"Say my name, babe. Say my name, I want to hear you say it."
Aila's brows contorted into a frown, a face she would never have expected even in a million times morphing in front of her. Warm lips trailed down her neck, hands gripping her waist as Jarvis pulled her closer, his eyes now boring holes into hers,
"I like how you pronounce my name, babe. Repeat my name," his deep voice commanded, his breath hot against her skin.
Disgust warmed up her inside as she tried pushing him away. This wasn't right. This wasn't her. This was supposed to be Akila's, not hers.
"Babe…
Suddenly, a gasp ripped through her throat as the sting of cold water crashed over her. She choked, a series of coughs escaping her throat as her eyes flew open. Aila shot upright, her entire body and clothes drenched.
She gulped down as her eyes wandered over the room, the scent and warmth of the dream gone. Her eyes met Darya's gaze, who was standing over her with a wooden bucket and a smirk on her lips.
"Rise and shine, Princess." She sneered over her.
"You're late,"
Aila blinked slowly, her eyes still taking in her surroundings. For a moment, she was still in the dream. Jarvis's voice ringing in her ears, his breath hot against her skin. She closed her eyes briefly before opening them again, reality hitting her. She gulped down as her eyes met with Darya's again.
"What do you want?" she asked sluggishly.
Darya scoffed back, rolling her eyes almost to her head as she flung a dress at her, "Stand up and change to this. Since you decided to take your beauty sleep and wake up late, you're not getting a bath."
Aila's eyes widened, all the sleep in her eyes disappearing. She turned to look at the clock she had noticed beside her bed last night, her brows creasing at the thought of the time.
"It's just 15 minutes past seven," she said quietly.
"15 minutes?" Darya scoffed out, approaching her before grabbing her chin.
Both eyes bored into each other, "Where do you think you are? Your father's house, where you can sleep and laze around? This is the kingdom, the biggest of it all, and you're even lucky to be picked as the queen."
Aila clenched her jaw hard, lowering her gaze from Darya, who seemed not to have finished, "You are nothing here. Just a place-holder queen to keep the people happy. So if you're going to pretend, at least do it well instead of being a bitch about it," She finally finished, her nails digging into Aila's skin.
Anger burned in Aila's veins as she fought the instinct to yank away. Every muscle in her body wanted to scream and shove Darya away. She badly wanted to claw at her skin or curse her out. But instead, she bit down her rage, swallowing it like poison.
"Good girl," Darya added, shoving her jaw away.
She snapped her finger, and immediately the door opened, revealing two maids who walked in with their heads bowed, "Yes, my lady," they both said in unison.
"Prepare her right now and bring her outside. I'll be waiting,"
She gave Aila one last look before turning and striding away. Aila clenched the dress in her hand so hard, her heart clenching within her ribs. She stood up slowly, ignoring the cold stabbing her through her drenched nightgown,
"Where is the bathroom?"
Both maids looked up at her at the same time, pointing to a door not too far away with sadness etching their orbs. She walked into the room, peeling off the wet nightgown and immediately putting on the dress Darya had given her. She washed her face and rinsed her mouth before leaving the room.
"Thank goodness you're at least obedient. I was already starting to think we might have to whip you like the maids," Darya's voice boomed out, standing from the chair she was seated on as she strode towards Aila.
Her eyes swept her up, disgust and disdain fully evident in them, "Follow me,"
Yesternight, she had been so tired she didn't even try to get a good look at the hallway, but now in the early morning, Aila was shocked at the amount of space it all had, coupled with its largeness. The hallway stretched endlessly, doors lining every corner of it. They climbed the stairs to the grand floor, the number of them all making her legs ache.
Finally, they got outside the door, revealing a grand garden and greenery. They walked across the garden and stopped in the middle of the field, Darya now turning to face her. The morning air was crisp and still, but their silence was suffocating. Aila's eyes flicked around the open field, her heart thundering in her chest.
There was nobody in sight.
No maid.
No guards.
Just the two of them.
The only things around them were three buckets filled to the brim, a long wooden cane, and wood stacked on top of each other. Her heart quickened as she turned to face Darya, who was looking at her as if she wanted to kill her.
"Do you know what we're here to do?" Darya started calmly. Too calm.
Aila shook her head slowly, looking back and forth between the materials and the woman who seemed to have a deadly thing for her.
"I'm here to teach you how to be presentable." She started.
She stalked towards Aila slowly, "I don't care if you die doing this or if you become tired. If you don't get this right, we won't leave here. And I'm hoping you get it wrong, or at least fail, because then, everyone would see how much of a disaster you are and how I'm worthy of his place and not you."
Aila stiffened, her fists clenching at her side. Her reaction made Darya smirk, stepping back before lifting two heavy wooden buckets and dropping them in front of her with a thud.
"Straighten your back," She ordered. "Pick them up."
Aila hesitated for a second, her eyes staring into Darya's evil ones. She had no idea what she had done to her for her to be this unreasonable. She didn't ask for this. She didn't tell her not to be picked, and yet she was here punishing her.
"What? Too scared?" Darya challenged.
A wave of determination washed over her instantly, "And what do I get if I get it right? Do you finally stop being a bitch and at least offer me food and a clean bath?"
Darya's orbs widened, her lips stretching into an evil grin, "You get nothing, Princess." She leaned closer, her voice into a whisper, "Nothing. And trust me, you won't be passing any of this."
Aila looked into Darya's eyes determinedly, grabbing the first handle of the bucket. The weight of the bucket yanked at her arm, the water sloshing dangerously. She forced herself to hold steady as she grabbed the second bucket, letting out a massive breath before meeting Darya's gaze, arching her brows.
She met Darya's eyes again, a challenge written on her face.
Darya met her back with the challenge, unimpressed, "Interesting. Don't get cocky yet."
She turned, grabbed the stack of wood, and walked back towards Aila. Aila barely had time to brace herself before Darya placed the stack of wood on her head, the weight pressing down against her skull.
Aila bit down a sharp breath, her arms straining under the weight of the buckets, "You are to remain like this for five minutes. If you spill a single drop, we start over. And if you arch your back, I would hit you with this cane. The woods must not fall, and the water must not drop."
Five minutes.
It sounded short, but Aila could already feel her muscles screaming, her shoulders burning like the cold morning air on her wet skin. Darya took a step back, her arms crossed over her chest. "And if you fail, I'll make sure everyone sees just how much of a disaster you are."
Aila swallowed down, her grip tightening on the bucket. She straightened her back more, raising her shoulders high as she stared into the distance.
She was done being treated like nothing.
For a very long time, she has endured enough from everyone—her father, her mother, and even her sister.
She wasn't going to come and start taking more from someone who's just pained that her love interest didn't choose her.
She was not going to fail this. Not in front of her. Or in front of anyone.