Hey hey everyone (: So ihope you are enjoying the stroy so far! Comment and vote if you'd like and let me know your thoughts on the story, feedback is greatley appreciated (: xx -m

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The bus rattled, jolting harshly as it hit a bump in the road, causing my head to hit the metal interior wall.

I whimpered slightly.

The sound of breathing around me was evident but I could not see the people it belonged to.

It was so dark inside the bus that I could not even see my feet. It was nearly impossible to tell the difference between the black curtain on the back of the bus and the night sky.

I stared blankly to my left trying to tell the two apart when I saw a white orb of light pass by.

I shook it off as trick of the eyes but then moments later another one passed.

They were street lamps.

More street lamps passed by in blurs but every time one passed I could barely make out my surroundings.

The bus began to slow down and I could hear the shifting of the people around me. We were stopping?

Suddenly the bus jerked to a halt and everyone slammed forward.

"Ow." I rubbed at the place where my head hit the metal again.

Footsteps could be heard outside the bus as the curtain flung open.

"Everyone out." A Hunter barked at us, shining a flashlight into the bus.

I looked around me to see the bus not even half full of people, there was maybe 10 of us.

Squinting my eyes to block the glare from the bright light, I moved forward like everyone else until I stumbled out of the back.

My converse clad feet landed on rippled cobblestones. I looked around me to see three other buses with people climbing out of them. A bus for each classification.

"Single file please. Follow me." The Hunter called out to us over his shoulder.

I looked to my left to see woods lining the clearing we were in. To my left next to the buses was a long brick building.

Our Hunter led us through one of the doors and down a set of long hallways until we arrived in another waiting room, similar to that of the waiting building.

"The first five of you come with me." The Hunter announced again.

I studied his face more since I could see him in the light.

His face was lightly tanned with a bit of scruff on his neck and chin, reaching up to by his ears. His eyes were blueish-grey and his hair a dirty blonde.

He was tall and muscular, typical build for a Hunter. If I had run into him in the streets I would have fled in the other direction, but right now I had no choice but to follow.

I was fourth in line so I followed after the people in front of me.

The Hunter led us through a door and into a long, dark room where a long table rested under a light in the middle of the floor , behind it sat three people.

"Stay in line, face the table." The Hunter ordered before pacing away from us and out the door we had just entered.

We did as we were told and while we placed ourselves I took a look at the people I was with.

The farthest to my left was a burly man in his 30's. He looked strong and scary.

Next to him was a boy of about 12 with shiny red hair and a freckled face. He trembled and his eyes watered.

Directly on my left was a woman of about 35. She had dark features and beautiful braided hair.

Then on my right was a man in his twenties. He was tall and muscular with short clipped hair.

The sound of someone clearing their throat in front of me caused me to draw my attention forward.

When I realised who the three people at the table were my heart stopped.

The first person at the table was a girl with the most gorgeous blonde, curled hair I had ever seen. She wore a flower print dress that went to above her knees and white heels on her feet. I assumed she was around my age, maybe a little older, from her young appearance.

She gazed at all of us emotionlessly.

Next to her sat the man I had seen before the Gathering. The King's assistant. His red hair gave him away easily.

But the person next to him was the one who truly made my heart pause.

The King himself.

"Good evening." King Blakesley, said glancing at all of us. "We will be assigning you to your positions of labour in the castle."

Labour positions? Castle? What the hell?

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion.

I knew I shouldn't speak, out of fear and just common sense but my tongue got ahead of my mind.

"Labour positions?" I asked and everyone looked at me with shocked expressions. Even the King and the two others at the table looked surprised.

'Big mistake El.' I thought to myself.

"Yes." The King hardened his gaze on me, his eyes squinting slightly. "You will be working in my castle."

"Why?" I said aloud again, still confused before he could continue on with the assignments.

"Because I said so." He glared at me.

Now I was mad.

"So you just capture us in the Gathering and take us to a building where we have no idea where we are and then bring us into a room and assign us jobs and don't tell us why?" I said sassily back. I knew I was pushing it but I didn't care, I was seething.

"You dare speak like that to your King?" The assistant asked and I pointed my glare at him.

"I do." I snapped.

It was hard to control my anger. Once I got going it was difficult for me to stop until I had made my point but this was not the time or place for my attitude problems.

I took a deep breath in an attempt to calm myself down.

"You would like an explanation? Here's one. The purpose of the Gathering is to chose new servants for my castle and you ,my dear were captured and that is what you will do or else be punished. Do I make myself clear?" The King bit back at me in a calmer voice but I could tell he was fuming.

"Yes." I spit back.

