Chereads / Preordained / Chapter 2 - Escaping Is My Talent

Chapter 2 - Escaping Is My Talent

** Count of Valebrook Mansion**

"Lady Lunette! Why are you still in bed? It's time to get up! Today is your coming of age ceremony—your debut, your formal introduction to society. You can't afford to be this carefree," Ashley scolded as she carefully brushed Lunette's hair.

Lunette laughed softly, biting into the apple in her hand. "You're more excited than I am, Ashley."

Ashley gave her a weary smile. "My lady, I may not know what's going on with you lately, but I have a bad feeling about today." She let out a deep breath before continuing, "Anyway, we mustn't make any mistakes. Let's focus on preparing." Bending down, she took Lunette's hand in hers. "I'm doing this for your own good, My Lady."

Lunette's smile wavered. "Ashley, I'm sorry."

Shaking her head, Ashley replied, "You don't need to apologize, My Lady. I'm sure you'll be the most beautiful one today. The spotlight will be yours. I know how long you've been waiting for this day."

Lunette felt a pang of guilt, knowing she was deceiving Ashley. But there was no other way. She couldn't just wait around for death to come for her; she had to escape while she still had the chance.

When Lunette was ready, she headed toward the carriages. There were two—one for her and one for Rohese. Today was also Rohese's debut, along with other noble girls.

Midway through the journey, Lunette glanced out the window before turning her gaze toward Ashley, who sat across from her. She had specifically asked Ashley to ride with her, knowing she'd need someone to take her place. As much as she had thought about bringing Ashley with her, convincing her to run away was impossible. Ashley was too loyal and rigid about rules.

"Ashley, I have something to give you," Lunette said.

Ashley, who had been nodding off, looked up in confusion. "What is it, My Lady?"

Lunette pulled out a letter. "Promise me you'll give this to sister Rohese at the ball." She placed the letter in Ashley's hand.

"This—"

"I'm sorry, Ashley," Lunette interrupted, her frown deepening.

Before Ashley could react, Lunette swiftly knocked her unconscious.

Wasting no time, Lunette quickly changed clothes with Ashley.

"Stop the carriage!" Lunette called out.

A servant appeared at the window. "Is something wrong, Lady Lunette?"

Now veiled and trying to disguise her voice, Lunette replied, "Yes, Lady Lunette has asked me to return to the mansion to retrieve something."

"But—"

"Do you want to be punished for disobeying her orders? Don't you know her temper?!" Lunette snapped.

"I—" The servant hesitated but couldn't argue. He let Lunette, now disguised as Ashley, step down from the carriage.

"Miss Ashley, should someone accompany you back?" the servant asked.

Fortunately, the servants on this trip were new hires Lunette had specifically chosen to ensure no one would recognize her. It was the only way she could avoid getting caught.

"There's no need," Lunette replied. "Just hurry along. Don't let Lady Lunette be late."

With a nod, the carriage continued on its way, leaving Lunette behind.

She exhaled a deep sigh of relief. It had been easier than she expected. Her parents hadn't been suspicious enough to place more guards around her. Luck, it seemed, was on her side. Perhaps, in the end, god knew she didn't belong in this twisted world.

**–Debutante Ball–**

Inside the carriage, Ashley now found herself dressed in her lady's attire, panicking and unsure of what to do next. Before she knew it, she had arrived at the ball. Her heart raced as the moment for her announcement drew near. She paced nervously, torn between informing the Count and Countess and keeping Lunette's secret. Then, she remembered the letter.

Quickly, Ashley made her way through the crowd, searching for Rohese, but Lunette was nowhere to be seen. Stress mounting, she finally spotted Rohese on the balcony.

"Lady Rohese!" Ashley called out, but quickly lowered her voice to avoid drawing attention.

Rohese turned, puzzled. "Who called me?" she wondered aloud. From behind the curtain appeared Ashley—dressed in Lunette's outfit.

"Ashley? What's going on?" Rohese asked, walking toward her in confusion.

