Charlotte's day was miserable. The guards spat and threw things at her, mocking and taunting her about the death of her family. Her face was swollen from all the crying she had done the night before, and she was exhausted. Throughout the day, she counted the remaining days and hours, a relentless reminder of her impending doom.
"Here's your meal, My lady,"
A prison guard placed a food tray in front of the exhausted Charlotte. The meal consisted of raw meat and leftover vegetables, surely sent by Isabelle and her mother. It would be her only meal for the day, as offenders were only allowed to eat once a day, adding to their suffering.
"Why address her formally? She's now lower than us,"
One guard nudged another.
"She is still Prince-"
His words were cut off as the other guard smacked him on the back of his head.
"No, she is not a princess anymore. Her title was taken away. She's just like us now."
"But still, whether you like it or not, I will address her as My lady,"
Elandro insisted. He was a loyal servant of the late Queen Charlene, Charlotte's mother. He had taken care of Charlotte and her siblings when they were kids, teaching them how to defend themselves from danger.
He knew better than to treat Charlotte the same way as everyone else. He understood that her journey through the seven days would not be easy, and he wanted to offer her the little sympathy she deserved.
Elandro glanced at Charlotte, who was still asleep on the cold, hard floor, a stark contrast to the soft, warm, and luxurious bed she used to sleep on.
"People who can't bear an heir like her deserve death!"
The other guard said, kicking the food tray loudly, making Charlotte flinch and become suddenly alert to her surroundings.
"Milady,"
Elandro said, giving Charlotte her meal. She responded with a grateful smile, appreciating his kindness amid her dire circumstances.
"Here, Milady, you can also have this,"
He handed her a bar of chocolate before exiting the cell to give her some privacy.
"You're really going to do that? You know what Count Helen would do to you, right?"
The other guard grabbed Elandro by the arm.
"I don't care if they kill me. I have given my loyalty to the late Queen Charlene and her kids, not to Count Helen and King Callisto."
Elandro rebuffed and brushed off the other guard's arm, walking away before any more could be said.
Meanwhile, Charlotte forced herself to eat, no matter how terrible the food was. It was cold, some of it was spoiled, and it looked like something discarded by the townsfolk. But she knew her fate was sealed, and all she had to do was wait until her final day arrived.
Silence filled the dungeon. She was alone, with only the moonlight to keep her company. She closed her eyes, marking the end of her first day, with more days to come, haunting her endlessly.
──────────────────────────
As night fell, the dungeon grew colder and more sinister. Charlotte's thoughts were filled with Elandro's act of kindness and the hope that her mother's message had ignited within her.
She knew she had to be patient, waiting for the right moment to act, but time was running out, and the pain of each day gnawed at her. The echoing silence of the dungeon was a stark contrast to the torment she had faced throughout the day.
The hours passed slowly, and the flickering candlelight cast eerie shadows on the damp stone walls. Charlotte's body ached from the cold floor and her lack of food. Every muscle seemed to protest, but her determination remained unshaken.
Despite her suffering, her spirit was unbroken. In her darkest hours, she held onto the faint glimmer of hope that Elandro had provided, and the promise of the North Tower.
As the night grew deeper and the dungeon lay shrouded in darkness, Charlotte's thoughts returned to the stained glass window with the emblem of the House of Ancer. It was a beacon of possibility in a sea of despair, a chance to unravel the castle's most guarded secrets.
In the midst of her suffering, a quiet resolve took root within her. She was determined to endure, to uncover the truth, and to prove that she was not powerless in the face of adversity.
The echo of her mother's words lingered in the depths of her heart, and the night became her silent witness as she prepared for the day when she would seek the key that might set her free.
With determination as her guiding light, Charlotte embraced the uncertainty of the days to come, determined to uncover the mysteries that had ensnared her in this unforgiving dungeon.
The moonlight was the only source of light that she has in her current situation. The moonlight shined and marked her first out of the seven days on the dungeon.
──────────────────────────
END OF CHAPTER (II)