Save Yourself!

Katarina's POV

But within the depths of my despair, a flicker of hope burned within me. I refused to let their mistreatment crush my spirit. 

I found peace in the simple joys, in the beauty of the old nature and the warmth of my own dreams. I nurtured the hope that one day, my circumstances would change.

It was hard to daydream when all I heard were screams of how worthless I was but I did it anyway.

As the days turned into weeks, I knew it was time to escape this place and get away from them before they would kill me.

Just like that, one day while I was lying about lazily in my room, I overheard the two women talking about how it was time for me to be killed.

That alone had me terrified for I didn't want a repeat of the last time.

Ever since that day the prince had shown up and brought me with him, security had been tight around here. I was not allowed to do certain things. I could not entertain guests or leave the compound. 

I was locked inside twenty four seven and since I was blind they would not expect me to get out of the house without help.

And it was very clear the entire town detested me, the prince included.

I planned my escape that night but it was clear the men who had been called to come after me had appeared on time and my escape was delayed.

The chariot arrived, and I heard the men talking to Jamie outside before I heard them storming through the house for my room. I pretended to be asleep but that did little to delay them as they ashes through my door.

"Get up," one of them nudged me in the ribs with his boots as I hacked a couch before rolling over to the floor.

They grabbed me by the hair and pushed me onto the passageway.

Ahead of me was the door. If I made a run for it, I could zigzag my way into the forest. I didn't mind if I was seen as a fraud anymore. I would use my gift of sight to get away from them.

Before I could do anything, the men grabbed me up and took me out of the house. A chariot laid open before me as I stepped into it. I could feel their malicious laughter piercing through the air.

Jamie and her mother laughing at my pain.

"Make sure she doesn't return," I heard Jamie say as the men nodded before locking the door and getting into the carriage.

The men driving the chariot, hired by my stepmother and stepsister, had no regard for my well-being. 

Their cold gazes and uncaring demeanor only heightened my fear. I was being taken away from the only home I had known in this world, thrust into a world of danger.

As the chariot sped away, I couldn't help but feel a mixture of anger, confusion, and helplessness. How could Jane's own family conspire against her in such a callous manner? 

The bitterness that had festered within them had transformed them into heartless beings, capable of inflicting unimaginable harm.

In the midst of my despair, a glimmer of determination flickered within me. I refused to fall to their cruel plans. I resolved to escape, to find a way back to safety and reclaim my life from the clutches of betrayal.

Opportunity presented itself when one of the guards decided to relieve himself in the bushes as I used that chance to give the door a calculated kick as I jumped out of the chariot and made a bolt for it.

They had let down their guard and I had escaped. With a surge of adrenaline, I seized the moment, slipping away into the darkness, guided by the moon's soft glow and I navigated through unfamiliar terrain, relying on instinct and a fierce determination to shake off the chains of captivity.

"After her!" I heard the men say as they blew their horn and from different parts of the forest, I heard sounds of men growling and bashing through the forest in search of me.

Oh dear. What had I done?

*** 

As I escaped from the clutches of my kidnappers, fear and adrenaline coursed through my veins, pushing me forward as I ran through the dense forest. 

The moon's light provided me with just enough light to navigate the terrible terrain, but the darkness seemed to be closing in around me.

Every rustle of leaves and snap of twigs sent shivers down my spine, reminding me that my pursuers were hot on my trail. 

The men's angry shouts echoed through the night, their determination to capture me fueling their relentless pursuit.

I pushed myself to my physical limits, my breath ragged and my muscles screaming in protest, however, the will to survive was greater than the pain and exhaustion that threatened to halt me. 

Each step I took brought me closer to freedom, closer to escaping the clutches of danger.

If they got me, it was over. God knows what they would do to me. I refused to think about it but the thought was inevitable.

My heart pounded in my chest, the rhythm of my fear driving me forward. 

Branches whipped against my skin, leaving scratches as I pushed through the undergrowth. I relied on instinct, trusting my senses to guide me to safety.

In the midst of the chaos, I caught sight of a small clearing up ahead. 

It offered a brief signal of hope, a momentary sanctuary from the relentless pursuit. I dove behind a cluster of bushes, their thorny branches scraping my skin, as I desperately tried to catch my breath and devise a plan.

As I hid, the sounds of my pursuers grew closer, their loud voices echoing through the night air. 

"Check the tree!" I heard them yell. "Check the river and follow it!"

Panic threatened to overwhelm me, but I forced myself to remain calm, to think clearly amidst the chaos.