Star Cursed (Madeira Citrine Book 1)

by C. Swallow

  Soon we would arrive on Kiyr and then we'd learn our new environment.

  And hopefully, find a way to escape back to Earth.

  S~8~C

  Fast Forward 1 Week on Kiyr

  For a race of extremely intelligent, good-lookin' humans, these Others sure as hell had a backward looking palace. Don't get me wrong, it was beautiful. Yellow sand coloured limestones, huge windows, small pretty balconies off every room, a large spacious courtyard with fountains and greenery. The whole palace was surrounded by a dense, close forest.

  The whole palace was left to all us girls and a couple of lower ranked Others who taught us how to be... well, slaves. Everyone got similar duties, most assigned to cleaning, others to cooking, some to more specific roles like gardening. The highly ranked Others were no-where to be found for the whole week – Ladonna, the only female Other from the spaceship, told us that the males were informing Kiyr of the failure that we girls had turned out to be. We weren't who they wanted, let alone needed. Yep, those were her exact words by the way. She didn't speak very highly of us.

  Celeste and I hated her with a passion because even though we tried to stay quiet in the background and we did everything she said – she would still find ways to pick on us the most. It's like she had some sort of uncontained fury towards us. Or a grudge of some kind.

  Which meant Celeste and I were assigned the hardest jobs. Ladonna had our daily chores planned to perfectly exhaust us at the end of every day. First we had to water the garden in the courtyard, probably the easiest thing to do. However then we had to clear every plate away after breakfast while the other girls started to clean every inch of the palace floors and walls. After all, spotless floors is the least the highly ranked Others deserved to set their feet on every morning. Then the day would progress to Celeste and I being separated as we were made to clean every room in the most elaborate hallway of the whole palace. The five bedrooms either side of the hall, occupied whoever was deemed to be King Shit as far as I was concerned. They were so elaborate, huge and so difficult to clean – by the time we were done Celeste and I were exhausted and starving. Even then, we weren't allowed to eat until we then proceeded to clean the huge indoor pool area that was completely carved from limestone. The only thing afforded to us was drinks by other girls who would drop by to offer us a glass here or there. Dinner would then ensue, we would retire to our little slave house adjacent to the palace, find our tiny beds and fall fast asleep.

  Celeste and I did this routine for seven long days. How did the bedrooms get messed up every day when no one was using them, you may wonder? Every night, after cleaning, Ladonna would go to each room and strip the blankets from each massive bed and throw clothes everywhere onto the floor, sometimes over the balcony. It was to teach us obedience, apparently. We already obeyed every damn word that spilled forth from her hag mouth. That is why we were so utterly grateful when the eighth day arrived.

  Ladonna was finally leaving.

  The superior Others that resided in the palace were returning and her job was now done. A week in the palace had taught everyone their place, their assigned jobs and roles. Ladonna had dealt with any forms of rebellion with harsh restrictions on food which brought everyone quickly back into line. Now, we were ready to serve our new masters.

  Oh, how excited we all were.

  Note the sarcasm.

  I was the least excited because I knew I had a rough time ahead of me. This is where I would regret killing that soldier for the rest of my life. I had been the only girl to cause a casualty in an act of rebellion. Even though in my head it was an act of self-defence. Ladonna had therefore assigned me intense counselling sessions, at the end of every day, before dinner, so that I could be thoroughly and fully brainwashed into feeling enormous remorse, guilt and regret. The counselling sessions had not started yet, however.

  She told me only a superior Other could deal with the repercussions of a murderer.

  Now it was finally the eighth day.

  Ladonna wouldn't be here, but all the Others would be. Traegr, Hraken... Sabir...

  I fill up the bucket I'm holding from a fountain with an endless supply of underground water. I was watering the garden in the courtyard with Celeste in the warm perfect air, while the other forty-eight girls were inside preparing breakfast.

