I was ushered through the castle by two large, burly guards who had intimidated me at first. However, I was now grateful for their help. This palace was enormous, far beyond anything I could imagine and I felt like every time I looked around I was being led down a new hallway, through a different door, and into another corridor. It was dizzying at the best of times, and completely overwhelming at the worst. Thankfully, we did reach my room eventually and I nodded my head in thanks when the two guards announced my arrival. I didn't know who they were announcing me to until I saw three young women all curtseying to me, their heads bowed in respect and their skirts lifted in the tips of their fingers.

I stared at them in shock, not reacting at all when the guards shut my door behind me. Mere hours ago I had been nothing but a slave and now I had women bowing to me in the most stunning room I had seen yet. This could not be real life. I must've been dreaming.

"Who are you?" I blurted out, my manners vanishing.

"We are your maids, my lady." A tall woman with black hair explained. She tried to hide it under a serious expression but I could tell that my question had confused her. When I looked at the other two I saw a similarly masked emotion as well. Though it was clear they had been expecting someone it was clear I didn't fit their vision.

"Oh, yes." I breathed, trying to recover. "Of course."

"Would you like us to fetch a bath for you?" The tall woman continued.

With those words I became aware that I looked worse than the maids who were here to serve me. I had dirt caked under my nails, my hair hadn't seen a brush in many days and my skin was oily and dusty. My dress now had a muddy ring on the bottom skirt, several seams were beginning to fray and the style of the gown was probably considered fashionable when I was an infant. I wasn't certain of my social standing at this point, but I was quite sure that I was above maids so looking so awful made me feel terrible and vile. I knew that I looked exactly like what I was, a slave.

"A bath would be lovely, I've had a long journey." I agreed, "But only if it's not too much trouble."

The woman looked stunned, her mouth falling open for a second, but she snapped it shut an instant later and gave me a smile, "No trouble at all."

I had no idea what to do with myself as I watched the three women dash around my bedchamber. The moved with grace and spoke softly to each other, clearly used to serving royalty, but they worked very efficiently, leaving me to stand in the middle of the room while I watched them begin to lug buckets of hot water to a bathtub that was housed in its own room. I tried to hide my shock and awe as these women already thought I was acting strangely, but when I prepared baths for my master and his wife it was just a small wooden tub. It was nothing this large and beautiful.

A startled yelp leaked from my mouth when I felt fingers pulling at the corset that secured my dress in place. I whirled around, thinking I would come face to face with the king who had changed his mind about giving me time to settle in. But when I saw a little woman standing in front of me, looking as surprised as I felt and not a king filled with lust I became ashamed. It seemed that acting like royalty was not my best performance.

"Sorry, I'm so sorry." I rambled, "I thought-" I cut myself off, not knowing what to say. I had thought it was the king, but what, was I going to tell them that I had agreed to let the king bed me for an old horse and marriage? That even sounded odd in my head and these women already thought I was a walking disaster.

"I just thought that you would need help." The fragile woman responded.

"I do." I blurted, "I'm sorry, I just..." I couldn't finish yet again so I just fell silent and turned away from her, allowing her to tug at the laces.

In no time my dress was removed from my body which I thought I would be grateful for. At least I wouldn't have to be wearing that outdated filth so close to my skin in such a gorgeous palace, but I actually felt worse. Now, my body was on complete display for these strangers. They tried to hide the curiosity but I caught their eyes wandering over my protruding ribs and horribly thin legs. Each one of them stared at my horrendously scarred ankles. Once again I was completely exposed as what I truly was. A slave.

The maids ushered me into the bathtub and I nearly let out a squeal of joy when my body sank into the hot water. For my whole life the only washing I had been able to receive was dunking my body down in the icy creek that flowed by the old farm. Every single time I would bathe I would come out of the water cursing, claiming I would never be so foolish to go into such frigid water again. But, eventually, I would become too dirty to stand and I would go back on my promise. This bath, on the other hand, was one of the most pleasurable things I had experienced. Once I was submerged the maids began to work away on the mess that was my body. Rich oils were ran through my tangled hair and I closed my eyes at the soft smell from the soap a maid was using on my hands. I felt like a goddess and didn't feel inclined to move at all, so I didn't. I merely laid in the water with my head tilted back and my eyes closed. Apparently I was nearly deathly still because the maids assumed I was asleep.