Ashley fell to her knees. "Lady Rohese, my lady—she—she ran away!"

"What did you say?" Rohese asked, shocked.

Ashley sobbed, "The lady ran away. She knocked me out, switched clothes with me, and by the time I woke up, she was gone. Lady Rohese, I deserve to be punished—"

Rohese knelt down, helping her up. "Speak slowly, Ashley. Where and when did she leave?"

"I don't know, my lady. The servants said they dropped her off midway through town," Ashley explained, trembling.

Rohese frowned. "And they didn't stop her?"

"The servants were newly hired. They probably didn't realize it was her in disguise. Lady Rohese, the ball is about to begin—what am I going to do?" Ashley cried, panic rising.

Rohese sighed, exasperated. "Lunette, why did you run away?"

"Lady Rohese," Ashley said, "before the lady knocked me out, she gave me this letter to deliver to you." She handed the letter to Rohese.

Rohese opened it and read:

**Dear my beautiful sister, Rohese Valebrook,**

It is I, your arrogant younger sister, Lunette. I am deeply sorry for my past behavior. I was never meant to hold this position in the first place. I'm just an illegitimate child, born from the affair of our unfaithful father and my greedy mother. You are the rightful heir of the Valebrook family—the only true lineage. I have no claim to this name, so I'm returning it to its rightful owner. 

Sister, please don't come looking for me. By the time you read this, I'll be far from the city. Use this debut to solidify your influence. Make the elders see your worth, and don't let Father's corrupt ways overshadow you. Please be careful, and live a happy life. I intend to do the same.

**—Lunette**

Rohese let out a long, weary sigh.

"Lady Rohese?" Ashley whispered, uncertain.

Rohese turned to her, pulling out a handkerchief. "Here, cover your face. Make sure no one suspects anything. Did anyone see you?"

Ashley shook her head. "No, Lady Rohese. I was too afraid to show my face, especially in my lady's dress."

Rohese smiled gently and patted her shoulder. "It'll be alright. Just follow my lead."

Together, they entered the ballroom as the noble ladies were announced. Everything went smoothly. No one suspected Ashley or pressured her to dance. Whenever asked, Ashley declined, pretending she had injured her ankle.

But then, Lunette's mother, Countess Thessalia Valebrook, approached.

"Lunette, darling, why are you refusing to dance? You've turned down so many offers—Lunette?"

Ashley quickly looked down, trying to hide her face.

The Countess's eyes narrowed. "You're not Lunette," she said, grabbing Ashley and dragging her to a secluded part of the garden.

Once they were alone, the Countess ripped the veil from Ashley's face. "You—Ashley?!"

Ashley dropped to the ground, pleading for forgiveness.

The Countess put a hand to her head as if she might faint. "My head… you—where is Lunette?" she demanded.

Ashley shook her head frantically. "The lady ran away, Countess," she cried.

"Ran away?!" the Countess slapped Ashley hard across the face.

Ashley stumbled but quickly regained her composure, apologizing again.

"Why didn't you stop her? And you're disguising yourself as her?" the Countess yelled, grabbing Ashley's reddened face.

Ashley, sobbing, pleaded, "Countess Thessalia, I tried! But the lady knocked me unconscious!"

"Don't make excuses!" the Countess raised her hand again but froze as Rohese came running toward them.

"Mother, please stop!"

The Countess turned to face Rohese, her expression hard. "So, you knew about this, didn't you? I underestimated you, Rohese. Did you plan this with that lowly maid?"

"Mother!" Rohese exclaimed, stepping closer. "I only just found out! This wasn't my plan, and it wasn't Ashley's either—it was Lunette's! If only you had paid more attention to her instead of spending your days shopping, you might have noticed something was wrong!"

"You're calling me a bad mother now?" the Countess seethed.

Rohese took a deep breath. "That's not what I meant. But if you could control your temper, no one would suspect anything. Or do you want the entire nobility to know what's going on?"

