Chapter Forty Four
Chapter Forty Four
Aliya’s POV
Trian stood dutifully at his post by the door. I watched him out of the corner of my eye, careful not to let him know I was looking. The man was indeed handsome.
I wanted to say something to him–anything–but I didn’t know what to say. Since the incident, we hadn’t exchanged a single word. He went on breaks and returned as quickly as he could; he was always present, and suddenly my room didn’t feel like a cage anymore.
If only I could talk to him. What would I say?
Ask him about the weather?… maybe complement his… clothes. His uniform was different from the soldiers here. He wore a thick, black, high–collared jacket paired with fitted pants. From the texture, it looked like it was either made of crocodile skin or something that closely resembled it.
I found my eyes trailing lower.
“Aren’t you hungry?” He asked, and I quickly looked away from him, my gaze returning to the book in my hands, the one I held up–side–down.
I was indeed hungry, but I was used to being starved.
“It’s not yet time to eat.”
“You’ve not eaten in days.” He reminded me. Of course, I hadn’t. It’s not new to me. Empress Julia only brings me food when she believes it’s the right time; this is time for studies. I was to keep reading and reading until she thinks I had read enough.
“The Empress will send me a meal if she believes it’s time. I voiced out.
“You’ve not answered my question, Aliya,” he said, calling me by my name again; my stomach fluttered with ‘ butterflies‘–I got those anytime he called my name. “Are you hungry?”
“Yes. I am hungry, but I have learned to ignore hunger.”
“Stay here.” He says, pulling the door open.
I watched him walk away. I knew for a fact that it wasn’t yet time for his usual breaks. The previous soldiers assigned to watch over me had never left me alone, not even once; they’d rather take turns to do their business.
I sat on the chair, curious as to what he went to do.
He returned in about thirty minutes. A tray of food in his hands. My stomach growled from the mouthwatering
smell.
“Eat.” He says the words sounded more like an order.
I wanted to eat, all so badly; I wet my lips, but I couldn’t make a move because I knew what this was: It was a test. The Empress wanted to test me, and if I failed, I would be punished.
“Thank you, but it’s not time to eat. If it’s time, the Empress would bring me some food.” I repeated.
“The Empress is not around now; she won’t be for the next two days.” He says, and my eyes drift back to the food. A temptation–that’s what it was.
“Had she sent you to test me?” I asked, of course even if she had, he would deny it, and yet I still asked.
“No. She isn’t aware.”
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Chapter Forty Four
I took the tray of food with visibly shaking hands. I was going to be punished, but I was so hungry, I gave in to the temptation. I took a handful of blueberries and shoved it into my mouth; I continued with the roasted lamb and bread rolls. I had never been given this much- in a very, very long time–and I emptied the tray of food in a matter of minutes; only then did I realize how uncourteous I had behaved. I didn’t invite him to eat, and he might be disgusted watching me eat like a pig. This would have earned me some punishment if I dared this with Empress Julia present.
I looked up, only to see him watching me.
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