~~~

The bucket of bones was heavy and I felt my wrists struggling not to dislocate as I carried the bucket to the gate which thankfully wasn't far from the butcher's room.

I prayed the queen needed Mistress Elena's company for a long time or at least till I had run a long distance away from this fate I would never accept.

Two giant guards with piercing stares were positioned at the gate, and as they stared down at me, my heart thumped hard in my chest.

I immediately remembered with a jab of panic, that my hair was more luscious than it normally was. It usually was coily and bouncy, all the signs of healthy hair, but after all the oils and treatments done by Mistress Elena's maids last night, my curls were more shiny and bouncy than usual. A maid wouldn't have the time or the resources to keep their hair so healthy.

I was screwed.

I should have used something to cover the hair, but again, what?
I tried to console myself with the fact that all men of every species were idiots. They didn't take note of such things, they simply didn't care. I hoped these ones were no different.

I bobbed a curtsy in front of them.

Do maids curtsy in front of guards?
Was I more screwed?

"What is your business human?", one of them asked.

I cocked my head in the direction of where I had dropped the bucket which had blood dripping from it.

"I have bones to bury", I told them.

They stared at each other, then back at me. I noticed one of them, probably the more articulate one was scrutinizing me, and with each squint of his eyes I could tell he was growing suspicious.

"Please it is a busy day today", I mused. "I am certain you are both aware of the duel? You must know this is not the only duty I have been assigned today". A rush of air escaped my lips as several wheels in my brain kept moving. I had to think even more carefully about the next words I planned to utter. "I am to attend to the Queen after this", I said. "You both aren't dumb enough to keep her majesty, the Queen of this kingdom", I detailed. "...waiting. That wouldn't be wise, would it?".

Their eyes barely met each other's before they hurriedly opened the gate.

A sweet smile pulled the tips of my lips up. "Thank you".

I bobbed another curtsy, picked up the bucket, and left.

As soon as I stepped out of the palace gate, I felt relieved. But it only lasted a second. This was barely the beginning of my freedom.

***

Outside, I dumped the bloody bucket in a hole that by a miracle had already been dug, even the shovel that was used to dig the hole lay on the cold earth ( my unprotected feet were freezing). I didn't attempt to cover the bucket, I had to start moving.

After the first day, I followed Mistress Elena to the palace, and the King and Princes had assaulted me with their eyes, I began to study the palace maps. My reason was to find an escape route if any of them tried something, or if there were any casualties (assault). My studying never came in handy with Prince Ranesh, but now it was going to.

The palace was very vast, and I only studied the interior, the underground, and only took a few glances at the maps of the back of the palace. Mainly because Mistress Elena always had books she required that I read. I studied the maps in my free time.

I swallowed, as the mental images of the map surfaced in my mind. I knew the areas where soldiers were placed in case of Intruders, I knew the areas they weren't. After that area, was the largest river in the area. Getting across was going to be a challenge. I didn't know much about what was after the river besides the other rivers, which might make my escape difficult but I was Prefon.

I was good at anything.

Drops of something I refused to believe was rain caressed my face, and I looked up to the sky which had darkened out of nowhere. A low rumble of distant thunder echoed, and I swallowed.

With my heart beating wildly in my chest, I dashed into the forest.

***

By the time I was halfway to the first river, the rain had intensified. Not to the point where I couldn't move anymore, but to the point, it was difficult to move because of how sticky the soil had become.

My gown was sticking to my body most uncomfortably, my teeth clattered, and my feet and legs were hurting. I was certain I had injuries on the soles of my feet, but stopping to check was something I couldn't afford to do.

When I heard the clashing of the largest river, a smile surfaced on my face. And then, it seemed like the skies had been waiting for me to get exactly to that point because it was like curtains opened and the rain poured down in harsh sheets to the point it was blinding.

All I could feel was the rain beating on my body, the almost numbing cold, and the fatigue worming its way through my bones.

I struggled against the sticky soil to get close enough to the river, and with a little cry, realized the images on the maps were incorrect. This wasn't a river, it was a sea.

There was no way I was going to cross on my own without something to aid me. But what?

A gasp of disappointment, mixed with hopelessness emitted from my lips, and somehow I felt my bottom on the sticky ground, I felt myself hugging my legs, and burying my face on my knees. It didn't take long before the tears came. Something was soothing about the rain beating on my body, and mixing with my tears till I couldn't detect which was which. It made me feel safe.

Hopelessly safe.

I wasn't wanted here, desired, or used. I was just p. I cried harder. I couldn't turn back now. What was harsher than a fate to exist till one's last breath with the ruthless alpha of alphas or the blood-driven vampire king?

What was worse than the fate my mother endured?

I couldn't do it.
I couldn't!
I wouldn't!

"I can't", I muttered as the sobs wracked through me. Of course, my voice was drowned by the thunder and lightning.

"You can't do what?".
Even with the bad weather, the voice was clear enough for my ears to pick out the words.

I lifted my head, heart pounding from both the cold, exhaustion, and something else.

I saw his bare feet first which were thrice the size of mine. My eyes trailed from the part of his hairy legs his short trousers allowed to view, to his face which had his long black hair plastered on it.

I stared up at the mysterious figure standing beside me, that had somehow heard the words even though I who had uttered them didn't. Maybe, just maybe, he was a fairy who was traveling.

Yes! A hopeful smile came upon my face.

My teeth clattered as I asked. "A ...Are...Are you by any chance a traveler?".

I ran my hand down my face. I could barely see with all the rain, and his height only made my neck ache. It made me happy that the makeup that Madam Fray had taken her time to apply was all gone. I looked back up at the stranger I still couldn't see clearly.

"Sir, are you?", I pressed.

He answered with a hmm, before saying. " Something like that".

His voice sounded familiar, but the cold had frozen almost all my brain cells. I couldn't process where I'd heard the voice before. But it was a pleasant one indeed.

"Where are you traveling to?", I inquired, and tried to rise on my feet which ended up with me reeling.

His arm snaked around my waist, halting me from falling. Air passed through my lips as pleasant sparks erupted on my skin at the contact of his bare skin on mine. I held onto his biceps for support. He was shirtless. It must have been ruined when he was traveling.

"Your skin is really cold. You must certainly get sick", I stated, black spots dancing across my eyes.

"Yours is cold as well", he replied.

I laughed at the situation. More dark spots danced across my vision.
"Will you take care of me? I think I'm about to ... to ... fai..".

I didn't know if I completed that sentence.

Leave a vote, and make me happy ❤️🥰.