The Countess slowly released her grip on Ashley. "Then where could she have gone?"

"The servants said she got off midway through town. Lunette is trying to leave the city. She's probably looking for the fastest way to travel. A magical transportation device would be too costly, so she's likely using either a carriage or a train. A carriage would be too slow, so most likely she took a train. Luckily, there are only two train stations."

The Countess glared at Rohese. "You better be right," she muttered before stomping back toward the ball.

Rohese helped Ashley, who was still on the ground, back to her feet.

Behind the bushes, a man in a server's attire let out a chilling chuckle. "She ran away? That's not like the lady I know."

"Your Highness," came a voice. A nobleman with golden blonde hair shining in the moonlight approached. His name was Hugon Stonehelm, the Knight Commander of the Iron Shield, a prestigious order of royal knights.

The man in the server's attire was Alaric, who gazed at the moon before slowly turning to Hugon with a disinterested look.

"As you predicted," Hugon said, "the Count is hosting another slavery auction tonight, taking advantage of the chaos at the ball to avoid suspicion."

"The Count doesn't seem to be as loving as the rumors said. Prepare to leave," Alaric ordered, turning toward his carriage. "We can't miss the auction, can we?"

As Alaric walked, he gestured for Hugon to come closer, then whispered something to him. Hugon nodded and notified his men of the plan.

Moments later, Alaric mounted his horse and vanished into the night.

Meanwhile, Lunette, relaxing in a carriage bound for the train station, massaged her legs. She had initially planned to walk, but walking wasn't her style. Hugging her bag of clothes, she smiled. "Goodbye, Valebrook. Goodbye, Darkmoor. And goodbye, Lunette—From now on, I am Klaire again." She laughed to herself.

Her peaceful moment was interrupted when the carriage suddenly jolted to a stop, causing her to bump her head against the wall.

"What's going on?" Lunette asked, stepping out of the carriage.

The trembling horseman stammered, "M-Miss, the carriage broke down. Th-There's another carriage you can take instead—p-please, forgive me."

Suspicious of his behavior, Lunette scanned the new carriage but ultimately sighed. She needed to make it to the train station, so without further thought, she climbed aboard.

After what felt like an eternity, the carriage halted again. Groggy from dozing off, Lunette asked, "Is something wrong?"

No response.

"Hello?" Lunette sighed, about to step out when a sword was suddenly pointed at her neck. Her eyes widened. "I'm just an innocent traveler! Please don't hurt me! I have money—take it, and I'll keep quiet, I swear!"

The man holding the sword glanced back, calling out, "Sir, it's a woman."

An older man, nearly bald and scarred, approached. "Well, well, what do we have here?" He grabbed Lunette's face. "She's pretty. She'll fetch a nice price. Take her away."

Just like that, Lunette found herself locked in a prison cell with other captives. The scene made it painfully clear—she had been kidnapped into a human trafficking ring. She had fled one nightmare only to land in another.

Beside her sat a younger girl with blonde hair. Lunette leaned in. "Hey kid, what's your name? I'm Klaire."

The girl stares at Lunette then ignores her.

"Kid?"

"My name's Ashley," the girl replied.

Klaire blinked. Ashley, like her maid? What a coincidence.

"That's a lovely name. How old are you?"

"I'm eleven," Ashley said.

"Eleven?!" Klaire exclaimed. "You're just a child! How did you end up here?"

Ashley frowned. "I got lost while on a trip with my sister... I ran away, and that's how I got caught."

Same situation?

Klaire tried to lift her spirits. "Can I call you Little Ash?"

Ashley hugged her knees, muttering, "Whatever."

Reaching into her pocket, Klaire pulled out a small piece of bread and offered it. "Here, take this."

"I'm not hungry," Ashley refused, but her stomach growled in protest.

Klaire chuckled softly. "You're not hungry, huh?"

Ashley shot her a glare, but Klaire quickly shoved the bread into her mouth. "Don't waste it. It's the last piece I have."

