Gold Blooded✔️

👑Three

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꧁ 𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚘𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚌𝚎? 𝙳𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚔 𝚑𝚎'𝚜 𝚊 𝚐𝚘𝚘𝚍 𝚐𝚞𝚢 𝚘𝚛 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚢𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚊𝚌𝚝?꧂

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CHAPTER THREE

I wake, my body flushed with heat, my blankets sticking to me. I peel the thin fabric off and make my way to the door. I lean down, suspiciously lifting the inconspicuous container of two pills left for me again. Before I can bring myself to swallow them, Prince Xaden's voice rings in my ear again. 'Stop taking your pills'.

Usually I would choose to resist, scoffing at being told what to do. Yet, the one thing that intrigued me was that he must somehow know a way out of this nightmare. A part of me wonders if he meant just the surrogacy or the palace itself. Maybe it was the chance at freedom I have longed for. The one thing I knew for sure was that the pills were obviously not for blood pressure. I knew they were professional manipulators, yet I did not question something I was willingly putting into my body. I didn't trust Prince Xaden but I was curiously willing to obey him, at least this time. I flushed the pills, watching them circle before disappearing down the toilet.

Maria is already dressed, full of excitement to go down to the village. She hurries me along, slipping a dusty maroon book back on the shelf before covering the binder with a piece of fabric. I try to catch the title but miss it completely. Respecting her private belongings, I decided to leave the question in my head unanswered.

We are escorted by a beautiful gold and white carriage, travelling down the magnetic lines switching from positive to negative, allowing it to move smoothly. Maria had pulled my hand, leading us to the empty seats next to Theo where she made small talk with him the whole ride. I scanned the servants to find a familiar pair of blue eyes but to my disappointment, he wasn't around. The only eyes I saw were the guards watching over us from the glass panels.

I took solace in the fact that at least we were outside the stuffy palace walls. I couldn't wait to step foot in village soil and smell the fresh bread in the air. As I stared out the window, I noticed children who had been playing together on the muddy streets immediately stop, stepping back. Some even ran back to their mothers, watching us pass. They fear the Goldens, they fear what they bring every time a carriage comes into town. Luckily for them, it's just us; the servants who find value in their village life more than our own. They look at us, wanting to be us, living their dreams safe behind castle walls. But we want to be them, spending the day outside of four cold walls, working for our families instead of royalty.

Most of the villagers don't bother to turn and look who is in the carriage and I don't blame them. A few duck under their hoods, disappearing behind corners. Mothers hold their child tighter, some even slipping them under their jacket.

"You have an hour" one of the guard's states, holding the door as we pile off the carriage. I grab the side rail, standing up to retreat. My hand slides on something sharp. I look down to see I had reached for the jagged part of the rail and notice green blood oozing out of the small cut. It was a thick, dark forest-like colour, completely opposite to my bright emerald eyes. Maria takes my other hand, oblivious to my small cut, leading me out of the group. I hold my hand to my dress applying pressure as we exit the carriage. The other servants part ways to find their families. The five guards spread out, keeping an eagle eye on every one of us. One guard slowly paces behind us as we start to walk. Just before Maria and I part ways, he stops, frozen in position, keeping his eyes alert.