I moved away from the airship, before turning around and waving goodbye to Benjamin.

For a moment, we caught each other's eye. For some reason, what should've been a final glance didn't feel like a final goodbye - the moment was too long, my eye was too watery, Benjamin's eyes were too sad-looking, it was too quiet. I thought.

This isn't the end.

I thought I'd feel liberated after spending several days with a huffy, airship-driving, chicken-farming boy with anger issues. But somehow, I didn't. If anything, I felt more burdened. Burdened with the weight of that final goodbye that shouldn't have been final.

I found a water closet nearby, went in, locked the door and reattached my silk scarf. It was so long it was virtually unchanged when I'd made Benjamin a bandage. I returned to the bollard where Benjamin's airship used to be.

Suddenly, I heard a loud pisshhhh...

Whipping round, the airship was gone, but the grass was moving! A tall cylinder of earth slowly emerged, like a monstrous creature slithering out of a slimy pit. Soon I could see under the chunk of earth, there was shiny platinum, and an ubiquitous cloud of steam rushed out from the cylinders oil engine. The cylinder of earth stopped moving, and the hiss of the engine came to a stop.

I waited for the air to clear, before seeing a gleaming machine. It's form was perfect in every way: a platinum dished nose, a long, elegant face bellowing steam. It's thoroughbred legs, silver, were finely toned and it's steel back was immaculate, with no goose rump.

A steam horse - what a marvellous invention!

The man accompanying the steam horse in the cylinder put one end of a rope to the horses chin, and it latched on immediately, as a magnet was connected to it. The man wore a leather suit with aviator goggles, on which various copper wires were attached to.

"Mornin' sonny!" He took off his hat and bowed to me. "I accidently eavesdropped on yer' conversation with yer' friend! Ye' need to go to the Gold'n Finch right?"

"Yes." I nodded.

"Well 'ere ye' go. A bonny steam 'orse. Only 2 shilling to go to the 'orse stop outside! What d'you say?"

"Alright." I spoke without an accent. I removed my money pouch, counted out a shilling, before realising I only had pounds. I gave him a pound (he raised his thick eyebrows at this) and he made change."

Afterwards he stepped back into the earthen tube and it crawled back into the ground.

The steam horse didn't move a centimetre; it awaited my instruction. Unlike an automaton, it wasn't sentient. That's why you got them in parks like this. They were a lot cheaper to make in the Chelare factories than sentient steam horses because intelligent machines required more work.

I leapt on its back roughly, having never ridden a horse, and it remained motionless, save for the flamey flicker in its eyes. Positioning myself comfortably, I tapped it's sides with my feet. The steam horse sparked into a brisk, jerky, unnatural trot. I wrapped my arms round it's neck and at once felt pain. The clanging of its metal back bashing into my bum was like sharp rocks smashing into me.

"Oh bother, ow,ow,ow, OW! ow, ow, ow, OW!" I yelled as the horse passed a bunch of people waiting outside the park.

We moved into the warm quartz-brick area of the town and all the time my agony continued. The steam horse effortlessly navigated through a patch of cobbled street, throwing it's legs high in the air.

"oh, ow, ow, ow, OW!" I continued to say, holding onto the horse.

This affliction continued all through the quartz-stone streets, the red brick town houses, the fruit and veg stalls set up in the town centre (the steam horse wasn't at all interested in any of that produce.) Into the town square, until at last, I felt it slow down to a slow, creaking plod.

The steam horse approached a black iron bollard, and I noticed the end of the rope I held also had a magnet attached to it. I held this end to the bollard and it stuck to it instantly. So with the steam horse tethered, I dismounted promptly.

I surveyed the hotel, screwing my eyes up in the morning sunlight.

A sandstone staircase led up to a grand red brick building, three storeys high. There were 64 arched windows, the arches made of clay-red stone. Two of them the large windows on the ground floor. On each window, there was a tiny little life-sized finch statue made of red stone. There was a roofed entrance, and the stairs had wrought iron gates leading up to the hotel, the iron spelling the name of the hotel. The roof was triangular, it's tiles made of clay-red stone and it had a large arch, in which there was a giant golden finch statue, and wrought iron letters spelling out The Golden Finch Hotel.

Gripping the staircase rail, I entered the bronze-edged hotel doors.

