44 The Plot thickens (2)

Lady Jaelah placed the hairpin back into its case. Pulling out a small glass bottle, she passed it into Kamryn hands.

"This is the card we will use for Mika. This is our ultimate plan. "

"Mother what is this?..." Kamryn held the bottle up in front of her face, not impressed with the item at all. The liquid in the bottle looks like milk, and when Kamryn shook it, the light in the room caught hints of shimmering in the liquid.

"This is Ivory Smother....."

"Ivory Smother...?"

"Mmm....when a person swallows this potion, it will be absorbed into the bones. Slowly it will drain all the nutrients from its victim's body. Until all that's left is ivory bones..."

Kamryn looks at the little bottle changed completely now.

"How long until it takes her life?"

Lady Jaelah looked at her daughter, she knew Kamryn has been jealous of Mika's beauty just as much as Lulu has. She has just been better at hiding it.

"This is a slow acting poison. If she were to die a quick death the clan will be suspicious. That's why we needed this elaborate plan to hide the real goal. While everyone focuses on the thief crime, we will have already achieved our goals. With a slow-acting poison like this, it will be hidden until it's too late to do anything about it."

"Then why didn't you just poison her once she was imprisoned?... Why let her escape first..." Lulu still couldn't understand her mother's plans, 'Just poison her and get it over with'.

*Sigh* "Unfortunately for this potion to work it needs the victim's blood to be mixed in first for one minute before drinking it."

"So, we need to steal some of Mika's blood when she escapes...."

"Mmm...by now she should be bloody and bruised. When the guards catch her, their hands will be cover with her blood. At that time take the bottle with you, and play the good elder sister."

"No! Mother let me do it." Lulu pleaded.

"No. You stay here. Your sister can handle it." Lady Jaelah knew your younger daughter meant well, but something so important can't be left to chance.

"Kamryn, you do it."

"Yes, mother."

Disgruntled by her mother's lack of faith in her, Lulu lazily snooped thru the chest as we were discussing their plans. Lulu spotting a dagger at the bottom of the chest. Sneaking a look in her mother's direction, Lulu swiftly placed the dagger in the pocket of her gown.

____

Night fell Mika laid on the cold ground, waiting for Saavi cue. If she can hide until morning, father should be home. By then she can disprove the false charges against her.

"Psst...Young miss..." Saavi called to Mika.

The time has finally arrived. Mika gradually picks herself from the floor. Her body ached all over. Every step she took reopened old cuts, blood drip down her arms and legs.

Making it to the window Mika lifted up her arms, biting her lips she hauls her body to scale the rope ladder Saavi threw down. Bit by bit Mika climbed. At times she thought she would slip and fall to her end, but seeing the light at the top Mika persist on.

Reaching the sill, Saavi pulled her thru the window. Mika drew blood from bitting her lips to stop herself from screaming out in pain. To think the elders would use such harsh treatment against the young miss. If she had stayed any longer she would probably die. Saavi started to cry, she never saw her miss in such a dire state.

As Mika tried to catch her breath, they heard the stomping of footsteps coming from the front of the building. Desperate to leave before the elders notice her escape, Mika, gather the last of her strength; having Saavi to lean on, they walked towards their hideout.

Step by grueling step Mika and Saavi crept thru the courtyard until finally came to the servant's garden shed. Laying Mika down on a piling of bedding she bought over earlier, Saavi went about cleaning Mika's wounds.

Mika's body was covered in sweat and blood. Saavi wanted to change her clothes but the fear of moving her around and causing her more pain, Saavi decided to leave them on. Having cleaned what she could, Saavi was about the throw away the dirty dressing when the alarm rose from the prison.

"...go...the first person they will look for is you..." putting the trash down to the side, Saavi fixed clothing and rushed back to Mika's courtyard a minute before the guards came running in.

Seeing Saavi in the courtyard, the head guard had his men search the premises, once again turning Mika's house into a mess.

"Where is she?"

"W-Who?"

"Your young miss; she broke out of prison." The captain of guards said as he looked Saavi up and down.

"I don't know where she is."

"You hurt?"

"What?...No, why?"

The guard pointed to the left side of her body. There were trails of blood stains down her dress.

"This is a dye. I was dying some clothes earlier."

"I've been a soldier all my life. I know the difference between blood and dye. Where is she?" Invading Saavi personal space, he grabs her arm and drags her out the gate.

"If you won't tell me then you will receive her punishment instead."

"Captain!...captain!"

At that moment a soldier walked up the captain.

"Sir we found her..."

"Where?"

"She was hidden over in a garden shed."

"No!" Saavi struggled to break free, as she knew they had really found the young miss.

"Lock her in the courtyard make sure she does step a foot outside."

Releasing her arm and push her away, Saavi fell to the floor. The captain gave one last look towards Saavi way before turning around and walked back towards the prisons.

"How did they find her so quickly?" Saavi cried.