This time Valerie woke up to two people- women standing before her.
"Good morning darling." One said as she slowly removed the gag from Valerie's mouth.
"It's time to eat. Open up wide." The other said and Valerie did what they asked. True to the last time she got kidnapped, if they wanted her dead they would have killed her already unless they wanted her to suffer through it.
"Why am I here?" Valerie said after she got enough strength to where she could speak.
"Why dear, we need money and don't think what goes on in the castle stays in the castle. We know you're quite smitten with our King, so we'll give you back to him for a certain amount of money." The first one hummed. Her voice sounded familiar, and while she was breathtakingly beautiful, her voice didn't match it at all.
"Black witches!" Valerie whispered unaware that she said it out loud.
"Quite the smart little cookie aren't we? Well, go ahead eat up. We won't harm you unless Malphus refuses up money, then we shall do what we please." The second witch hummed and finished feeding Valerie and left the gag where it was. They could see the fight in her, but they knew she wouldn't scream for help.
"What happened?" Valerie whispered to her, the door, and the mice in the walls.
She went back to sleep after a while. Se knew how this went, she'd wake up, eat, and go back to sleep. It was the only thing she could do, plus her body would naturally go to sleep from boredom at some point.
An hour later she woke up.
"Hey!" She said hoping to attract some attention. The second witch walked in.
"Yes, love?" She said, her voice matching a human's. She must've gone out.
"How long do you plan to keep me here? How many times will I get fed a day?" Valerie asked as the witch slowly bobbed her head up and down.
"Just as long as we need to love, and you'll get fed at dawn and noon." The witch replied and waited as if she expected her to ask more questions.
"Aren't gonna ask why we took you and not any other maid from the castle?" The witch said as she lifted one of her perfectly groomed eyebrows.
"Why would I? You already told me. It'd be no use to ask again. It's not if that'll make you let me go." The witch clapped.
"Well done. I suppose not all humans are stupid, just most. Goodbye then love." The witch walked out locking the door behind her.
Valerie drew out a long exasperated sigh, there was nothing to be done now. She'd just have to wait until the news got to Malphus and she'd be rescued. Such misfortune has befallen her, yet at the same time, many blessings. She just has to count them and play them right.
The next morning she was woken up by hands gently detangling her hair.
"My don't we sleep roughly? Any interesting dreams for me to listen to? Nightmares perhaps? It's always everyone's worst nightmare to be captured by a black witch you know?" The second witch from yesterday asked, sitting behind Valerie.
"No. No dreams, no nightmares, just a back void." Valerie said, parting her lips.
"How disappointing, I was hoping to have something to amuse me. Oh well then, there's always tomorrow, unless Malphus coughs up the money today. Open up love, wouldn't want you starving on us." Valerie did as asked and opened her mouth to be fed some porridge.
Not bitter, not cold, warm and sweet. In some way or another, just like the witch. She didn't trust her, she never did. She just felt- safe with her, or at least safer than she did with Chris.
She believed that no harm would come to her, provided she was traded back to safety for money. Quite petty now that she thought about it, trading someone's life for valuables. Valuables can be worked to in one's lifetime, yet if someone's life was taken away the person doesn't get the treasure they were seeking and has now cut someone's life.
Even if it were a maid, the family the maid worked for would now have to find a new maid, who could be lazier or not as loyal, causing more misfortune while still not possessing what it is that you wanted.
Completely meaningless to Valerie.