Between Two Kings

Chapter 3

The door shut behind us with a force that echoed through the room.

Then came the sound.....Click.

Locked.

Neither of us moved immediately.We just stood there side by side staring at the door like it might suddenly open again and tell us this was all a mistake.But it didn't.It was real;everything was real.

Slowly, I turned around.And that was when I truly saw the room.

It was breathtaking.

The kind of space I had only ever seen in magazines.

The bed stood at the center, large and perfectly made, dressed in smooth white sheets that looked untouched—like no one had ever truly slept in them. A soft, cream-colored duvet lay neatly over it, inviting... yet somehow distant.

The floors gleamed beneath her feet, polished to perfection, reflecting the warm glow of the chandelier hanging above. Its light spilled gently across the room, casting soft shadows that made everything feel calm... almost too calm.

Tall windows stretched along one side, framed by heavy velvet curtains the color of deep gold. They were slightly drawn, allowing thin streams of sunlight to slip through, painting quiet patterns across the walls.

To the side, a sleek vanity table sat adorned with a wide mirror, its surface spotless, untouched—waiting. Beside it, a wardrobe stood tall and closed, its presence almost looming, as though it held more than just clothes.

Everything was in place.Everything was perfect.And yet...Claire felt it immediately.

The silence,the stillness.The way the air didn't feel like it belonged to them.Her gaze drifted back to the locked door almost unconsciously.A beautiful room,a perfect room.But not theirs,not really.Because no matter how soft the bed looked...or how warm the light felt...it was still a cage.

Life had been miserable so far.she was just twenty-two and

everything,her dreams,ambitions,joy,hope,everything had been ripped away in the blink of an eye.if one had the right to decide one's fate,she would have chosen to never have been born.

The tears she had fought so hard to hold back finally slipped free.At first, it was just one.Then another.Until they came quietly, steadily,tracing warm paths down her cheeks.

Her lips parted slightly as she tried to steady her breathing,but it only came out uneven—shaky,fragile,like everything inside her was beginning to fall apart.She lifted a hand, brushing at them quickly, almost angrily... but it was useless.They wouldn't stop.Because it wasn't just about now.It was everything.

Her late mother,the debt,the fear.The reality she couldn't escape from.And in that moment she wasn't trying to be strong anymore. The tears she had fought so hard to hold back finally slipped free one after the other tracing warm paths down her cheeks.A small broken sound escaped her before she could stop it.

Lisa didn't say anything at first.She just moved,closing the distance between them.In two quick steps,she pulled Claire into her arms without hesitation.

"Claire..."

Lisa's voice trembled,as though she was fighting to keep her own tears from spilling over.

Claire broke instantly into her arms.Tears continued slipping freely from her eyes.

"Hey...it's okay"she whispered softly.Claire shook her head against her, her fingers clutching Lisa's shirt.

"I'm scared Lisa....i don't know what's going to happen to us"she admitted,her voice breaking as she cried uncontrollably.Her eyes were already red and swollen from tears she could no longer hold back.

Lisa exhaled slowly,tightening her hold against her.

"I know... I know," she murmured, pressing her cheek lightly against Claire's hair. "But I'm here okay?You're not alone in this. I won't let anything happen to you... do you hear me?".But even as she said it,her own voice cracked because the more she tried to be strong,the more her chest tightened.And the tears she had been trying so hard to hold back slipped free.Hearing those broken sobs,feeling her sister cling to her like she was the only thing keeping her steady...it was too much.

At first, she tried to hide it, blinking rapidly, swallowing hard. But it didn't work.

"I'm sorry..." she choked out, her voice breaking as she held her tighter.And just like that, the strength she was trying so hard to keep shattered.The two of them clung to each other, crying together—no words, no answers, just shared pain and the quiet comfort of not having to face it alone. They stayed like that, wrapped around each other, holding on as if letting go would completely break them.

Then a loud knock suddenly struck the door,shattering the fragile moment they had been clinging to. They both froze, their hearts pounding wildly in their chests. Before either of them could respond, the door opened.

An old woman stepped in, followed closely by two young girls dressed in simple, identical uniforms.They moved quietly with their heads slightly lowered as they walked in and it was clear from their appearance that they were maids. They carried trays carefully between their hands, the faint clink of plates the only sound accompanying their entrance. The rich scent of the food filled the air, and no matter how hard they tried to ignore it, their hunger made itself known,their stomachs tightening and growling in quiet betrayal.

Then the old woman moved further in. Every step she took was slow and deliberate, carrying a quiet authority that made the space feel smaller. She looked like time had not only touched her, but disciplined her. Her face was carved with deep lines,each wrinkle sharp and deliberate, like creases pressed into stone. Her skin had a dull, aged texture, stretched thin over sharp cheekbones that gave her face a severe structure.Her eyes were wide and empty,not a single trace of warmth was found in them. She looked like a woman who had never learned softness,only control and command. Her thin lips pressed into a firm line as her gaze swept across the room, briefly landing on the two sisters before moving away.

One of the maids stepped forward and lowered a tray onto the table, the soft sound of it meeting the surface breaking the silence.The second maid followed immediately after, placing another tray beside it along with neatly folded clothes.

"Eat,take your bath and rest."she said,her voice cold and flat,stripped of all warmth.

She held their gaze for a moment in a piercing,unblinking stare as if she could see straight through them and measure every weakness they tried to hide.

"Tomorrow",she continued,her tone sharp with finality, "you'll be assigned your duties." There was no threat in her tone,only certainty. And somehow, that made it worse.

Silence followed her words, thick and suffocating.Lisa swallowed hard forcing herself to meet the woman's gaze, though her chest rose and fell too quickly to hide her fear. She gave a small, almost reluctant nod.

"Y-yes, ma," she managed, her voice barely above a whisper.

Claire said nothing at all,she only pressed closer to her sister as if shrinking into her was the only place she felt safe.

"B...but what kind of work are—."Before Lisa could finish she was cut off harshly

"Silence."

The word cut through her immediately

The old woman didn't raise her voice, yet it carried a sharp authority that made the air feel tighter. Her gaze settled on Lisa,her large eyes holding a warning that needed no repetition.

“You are not here to ask questions," she continued coldly. "You are here to obey."

Lisa's lips parted slightly, but no words came out this time.The rest of her question died in her throat.Claire felt the shift beside her,the way Lisa's body tensed, the quiet anger she swallowed down,forcing it back beneath the fear.

The old woman watched her for a moment longer, as if making sure the message had been understood.Then,slowly,she turned away.

Her steps were slow as she walked toward the door, her presence lingering even as she moved.For a brief second, it seemed like she would leave just like that.But just before reaching it,she suddenly stopped. Then, slowly, her head tilted.Her eyes found Claire.And this time, they didn't move away.

The woman's eyes narrowed just slightly, her expression tightening in a way that didn't match her earlier cold composure.

Claire's breath caught,her chest tightening under the weight of that stare. There was something in the way she stared at her that didn't feel right.

Then, just as quietly,the woman looked away.

Without another word, she stepped out, the two maids trailing behind her. The door closed behind them with a soft click leaving the silence heavier than before.