The Escape

He smirked at her as his feet started prowling towards her. She couldn't tell if he considered her his prey, but she knew that look.

It was anything but innocent. That was the look of a predator who found its next favorite toy.

She wasn't about to stick around to find out. She couldn't. Not if she wanted to live the peaceful life she yearned for.

His smirk triggered the primal flight reaction; a massive flood of adrenaline shot through her body like a drug and energized her.

Her heart pounded in perfect synchrony to his pace. She no longer needed to think. Her feet reacted on their own as she bolted, trying to get as far away from him as possible.

Even as she scampered as far as she could, her brain had yet to process what was going on.

The question was prominent in her mind. Why did it have to be the King? Was fate making her life harder than it should be?

In her bid to escape, she failed to notice the slight burn on her right wrist. It was coming directly from the rose-shaped birthmark.

She didn't know how long she ran or how far she got. She only felt the need to abscond from the palace.

By the time her exhausted feet gave up on her, she was far enough.

Regrettably, she couldn't move any further if she wanted to. Right at that moment, the gods chose to fight against the tired mercenary. The clouds turned a dark shade, crying tears of rain.

It wasn't just a little shower.

It began to pour heavily on the unsheltered girl. “Goddammit! Give me a break for fuck’s sake,” she snarled at no one in particular.

Natalia was already fatigued and hungry before making her way to the palace. She was hoping to have a heavy meal using the commission she acquired.

Her initial plan was simple. She would walk into the palace, collect her commission, treat herself to a good meal, and head back to the mercenary camp.

That was it. As far as she was concerned, her life was just that simple. At least now that she managed to put the past behind her, it was supposed to be uncomplicated.

She looked up from the dirt ground, trying to figure out her location. Growing up in the streets was a blessing in disguise.

Natalia recognized the street. It was on the outskirts of the capital, a town away from the capital to be precise. Though it wasn't as far as she wanted, it would do for today.

She stood up and walked towards the motel on the other side of the street. Her clothes were dirty from the mud she just sat up from.

Coupled with the pouring rain, her clothes were already wet, seeping the coldness into her bones.

Given that she was in the lower class region, commoners like her were a welcome and everyday sight.

She easily fitted in with the rest. Her hoody fell off from her ginger mass of hair, resting on her back.

Unlike her outfit, there wasn't anything common about her features. Her hair was the first proof. A ginger head, in De Luna, was a rare sight.

That wasn't the only unique thing about her. One couldn't help but notice the shiny emerald orbs in her sockets. They stood out the most.

While others found her enthralling, the owner was unaware of her charm. She stood at the reception, paying for the night. She completely shut out her surroundings.

This made her miss the look of admiration people were throwing her way and the skeptical look the receptionist had.

On a normal day, Natalia was alert to every single thing around her. Not even the blowing of the wind could escape her sharp senses.

Today wasn't an ordinary day though. She made up her mind about this day being her doomsday.

As she made her way towards the room, her stomach growled. She closed her eyes, cursing under her breath again.

She fumbled toward one of the chairs in the corner of the room. Luckily, it was empty.

It didn't take long for a waiter to take her order. As she impatiently waited for her meal, she recalled the event of the day.

Upon recollecting those golden orbs looking at her, she shivered. His stare did something to her insides.

Her stomach dropped, her heart accelerated, and her entire body trembled in both fear and excitement.

She didn't like it. She knew why she had reacted that way. The mate bond did a good job of making her know who she belonged with.

As for why she ran, it was easy. The king was a widely known man. Putting aside the number of concubines he had already, the lifestyle itself was something she feared.

Natalia grew up trudging in the streets. She lived for years, trying to survive. Unlike other girls her age, she struggled to put a roof over her head.

She didn't have anyone to rely on. Mostly, she could be said to have raised herself.

The palace was like a prisoner to a free-spirited and wild bird like herself. On her own, she could fly as high as she liked.

Sometimes, she faced the storm head-on, not knowing if she would come out alive. When she did survive, it only increased her urge to try something more dangerous.

She was a danger in itself. Her manners weren't the most refined. She was anything but gentle and ladylike. Uncouth and roguish, that was what they called her.

She didn't care. She only knew how to survive. If that meant fighting her way out of a situation or reducing her enemies to a pulp, she was always game.

Natalia learnt the hard way not to trust anyone. It took the death of innocent people and near-death experience to shape her current form.

She groaned, trying to push back those memories. Her plates were already empty. She didn't care that the taste of what she had consumed was unknown to her.

Her stomach was no longer protesting. She walked upstairs to her temporary abode for the night.

Natalia opted to visit the public bath before calling it a night. Her body was sticky from the wetness of the rain, sweat, as well as mud.

Her mind once again wandered towards a certain King. “Shit! Why that bastard? Couldn't you pair me up with a commoner? All I asked for was a mate and a home. Not a king and a palace.”

She punched the water, feeling anger and confusion rush through her veins. The King was abandoned by the goddess. He didn't have a mate. That was why he had multiple women to give birth to his heirs.

Recalling what happened, it must be because she was hungry and exhausted. Those flowers must have affected her judgment after all. ‘Yes! An illusion. It must be an illusion.’

She continued soaking in the bath for a while before finally making her way to her room for the night.

Once she settled in, she plopped on the bed, trying to relax her tensed muscles. Life was hard for her.

She was in need of a break. A long break from the chaos, which tended to pull her in.

Birds needed time to rest too. She massaged her temple, willing the headache that was coming on to disappear.

Natalia had no idea how long she had rested when she heard footsteps that were discreetly getting closer and closer.

She ignored it, assuming that it was a neighbour getting into their room. If she knew that her ignorance would cost her, she would’ve been more careful.

It was too late by the time she noticed it. A blade was already held dangerously to her neck ready to slice.

She didn't have to look down to see what it was made of. She could tell from the slight burn on her neck what it was made off.

“Silver, fuck!" she cursed out loud, not caring about who her assailant was.

"Stay still unless you want me to slice your throat!" a deep menacing tone echoed in her ears, making her entire body rigid.

She was screwed. Could it be her enemies? Could it be the King? She tried to think of all potential people.

Her chain of thought was cut short when the person instructed.

"Listen up. If you cherish your life, you will do as I say. We shall walk out of here and you shall cooperate. Don't try to play smart with me. Any wrong move and you are dead. Clear?"

She gritted her teeth, itching to smirk him in the face. Her fingers balled up into a fist, but that was it. She didn't act recklessly.

The two walked out of the room together, once she had collected her things. With each step she took, the wheels in her head turned.