"Yes what?" He narrowed his eyes again.

"Yes, my King." I scowled at him.

He smirked slightly, seeming to be enjoying this now.

What an ass.

"Reed, assign their jobs, I'm retiring for the evening." King Blakesley stood us and walked over to the beautiful blonde girl he'd just addressed as Reed. He whispered something in her ear and she nodded before he walked swiftly out the door.

Reed turned around a smiled awkwardly at us.

"Alright, I am to assign you to your jobs, so let's begin." She addressed us and then began to call us forward going down the line.

Each person would walk up to her at the table where they would converse quietly for a moment and then the person would sign a document that was placed on the table before returning to their spot in line.

When I was next she glanced at me then hesitated before skipping me and going on to the man next to me.

"Those are your assignments. Exit out that door and the Hunter Theo will take you to the booking room." She smiled awkwardly again, folding her hands on the table in front of her.

The people began to file out of the room but by the look now trained on me by Reed, I had a feeling I was not supposed to leave.

Once the door closed Reed spoke.

"You have nerve speaking out against my brother like that." She said pointedly. "But somehow he seemed to like it. He has requested you to be a personal servant of his majesty's chambers."

I was going to be what...?!

This was joke. She was kidding right?

The King's assistant turned to give Reed a shocked look that mimicked mine.

"Are you serious? You can't do that." He gawked.

"Michael I have no choice that is what he requested." Reed shrugged.

"Bloody idiot." Michael rolled his eyes.

Reed shrugged again and then returned her gaze on me.

"Out that door will be a Minder waiting for you. He will take you to the booking room and then escort you to the castle." Reed said calmly.

I stared open mouthed at her for a moment before snapping out of it and walking purposefully to the door.

Was this some kind of sick joke?!

I refused to be someone's servant let alone the personal servant of a King that had about as much humanity as a rock.

I'd rather be killed.

I pushed open the door with as much force as I could enjoying the sound of it smacking against the perfectly painted walls.

But my enjoyment was short lived when I ran face first into a hard body.

I toppled backwards, my arms flailing in front of me but whoever I had run into was quick to grab my forearm yanking me back up.

My eyes shot open and I was met with a handsome face. A face that looked familiar... Then it hit me.

It was the Minder from the diner.

I gasped slightly when I realised it was him and his eyes widened after a moment when he recognised me.

He steadied me on my feet.

"S-sorry." I mumbled under my breath.

"You alright?" He asked and I remembered his smoky voice.

I nodded hastily.

"Alright. Let's go then." He began to walk out of the room and into the hallway.

I sighed before following him.

I trained my eyes on his shoulder as I followed him down two corridors and into another room. This room was different that the last one I was in.

It had five booths along one wall with someone sat behind each one.

The Minder walked up to one of the booths and began to talk to the worker behind it.

"Book her in please." He said as he motioned for me to walk up to the counter.

I stepped up quickly.

"Name?" The older woman behind the booth asked me.

"Eleanor Belle." I said quickly and quietly.

"Age?"

"18."

"Position of labour?"

"Personal servant to the King." A voice said behind us and I turned around quickly.

Michael stood behind us, an unreadable expression on his face.

I heard the sound of the woman typing hesitate before she typed in my position.

A beeping noise followed by a quick buzz sounded behind me.

"Here's your identification card." She slid the card across the counter and the Minder took it.

He handed it to me and I took it hesitantly.

"Don't lose that card." He told me.

I nodded.

"I'll take her from here, Shay, thank you." Michael said.

The Minder Shay nodded and then walked out the way we came in.

"Follow me." Michael said and we walked off to another door that led us outside.

Michael walked towards the row of cars that sat on the street in front of us. He headed towards a black shiny car that looked sleek and fast.

He opened the passenger door for me and I got in. I had never been in a car like this before. I normally walked everywhere except for when I had to take the bus to the town square for Gatherings or special occasions.

Michael walked around to the drivers side and wasted no time in driving out of the line of fancy cars and onto an empty street.

"You have nerve speaking to the King like that." Michael said after a minute of silent driving.

I turned my head to look out my window instead of answering him.

"The King will expect an apology. I'm surprised he didn't demand one from you right then and there. And now you're a personal servant?" Michael spoke mostly to himself.

"Unbelievable." He muttered under his breath.

I was getting extremely annoyed now.

I had literally just had my life ripped out from under my feet and now he had the audacity to talk about me like that while I sat next to him?

I crossed my arms across my stomach and continued looking out the window.

Outside we were traveling along a road with thick woods on both sides. The midnight trees blurred by until suddenly they opened up and before us the castle.

