After traversing the wilderness and being trapped in the darkness of the forest for days, Claire and Ethan finally saw the light. They managed to get out of the terrifying forest, they had lost count on how many times death had grazed their neck and almost taken their lives.
As their steps took them through a rocky cave, the sight that spread out before them changed everything.
Claire stared in amazement, seeing something she never thought would be so peaceful: a human village.
Several women in simple, faded tunic carried baskets full of fresh vegetables and woven cloth, while men seemed busy talking around a stone well, where clear water was pumped continuously. Here and there, the laughter of children could be heard as they ran around the village, with their small feet leaving footprints on the slightly damp ground after the morning rain.
A delicious aroma immediately greeted them. Claire felt her stomach, which had been empty since the days in the forest, wince with hunger.
'Seems like someone's baking bread,' Claire thought, the smoky cinnamon smell nourishing the air around.
Ethan who was walking beside her turned his head and smiled faintly. "Are you hungry?" he asked, raising an eyebrow with a small smile.
"It's been around three days since we have eaten, maybe even more. I feel like I have just passed through hell for a whole week."
Claire turned to him in slight surprise, feeling embarrassed. "Ah... yes, just a little hungry," she mumbled, her hand slowly holding her stomach that had started to make noises.
They continued walking towards the countryside, the cool wind caressing their faces. Claire began to realize something that made her feel strange. She looked around, trying to recognize this place.
Cobblestone houses were scattered along the dirt road. Simple thatched roofs swayed gently in the wind, as if welcoming Claire's arrival. Some houses looked more solid with large stones neatly arranged, indicating their older age, but still strong enough to face the changing seasons. Very different from the big city she had used to live in.
There were not many people passing by, there was no hustle and bustle of horse-drawn carriages or knights on standby.
Claire frowned, feeling something strange. "Where are we? This place... feels strange," she mumbled.
Ethan sighed and pulled the hood of his cloak lower, covering Claire's head. Claire looked at him, her ruby-red eyes wide in surprise.
"Why?" she asked confusedly.
"You…" Ethan sighed and quickly covered her white hair. "You are the only one in the kingdom to have white hair. If anyone sees you, they will quickly call the guards."
Claire froze, realizing her foolishness. How could she have been so careless?
She had forgotten one important thing: she was a fugitive, the whole kingdom was looking for her. Her long white hair and red eyes were very obvious signs.
The entire kingdom must have issued an order to arrest her. The accusation of being a rebel, of being a traitor to the kingdom, even though Claire had never done anything other than live in the Duke's household, had put a bounty on her head. She had fled just to stay alive.
"Oh, you're right," Claire whispered, lowering her face.
They walked slowly towards the bakery that was at the end of the country road. Claire lowered her hood even further, making sure that her face remained hidden from view.
Ethan's eyes were alert, he watched every corner of the road carefully. Although the countryside seemed peaceful, he knew danger could come at any time.
"It seems like we are on the outskirt of a village. Not a lot of guards at the moment, but we couldn't say the same for tomorrow," Ethan said, his eyes still roaming around the village, scrutinizing each detail, already planning contingencies and escape routes if things go south.
"Village?" Claire was surprised. She looked around more carefully. Indeed, this was not the capital city where she used to live. This place was so different, so far from the life she once knew.
'How did I end up this far away?' Claire thought.
The wilderness had brought her to an unknown place. Her heart sank as she realized that the journey back to see her father and Vincent might take longer than she thought.
Worry slowly crept into her mind. What if she could never go back? What if everything had changed the moment she came back?
Unconsciously, Claire bit her thumb, an old habit that surfaced whenever she was anxious.
"Is this village far from the capital?" Claire asked in a low voice.
Ethan nodded. "Of course. We are very far from that place. It would take several days of travel to get there, especially in this situation."
Claire just nodded without saying anything, her stomach growling even more, but her heart was filled with anxiety. Without saying much more, Ethan pulled her hand, leading her into the bakery.
As soon as they stepped inside, the aroma of freshly baked bread assaulted Claire's senses.
The small shop was lined with wooden shelves filled with loaves of bread of all shapes and sizes. The sound of the shopkeeper kneading dough at the wooden counter was soft, creating a calming rhythm.
Behind the counter, a middle-aged woman was busy loading freshly baked bread into wicker baskets.
Claire felt a moment of security, despite the fact that they were still on the run. She took a deep breath, letting the aroma of the bread and cinnamon soothe her nerves.
"Welcome! What do you need?" asked the middle-aged woman, clapping both of her hands to clean it from the flour.
"2 pieces of bread and a jug of water please." Ethan ordered in a low voice, his eyes still focused on what was happening outside through the shop's small window.
The woman behind the counter handed Ethan two warm buns with a friendly smile, placing the jug of water on the table.
"These buns just came out of the oven. You came just in time," she said, her eyes lingering on Ethan and Claire for a moment before continuing her work.
Ethan handed over a few silver coins as payment and nodded quickly. They quickly left the shop after getting what they needed.
As soon as they stepped out of the shop, the peaceful atmosphere of the countryside felt different. Claire saw several armored knights walking in the distance. Her body tensed, her fear resurfacing.
