|let me be what sustains you|

"Miss."

"Wake up."

"Hello, Miss."

Azalea opened her eyes slowly, wincing at the bright light above her.

"There you are." A tiny voice said. Azalea looked at the sound and saw a middle-aged woman, peering at her from the left. The woman pulled her into a sitting position. Azalea cried out as she felt her ribs and back soar in pain. Her head spun and also throbbed. She reached her hand up to graze the injury at her forehead. She felt extremely confused and everything was starting to overwhelm her.

She saw the lady quickly shuffle around the dim lit room, it must be a basement of some sort but was wondering how she got there. She mentally sighed when she realized she wasn't dreaming and was actually seeing another human. She wanted to cry happiness but knew she could not cry much more.

The old woman got closer to Azalea and begun to lift her arms but stopped short when she cried out again and tried to wiggle her away from the crazy lady.

"No sweetie, I'm sorry. We need to get this filthy shirt off of you." She said carefully. Azalea wanted to protest but stayed silent. She didn't want to feel anything anymore, but she knew the thin rags on her body needed to be removed.

She nodded to the lady and tried lifting up once more. It took a lot of pain and effort but it wasn't long before she had fresh clothes on.

"Alright we need to get you up, the king requests your presence." She says quickly to her. "I can help you walk there miss."

Azalea nodded and swung her body and got off the table slowly. It made her wince when her raw feet touched the bare floor. "I know dear, we haven't been able to recruit the doctor yet, so it'll be a bit till you get checked on." She heard the lady say.

"Doctor?" She asked, mimicking the word.

"Mhm."

They made their way to the door and swung it open. Light shone through, and once again Azalea had to cover her eyes from the windows.

Parting her fingers to look where they were going, Azalea couldn't help but gaze at the view of inside what looked to be a hallway. It was a beautiful site as lights hung from the ceiling.

It was a few more minutes before the lady finally had them stop in front of a large doorway. By then Azalea's legs were shaking and her body was shivering from exertion. She was too weak to stand on her own, and she was afraid that the woman would abandon her to the other side of the door.

"Where?" She asked the woman.

"Where what honey?"

"Where is here?"

"You're in the castle, the King's." This answer only made Azalea's face turn into a frown as she did not understand what a castle was. Before she asks another question, the doors in front of them opened swiftly to show a large room with a ceiling made of glass and stone. It made Azalea's eyes widen even more, she didn't even realize that her eyes were adjusted to light when her hand slipped from her face. The light shone through the windows like beams creating patterns on the floor. Azalea wanted to stare at the sight forever but was soon limping again into the room being guided inside.

There was a large table in the middle of the room with four men surrounding it, each one of them had fancy suits ranging from dark blue to black. Azalea took note of how large and intimidating they would be if she stood close to one. She averted her gaze away from them and looked beyond the table where two more doors were. She wondered what those led to, maybe outside?

"Gladys." A deep voice said behind them, making Azalea jump and shiver in fear. Gladys, who was holding her up, swiveled her head to see the King.

"Your majesty." She greeted.

Azalea didn't dare look at him as he walked in their view. She quickly kept her eyes on the floor in obedience. She was weak enough and wouldn't need a punishing so soon. Azalea always did her best to avoid them at all costs no matter what she had to do.

There was a brief moment of silence before someone finally spoke up.
"Your majesty, she's in great need of a doctor."

"I am unable to provide her ours right now, it will have to wait." He told her.

"I did everything I was able to, she only needs to bathe and eat." She said.

"Thank you, Gladys, you are dismissed."

Azalea felt her nod her head before carefully slipping from Azalea's hold. She immediately started swaying but held her whimpers of exhaustion and pain. She did her best to stand straight, and prove that she's not as weak as she appears to be, but failed. Gladys let her go completely and made her way back to where she came from.

Azalea wanted to panic, but couldn't manage enough strength. Her breathing became heavy as she tried to keep standing.

"Come, I will prepare a meal for you." The deep voice said again. He held his hand out to her, Azalea didn't want to place her hand in his, but that would cause him to bestow any punishment fit. Instead, she carefully and slowly placed her hand in his, immediately she felt sparks course through her arm making her gasp and meet his surprised look. Her master was exquisite, his blue eyes were dark with dark brown hair swept into a beautiful wave to compliment them. Her mouth was agape, she did not expect to feel such attraction to this vampire, who she loathed.

Without thinking any further she dropped her stare, feeling embarrassed and scared. She didn't get to see his face anymore as he pulled her along with him.

She walked as fast as she could possibly to keep up with her master. She tried going as carefully as she can, but her feet still throbbed and fatigue spread through her body every footstep.

She wanted to protest, ask her master to let her rest, even for just a minute she would be grateful, without saying a thing Azalea somehow kept quiet the whole way to their destination.

Kyran led her into the enormous gourmet kitchen. He walked her to the island in the middle and motioned her to sit on the black stool. She didn't move or look at him and he frowned upon her. Her body was shaking and Kyran could hear her barely breathing, wondering if she was about to faint.

"Please sit." He said to her gently, with this Azalea obeyed and stepped forward to sit on the very tall chair. She was afraid because she couldn't understand how she would be tall enough to sit. The chair was at least to her waist, was she supposed to jump?
"Mast-master?" She shook.

"Yes?"

"How?" She asked quietly without looking up.

"How what?" He asked sternly. She didn't want to be scared to ask him to help his weak slave, but she found no other option to obey his command. Azalea felt more scared when she couldn't conjure the right words to express how to approach his help.

"I not know how to sit on this chair because I am small." She said making sure to shame herself and not insult her Master's belongings.

"Here." He reached for her and placed his hand on her back and guided her foot to the stool's leg. He had her step up, she instantly leaned against his body unintentionally, placing her hand on him and pushing up. Her arm shook on him once she applied pressure, she wanted to apologize but was already sitting on the chair in no time and he backed away. "I appreciate your help, Master." She thanked him kindly, but her eyes turned to saucers when she realized she had no permission to speak. She immediately put her head down in submission fearing for the worst.

"Your welcome, Azalea." He returned.

She gasped silently. Hearing her name come from his lips did strange things to her body, goosebumps ran up and down her arms making her shiver. His voice sounded sweet and gentle shockingly when only and second ago he was cold. She was concerned he was lying to her so she wouldn't be afraid but at the moment Azalea couldn't remember to be anything but enchanted by the sound.

She didn't want to be enchanted though, she wanted to be free.