The castle was a four story, extremely long mansion. The outside walls made of brick and stone with patches on green ivy growing up the sides. Lights shone all around it, illuminating it like a Christmas tree.

Michael drove up to the front where a Minder waited outside.

When Michael stopped the car the Minder opened the door on my side.

"Get out. Shay will be inside to take you to your quarters." Michael said annoyed and I got out out the car, purposefully slamming the door behind me.

I could feel his rude glare on my back as I strode away.

The Minder next to me caught up to me and walked me into the castle.

My jaw dropped when I saw the inside of the castle.

In the main room, a chandelier the size of my entire flat hung from the ceiling. Crystals trickled down from it like raindrops.

Two staircases, one one each side of the room, flowed up each wall and connected it the middle on a balcony.

The white marble floors were perfectly polished to the point that I court see my reflection.

The walls were painted a greyish black colour and the stairs were red carpet.

As I took in the splendour of my surrounding a voice to my right made me jump.

"I'll take her from here Cade thank you."

I looked up to see Shay, the Minder from before walk up to us.

The Minder Cade nodded next to me and walked back out the front door.

"Welcome to Blakesley Castle." Shay said and I just looked at him. "I'm going to show you to your room."

I didn't say anything but followed along when he began to walk.

Shay walked past the stairs and to a white door on the right.

We were now in a hallway with the same red carpeted floors as the stairs and white walls.

"So, King's personal servant huh? How did you end up with that job?" Shay tried to make conversation.

"I mouthed off to him." I shrugged as I spoke softly.

"Nice. Well it seemed to have worked." Shay chuckled.

"What is that supposed to mean?" I eyed him curiously.

"Well you see, the Kings personal servants get their own personal living quarters. The other castle servants have to share dorm rooms. So you lucked out." Shay explained.

"Yea, well." I trailed off.

I had'nt been paying attention to where we were walking but now I noticed the hallway had changed into a larger corridor.

"This is the King's servants chambers. The King's wing is right down that hallway to the right." Shay pointed out. "For the past few months he has had the reqular castle cleaning servants attend to his chambers, so you are his new and only personal servant." Shay tried to make it sound like a good thing.

"Yay for me." I sighed and rolled my eyes.

No matter how hard someone tried to convince me that I was lucky for recieving this position I just could'nt believe them. This was'nt what I wanted. I wanted to go home, I did'nt want to be here. I refused to be in a castle forced to serve a egotistical King against my will.

Shay walked up to the only door on the massive wall in front of us.

"This is your chamber. See this keypad next to the door? Scan your card under the light and it will unlock your door. This is for security and also so that no one can get in without your permission." Shay smiled and the corners by his big brown eyes creased.

I took the card I had been holding for the past 30 minutes and moved it under the light. A little beep followed and a click was heard from inside the door.

Shay pushed down on the door handle and let us both in.

The room was massive.

Four walls made up the room. The walls were painted light blue with cream accents, and cream carpet flowed throught the room. On the wall to the right was a bed big enough for four people and a light blue comforter covered it.

On the left wall was a dresser with a mirror, a closet door next to that. In the middle of the room were two couches and a coffee table that matched the dresser.

But what really took my breath away was the floor to ceiling windows on the far wall. Massive curtains were pushed to the side to reveal the night sky outside. A desk sat of to the left corner and a door to a bathroom next to that.

"So I sass a King and this is what I get? Maybe i'll do that more often." I scoffed.

I was'nt trying to come off a brat but I was in shock. This made no sense.

"I would'nt reccomend that if I were you." Shay chuckled behind me. "The King may have found your comments amusing before but dont try to push it, he has a short temper and you dont want to find out what it's like on the other end of it."

I nodded. "Sorry, it's just i'm kind of in shock."

"Understandable." He nodded. 'Well, I will leave you to get settled in. Someone will be by shortly to help you get adjusted." Shay smiled softly.

"Thank you." I said hugging my arms to my body.

"Of course. Good night Eleanor, and good luck." Shay half smiled again before slipping out of the room.

I felt the corner of my lips turn up in a half hearted smile before he closed the door.

Now alone I turned around to face the room in front of me.

In one day my life had changed entirely. Just this morning I had believed that it was impossible for me to be captured in the Gathering but I was and now I had mouthed off to the King who literally ruled my life and could kill me with a flick of his fingers, and now he had decided to make me his personal servant because he found me amusing.

I was captive.

A heart wrenching sob tore through my chest and tears flowed from my eyes like rivers as I dropped to my kness on the floor.

I allowed the sobs to rake through my body as I curled on the soft carpet, letting the emotional distress from todays events takeover me.