Chapter 36: The Dungeon.
Martha didn’t leave immediately. She said a few other distasteful words and called Rose names. When she was finally satisfied, and she saw that Rose would neither beg nor indulge her, she turned around and left.
Rose lay on her side, protecting both her back and her side that had been kicked. At this point, she was wondering if she should have just let the Queen’s ladies-in-waiting strip her naked, as she wouldn’t have had to go through this if she had just walked without any clothes to her room.
Could she make a request? However, she doubted a mere servant could call on a steward, and Mister Henry was the only other person who knew that was at least low enough for her to call upon. There was no way she could request for Prince Rylen let alone the crown prince.
Rose couldn’t help but find it a bit odd that Martha had this much power to throw her in the dungeons. At least one of the heads would have been involved — or was she that hated?
She could blame the guards; the proof was right there on the bed. Even Edna didn’t believe her when she said the crown prince gave it to her. The crown prince should have just let her continue on her journey with her ripped dress. It was his fault.
Rose sought sleep, but it was far from her. At least she could find some solace in her dreams, but even that didn’t want to give her peace. How long would they leave her here, and how long before anyone who could do something about it would notice? Rose didn’t know, but maybe if she stayed here, she would be free from the crown prince.
This almost seemed better than what had transpired this afternoon. She shut her eyes. Why couldn’t she fall asleep? She thought as tears ran down her face. She didn’t want to think about all these thoughts.
"Hey!" the same old man called to her.
Rose didn’t like that his cell was right next to hers. There were at least a dozen cells, and she had to be locked next to a creep. There was someone in the cell with the man, but he just stayed in the corner with a hood over his head.
Rose ignored the creep and kept lying down until she felt a hand try to grip her leg. Rose had never moved away so fast. She rushed to the other side of the cell, not caring about the pain that burned through her body at the sudden movement.