To another town

Soon she found a stream. She placed her bag and the rabbit down. She checked to see if there was anyone around before she began to strip. After stripping, she got into the stream and began to bath.

The water was cool and refreshing. She got out and quickly slipped into one of the dresses she had brought with her from the castle and sat down. She picked up the little rabbit and placed it on her lap.

She took out a few fruits from her bag and began to eat. She fed the rabbit an apple and it ate obediently. Athena stared at the rabbit. Why did she find this rabbit a little strange? She shrugged her thoughts off and began to organise her plans.

Her time was limited. She might die anytime. She wanted to know if her parents were still alive or if they were dead.

Her decision was that she was going to look for them! Although Rebecca and James treated her well, they will never become her real parents. Viola was right. Rebecca and James were her real parents not hers. She was the one who deserved to have all their affection not her. She was just like a stranger.

Athena clenched her fists. She just hoped that Rebecca and James won't worry too much about her whilst she was gone.

Athena shifted her attention to the rabbit when it snuggled closer. "We need to give you a name... Can Little Bunny do?" she smiled tenderly.

The rabbit looked away. It was not pleased with the name. Athena laughed.

"What about Little Beauty?" The rabbit refused to look at her. Athena felt helpless. She had never owned a pet before so she was very bad at giving names.

"What about Honey? Cherry? Carrots?" Still it did not turn.

"What about Little Snow?"

This time it turned its head. Her lips curled up. "It's Little Snow then."

She suddenly coughed hard. She took her medicine and sighed. It was time to get going.

Athena picked up her bag and Little Snow and walked towards a road and stood there. A long time passed before a carriage passed by. Athena felt a bit nervous. She did not have any money. What if the owner refused to help her? She gathered up some courage and waved at the carriage. The carriage stopped. Inside the carriage was a young woman with a five year old child. They looked at her. Athena sighed in relief when she noticed that they were humans.

"Good afternoon ma'am," Athena greeted politely. " I want to go to the next town but the carriage I came with got stuck somewhere there." She pointed in a certain direction. " Please can you help me?"

The woman who seemed to be in her late twenties stared at her hard before her lips curled up into a lazy smile. " Oh really?"

Athena nodded quickly.

" You are not lying, are you?"

Athena froze and her face turned red in embarrassment. How did she know?

The woman clicked her tongue. " Just get in."

Athena thanked her and got in. She sat down with the rabbit on her lap.

The five year old child exclaimed excitedly when she saw the rabbit on Athena's lap.

"Mommy, that rabbit is so cute! I want one too!"

"I will get you one," the woman smiled dotingly as she rubbed the little girl's head.

Athena smiled warmly at the enthusiastic child. The little girl turned to look at Athena with watery eyes. "Can I touch it?"

A strange look flashed in Athena's eyes but it quickly disappeared within a blink of an eye. Unfortunately, the lady noticed it and chuckled. "Are you really that possessive?"

Athena bit her lip and stammered, "Ah no. I am... I..."

"It's okay," the woman chuckled.

Athena passed the rabbit to the little girl. The little girl took it gleefully. " Mommy, its so soft and pretty!"

A jealousy look flashed in Athena's eyes. The rabbit blinked its eyes adorably at the little girl. Athena pursed her lips unhappily.

The woman laughed at her childishness. Athena looked away in embarrassment.

"What's your name?" the woman drawled lazily. She looked quite beautiful and had a lazy vibe around her.

"Athena," Athena replied.

"Call me Mary," the woman said.

"It's nice to meet you, Miss Mary," Athena said politely.

The carriage soon stopped.

"We have arrived at the next town," Mary said. The girl reluctantly gave Little Snow back to Athena.

"She is my daughter," Mary said. "Her name is Lilian."

Athena nodded and thanked her again before hopping off.

"I hope that I will meet you again, Athena! It was nice to talk to you," Mary said lazily.

Athena smiled and waved at her before she turned around. The place was filled with people. Athena looked around curiously. This place was filled with humans unlike her town. The majority of the people in her town were vampires. However here a few vampires could be seen here and there. She soon came up to a shop with an eye catching board hanging at the top of it.

Athena pushed the door gently and got in. It was a small shop but the clothes looked quite expensive. A middle aged lady sat on a stool while holding her chin as she instructed five women who seemed to be assistants.

"That pink dress should go over there. No, I need that one to be hung there."

"Good morning ma'am," Athena greeted the woman politely. "Do you buy clothes or do exchanges?"