  "Do you hear that?" Celeste asks, her silver eyes are shining with anxiety as the mechanical humming noise gets louder in the air around us. We both look up as we see a blue spaceship fly directly overhead, slowing down on approach as it circles around to the other side of the palace, out of sight. I slowly put down my bucket onto the edge of the fountain, eyes on Celeste. The bucket is on an angle however and falls towards me, emptying a couple of litres of water all over my new outfit. It was a combination of plain short shorts and a shortened midriff top due to the hot, humid weather of this part of the world.

  "Damn it," I kick the bucket away from me, stepping back to look at my drenched clothes. I look up to see Celeste trying not to giggle, with a hand over her mouth.

  "Careful," she whispers, "We have to work in these outfits all day, they won't give you a second one."

  "I don't want to bring attention to myself," I growl, walking over to the bucket that I've kicked away from me, picking it up, "They're back."

  "We'll have to go over there to greet them," Celeste tries to look confident as she says this, but her eyes were a dead give-away to how she truly felt. They showed emotion so easily. She was terrified of meeting Traegr again.

  "I'm not going over there to greet anyone in this state, I'll just hide in a bush or something until the meet and greet is over," I respond, coming over to stand with Celeste again next to the fountain, where she has taken a seat on the outer brim.

  "Ladonna told us to rush to the entrance if we saw them coming in to land, everyone has to be there to greet them," she reminds me, "We have to go. They'll notice if we don't appear."

  "Maybe Ladonna will forget about us in the garden while she orders the other girls to go to the front of the palace," I suggest, "Maybe we can both get out of greeting those arrogant bastards."

  Celeste and I both cringe as we hear the door to the kitchens, slam open. We knew exactly who that would be.

  We both stand and go quiet as Ladonna rushes over to us, her face flushed.

  "Girls, what are you doing – oh my!" she spots my drenched outfit and her hand goes to her mouth, "I spend a week training you two to be good slaves and you're already going to embarrass me in front of your masters."

  "Well I don't have another outfit and Celeste didn't do anything, she's fine," I explain slowly, shrugging, but Ladonna is having none of it.

  "Come with me, right now, I'll get you a different change of clothes," she grabs my elbow and directs Celeste to the front of the palace while she drags me inside.

  Ladonna rushes me with incredible strength in her grip, up the stairs to the third level where the rooms are that Celeste and I clean every day.

  "Where are we going?" I ask, confused. However she just shushes me harshly and drags me into my favourite bedroom. The one I thought was most lavish and beautiful. It's red theme had a harshness to it but it was still my favourite room. Not to mention there were gold curtains, huge dark wood draws for clothes, red and gold extravagant carpet, a huge dresser that looked like it was for a female and –

  That's exactly where Ladonna goes, reaching down into one draw of the dresser, she picks out the first thing she sees. A brown leather, gold embroidered, revealing skirt and... bra?

  "I'm not wearing that –" I beg with my wide eyes, despite its beauty... it was so much more attention grabbing than my wet slave clothes.

  "I don't care what you have to say, these are your old clothes – well," she pauses, correcting herself, "These are the clothes of a princess so you better wear them like one, understand?"

  There goes that old princess myth again. If only I really was a princess... then I wouldn't have to do so many boring chores all day.<
br />
  But wait...

  "This was my room...?" I ask in awe as she literally starts helping me undress and dress again.

  This was princess Sapphire's old room.

  Not mine.

  Or... was it?

  I didn't know, I wouldn't be able to think about it much longer. After dressing me as quickly as possible, Ladonna is already ushering me down the stairs, towards the entrance.

  It was time to greet the Others.

  S~9~C

  Ladonna rushes me to the entrance just in time, literally. I walk down the cool pavement until I see Celeste standing near the end, hiding behind a couple of girls in front of her.

  "Stand in single file," Ladonna hisses quietly under her breath as she rushes past us toward the end of the long line of fifty girls, to meet the Others exiting the spaceship now to approach the palace.

  All the girls including Celeste are staring at my new outfit and I just look to the ground, nervous in something so pretty but revealing. We all shuffle around anxiously to get into single file.

