As the sun begins to rise, Eliana stirs awake, finding herself lying on a hard floor with only a small, tattered blanket to cover her. The room she is in resembles a prison cell, complete with decaying food from her last meal scattered on the ground.
"Time to start the day," she announces as she rises from the hardwood floor and makes her way to the left side of the room where a sink is located. Upon reaching the sink, she turns on the faucet and splashes cold water on her face to wake herself up.
Before she could finish her thought, there was a loud knock on the door. "Come on, we're waiting for dinner. If you don't come now, you won't get any food." A woman's voice called from outside the door before she let out a hearty laugh and walked away.
But Eliana didn't feel sad; instead, she quickly got ready and opened the door, making her way to the dining room. As she entered, she saw a large table in the center with six seats, all of them occupied. "Don't just stand there, young lady. Get the food ready," the woman at the head of the table commanded. She sat with an air of superiority, as if she were the queen of an empire. This was Duchess Victoria Laurent, her stepmother and the ruler of their town.
Eliana nods and rushes to do as she was bidden. She quickly served the soup course, which consisted of a thin broth with a few vegetables and a single piece of stale bread per person. The family, except for her father Marcus, began to eat without even acknowledging her presence. He gave her a saddened look before returning his gaze to his meal. As they ate, Eliana stood by the wall, watching them enjoy their meal and wishing she could join them.
After everyone had finished their soup, Eliana cleared the dishes and hurried back into the kitchen. She knew that if she was too slow, there would be consequences. She refilled the pot with water from the well and started a fire underneath it to boil it for the next course: boiled potatoes and greens.
After a while, Eliana finishes cleaning the living room and goes to clean the tables. Just as she was about to start, her stepbrother Cedric comes in without making a sound, thanks to a small spell he used to mask his footsteps.
Cedric sneaks up behind Eliana, his hand reaching out like a viper striking its prey. With a forceful grab, he squeezes her breast, causing her to recoil in shock and pain. She stumbles backwards, falling to the ground with tears streaming down her face as she clutches her injured chest.
"What are you doing?!" Eliana cries out, her voice trembling with fear and confusion.
Cedric stands over her, towering like a predator ready to pounce. "What does it look like I'm doing?" he spits back, his voice dripping with venom. "You're nothing but a toy in this house, so why not have some fun with you?"
As he looms closer, his twisted smile sending shivers down her spine, Eliana realizes the true danger she's in. Trapped under Cedric's gaze and at the mercy of his sick desires, she can only pray for someone to save her from this living nightmare.
With no one else to turn to, her only option was to flee. As Cedric approached, she grabbed a nearby broom and used it to push him away before sprinting towards the front door and escaping the mansion.
Running out of the mansion, Eliana's feet pounding against the cold stone floor, her injured chest throbbing painfully with every breath. The sound of Cedric's angry shouts echoing in her ears as she races towards freedom. Her heart is hammering in her chest like a wild thing, desperate to escape the horror that lurks behind her. The smell of freshly baked bread from the village bakery mixes with the scent of cut grass and wildflowers on the cool night air. She can taste fear on her tongue, bitter and metallic.
Suddenly, Eliana finds herself careening around a corner, nearly tripping over a loose cobblestone. She rights herself quickly, pushing forward with all her might. The market area of the village comes into view up ahead - a welcome sight after so many years living under the shadow of Cedric's cruelty.
But just as she thinks she's made it, she hears footsteps behind her once more. Panic wells up inside her like bile rising in her throat as she turns to face her pursuer once more. It's him - that twisted smile etched into his features as he chases after her like a rabid dog after its prey. His long strides eat up the distance between them quickly, and Eliana knows she has to move faster if she wants to escape his clutches for good.
With nothing but adrenaline fueling her steps now, Eliana sprints down the dirt path that leads towards Ravenwood - the bustling village just beyond Willowbrook where people from all walks of life come together in harmony despite their differences. The sounds of laughter and music float on the breeze, mixing with the rustle of leaves overhead and distant hoofbeats from travelers passing by on their way through town. The taste of hope fills her mouth as she closes in on safety.
