Florah looked left and right nervously wondering where the King had gone. 'They were talking with that beautiful lady, just now' Florah thought while looking around.
Remembering that he was heading in the direction of the inn that she stood in front of, she placed her foot forward only to halt the second after.
' Why was she going to him?' Florah asked herself.
'May be this is the opportunity that God has given her to escape and go back home'. She thought happily
But what route should she take. A confused Florah thought.
Some posh people had started giving her odd looks since she was dressed as a maid but she wasn't with her master.
Concluding that she needed to change really quick before her attire would attract problems. Florah moved to the space between the inn and a big boutique and removed the brown apron, adjusting the white cotton dress underneath. She puffed its shoulders, tightening the waist, she let her hair down and combed it with her fingers to make it look neat.
'Huuu' she exhaled readying herself to escape from the king, something she thought she would never have to deal with.
Coming out of the small alley, Florah looked around subtly to realise that no one paid attention to her.
Walking with her head bowed, Florah went in the opposite direction from where she came from walking with fast and steady steps.
Gavriel watched the red head from the inn's window as she had changed her appearance but her red hair made it easy to single her out and her clothes that didn't belong to such a place. 'Did she really think that loosing the apron would create a difference'. Gavriel thought.
He already knew that she was not behind him when he walked inside the inn but he wanted to see what she would do unsupervised.
'So you want to be chased ,little red' Gavriel smirked his black eyes glinting dangerously.
"Mmmhh ..mmmhh". He glanced at the tied up man talking incoherently in the corner of the room.
Moving to sit in the comfortable red sofa at the center of the well decorated room, Gavriel sipped his whiskey slowly, "Are you finally going to answer truthfully, Wilson" he asked the man who was quick to nod his head.
Going to remove the piece of cloth from the man's mouth, "speak" he ordered.
The man named Wilson spoke "The bodies of the vampires were found already rotten even though they were inspected only two hours after they had been executed".
After that Wilson went quiet. "Go on" Gavriel impatiently urged.
"That is all I know, your highness" Wilson cried. He was happy that his business meeting with the lovely lady Samantha had gone well but he didn't know that his happiness will be short lived when the King's devil eyes lay on him.
"Matt" the king called for his ever so dutiful Butler to knock and enter the room.
"Arrange with Mr.Maxwell here how we will have to enter the HOUSE'S laboratory tomorrow morning".
"What!!!, please your Majesty....." Wilson cried to the departing king who didn't pay heed to his calls.
"Do you want the cloth back in your mouth, Mr. Maxwell". The butler asked politely.
Wilson had been around this butler for only a short-term but he was already scared and uncomfortable in his presence.
'If only the king let him to just die that fateful night' Wilson regrettably thought looking at the butler who was untying him.
Florah kept on walking subtly looking left and right, her footsteps were hurried. She glanced behind her every now and forth praying that no one was following her and so far she was sure no one had bothered to do so.
By now she had walked further and further away from Hollow's Inn. She figured that if she stayed away from the members of the upper class, she would be fine.
Looking ahead she saw four men who stood like guardsmen, they were dressed in black pants and white shirts with metallic helmets on the heads. They had swords strapped around there waists and held a long stick in there right hand.
Florah wondered if they would stop her from leaving the upper class town as she perceived it to be.
She paused her steps and looked at them wondering what she would say that wouldn't get her in trouble.
Moving towards them, she started concocting lies that she was to tell them. Nearing them she started crying, falling down on her knees. Florah pretended to be aggrieved "I needed that job" she cried.
Moving towards the guards in slow lazy steps, she appeared like a weak lonely girl.
She was only five steps away from the guards when she heard one of them ask, "You who are you, what are you doing here?" One of the guardsmen questioned sternly.
Florah fell on her knees keeping her head down, she cried "I was fired!". The guardsmen looked at eachother and one of them again asked "From, where were you fired". Florah cried again "Hollow's inn, l accidentally spilled wine on an esteemed guest and l fired, sir" Florah sniffed hoping they would believe her lies.
The guardsmen looking at the crying woman who looked frail and wore clothes of a peasant and concluded that she was indeed a maid.
Florah heard the same guard say, "Quickly get out of here, this isn't a place for the likes of you". He said in disdain
Florah got up and dragged her feet quickly walking past them all the while sniffing back her tears.
The minute Florah was out of sight from the guardsmen, she wiped her tears and straightened her posture. She stood by the side of the route she had taken, relieved that she had actually managed to escape from two people now.
Smiling to herself, Florah looked at the passing carriages where some looked well polished and others looked ordinary.
Looking around the town that she had now entered, a number of shops stood in line by the side of the route where the carriages and carts passed. She noticed an old woman who was holding the hand of a young boy.
The two looked to also not belong to this town because even though this town seemed not too posh like where she had escaped from. The people here also dressed well, the men wore suits and long over coats, the women wore simpler silk gowns with minimal jewelry around there necks and wrists.
Florah decided to approach the old woman, jogging a little to reach the old woman who looked to be in a hurry.
"Miss..Miss" Florah called when she was near the woman.
Stopping the woman asked spitefully "What do you want?"
"Good morning Miss. I am sorry, for troubling you but can you please tell me the name of this town I am a little lost". Florah inquired politely
The woman scrutinised the girl before her "How did you get lost?" She asked throwing Florah off balance.
Florah went quiet for a minute racking her brain for a story to tell the old woman.
"The truth is Miss, My Misses back in Dradfold sent me to the town of Wollen to pick up a few items for her. But unfortunately l encountered some hooligans who tied me up and stole all the money given to me. They dumped me down that route". She pointed to the route on her right that looked like it led out of this town.
"Luckily they didn't find these coins" Florah removed her brown worn out shoes, removing there inner carpet she dug out two silver coins.
"This is all am left with. Please can you help me". Florah said tearing up
"Young lady, you are a long way away from Wollen more so Dradfold. This is Alizta town after Wollen" The old woman said for Florah's face to fall gathering more tears in her eyes.
"But...we are on our way to Wollen" the old woman said hesitantly holding the little boy closely.
Florah mood uplifted the instant she heard those words. "Please, Please Miss would you let me come with you. I promise to keep to myself and I will also pay for my fare" Florah pleaded with the woman.