Last Piece of Hope

As the sun rises, the town starts to wake up, as people start to go about their daily lives. The sound of chickens clucking all around the town, and the smell of bread being baked in the bakery as the townspeople go about their morning routines. The beautiful bright sky doesn't match Dahlia's gloomy mood.

The maids, dress Dahlia in beautiful clothing made from fine materials as all the maids were instructed to clean and dressed Dahlia in lavish clothes—there are 10 maids assigned to her.

"You look so beautiful, you should be grateful to be under the Prince's wings," said the maid as she brushed Dahlia's hair gently.

Despair on her face was covered with smiles in front of the maids.

"You right, hehe..." she smiled.

Dahlia looked down hiding her sorrowed face, "Be grateful? Why should I be grateful to be enslaved..." she thought to herself.

"You're done!" Dahlia snapped to her senses, "Wow, Ms Dahlia, you looked absolutely gorgeous."

"You're right, she looked beautiful!"

After the maids were finished with her hair, Dahlia admired her reflection in the mirror. She looked stunning and beautiful.

"Is this me?" she touches her face in amazement as she could hardly recognise herself in the mirror.

"Wow, I'm so jealous of you!" said the maid.

"You look like a princess from fairy tales!" said the other maid.

One maid was holding their hands over their mouth in awe.

Some were whispering, "Wow! She's so gorgeous!"

They compliment her in excitement, it makes Dahlia feels appreciated for the first time.

But the feeling good ended there when she looked through the window from the second floor and she can only see nothing but Marcus the slaver waiting for her by the carriage like a hungry wolf, waiting for its next meal.

Her heart raced as she began to panic. One of the maids notices it and started to calm her down.

"It's alright, you're going to be freed from this place to a better one," she holds Dahlia from behind reassuring her.

Dahlia was startled at first but then she regained her composure as she hold herself together, "Th-thank you, that's really nice of you," she smiled.

The maid smiled back as she hold her tears in front of Dahlia.

"What's wrong?"

"N-nothing, you looked so beautiful, that's it," she looked away, hiding her face.

Dahlia smiled at her one last time before she was escorted out.

***

He grin at Dahlia as the door opened, revealing her appearance. She walks while staring at the ground. Once she walked out passed the door she lifted her head, looking at Marcus, he can see hatred in her eyes.

"Ooh, scary," he taunted her, "I would've kept you for myself if it weren't for money."

Waiting for them is a luxurious carriage decorated with gems and gold, pulled by two elegant white horses. He stretches his arm out to Dahlia, trying to mock her by guiding her into the carriage himself.

"Allow me?" he smirks.

She refused to take his hand, but he just grabbed her arm and pull her into the carriage.

"Ah!" she almost fell when he pulled her so suddenly.

***

The carriage's interior is decorated in a lavish style. It is made of fine polished wood and lined with gold. He sits down on a fine cushioned seat directly in front of her—they sit facing each other.

He just looked at her with a smile on his face while she looked out the window, avoiding eye contact with him.

"I will obtain my freedom no matter what," she thought to herself as she clutch her fists as if she want to hit Marcus.

Marcus chuckled when he notices her clutched fists, he knows she couldn't do anything about this.

The carriage then takes off to send her to the Nigati Palace— the carriage was heavily guarded by the armed guard on horses. They wear shining armours made from unpenetrable steel. The situation is looking really bad for her as she had no other choice but to jump and run for her life.

Of course, she waited for the opportunity to do so.

The carriage shakes on the bumpy street as they go fast through Nigati Town.

"What a bumpy road is this," Marcus trying to make small talk. She kept quiet the whole time as she obverse the opportunity. Marcus looked annoyed.

In the middle of Nigati Town, she saw a crowd of people. She realised that it might be the only chance she will get, so she clutched her fist to her chest to ready herself.

"This is it, this is my chance!"

She jumped out of the carriage while making the loudest noises she can to scare the horses and stunned the knights' movement; she began desperately running away.

"Get her back here now!" Marcus yelled.

The horses were rearing and the guards had no choice but to chase her on foot.