Ethan quickened his pace, and Claire followed him, lowering her head even further.
"They're still looking for you," Ethan muttered in a low voice. "We should leave soon. We'll find a safer hiding place tonight."
She simply nodded, realizing that even though they were out of the forbidden forest, they were still on the brink of danger.
They quickly walked out of the bakery, avoiding the gazes of the knights patrolling the streets. Ethan held Claire's hand tightly, as if afraid she would slip out of his grasp.
Claire could only watch his back, while her head was spinning, filled with many questions, yet having no answer for most of them.
'Why did he go this far for me?' Claire wondered to herself.
Ethan had never really explained why he helped Claire escape from the threat of monsters and the pursuit of knights. Despite her great gratitude, there was doubt in Claire's mind.
They continued walking along the village road that was starting to get dark. Finally, they arrived at a small inn on the edge of the village. It was simple, like most of the buildings in the village.
The building was made of old brittle wood, some small windows covered by curtains on the side of the door. There was nothing special about the place—an ordinary inn, nothing fancy, but good enough to spend the night.
Ethan gave her a quick glance. "Please don't remove the robe until you enter the room," he said firmly, then immediately stepped into the inn.
Claire just nodded, following behind Ethan. Her gaze fell on Ethan's hand that was still holding hers, and that was when Claire saw the long scratch mark on his arm.
'He's injured... Is it from his fight with the monster earlier?' Claire thought, trying to remember the battle in the forbidden forest.
However, her memory was blurry. She couldn't remember when Ethan had been attacked. There were so many things that had happened, and everything felt like a fog in her mind.
Inside the inn, Ethan approached the reception desk. There stood a middle-aged man with a big belly, smiling kindly although a little bit fatigued.
Ethan immediately spoke to him.
"Two rooms." he said, clearly hoping to find a place to rest soon.
The man stared at Ethan for a moment, then opened the large book in front of him. After checking for a while, he shook his head.
"I'm sorry esteemed guests, unfortunately we only have one empty room at the moment. Others have been occupied."
Ethan was surprised, his eyebrows furrowed. "Just one?" He asked again to make sure. "There aren't two empty rooms?"
"I'm very sorry, sir. We only have six rooms, and five have already been occupied. This is a small village, but sometimes travelers come looking for a place to rest after a long journey," the man explained as he closed his book.
Ethan sighed, standing on his hips with his face expressing annoyance, although he still tried to be relaxed.
"I can't believe this village is popular with travelers," he muttered.
Claire looked at Ethan in confusion. "Aren't you a wanderer? That's basically a traveler." she asked in a low voice, though she was hesitant.
Ethan turned to her and smiled a little.
"Of course. But there's no way I can know the circumstances and whereabouts of all the travelers in this world, right?"
He then stroked Claire's head gently, providing an odd comfort in the midst of their dangerous situation.
After a bit of thought, Ethan finally gave in and booked the single room.
"Okay, we'll take this room," he said to the receptionist.
But Claire was still confused and worried. "What about you?" she asked, her voice sounding anxious.
Ethan chuckled, noticing Claire's anxiety. "You want me to sleep with you?" he asked jokingly, as if testing her courage.
Claire was taken aback by the question. Her cheeks flushed, and she quickly shook her head.
"No way! I don't want to!" she answered quickly. It would be a stupid decision for her to share a room with a man.
Ethan chuckled, then gave Claire the room key. "Here. You go in first. I'll find another place to stay for myself," he said as he handed her the key.
Claire grabbed the key with her hand. "But… What if I get caught? The knights are around here, they could find me at any time!"
Ethan immediately approached and covered Claire's mouth with his hand, looking down at her with a serious gaze.
"Shh… Be careful what you say," he said softly but firmly. "We don't know if there are spies around us or not."
Claire nodded slowly, realizing her mistake. She gripped the key tightly in her hand, her eyes following Ethan as he walked out of the inn.
After Ethan left, Claire bit her lower lip, trying to calm her anxiety. With a heavy breath, she decided to follow Ethan's orders and immediately went to her room.
She climbed the inn's wooden stairs that creaked with every step. When she arrived upstairs, she found her room in the corner, slightly separated from the other rooms.
The wooden door looked old, but sturdy. Claire inserted the key and turned the handle, opening the door slowly.
Entering the room, Claire could see that it was small and simple. There was only one bed with slightly worn sheets, a small table beside the bed, and a window that gave a view of the inn's backyard.
There was nothing special there, but Claire felt a little relieved. At least, here she could take a break from all the pursuits that haunted her.
After making sure the door was locked, Claire took off the robe that covered her and sat on the edge of the bed. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her chaotic thoughts.
'How could all this happen so fast?' she thought. 'From a girl who never left the Duke's residence, now I am a fugitive. Father... Vincent...'
With all her worries, Claire lay down on the bed, closing her heavy eyes. However, the peace she had hoped for had not come. Outside the window, the shadow of the knights on guard still loomed over her mind, not giving her mind a chance to rest.
-ooOoo-