Inside, the hotel had a very fashionable waiting room. There was a cream carpet, bronze pillars and wallpaper with an interlocking gear design. There were mahogany tables with bronze legs, and tan leather armchairs. Each chair had a golden finch pin on its back and each of the tables had a tiny golden finch paperweight on it. There was a Victorian chandelier too, now old fashioned. Most places have bronze gas lights instead.

The porter was the second person to think I'm a boy.
"Good day sir! I hope you are in good and working order. Anything I can help you with?"

I shook my head.
"No. I don't need my bags taking upstairs, but I want to see a lady staying here, her name is Dalere."

The porter understood.
"Wait here and I'll get the butler to go and fetch her. She requested that we tell her if anyone wants to see her."

I took a seat in the darkest leather armchair and waited for Dalere to arrive. I fidgeted with the avian paperweight, and discovered it had movable solid gold wings you could flap up and down in a delightful way. I fooled around with it; I couldn't help myself.

I replaced the bird immediately when I heard footsteps.

I looked up and saw a woman with an indigo robe, purple dress and blonde Bob coming towards me elegantly, skirts swishing. Her rat, Mr Archibald Whiskers, trailed behind her.

"Mila! How wonderful to see you again!" Dalere told me.

I grinned.
"Good to see you as well." I responded.

"Let's go elsewhere." Dalere announced.

We left the golden finch hotel, returning to the cobbled brick streets. Dalere and I walked further down the streets before arriving at a large town house with red gables. Dalere entered it and I followed swiftly.

We walked up several staircases, then down a corridor before entering a room with enormous arched windows.

Sunlight filled the room, which was painted white with silver clock part wallpaper. I took a seat in a tan chair with wooden legs. Dalere sat down behind a wooden desk, on top of which was a tiny, tiny black cotton dog bed for Mr Archibald Whiskers. The rat curled up inside the bed and feel asleep, snoring in a high-pitched fashion.

"I think I'm the girl you're looking for." I told Dalere, feeling confident.

Dalere smiled.
"Do you?" She smiled wider, laughing musically.

I told her about my experience and she clapped her royal blue gloved hands.

"Wonderful! This is the best thing since automatons! You fit the description perfectly. You are the girl we need!"

She reached her left gloved hand across the desk and I shook it, laughing with her. "Congratulations Mila! We, The Secret Engineers, look forward to meeting you."

She leant back again, before telling me, "To be identified, you'll need new clothes." She paused. "I'll fetch your uniform and equipment. After that I'll take you to our country residence, and you'll meet my long-lost brother. Does that satisfy?" She requested.

"Yes." I said happily.

"Then I'll be off. I'll be back shortly." Dalere left the room, her shoes softly scuffing the cream carpet in the hallway.

I looked at the desk and noted with interest the black and white rat, Mr Archibald Whiskers, had been left behind with me. The rat awoke and extended his pink toes, stretched and opened his mouth wide in a yawn. He hopped out of his bed and looked at me with his currant eyes, washing his liquorice fur momentarily.

"Hello Ratty." I offered him my hand. He hopped on, but suddenly jumped off as if he'd been seared with a hot iron, squealing. Confused, I dropped my hand away, but I noticed the rat was looking at the door.
"What's the matter?" I asked him, and my eyes grew wide. What was possessing this pet rat?

I soon percieved the situation. I could hear footsteps outside, and with growing fear, I began to sweat as the rat became near demented. I heard Mr Aberdain and Leticia. There was a clanking of cold, entrapping, iron chains.

Dalere wanted to put me into Slavery!

The door opened, revealing Mr Aberdain, Leticia and con-woman Dalere, along with the chains and shackles.

In an adrenaline rush, I picked up my chair with my stoker muscles and thrust it at the glass window. It shattered into a million crystalline shards.

I got onto the window ledge, crouching. I glanced round just in time to see Mr Archibald Whiskers fling himself at despicable Dalere in a ferocious, furious flurry of fur.

I looked down, and knew it was now or never. I spread my arms wide open and thrust myself out of the 5th story window.

I'd rather die than be a slave.

**********

And... Don't forget to vote if you like the story! ;) It really means a lot to me and lets me know you appreciate my work!

See you next week, or next chapter if reading in the future... Hehe :D