Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder novel Chapter 353

Chapter 12 To Eat or Not to Eat, It Was A Problem

“Don’t feel bad,” Brook said to me as I returned with all of my belongings to the room I’d shared with her. “I’m sure you did a great job as the prince’s personal attendant. Maybe he just wants everyone to have a try.”

I sat down on the end of the bed next to her and smiled at her. She was so sweet, always trying to cheer other people up, always trying to spare people’s feelings.

The truth of the matter was, I wasn’t upset about being

removed from my post by Prince Theo. In a way, I was glad to be back here with the other girls. It would give me more of an opportunity to blend in with them and make sure not to put such a target on my back.

On the other hand, unfortunately, I would have fewer opportunities to run into Prince Warren if I wasn’t in Prince Theo’s wing, which was closer to his brother’s rooms. But I had seen Prince Warren a few times before, so it wasn’t completely impossible that I might continue to run into the person I possibly shared an important history with.

“Ciana?” Brook asked, elbowing me. “Did you even hear me? You have a distant look on your face.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I just have a lot on my mind,” I told her. It still irritated me that Theo had made such strong accusations against me, but I really shouldn’t be so surprised. He already had a bad impression of me to begin with.

–

Brook leaned close, and whispered with a teasing smile on her face, “Are you still thinking about Prince Warren?”

My face was heated up. Thanks to Sophia spreading the rumor, now everyone thought I had a crush on Prince Warren, so eventually, I had to explain to Brook that I might have found the person I’d been looking for.

I shook my head to deny it and tried changing the topic, “No, no, I was just worried about Sophia…”

Brook sighed, “You’re right. Now that Sophia has been announced as the prince’s personal attendant, she will have a lot more freedom to do as she pleases. She can likely go wherever she wishes. I hope she doesn’t try to take any of her anger or selfish behavior out on us.”

“I hope so…” My voice withered away as I considered what my friend was saying. I hadn’t been paying much attention when Beta Xavier had announced the new personal attendant for the prince. I’d only been thinking about how much work I had already done in that wing of the palace and how the next girl should have an easy job of maintaining it.

But I knew Sophia wouldn’t dare lift a manicured finger to clean. And Brook probably had a point. She very likely could take her anger out on us.

“I’m sure it will be fine,” I told her, though I wasn’t exactly sure. “Perhaps she will suit Prince Theo better. They both tend to speak poorly of others behind their backs.”

“They do?” Brook asked, alarmed. “What do you mean?”

I had said too much. Brook didn’t need to know that the

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prince had made accusations against his own brother. And in a way, perhaps Prince Theo was right to think that I was out of line to even speak with Prince Warren. After all, I was meant to be here as a candidate for his wife, not his brother.

“Nothing, I’m just being petty. I guess I am a little miffed that he wouldn’t let me stay in my role. That’s all.” I pressed a smile to my lips and tried to play it off.

But Brook was too smart for me. “Wait a minute!” she said, pointing a finger at me. “Does this have anything to do with what Sophia said about Prince Warren?” she asked me.

I felt the color draining from my face. “Prince Warren?” I asked. “Uh, what? Who? Who, uhm, who is Prince Walter again?”

Brook laughed at me. “Nice try, Ciana. You’re so silly. Sophia said that Prince Warren was helping you with some of your chores. Are you saying that Prince Theo didn’t like that? Was he jealous?”

“No! Prince Theo is certainly not jealous of Prince Warren, and you should be careful not to listen to what Sophia says. You know most every word that comes out of her mouth is a lie, don’t you?” I arched my eyebrows at my friend, hoping she believed me-because it was true.

A crooked grin broke across Brook’s pretty face. “All right. I get it. This has nothing to do with handsome Prince Warren, a man you hardly recognize when you see him.” She winked at me, and I slowly shook my head.

“We’re playing a card game. Do you guys want to join?” One of our roommates asked.

“Surely!” It seemed like a good way to pretend to be part of the group and to distract Brook from asking me more about Prince Warren.

But I didn’t get to finish the game before Sophia showed up at our room. I could tell by the wicked look on her face that she had something she wanted to say to me, something I wouldn’t like.

“Yes, Sophia?” I asked her. “Can I help you?”

