be bound in front of me, and pushing me to the door of the castle.He pauses for a moment, his expression softening. "I'm sorry, child," he murmurs. "I wish there was another way." Then, he gives me a small push, sending me stumbling into the keep. The door slams shut behind me with a resounding boom that echoes through the castle.The knight pushes me down the hall, we walk before stopping in front of a fancy wooden door. The knights on the door, my lord I have brought the requested slave you send me to go and get. "Come in" A girls voice calls from inside the room. The knight pushes me inside, where I see a lavishly decorated chamber. The walls are adorned with tapestries and paintings, and a grand four-poster bed dominates the center of the room. My faces goes pale as I see Stephanie holding a book, sitting in a chair. Looking back at me."That's will be all, leave us now." She commands. The knight bows his head and turns to leave, the door closing quietly behind him. I stand there, my heart pounding in my chest, looking back at her in shock.