The woman and her assistants looked at her pitiful appearance strangely. She had no shoes and her skin was covered with scratches. Her hair was dishevelled and her eyes were bloodshot. The bag she was carrying looked so dirty and unpleasant. In short, she looked like a beggar.

Athena smiled awkwardly. She knew that she looked a bit unpleasant even though she was wearing an expensive and beautiful dress.

"She is a beggar! Milady, should we throw her out?" one of the assistants said, looking disgusted by her appearance.

The middle aged woman did not answer her. Instead she stared at Athena. Athena felt uncomfortable under the woman's scrutiny gaze.

After a while the lady opened her mouth and said slowly, "Can I see the clothes?"

"Milady, I don't think that she has any clothes to sell at all. She is here to steal!" the youngest assistant whined.

However the lady and Athena ignored her. She took out four dresses that she had taken from the castle.

The lady looked stunned for a minute but she recovered her composure rather quickly. "Where did you get these clothes? They are all of high quality fabric..."

Athena only smiled but did not answer.

"She must have stolen those clothes. She is a thief! She has to be arrested!" An arrogant looking assistant shouted. They were not pleased by their lady's reaction towards this beggar.

This time the lady looked up with a cold expression. "Anyone who dares to talk nonsense again will be thrown out through the window."

They all closed their mouths. The lady turned to look at Athena with a soft expression. "Are you sure that you want to sell these clothes?"

Athena nodded.

After some time, she got out wearing a pair of new black sandals and had fifty gold coins. Little Snow was nestled quietly in her arms.

"You are free to always to come here anytime!" the middle aged woman shouted. Athena nodded and left.

Now, she had to look for an inn.

The middle aged woman had directed her to a certain inn. She turned left and walked forward until she came up to the inn she been directed to.

She walked in and looked around. The lady had said that it was the cheapest inn. A pungent smell of alcohol hit her nose the moment she stepped in. Athena scrunched her nose. It was really cheap for a reason.

One might think that it's a brothel.

Laughter and shouts rang in the room. Exquisite women wearing revealing dresses moved around the men. A few heads turned to look at her before they looked away and continued their conversations. She felt disgusted by this place but she had to save her money. This was the only place she could stay in for a while.

"Young lady, how can I help you?" a man who seemed to be in late thirties walked towards her with a smile.

"I would like a room to stay in for three weeks. I need the best room you have," Athena said with a polite smile.

"The best room that we got is occupied right now," the man replied. "But we do have a room that is still in a good condition. For three weeks, you will have to pay ten gold coins. Unfortunately, we don't provide any food." He gave her an apologetic smile.

Athena nodded and took out ten gold coins and passed them to the man. Athena cried internally as she watched the man put the gold coins in his pocket with a happy smile.

"Follow me," he said and began to walk. Athena quickly followed him out of the noisy room.

He stopped at an old looking door. He took out a single key and gave it to her.

"If you encounter any problem, just look for me. I go by the name Mr Snape."

Athena nodded. "My name is Athena."

"So Miss Athena, I will be on my way now," Mr Snape said as he walked away.

She unlocked the door and entered. She felt depressed at the sight of her new temporary room. Could this room be considered to be in a good condition? She sighed helplessly. The room was so small and almost empty.

A small and old bed was in a corner. There was a table with a lamp beside it. She looked at the dirty floor and wondered when it had been last cleaned. The dirty walls were filled with cracks. A big rat even ran across the room and went under the bed.

She felt like she had aged after all the events that had occurred recently. She placed Little Snow and the bag on the bed before sitting on the cold and hard bed. She stroked Little Snow's head and said to it, "Welcome to my world, Little Snow. Let's just hope that that maniac of a king won't send people to look for me."

. . .

In the castle, somebody screamed loudly and went to look for Lord William. She found him leaning against the wall lazily as he munched happily on an apple.

"Milord!" Elaine said breathlessly. " The future queen is missing!"

Lord William frowned. "What do you mean by she is missing?"

"We can not find her. We searched for her almost everywhere in the castle and outside but there is no sign of her! Her bed is empty and neat as if no one slept on it."

"That means that she ran away last night," Lord William said thoughtfully. "Get Brian here! We need to look for her quickly. She might not have gone anywhere far."

Elaine nodded and left looking worried.

Lord William was panicking internally but wore a calm expression. The king's future wife was missing!

He looked at the apple. It felt like he was eating sand. He threw the half eaten apple away. The king had left him to look after his future wife but she still escaped right under his nose. This time the king won't let him off. He began to cry without any tears when he thought of the king's cold red eyes...

Mommy!