Ashley turned away but began to chew. Soon, a quiet sob escaped her.

Klaire gently grabbed her face. "You're crying?"

"I'm not," Ashley mumbled, "I'm just... happy. At least I won't die just yet"

Klaire patted her head. "I promise, I'll get us out of here. Escaping is my specialty."

Moments later, Glover, the scarred old man, returned. His men called him Glover the Drunk, a fitting name given the smell of alcohol that followed him.

"The auction's about to start. Get them ready," Glover ordered his subordinates, pointing at Lunette. "Make sure she's dressed up. She'll fetch a high price with that face."

"Yes, sir."

In the grand auction room, masked bidders in dull yet luxurious attire whispered among themselves. Their presence exuded wealth and power.

One by one, the captives were brought out. When it was Lunette's turn, she was forced up the stairs, her hands bound, her eyes covered. She wore a heavy greenish-blue gown, exposing her collarbone. Though her hair was now short, freckles drawn on her face and her once-green eyes disguised as brown, her beauty still shone through.

"This new product is freshly captured," the auctioneer announced. "No scars, no wounds—she's like a goddess with her dark hair and striking face."

"Fifteen pounds!" someone shouted.

"Fifty!"

"One hundred! But remove the blindfold. We need to see her face!"

The auctioneer hesitated, looking to Glover for approval. Glover nodded, and the blindfold was removed.

Among the crowd were Alaric and Hugon.

"That's not Lady Lunette," Hugon whispered. "She's supposed to have long black hair and green eyes, like her mother."

But Alaric ignored him. "Five hundred pounds!" he called out.

The crowd murmured in shock.

"Five hundred going once, twice—sold!"

Lunette—or rather, Klaire—narrowed her eyes, trying to see who had bought her. Five hundred pounds? What a wealthy bidder. But she wouldn't give in so easily.

Back in the holding room with the other captives, Klaire plotted her escape. She quietly shuffled toward a girl sitting nearby, whispering, "Help untie my hands. I'll get us out."

The girl hesitated, whispering back, "You're going to get us killed."

Klaire glared. "Do you want to die here, or escape?"

After a moment's hesitation, the girl began working on Klaire's knots. A few tense minutes passed, and finally, her hands were free. But just as Klaire was about to celebrate, a guard glanced their way. She quickly feigned pain, sobbing loudly.

The guard turned his attention back, feigning ignorance.

Klaire swiftly untied her feet and freed the girl. "Ouch!" she exclaimed loudly.

The guard rushed over. "What is it again?"

"My stomach... it hurts," Klaire groaned, writhing on the floor.

"Help her!" barked another captives from the cell across. "She's worth a fortune! What do you think Glover will do if she dies?"

Panicked, the guard unlocked the cell. As he bent down to check on Klaire, the boy, another kidnapped child from behind him strangled the guard with a cloth. Klaire seized the moment, grabbed a container, and smashed it over the guard's head, knocking him out cold.

Klaire rifled through the guard's pockets, finding a dagger. After kicking him one more time for good measure, she sprinted out with the rest of the captives.

Outside, she spotted a wagon with children inside—one of them was Ashley. Lunette hurried to free them.

"I told you I'd get us out," she whispered, smiling.

Klaire severed the ropes tethering the wagon to the horses and helped Ashley onto one of them.

"Do you know how to ride?" Klaire asked.

Ashley shook her head.

"Hold on tight, no matter what. If you fall, run."

Ashley sobbed. "What about you?"

Klaire smiled softly. "Don't worry about me," she said before slapping the horse's flank, sending it galloping into the forest.

Then, Klaire disappeared into the woods herself.

Amid the chaos, the crowd inside remained oblivious to what was about to unfold.

A subordinate whispered something into Hugon's ear, and he promptly relayed the message to Alaric. 

Alaric's brow arched in surprise before a smirk curled on his lips. "Proceed with the plan."

