Chapter Four

Olivia looked back to see the head maid Druvidia and she cursed mentally.

"The Deputy Head Maid, Master Hugh assigned me to chamber pots also," Cassandra was quick to lie.

Olivia smiled internally. She knew that the young master had a thing for her friend so Cassandra readily took advantage of that anytime the need arose. If Druvidia was to ask him, he was going to say it was true.

Druvidia eyes swept between the two suspiciously. "I do not like pairing you two together. You shan't get the work done in time as you shall spend most of the time talking."

Druvidia made a curious noise in her throat and spat out, furrowing her nose.

"The odor in this place does not allow for much conversations," Cassandra said with a tight smile and a subtle roll of her eyes. "The only thing disturbing us is your presence."

"How dare you!" Druvidia roared angrily, rushing towards Cassandra but upon seeing the chamber pot in her hands, she retreated and eyed her before walking away.

Olivia smiled at her friend. There was one thing she loved about Cassandra and it was her fearlessness.

"That is how to deal with the devil," Cassandra said with a smirk.

++++++*

After several hours, the two finally finished washing up all the chamber pots. The deputy head maid walked up to the two girls and looked at them with a raised eyebrow. "Cassandra, I didn't ask you to wash the chamber pots."

"You didn't?" She said, scratching the back of her head.

He sighed. "I would like to have a word with you. Druvidia is pretty annoyed."

"Liv, I'll be right back," Cassandra said.

Olivia nodded and watched the two of them walk away. She shook her head and sighed, gathering the supplies to take back to the slave quarters.

As she journeyed towards there, her mind was a chaotic heaven as images from how her parents died flashed through her mind. For two years now, she still had not gotten over it.

Her dreams were characterized by them.

Sometimes she would see herself holding a bow and arrow and firing it to her mother mercilessly. Other times she saw herself holding her father's head.

Guilt often preyed on her emotions because she felt like she could have done something to change her parents fate.

Perhaps if her mother had not taken those arrows for her, she would still be alive. Or if she had blocked the arrow from entering her mother's eyes, all would have been well.

She hated herself for not being of help to her father while the man cut off his head.

"Are you blind!" An enraged voice snapped Olivia out of her train of thoughts. She looked up to see the Alpha's younger sister— Kayla. "Can you not see where you are going?" She yelled. "Look at what you have done to my dress!"

"I am so sorry," Olivia said sincerely. She had not meant to bump into Kayla. She had just been distracted by her thoughts. Moreover, it was unusual for Kayla to be seen walking in the path meant for servants. "I did not mean to be in your way."

She glanced at Kayla's dress that was obviously expensive. There was a splash of water from the wet rag she held. "I will get that cleaned up."

"Are you not coming from washing the chamber pots?" Kayla hissed. "Oh sweet heavens!" She exclaimed. "I can't wear this again. I feel so irritated. Can you afford this dress?" She screeched.

"I apologize," Olivia said with a bow. "Please forgive me."

"Forgive?" Kayla asked bewildered. "Are you deaf? Did you not hear when I asked if you can afford this dress?"

"I know I cannot my lady, but please have mercy."

"You shall be severely punished for this! What rubbish!"

"I deserve to be punished my lady," Olivia bowed. "But please have mercy on your servant."

"Mercy?" Kayla cackled. "Just wait here! You shall see what I am capable of,' Kayla said storming off.

Olivia took in a deep breath and sighed, continuing her journey back to the slave quarters. Her head throbbed with pain and she felt like she needed sleep but she knew sleep was impossible. Anytime she slept she woke up more exhausted than she had been. She wondered if it was because she always had battles in her dreams.

Upon getting to the slave quarters, the head maid pulled Olivia by the ear and dragged her in. "What on earth is wrong with you?"

"Ow!" Olivia screamed, trying to remove her ear from the head maids hand.

"I got a report that you were rude to the Alpha's sister," the head maid said, her voice laced with anger. "Don't you know that is an insult to me? That I do not train you girls and boys well?"

"Ma'am it was a mistake I..."

Before Olivia could complete her statement, two hefty men walked into the room. "Where is the girl?" The first one said in a gruff voice. "She shall be severely punished."

"She has not done anything wrong." Cassandra appeared out of nowhere. She opened her mouth to continue the statement but a hand over her mouth silenced her.

"All the slaves are required to go to the assembly hall," the second hefty man said. "She shall be punished severely and serve as a deterrent to anyone who dares to misbehave. You all have two minutes!" The man roared.

The slaves filed out as fast as they could in the most orderly way possible, knowing that they could be punished for rowdiness.

Olivia was dragged out all the way from the slave quarters to the front of the hall, the floor scraping her legs badly that she groaned in agony. It felt like hours had passed even though the journey was just a few minutes.

She wished she had never crossed the path of the Alpha's sister as she gazed at the crowd and saw one of the men brandishing a whip that had been passed through flame.