  "You look beautiful, Sapphire, I promise," Celeste reassures me quietly with a nervous smile.

  "Thank you -" I whisper back.

  "No, talking!" Ladonna hisses from the front of the line, looking directly at Celeste and I. We just share a knowing look, trying not to roll our eyes as Ladonna suddenly turns to greet the Others, "Welcome back, your slaves are ready and trained for you as you requested."

  I spot Traegr at the front along with Sabir and Hraken. As well as some more Others that I recognise from the meeting in the space ship. We all fall silent as they approach. A tense air seems to fill the atmosphere as they walk by, every man observing each girl that they stalk past. Celeste and I were at the end of the line and wouldn't be seen until last.

  Celeste and I seem to instinctually move closer to each other, our arms brushing as we stand stock still, staring at the ground. I could feel her shaking a little next to me even in the warm morning air.

  I move a little closer to her and lean towards her ear so I can whisper as quietly as possible, "Don't show them your fear..." as I finish I glance up and realise Sabir is staring right at me as he approaches with the Others down the line. Traegr has noticed too as they approach and decide to stop right before us.

  "Ladonna," Traegr growls out while locking eyes with me, looking me up and down. I watch as she comes rushing forward, her face red with embarrassment.

  "Yes, my King?" she asks in a rush.

  "You know exactly what the problem is," he growls, "Fix it. Unless... Sabir, you want to address the issue yourself," my eyes jump to Sabir and I watch as I see his eyes harden as he stares at what I'm wearing.

  Without even speaking, he reaches out a hand and grabs my arm, dragging me away from Celeste who instinctively reaches out and grabs my hand, finally looking up and meeting my gaze with anxious eyes.

  Sabir pulls me out of Celeste's grasp none too gently, pulling me to his side, in the mix of all the tall Others... I instantly feel dwarfed. Like an elf, they were so much taller. I certainly felt like they weren't human as I stood in the midst of them, glancing back at Celeste to see her hand slowly moving back to her side as Traegr stares on in amusement.

  "Hmmm... cute, isn't it?" he mutters with a smirk to the rest of his mates before turning from Celeste and stalking his way inside. The Others follow while Sabir drags me along with them. I have to half jog to keep up with their long strides.

  He doesn't say anything to me as we all walk deeper into the palace.

  "Uh, yes, the palace smells different with the lingering scent of females, doesn't it, men?" Traegr asks, laughing whole-heartedly along with the others before abruptly stopping and turning around to face me, reaching out a fast hand he grabs my chin in his hand, appraising me openly in front of Sabir.

  "So similar to the princess we once knew," he continues, "Especially in this attire... get her out of it, Sabir. Have some fun, after all, it's been a long time since we've had company."

  "She knows exactly what position she is in," Sabir replies, his other hand grabbing my other elbow and pulling me in front of him so my back is to him as I face Traegr. I felt so small in comparison and so helpless, "A quiet Sapphire is quite a change, isn't it? I'll enjoy it while it lasts."

  I wanted to say something. I was sick of being humiliated, however, I choose my words carefully.

  "My slave clothes were soaked through," I explain, looking up to Traegr, grateful I'm not looking into Sabir's eyes because I found them far more intimidating, "Ladonna made me wear this instead of the drenched clothes."

  "She should have kept you in the ruined ones as punishment for being clumsy, then, little one," Sabir murmurs this with a smirk in his tone. I go quiet again, and then all of them burst out laughing like this is hilarious.

  "Everyone disperse and do as you please, we are finally back where we belong," Traegr dismisses me by looking to the rest of the superior Others.

  They all murmur in agreement and start to disperse. Traegr gives Sabir a knowing look before walking off himself. I feel warmth on my neck as Sabir leans down closer to my ear.

  "Where are you wet slave clothes, Sapphire?" he asks quietly. It is a simple question but I can't help but find it threatening.

  "In princess Sapphire's old room," I say quietly.

