The Prince and the Slave: Book One

The Prince and the Slave Chapter Five

Chapter Five

The next morning, Abey awoke at dawn again. She didn't get up immediately, she didn't want to. Her new bed was the most comfortable thing she had ever slept on, which wasn't hard really, since she had spent most of her life sleeping on hard, cold floors. But not anymore! she thought with a small smile.

Eventually she rose, but instead of sitting and waiting for the Prince to wake, she knew what she had to do this morning. She had been given a list of instructions the day before, and so knew that her first task of the day was to get ready herself.

She quickly went to the wash room and filled her jug with warm water, before taking it back to her own wash basin. She washed and dressed quickly, and then went to the window to try and see what time it was. The sun had still not fully risen, and so Abey took a moment to stare at the beautiful view of gardens below.

She had never seen such vibrant colours and different varieties of plants. She could see some other slaves tending to the garden, even at this early hour, and thought how lucky they were to work in such beauty everyday.

It was still too early to wake the Prince, so she quietly started to look around the room in more detail. She looked especially at some of the paintings on the wall, and saw that they were all created by the same artist, and each were signed 'William' at the bottom. She wondered if the Prince himself was the artist, and resolved to ask him later when she had the chance.

By this time the sun had risen and it was time to awaken her master. Abey tentatively walked over to the main bed, and saw the sleeping form of the Prince in the middle. She lent over and gently shook his shoulder.

“Your Highness. Wake up. It's morning” She whispered, hoping that he wasn't angry in the mornings like some of her previous masters. William just grunted and rolled over, pulling the covers over his head, and didn't stir. Abey sighed and moved round to the other side of the bed and tried again. She was still getting no response so knelt on the large mattress next to him and shook him more vigorously.

“Your Highness. Please wake up. It's morning” She said a little louder, moving the covers down off his head. William half-opened one eye and mumbled something, before trying to tug the covers back over his head. Instead, he managed to pull them from under his new slave, who fell forwards and ended lying on top of him, her face inches from his.

His eyes shot open and he looked in surprise as two equally surprised and embarrassed eyes looked back. She gasped and quickly flew off the bed, standing next to it with her head bowed.

“I'm sorry, sir, I was trying to wake you” she apologised.

“Well, you certainly managed that” laughed William, sitting himself up and stretching. “Though in future maybe a simple shake and 'Wake up' may be more in order”

“I tried that but you just went back to sleep” She said apologetically.

William laughed again – what was it about this girl that made him laugh so much? - “Aha, well now I understand. I'm afraid I'm not much of a morning person.” He said the last part with a yawn, that made Abey laugh from the side. He was glad to hear she was happy.

“I'll go and prepare the wash room for you, sir” She said with a bow and left hurriedly though the door. William let out a contented sigh as he fell back onto the pillows. Perhaps having a slave won't be too bad, he thought, Although I still don't like that word.

As he was musing to himself, Abey was preparing the wash room for her master, and was thinking back on all her other masters. She couldn't believe the kindness the Prince was showing towards her. If anything like the morning happened with any of my other masters I'd have been beaten till noon she thought bitterly. But instead of a beating, the Prince had just laughed and brushed it off.