I somehow found my way outside. I didn't have a plan in mind, but I kept running. The pain in my chest felt like a warning to slow down, but I couldn't afford to. My legs stopped working with my brain and slowed. I was breathing through my mouth as I leaped toward the stables. I moved carefully to make sure no one saw me and walked inside. I leaned against the wall in one of the empty stables filled with hay, trying to catch my breath. I was drifting off, and I knew it; it felt like the best thing in that situation.
…
I opened my eyes and looked outside; it was already dark. I groaned as I forced myself up but stumbled and fell. I stared blankly at the entrance to the platform. Someone gasped, and I looked up to see the shocked face of a servant.
"Please," I mumbled. He turned to leave, but I used the little strength I had to call him back. "Please, wait," I said hurriedly. "Please, help me. Don't tell them I'm here, please," I begged.
"I'm sorry, I can't," he said and ran off.
I dragged myself up quickly and stumbled out of the platform. I entered the next stall and started untying the horse, feeling a sense of urgency and exhaustion. I could barely lift my legs to climb onto the horse, so I used the hay by the corner to help myself up. I tapped the horse on its back, and it ran off.
My horseback riding skills are not great, but it didn't matter because I could barely keep myself upright. I just focused on not falling; I wasn't even sure which direction the horse was running.
A loud explosion jolted me from my daze, and apparently, the horse as well. It threw me off its back and ran off. I forced myself up and kept moving, but someone grabbed my hand and pulled me away. I didn't have the energy left to protest.
I allowed myself to be dragged back to the mansion. I was tossed inside a cell and chained.
"Stop trying to escape," Walsh said, hovering over me. "When I get what I want, Alden will have no choice but to switch sides, or they'll abandon you. Either way, it still favors me," he said. I just stared into space until I heard the door close.
I was alone in a dark cell with my hands and legs chained. I leaned my head on the wall and closed my eyes. I wanted to scream and cry, but I couldn't—partly because that would satisfy Eris, and also because I didn't have any energy left.
I struggled a bit but stopped when the pain I knew would come finally did. I bit my bottom lip while trying to distract myself from the pain, but it was impossible. I huffed a breath, hitting my head against the wall to keep my senses awake, but it was pointless.
I couldn't feel anything except the pain and stiffness that enveloped my body. I just wanted it to end. It didn't matter how; I just needed an end to it.
…
I opened my eyes slowly and tried to get up, but my body wasn't cooperating. My hands weren't chained to the front anymore. I shuffled my sleeves for what I had hidden there but stopped when I heard approaching footsteps.
"Good morning, Faina," Eris said, smiling. Even though I didn't stay with them, she still called my name the same way. I hated it. "I'll help you get ready. Today is the day. You slept for a long time and didn't know what was happening," she said.
"The news of your elopement will spread tomorrow. You'll be taken to the South and stay there until we've gotten rid of the second prince," she continued as she undid the chains from the wall. "My brother told me… he saw you with that second prince a few times. He got really jealous because of it. You shouldn't be inconsiderate of people's feelings, Faina," she said, dragging me out of the cell.
"We're having the ceremony today. Then you'll leave tomorrow. We have to do it at night for safety purposes," she added.
I sat on the bed, becoming the doll I once was. Eris smiled and turned to walk out. I quickly removed the hairpin that was hidden in my sleeves and tucked it into my hair.
I knew that Eris used thin, sharp hairpins on her hair. They're tiny and would hurt anyone who touched her hair carelessly. When she was helping me to walk, I took one without her knowledge. I just needed to pick the right one.
The maids walked in to help me get changed. I bathed with the chains still on my hands. When they wanted to wash my hair, I pretended to be itchy and took out the pin.
I walked out with the pin still hidden between my fingers. I just sat there like a doll and let them apply makeup and put a dress on me.
"I was right to go with a black dress. Your skin is too pale," Eris said as she walked in. "Apply enough makeup; give her a little color," she ordered, and the maids nodded and moved into action. "I'll make you into the perfect bride," she said, holding my shoulders. I couldn't help but shudder.
I can't go through that again, especially now that I'm close to my deathbed. The memory of the cold, unforgiving cell and the endless pain feels like it's seared into my very bones. My body is still weak, my mind clouded by exhaustion and despair. The thought of being paraded through another ritual, to be dressed up like a lifeless doll while my freedom slips further away, fills me with dread.
I need to escape, but how will I do it? My mind races with possibilities, each one more desperate than the last. My hands are still shackled, though the chains are lighter now, the weight of them a constant reminder of my predicament. I glance around the room, searching for anything that could be used as a tool or weapon. The hairpin I managed to conceal is a small comfort, but it's not enough. It's just a pin—what could it possibly do against the guards and their unyielding vigilance?
My eyes scan the room again, noting the sparse furnishings—a bed, a small table, a mirror with an ornate frame. Perhaps there's something I've missed, some small, overlooked detail that could help me. The mirror's frame looks sturdy. Maybe I could use it to break the chains if I can manage to pry it loose.
The maids are coming and going, their chatter and footsteps a constant, nagging presence. I need to act before they become too suspicious or before Eris returns to oversee my final preparations. I focus on my breathing, trying to calm the pounding of my heart as I rehearse the plan in my mind.
What if I use the hairpin to pick the lock on my chains? It's a risky move, and I'll need to do it quickly. If I manage to free myself, I'll still need to navigate the mansion's labyrinthine corridors, avoid the guards, and find a way out. It feels like an impossible task, but I have to try.
The fear of the ceremony, of being forced into a life I can't bear, pushes me to action. I think of the people I'll leave behind, of the life I yearn for, and I know I can't give up. I have to escape. I have to find a way out before it's too late.
The clock is ticking, and every second that passes is a second closer to the inevitable . My mind is a whirl of thoughts and plans, but one thing is clear: I must act now, or forever be trapped in this nightmare.