18. Stella

En'Zal says I'm not his prisoner, but…

He does keep me locked up. Yes, it's a palace and not a dank prison cell, but I'm still locked up. A cage is a cage. He keeps me well-fed and entertained, but still.

Outside I can see the city is teeming with life. There are shops, and markets, and people going to work, and children playing — and I want to see it all with my own two eyes, damn it.

And today, that's exactly what I'm going to do. En'Zal just left, talking about some important meeting. It sounds like it's going to occupy him all day, so this is my shot.

Luckily, I still have the fur cloak he gave me. I wrap it around my shoulders and pull the hood over my face. This thing is so big and comfy that you can barely see that I'm human.

I peek outside my quarters. There's only a single guard. I've seen him around a lot; young guy, hangs on every word En'Zal utters.

Here goes nothing.

"You there! Guard!" I say, trying to sound as authoritative as possible. "Fetch me some wine!"

The Erullian guard turns around, surprised. "Uhm, Your High—… I mean…"

He doesn't know how to properly address me, and now his tongue is all tied up. That's another issue with my current situation. What am I, really? What's my status? Where do I fit in the royal hierarchy?

Nowhere, it seems.

"What are you waiting for? Now!" I say.

I feel bad for being so mean, but I can't go anywhere with him loitering around.

"I-I have to guard this door," he says.

"You do not obey the king?"

"Of course I do!"

"Well, the king demands wine! Grab it now and place it on the table — and no circumstances enter the bathroom, understood?!"

He hesitates for a moment, and then nods. "O-okay!"

The anxious guards sprints off, and I take a deep breath. That's the first hurdle taken care of.

Now let's get the heck out of here.