  "You mean my room," he growls, seeming pissed off that I've even suggested my other self had ownership to it. He starts walking forwards once more with me in his tight grip. We walk up the main staircase, to the special hallway with the enormous lavish bedrooms. We walk straight into hisroom, apparently.

  When he sees my slave clothes on the floor he puts a hand on my back and ushers me forwards, towards the pile. Of course, he wasn't going to pick them up. I had to.

  I reach down and pick them up in my hands, getting ready to walk past him and leave to get changed somewhere else. After all, I had chores to do now with Celeste. Lots of them. So I had to get back to work soon if I wanted to eat dinner on time.

  When he sees me about to walk past him he simply blocks me walking past with an outstretched arm. I look up to him with a challenge in my eye.

  "I have work to do," I try to weasel my way out of what he wanted to happen next. .

  "And you have something of mine I wish to be returned," Sabir replies quietly back, his eyes roaming to my gold and brown bra and skirt, "You are not taking it with you."

  I pause. He unfortunately has a point, they were his property and he wanted them back. Even if they were technically my old clothes from another life or whatever. That was all still confusing to me.

  "Some privacy to get changed would be nice," I mutter quietly but all I get in response is a cocked eyebrow and an arrogant look that just makes my voiced opinion feel extremely insignificant.

  I stand there for a full minute and then realise he isn't going to move and he will watch me change. I decide I better just get on with it so I move as quickly as possible. I take off the outfit in record time, pulling on the wet clothes which were a lot harder to pull on as they pull and drag across my skin. I put on the shorts first, wearing a white pair of underwear which I never took off in the first place but were still wet. Then I take off the bra and put on the white midriff top, struggling with this part. I freeze when I feel large warm, strong hands on my arms, helping me pull down the top into place over my naked breasts which were perky from the cold. We weren't afforded bras under our tops so it was just the thin material covering my chest.

  When I'm clothed once more in my slave outfit I hand back the revealing outfit to Sabir who happily takes it from me.

  "You can go do your work now," he approves, smugly, "Afterwards you will have to find me or I will find you, you won't be having dinner until I counsel you on what you did back on Earth. You can go," I nod and try to skit past him but he grabs my elbow and stops me, "What did Ladonna teach you, Sapphire, what do you say when I speak to you? When any of us speak to you?"

  I pause, gritting my te
eth. I didn't want to say it but I would say it just so I could leave quicker.

  "Yes, Master," I mutter. He leans in closer to me from his tall height, until his head is hovering just over and next to mine as I look up with anxious eyes.

  "I didn't hear you, darling," he says mockingly.

  "Yes... Master," I say more loudly to his face.

  "Lose the attitude and you'll do it just perfectly," he smiles, before letting me go and putting a hand on my ass, pushing me out the door, "Get to work."

  When I'm out of sight I practically run down the hall, relishing in my freedom despite being really uncomfortable in my wet sticky clothes. I felt so overwhelmed with relief that I had escaped him without much else happening.

  I hurry to find Celeste to tell her what had happened.

  I knew... that now the superior Others were back, things weren't going to be so peaceful anymore.

  S~10~C

  The Others have their own separate dining area, where they all head off to go eat breakfast, leaving all us slaves to enjoy a little period of peace. After Celeste and I have eaten breakfast, cleared all the plates off the tables and wiped them down, we head off to our next chores. We go upstairs to the elaborate bedrooms.

  However, we stop at the top of the stairs and both look at each other with a sudden realisation.

  "Ladonna never messed up the rooms, she had no time before she left," Celeste whispers, the same time I'm about to.

  "Let's get out of here," I whisper back, as we glance down the wide empty corridor one last time. We turn in sync together and hurry down the stairs.

  "Only one more job to do, and we have the rest of the day to do it!" I exclaim as we make our way to the nearest double doors that opened up to the lavish courtyard.

  "Let's just stay in the pool area for the rest of the day, deal?" Celeste asks me, her eyes sparkling with joy. I had heard over breakfast that Traegr hadn't approached her yet, so she was starting to believe he would just leave her be.