Chapter 143 Chapter 142
After Lady Ysolde left, Rayena’s things were brought into the room, and she spent a great deal of the day arranging her possessions and putting them away. Food was brought in as well, and since she was quite hungry, she’d occasionally pause to fill her stomach before continuing with her organization, humming a tune to pass the time. Hours later, she was done unpacking, and only then did the reality of where she had been thrust dawn on her.
She missed her family—her eccentric but doting mother, her rough but caring father, all her handmaidens, and the familiar life she used to live. She wondered if there would be an opportunity to get out of the place. The man who had brought her in had specifically warned that her father not look for her or he would lose his life. And she was terrified to meet the king she had been promised to. Would he be cruel, tearing her apart the moment he laid eyes on her? She hoped to the heavens that it would not be the case.
Deep in her musing, she was startled when a knock came on the door. Rising from the bed, she stared at the door, wondering who it was this time. When the person persisted, she rose to her feet, striding toward the door and pulling it open. A young, beautiful lady stood behind the door, looking close to her age. She brightened at Rayena’s appearance.
“I hear a new lady has been brought into the harem. Is that perhaps you?” she asked, the sweetness in her voice leaving Rayena flustered. Rayena grew cautious, her tone measured as she responded.
“Yes, I am,” she said, peering at the strange lady.
The lady leaned closer, taking a sniff of her dress. “Oh… you’re human too! Well, my name is Soraya. It’s nice to meet you,” she said, bowing her head.
Thinking it was a form of greeting, Rayena reciprocated the action, albeit awkwardly. “It’s nice to meet you as well.”
“May I come in?” she asked, and Rayena pulled the door farther, gesturing for Soraya to enter. Closing the door slowly behind her, she watched as Soraya looked around the room, seemingly taking it all in.
“I see you’ve made yourself at home already,” Soraya began, glancing back at Rayena. The latter shrugged, fiddling with her fingers.
“I have no choice. I’m going to be here for a while,” Rayena answered, and Soraya smiled.
“That’s true.”
Rayena went ahead to sit down on one of the couches, and Soraya followed, settling beside her. “How long have you been here?” Rayena spoke up, glancing at the lady.
“Hmm. A year.”
“A year!?” Rayena gasped.
“And I’ve yet to see the king. Some of the women in this harem have been here for over a decade, and yet the king has never summoned us,” Soraya revealed with a shrug, plucking grapes from the vine in front of her and popping one into her mouth.
No wonder Lady Ysolde had said what she said. Curious, Rayena scooted closer to her. “Do you, perhaps, know why?”
“I have no idea. Although there have been speculations, none of them have been confirmed. Maybe he has no use for us.”
That didn’t make any sense. “If he has no use for us, why does he collect us?”
Soraya shrugged at that. “Nobody knows that either.”
Rayena frowned. Soraya’s explanation wasn’t particularly helpful, as it only added to her confusion. The latter saw her expression and smiled.
“It’s not like we hate it here, though. For one, all our needs are met, and we get to live lavish lifestyles all day, every day. So that’s one silver lining.”
“You don’t miss home?” Rayena questioned.
Soraya leaned back, letting out a breath. “What’s there to miss about home? If I were back home, I would have been mated by now and probably have given birth to my first pup. So no, I don’t quite miss it.”
“So we’re all just trapped here, wasting away?” Rayena didn’t like the sound of that. Soraya heaved a sigh beside her, leaning back on the couch.
“The thing is, some of us do leave the harem, but only in the situation where we find our destined mates, and that’s really rare. The rest of us that stay behind are just hoping that one of these days the king summons us and we finally have a shot of becoming queen.”
“Well, I don’t want any of those things. I just want to go back home.” Rayena muttered, sounding sullen.
Soraya looked at her then, her expression somber. “Well, I don’t think that’s possible, unless, of course, the king lets you leave. You’re better off just living here and avoiding trouble as much as you can. At least, that’s what I’ve been doing.”
“As long as I do that, no one will bother me?”
Soraya shrugged again. “No one should.”
Rayena let out a breath, balling her hands into fists. Note to self: keep your head down.
That should be easy.
Right?