Meanwhile, Glover, informed of the incident by his own men, stormed out of the auction room in fury. His departure left his post vulnerable, allowing Hugon and his men to slip into Glover's office unnoticed.

Glover had commanded his subordinates to track down the escapees, ordering them to kill anyone who resisted.

Klaire sprinted through the woods, careful not to trip, but soon found herself cornered by a lake, with nothing but rocks and water ahead. 

The traffickers were hot on her trail, but upon reaching the lake, they found nothing. The place was eerily silent, as if no one had ever been there. 

Hiding beneath the water, behind a large rock, Klaire and another man concealed themselves. The man pressed a finger to his lips, signaling for her to stay quiet. Klaire nodded, following his lead.

The footsteps of the traffickers drew nearer, and the man gestured for Klaire to dive deeper into the water. Unsure, Klaire hesitated, but the man pulled her under just in time as their pursuers scanned the area above. Their shadows lingered over the water.

"Sir, there's no sign of her or anyone," one of the men said, but the lead trafficker wasn't convinced. He hurled daggers into the water, narrowly missing Klaire, who was shielded by the man next to her. He took the hit instead, a shallow cut marking his arm.

Klaire's lungs burned, and as her breath faltered, bubbles began escaping her mouth. Just as she was on the brink of losing consciousness, she instinctively grabbed the man by the collar and pressed her lips to his, stealing his breath. Startled, he didn't stop her.

Moments later, Klaire broke through the surface, gasping for air. The traffickers had left. As she coughed and panted, her reflection in the water revealed that her eye color had returned to its natural green— the water had washed off the potion.

The man glanced at her silently.

Klaire turned to him. "Thank you for saving me. I promise I'll repay you someday."

She tried to climb out of the water, but the weight of her soaked dress pulled her back, causing her to stumble. Frustrated, she tore away part of her dress, cutting it to her thighs, and finally managed to stand. 

Glancing at the man again, Klaire realized the state of her appearance. Her dress, now cut and drenched, revealed more than she intended. Blushing, she hurriedly covered herself as she moved toward the shore. "Please don't look—I didn't realize."

She cleared her throat. "Anyway, thank you again. I won't forget this." With that, she vanished into the forest.

The man, with amber-brown hair and lifeless reddish-yellow eyes, chuckled quietly to himself. What was this strange feeling stirring within him?

"Your highness, apologies for the delay," Hugon said as he approached.

Alaric, now out of the water, removed his shirt and handed it to Hugon. "Follow her."

"Was she Lady Lunette?" Hugon asked, puzzled.

A chilling smile crept across Alaric's face. "Yes, though it seems she doesn't remember me. I recognized her, even beneath that ridiculous disguise." He ran a hand through his hair. "I only changed my hair color, yet she forgot me. Isn't that sad?"

"Your highness, say the word, and I'll end her life," Hugon offered.

Alaric chuckled darkly. "Do I seem that merciful, Hugon?"

**Count Valebrook's Mansion**

In Count Zadimous's office, a loud thud echoed through the room.

Grabbing the butler, Tyler Marteby the collar, the count demanded, "What did you just say?! The account book is missing?! What else is gone?!"

The butler, sweating, stammered, "The list of our clients' names is also missing, my lord."

Count Zadimous slammed his hand onto the desk. "And who's responsible for this?"

"Glover mentioned receiving an anonymous tip. When they investigated, they found a girl with short black hair and brown eyes. After she was brought in, the theft occurred. Glover suspects she might be a spy," the butler explained.

"Black hair?" The count sighed. "Lunette has black hair too."

"My lord, I'm certain it wasn't Lady Lunette," the butler insisted. "The girl looked nothing like her."

Enraged, the count hurled a cup at the butler, causing him to bleed. "And he couldn't handle a mere girl?! Find her, no matter the cost! And tell Glover to lay low for now."

Just as the butler was about to leave, the count stopped him. "Wait! Send as many men as needed to find my daughter. Ensure she returns safe and sound."

The butler nodded before hurrying out.