Just as she reaches the edge of Ravenwood's cobblestone streets, Cedric grabs onto her arm roughly - his grip like iron digging into her skin through thin fabric sleeves - yanking her back violently toward him like a ragdoll being yanked away from its owner by an unseen force. Pain shoots through her shoulder as he pulls harder still until finally releasing his grip with a growl when they enter town proper where there are more people milling about late in the afternoon than usual due to some sort of celebration going on nearby which distracts them both momentarily allowing for an opportunity for Eliana to break free again causing confusion among those who saw what happened amidst their own celebrations making them wonder if they had simply imagined it or not...
Eliana's heart pounded in her ears, and her lungs burned from the desperate flight through the winding streets of Ravenwood. The sounds of laughter and merriment filled her with a newfound hope, but it was short-lived as she felt a strong grip on her arm. She turned to see Cedric, his cold eyes fixed on her, his teeth gritted in determination. With a powerful tug, he yanked her back towards him, and Eliana's breath caught in her throat. The cobblestone beneath their feet rattled under their combined weight as they struggled. People looked up from their drinks and conversations, some even pointing or whispering about the commotion happening right there in the middle of town square.
With superhuman strength, Eliana managed to free herself from his grasp just as suddenly as he had grabbed her, sending him stumbling backward with a yelp of surprised pain. Free once more, she turned and ran again - this time fueled by something more than fear alone - anger propelling her forward. The warmth of the sun on her skin contrasted sharply with the chill in her bones; the smell of freshly baked bread and spiced meats filled her nostrils while urging footsteps echoed behind her like thunder. She ducked down an alleyway lined with colorful awnings and beautifully painted storefronts overflowing with rare goods from faraway lands she could only dream of visiting one day. The sounds around her muffled slightly as she passed through rows upon rows of market stalls filled with exotic wares and chattering merchants touting their wares.
As she raced down another street, she couldn't help but notice how different it was from Willowbrook: here in Ravenwood everything seemed so vibrant, alive! Music floated through the air on a gentle breeze mixed with the scent of wildflowers from nearby fields while songbirds flitted between trees lining cobblestone walkways that led to imposing stone buildings. There were even fountains adorned with gilded statues that sparkled in the light reflecting off their golden filigree workmanship! But no matter how entrancing this lively town might be - or how far away from home it felt - all Eliana wanted was escape... Escape from Cedric's clutches at least for now...
Just then she rounded another corner into yet another narrow lane when she bumped into someone taller than herself. A man with long red hair swaying around him as if caught by an invisible wind god's breath who looked down at her with piercing silver eyes full of compassion that nearly stopped time itself as if seeing straight into her soul – right through any remaining defenses she had left intact after years under Cedric's cruelty – seeing straight into those dark depths where hurt resided like forgotten memories buried deep within some dusty old chest full of broken mirrors.
Eliana's heart races as she looks over her shoulder, expecting Cedric to catch up to her at any moment. The man beside her can see the fear in her eyes and asks if she is alright.
Before he can even reply, Cedric appears from around the corner, his face twisted with anger. "How dare you flirt with another man," he seethes, his voice laced with possessiveness. "When we get home, you will pay with your body." Eliana's breath catches in her throat as she realizes the danger she's in.
But before Cedric can reach her, the man signals to someone lurking in the shadows. In an instant, a figure lunges out and tackles Cedric to the ground, holding him down with a powerful grip. "Do you know who I am?" Cedric struggles against the unseen force, but their hold only tightens.
"Excuse us for a moment," the man says calmly, removing his jacket and draping it around Eliana's shoulders before walking towards Cedric. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Duke Sebastian Blackwood, lord of this village." As he speaks, his voice resonates with power that makes the surroundings tremble in fear.