Maximus laughed again. A deep one this time. The man had thrown his head backwards, his neck which had a tattoo of a wolf baring his teeth, was right in her view. When he was done mocking her, his grotesque face was back in her view and for a split second, Zoe was curious about what had turned his face like that.
"A priestess of Athens, shall I remind you Milady, that you have been defiled by OO1? How do I get it across to you, that you are nothing but a powerless short feminine, under my wings?"
By now, her eyes had been laced with tears and her chest felt stuffy. She had saved him and this was how he would repay her. The scar on his face was obvious to her. He must have been struck by lightning by the heavens for the things he spoke.
His white eyes glared directly into hers. "Drag her to the dungeon."
Although being dragged away, she refused to shed tears. Never in her life had she been treated with so much disrespect.
"I help you and this is how you repay me? You ingrate! No wonder you have been struck by lightning!" She screamed.
Maximus closed his eyes when she said this, and the old woman knew he was trying to contain his anger. She rushed to Zoe and gave her a warning to no longer speak to the King in such a manner.
But Zoe being irrational and stubborn didn't mind. "Why? Can he not handle the truth? You all wont tell him because you are cowards. I save him and he treats me this way? Good thing you were abandoned by your pack. No one would put up with a betrayer like you." She spat pure anger on her face.
By the time Maximus turned to look at her. His face looked more grotesque and the scars were more evident. With a calm voice, he had told Madam Cardboard. "Two days. Two days with no food and water."
"You..." She gritted her teeth and was about to begin to curse him when she was interrupted by the mans bellowing voice.
"3 days!" He bellowed and she opened her mouth to speak only to hear his thunderous voice again. "3 days. And one more word. One more word Zoe and I swear you will spend a week there." Zoe, who wasn't the type to fear anyone, couldn't bring herself to say a word. For some reason, she knew he would do as he had just said.
She looks at Madam Cardboard with tears rolling down her eyes.
"He meant what he said." She had whispered and the guards had taken her away. For just a few spoken truths, she had been starved for three days in the dungeon that smelled like human vomit and dried bones. She could not exactly remember when she realized it but perhaps it was after being released the fourth day and had seen how much dirt her honey skin had gathered, made her realize she was no longer home. Her honey skin, which she had always taken care of, had now turned chocolate dark. She was in fact helped out of the dungeon.
Brought food and water, Zoe had eaten like she had never seen food before. She didn't even care to take a bath first but gobbled the food like a glutton. As if she had offended somebody who cursed her, Maximus came in and met her in her sorry state. Food all over her hand and mouth.
The man took a seat at the far end of the huge table and she was glad he didn't come near her. Zoe had wanted to wash her hands and get up but she knew she was too hungry to let her pride get the better of her at the moment.
"The priestess of Athens...Oh sorry the defiled priestess of Athens eating in such an unlady-like manner. Who would have thought that lowly ones like us would get to see such a sight." He mocks, his brows carved slightly in an amusing manner.
Unable to hold back her tongue she had spoken, of course after swallowing the food in her mouth. "I gave it a lot of thought in the dungeon and I finally came to know the word." Her voice was crisp. Maximus didn't ask her what but she knew he would want to know, so she had said it. "Rogue. Wolves like you are called Rogues."
"Do you like the dungeon so much?" Maximus questioned, a palm on the table.
Zoe raised her head to glare at him. "Can I at least eat in peace without being disgusted by you?" She did not know if he left because of her words, or if he had left on his free will but Maximus had adjusted his coat and left the dining hall with a poker face.
And she was thankful. She did not think she would be able to hold in her tears or tongue if he had continued to sit there and watch her. And surprising as it came to her, he didn't bother chastising or punishing her for speaking to him in such a manner. She felt, maybe, he did feel guilty towards her and had let her be.
Joking.
She knew the man better by evening, after she was called upon to do the dishes in the general kitchen. She had taken a bath and was about to retire to bed and regain the energy she lost in the dungeon when she was suddenly dragged out of the room to the general kitchen.
Do you know how many people live in OO1?
Including the workers, kings concubines who if lucky would spend a week in OO1 and if not lucky would be chased out after being slept with. And Zoe had to wash all their dishes which caused her hands to go numb.
Madam Cardboard, who had dropped by the kitchen, had warned her. "You do not call the King a rogue."
After that night, she was free from him the next day. Until the next Thursday which was two Thursdays back when she realized she didn't see a familiar cheerful face at the hall. It was Lady Luminita. After the event she had gone to the east palace to gossip and had questioned the workers about it and had been told that Lady Luminita was the only one free of Thursdays and the King's wrath.
Infact, she was the only one whom the King treated like a Princess. It was as though she was his daughter and he doted on her so much.