The hairs on the back of her neck stood up, panic flared in her eyes. Additionally, what made all that worse was the fact that Anna could not even turn around to look at her captive. Her eyes had to be kept on the path.
"Wh-where do you wish to go?"
She asked him while trying hard to not let go of the wheels and dash out from the carriage. It could be futile but who knows? The man could just be a slave like her, someone who simply wanted to escape.
They could help each other.
"Where are you going?" The man questioned back.
He had a deep voice, one that gave him an air of confidence. At the same time, it was soothing to the ears. However, there were hints of mischievous amusement which caused Anna's heart to become uncertain.
"There."
She pointed at the distant tower, it was close to the Duke's mansion where several guests were going in. The tower was the place where Effie was supposed to be.
"Are you going to the ball?"
She could hear him frown and it was understandable for her. If a slave was running away they would definitely not want to be seen by so many eyes at such a place.
Anna softly chuckled to break the tension of the air. Even though she was not much scared of him, the way his sword still remained next to her neck told her to not make the man angry. She decided to carry on a conversation and have him relax.
"No, I can not go there," she replied, "But did you know that the ball is held to select a duchess?"
"Oh, Is that so?"
"Indeed, but it would be a waste. I don't think that our obnoxious duke can get a duchess that easily-"
Anna happened to have glanced at him from the rearview mirror and all at once, her fear returned, her eyes widened.
Her numb fingers faltered over the wheel and the carriage took a sharp turn, almost throwing both of them out but fortunately she got her senses back in time.
She quickly reverted her gaze, the carriage was too dark from inside to see anything properly but those eyes of his were hard to forget.
"Oh, gods..." she whispered, "You are a criminal!"
"Take a left turn, not there!"
He glanced back as if looking at some pursuers and it only caused Anna's fears to spike up. He had to be a criminal who was escaping!
"Get out of here!"
Anna didn't care if she would get caught and punished, if she helped a criminal, wouldn’t the consequences be much worse? And what if he sold her again?
"Lady, keep your voice down!"
"I will call the guards!"
"Don't do that!"
The carriage went out of control. Anna accidentally increased the speed instead of stopping. The sudden spike caused her stomach to feel weird. She had never felt something so fast and in her panic, she even forgot the controls!
The man behind her murmured a curse under his breath. He pulled the seat back and climbed in the front seat with ease.
Anna instinctively brought her hands in front of her and the carriage lost its control.
"Don't hurt me!"
"I am not a criminal!"
He leaned towards her and took the controls in his hand before their carriage could slam into a giant tree. Anna pressed herself back and felt a rush of heat at their close proximity.
"Of course you are a criminal! I have seen that face before!"
The carriage finally returned to a steady pace and he looked at her with a raised eyebrow. Anna cowered back, her face was pale.
A dry laugh of disbelief left his lips. His one hand was behind her seat and then he slightly tilted his head as if to look at her properly.
"You are new here, aren't you?"
His gaze was too intense and overwhelming. She didn't dare to look at him any longer and averted her eyes.
"...I have seen you in a wanted poster."
"Oh that, I am sure you did."
Her face turned as red as a carrot, one of her fingers was on the door handle and she had unlocked it when she noticed something in front of the carriage.
"A guard!"
There was a man in front of the carriage, a hope flickered in Anna's heart. However, the carriage didn't stop. She had no idea how to do that, the criminal beside cursed in realization.
"The breaks can't work."
They were at a frighteningly fast speed. In a moment of panic, Anna sharply turned the wheels.
Both of them got roughly pressed against the unlocked door. Anna's heart skipped a beat as the door opened with a small click but she held herself in time. With a loud noise, the carriage crashed right into the nearest fountain.
Anna's horrified eyes met the man in front of her before she lost her balance and both of them tumbled inside the fountain pond.
Ivan watched the scene unfold with a bewildered expression. A few seconds passed after the two people had fallen inside the pond and only after the girl came out gasping and clutching the edge of the pond did Ivan snap out of his shock.
He rushed over to help them.
Anna clenched the edge of the pond as if her life depended on it, her breaths were labored and her heart was filled with anxiety. The sound of the carriage colliding with the statue was still loud in her mind.
Her fear had only started when a sudden crack made her flinch. She glanced back and the statue of a water maiden lost its head. It tumbled down and smashed right into the carriage's glass window.
Anna's face turned white. The man beside her had a pained expression and then he glanced at her with a raised eyebrow.
She was about to accuse him of distracting her and causing the mess when a familiar knight rushed and looked at the man with a frown.
"Are you alright, Your Grace?"
Anna wished that the shallow water could drown her.