A twinkle of mischief lighted her eyes as she said, “You may call me Personal Attendant Sophia from now on, girl.”

I cleared my throat. “All right then. How may I help you, Personal Attendant Sophia?”

“Well, I just came to tell you that Prince Theo has ordered that you not be given any food for the next several days for doing such a horrible job as his assistant. He said if you even go to the cafeteria, you will be taken outside and whipped.”

“What?” Brook said, stepping up next to me. “You can’t do that.”

“Oh? I can’t? You’re right, I can’t, but Prince Theo can!” she claimed, narrowing her eyes at Brook. “He actually said that you shouldn’t have any food either just for being her friend. Believe me, the orders have already been given. So… I dare you to show up with the other girls to get food. See what happens to you.” She gave us both a pointed look and then turned and sauntered out of the room like this was her castle and we were just a couple of mice.

However, knowing Prince Theo, I knew he probably would be

happy to see me being smacked by Sophia.

I sighed. “I’m sorry, Brook. It was my fault. Now, you’re suffering because of me.”

“Don’t say that. It’s not your fault.” She patted me gently. “But… the problem is, what do we do now?”

“We’ll figure it out,” I told her.

She nodded, but I saw concern in her eyes.

I kept a close watch on Brook for the next day or so, and what I was seeing didn’t make me very happy. The longer she went without food, the paler she became. Someone so thin and frail like Brook wouldn’t be able to go too long without eating. I was stronger and had more muscle. While it wouldn’t be comfortable, I’d be all right. Not Brook.

The other girls in our room were nervous about her, but they didn’t dare bring her back so much as a dinner roll for fear they’d get in trouble.

At the end of the second night, Brook’s body gave out on her. Without warning, her eyes rolled back into her head, and she swooned to the side. Thankfully, I caught her before she injured herself, but that was a sign to me that something had to be done.

After everyone went to bed, I headed out under cover of darkness, thinking there had to be something edible on the grounds somewhere.

There were large established gardens in the palace and I’d spent enough time in the woods to know what was edible, so I

began to hunt around.

My scavenging led me into the enclosure where my friends, the animals, the prince’s pets, were kept, and almost as soon as I’d walked through the gate, I heard a familiar slithering.

“Perceval!” I said, reaching down to pet his head. “There you are. How have you been, my friend?”

He arched his back and moved beneath my outstretched hand until I’d petted the length of his body.

“It’s very nice to see you, too,” I told him.

The loud rumbling of my stomach made him perk up his head a little. I was a bit embarrassed. “Sorry, Perceval, I’m just a bit hungry.”

After he’d stared at me curiously for a few moments, he took off slithering across the moonlit grass, staying just a bit in front of me and looking back over his shoulder as he went.

The snake was leading me somewhere again. The last time I’d followed him, I’d ended up in a position I didn’t want to be in, though I did appreciate looking at the beautiful pavilion.

I realized quite quickly that he was taking me back to the same location, and as the building appeared in the distance, I came to my senses, my mind cleared despite my hunger.

There were berries in there!

Picking up speed, I walked alongside Perceval until we reached the wooden structure. Then, I carefully walked inside, making sure no one else was here. He slithered up the stairs in front of me, and then, at the top of the staircase, I paused.

After having gone a couple of days without eating, the vision of the berries gleaming in the soft glow of the moonlight had my stomach growling again. They looked so delicious, and I moved toward them.

“Do you think anyone would mind if I ate just a couple?” I asked the snake. Not all of these berries were the same. I could try a different kind, or I could go back to the ones I’d loved so much before.

One of the plants looked quite unique, and stood out from the rest. It had a berry that looked beautiful in the moonlight, shimmering like a purple gemstone. My hand reached out for that one, but I forced myself to think twice before I plucked it.

What if Prince Theo found out about this? His frightening scowl came to my mind, and I was struck awake a bit from hunger.

Did I really want to risk stealing from his personal greenhouse?

But on the other hand, I was so hungry that I wasn’t sure whether I had the energy to search for another place for food….

Either I took my risk and dealt with the consequences if Prince Theo ever found out what I had done, or I starved to death.

It didn’t take that long for me to make up my mind.

I reached out my hand again and touched the biggest, roundest, most alluring berry in the center.