She ran as fast as she could without looking back, she tried to look for a hiding place, but her luck had just run out as she glance and saw the guards catching up to her. She can tell that the knights were keeping up as she feel they trying to grab her but failed several times.

In a desperate attempt, she took advantage of her small stature, she slips amongst the crowd easily. At the same time, the crowd make it harder for the guards to catch her.

"Ah!"

"Hey, watch where you're going!"

"Idiot!" noises the clueless crowd made as she ran for her life in between them.

Her pace started to slow down as her stamina ran out slowly but she kept on running until she accidentally runs into one of the guards and falls on her butt.

The guard looked pissed as he stared at her, "You little brat! Don't move or I'm going to kill you!" he pulled her by her hair.

Dahlia struggled, the guard put his sword near her face, "I'm going to kill you! Don't move or I'm going to gut you like a fish!"

"No!" she cries in defeat, "No no no!"

Dahlia then screamed, asking the crowd for help.

"Help meee! Someone… please…"

The crowd pity her but nobody is brave enough to take on an armed man just to risk their life for a random girl.

Whispers from the crowd, "Look at that, poor girl," "Why is that guy doing that to her?" and "Nobody is helping her."

"Don't look! A kid shouldn't see something like that," a mom covers her son's eyes with her palm

When she glace at the crowd she can only see terrified and scared people.

She was scared for her life, so she begged the guard. "Please… Let me go… Please…"

"Let you go? Huh, no way. You know how much they going to pay me for bringing you back." he chuckled before continues dragging her back to the carriage.

Dahlia cries for help even though she knows nobody is going to help her.

"Waaah! Someone please…"

While being dragged by her hair, she saw an armed man in white with a mask standing among the crowd. Being the only one among the crowd with weapons, she cries for him.

"Sir help me, please!" her voice was full of despair.

"Shut up! I'll slit your throat if you make one more sound."

The man watching from the distance emotionlessly— ignoring her cries. He took a deep breath before he tries to walk away from her, knowing that could possibly end her life, but he was stopped when he can no longer hear her cries. He take a second look and was surprised to see her hopes break. She stopped crying in despair and accepted her fate. He then regained his senses and realise what is going on; he's seen enough. The cries for help actually make him sick in his gut.

In anger, he starts running toward her and snatches her from the guard's grip. He was surprised as he can feel how thin she is.

The man looked furious as glared at all the guards. He wrapped Dahlia in his cape and drew his katana— he points the katana to the guards.

All the guards surrounded them; one of them yelled, "Hand the girl over! I won't repeat myself!"

The man refuses to result in the knights to drew their weapons and pointing them at the man.

"Last warning, hand the girl over!"

"..."

Getting no answer, all the knights charged toward him at the same time.

He looked calm as he takes a deep breath with his eyes closed.

The man proceeds to read their attacks just by hearing their movement. He seemed not to have any problem dodging nor countering their attacks. The sound of their swords clashing send people running everywhere in horror.

While he was dodging the attacks, he looked at Dahlia's pale face, "It's alright now, I will save you," he then gave Dahlia a potion and asked her to drink it.

Scared, she drank it without hesitation, the bitter taste of the potion make her want to puke. Slowly, her eyes got heavier, as the sound of their swords clashing the potion made her fall asleep.

As soon as she fell asleep the man holds Dahlia tight as he starts moving faster. His movement was so fast that the knights couldn't be able to see him.

Suddenly it all becomes quiet. The knights circle up and try to look for them in every direction but they still couldn't find him.

In a second every knight dropped to the ground. Blood was everywhere as it spurts from the bodies, people were terrified and some were traumatised by the incident.

The Royal Knights then arrived to check what happened, but when they arrived at the scene they were shocked by the bloody headless bodies on the ground.

"How could something like this happen?" high ranking knight said in disbelief.

When they asked the citizen, nobody dares to speak everyone was stunned—the man and Dahlia were nowhere to be found.

Royal Knights investigate the scene and make the area limited to the public. The incident was then informed to the Majesty and the Prince. The Majesty was furious when he got the report, and for Marcus, the Majesty asked him the pay for failing to hand Dahlia to him.

Royal Knights were ordered by their superiors to look for Dahlia and the man.

***