"Poor girl." One of them whispered.

"What a shame." Another replied.

I was about to open my eyes, bothered by their pity but decided not to and kept my body still. I wanted to hear what they had to say about me and the mess I had drug into the palace. And I also wanted to know if they knew why I was here, maybe they had a better idea of my situation then I did.

"Where do you think she's from?"

"It's hard to tell, her clothes are old and the man that brought her here has evidently been sent away."

"She must be a slave."

"Must be. Looks too thin to be much of anything else. And those ankles."

"Do you think she is the king's mate?" The voice came from the small woman who had undone my corset. Even now she sounded shy and worried.

"I'm not sure." I was almost certain that that voice belonged to the tall woman with black hair, "He hides his emotions so much better now, after the war, than he did when he was young. But the first wife was not his mate which means there's still a chance for this one."

"Well, I think she's the king's mate. Why else would he let a slave into his palace? He's become so pretentious over the years."

Their comments made my brow furrow in confusion and all three of the maids held their breath at the movement. They must've thought I was waking up and I decided that I had heard enough anyway. I opened my eyes and blinked against the harsh light that streamed in from the massive windows. I eased my hands away from the maid's and all three of them stood up and took a step back with practiced uniformity. I was tempted to ask them about the king and why they thought I was something called a 'mate'. In addition to this I wanted to know about his previous wife, why it had ended and the war. But it was all too much whirling in my head. I didn't know these women at all, perhaps asking questions would be some kind of treason. Or maybe they would tell the king everything they had told me and everything I had said in response. So I swallowed all of my questions, reminding myself that I had plenty of time to learn about all these thing. I was going to be married to the man.

"Oh, my apologies, I didn't mean to have fallen asleep on you, how rude of me." I lied.

"No need to apologize, my lady. We are just finishing up." The dark haired one responded.

Within the next few minutes I received the last of my extensive pampering and I was helped out of the tub, dried off and redressed in a grand gown that weighed my hips down quite heavily. I opened my mouth to ask the small maid who was dressing me if she had anything with less fanfare, but pressed my lips back together. She had worked so hard and so quickly to get my body into this dress so I couldn't demand that she take it off now. I would just have to deal with it for the time being.

"Now what would you like to do? We have a sewing room, or maybe you would like time to practice on the piano?" The tall maid asked.

I didn't want to tell them that I wasn't capable of doing either of those things so I simply shook my head and asked: "Do any of you know if my horse has been returned?"

"Yes, your horse has been put in the royal stables, would you like one of us to take you to it?"

"No, thank you. I will ask a guard to escort me. You all are much too busy to be bothered with this." I replied. The truth was I wanted to be away from the women who now knew some of my gruesome secrets.

A guard was stationed right outside my door so in no time I was being taken to my only possession. I felt like I was from another world as I walked beside the royal guard. He looked dashingly handsome in his red jacket and breeches with a sword strapped to his thigh. And I think I would've looked quite wonderful as well because I was wearing a stunning red gown that was encrusted with more jewels than I could count. My hair had been washed and lightly dried with a towel before it had been brushed. But when I saw myself in a mirror I had to suppress my own tears.

Mirrors could only be purchased by the rich and considering my upbringing it wasn't surprising that I rarely came into contact with them. However, the guard and I had been passing through a hallway filled with them. It was unlike anything I had ever seen.

"Wow." I breathed.

The royal guard beside me chuckled softly but stopped with me as I gawked at myself. I looked amazing. My blond hair was still wet, but looked healthy and wasn't coated with brown dust and snarling knots. My blue eyes shone now, instead of looking pale and bleak. I looked as good as I felt. The red dress was a bit too much for my slight figure, making it look like the dress was wearing me instead, but if I had any more weight on my bones no one in this palace would know I was a slave.