Hair Pin

"The girl with silver hair has escaped, with a guard lying on the floor and blood pooling around him."

News of Elestria's escape reached Waylon's ear, and he clenched his fists, frustration building up within him.

He couldn't afford to let her escape.

How in hell can she even escape? He questioned himself. There's no way one can escape from here. Even if she did, she could never get out of the forest. She must be hiding somewhere.

Shifting his attention to the guard who came to inform him, he ordered, "Find here, at any cost.". 

---

A few hours ago

Elestria, after being dragged from the room filled with other slaves, was thrown into one of the rooms on the top floor, restricting her from any means of escaping. 

One guard was ordered to keep an eye on her and stay inside the room. The guard's half of the face was covered with gray beard. His face looked grumpy with the way he carried himself. He eyed her with a cold, indifferent gaze.

The wooden door closed from outside, leaving the room quiet and empty. The floor was empty, with a lack of guardsmen who were busy getting other slaves ready for departure. 

The room, unlike the previous one, was far more welcoming. Light streamed in through the large window, giving her enough light to look around. 

As her eyes looked around, she couldn't help but wonder, 'Why is this room so clean? Does someone live here?'. 

But the guard, having sharp ears, caught wind of Elestria's words and responded with pure disdain, "That shouldn't be your concern, and now you better behave and be like a good slave. sit on the bed. Mouth. shut". His words were sharp, causing Elestria's heart to pound. 

Complying with his order, she walked towards the bed and sat at the corner. She noticed, from the corner of her eyes, that the guard was moving towards a chair positioned near the door. The room's silence was only disturbed by the subtle creaking of the wooden furniture. The chair's legs scraped against the floor as the guard settled in, his watchful eyes fixed on Elestria.

The room that initially seemed like heaven, now felt like a cage, its walls closing in on her with each passing moment. She needs to find a way.

Her gaze remained fixed on the windows as her mind buzzed with thoughts on how to escape. It was evident that escape wouldn't be easy; the only window, adorned with iron bars, denied her any hope of freedom.

Yet, this was her chance, now or never.

A quick scan of the room revealed a sharp hairpin conveniently placed on the bedside table. It might come in handy, she thought internally.

Her eyes occasionally flickered towards the guard, who was busy staring out the window. Moving cautiously, she approached the table, her heart pounding against her chest with the fear of getting caught. With a swift motion, she picked up the hairpin and discreetly hid it under her long skirt. The metallic object felt cold against her warm skin. Instinctively, she rose from her sitting position, momentarily stumbling over her dress.

The guard, seemingly distracted, didn't notice her subtle movements. but her quick movements caught his eye. His eyes landed on her squarely. Her heart raced as she held his gaze. He walked towards her as he noticed her trembling hands. He questioned, "Were you trying to do something?" His voice threatened to break her resolve. 

The room seemed to close in around her as she fought to maintain her balance.Taking a steady breath, she straightened herself and said calmly, "No, sir, I just want to use the bathroom; if I'm allowed, it's urgent." Her voice carried a sense of urgency, as if she couldn't control herself for much longer.

The guard, unaware of her true intentions, nodded and gestured for her to walk.

"This way," he said, his eyes scrutinizing her every move.

Reaching the bathroom attached to the room, he ordered, "Be faster; don't make me wait.".

Elestria, keeping her eyes low, nodded timidly, making sure he didn't see through her ruse.

The guard remained outside, leaning against the wall, his eyes still fixed on the door.

Stepping inside the room, she locked the door.

The bathroom was dimly lit, with a small window high up near the ceiling. She went directly towards the basin, turning on the tap. The sound of running water from the tap covered any noise she might make. She looked at her reflection and muttered under her breath, "It's time to escape."

Carefully, she removed the hairpin from her skirt, holding the hairpin tightly. She walked towards the door and opened it, her heart pounding in her chest. She stepped out and waited for the guard to walk. 

As soon as the guard made his way, she walked behind him, observing his body language and waiting for the right moment.

Before she could second-guess herself, her hand rose up and stabbed him in the neck from behind with whatever strength she had left, causing him to stumble forward and wince in pain. He fell to the ground, holding his neck, and barked, "You... you... ugh!" His voice was barely audible, drowned in pain.

"Did I make a mistake?"

Her body trembled at the sight; this was the first time she had stabbed someone. Her feet moved back on their own, her head hitting the wall first.

Wall? Was there a wall? She questioned herself. Just when she felt a hand crawling on the back of her neck from behind, she shifted her eyes towards her side, only to be moved back by the shadow to its previous position, as if she were being forced to look at the work she did just a few minutes ago.

"You killed someone?" She felt the person speaking just above her ears from behind. Their lips touched her earlobes, making her shudder from the sensation she felt.

Was it fear or something else? But one thing was for sure—she was now scared. She felt as if she would faint from the pressure that washed over her entire being.