The sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the dimly lit street. The man ran as if his very life depended on it. His face was pale and sweaty despite the night's biting cold. Anyone who crossed his path received a sharp glare or a gruff shove as he muttered under his breath, his breath clouding the air in wisps. The Rutledge Mansion loomed ahead, its grandeur a polar opposite to the desperation that clung to the man like a second skin.
It had rained heavily a few nights ago, and the cold winds rolling in from the nearby ocean made the night even more unbearable. The mansion stood as a proud symbol of nobility, its high walls and ornate designs declaring the wealth and status of its residents. Yet, the man's frantic shouting as he reached the gates disrupted the quiet atmosphere.
"My Lord!" the man yelled in a hoarse voice. "My lord! Open the door!"
Inside the mansion, Viscount Edward Rutledge sat comfortably in his study, a glass of fine wine in hand. He was reviewing some documents, his brow crumbling in thought, when the noise reached him. His irritation was immediate. Who dared to disturb the peace of his home at this hour? Rising to his feet, he stepped out into the grand hall, where his wife, Victoria, and their daughter, Sofia, had also gathered, drawn by the commotion.
"What is the meaning of this?" Rutledge barked as he approached the front main hall, his authoritative voice booming. "Do you not realize this is a noble's residence, not some commoner's den?"
The man at the door, panting and trembling, fell to his knees as soon as the doors were opened. "My lord," he gasped, his words stumbling over one another. "Your shipping business… the ships… they've sunk. Everything is gone. No survivors."
The color drained from Rutledge's face. "What nonsense is this?" he thundered, but before he could demand further explanations, the butler entered, his face unusually pale.
"My lord," the butler said, his voice tight, "a messenger sends the message. The Royal Knights are coming tomorrow morning… to arrest you and your entire family."
The weight of the two devastating blows hit Rutledge like a physical force. His once proud and commanding presence seemed to shrink under the crushing reality. His business—his estate—was gone, and with it, the gold he had borrowed from the Guild. And now, the Royal Knights were coming for him
. Victoria clutched her husband's arm, tears streaming down her face. "Edward, what do we do?" she sobbed.
Sofia, standing nearby, looked equally horrified. Her face was pale, her hands trembling as she clenched her fists. "Father," she said, her voice steady despite the fear in her eyes, "we need to leave. Now. They'll come for us at dawn. We can't wait."
Rutledge hesitated, his mind racing. The realization that someone had betrayed him, leaking his financial dealings to the Crown, made his blood boil. But there was no time to dwell on it.
"Through the servants' passage," he finally said, his voice low but firm. "We leave tonight."
The family moved quickly, gathering what little they could carry. The mansion, once bustling with servants, now felt eerily empty.
By the time Captain Killion and the Royal Knights arrived at the Rutledge Mansion, it was silent. The grand halls and rooms were empty, the family long gone. Even the servants had no idea where they had go.
---
Meanwhile, in a dimly lit chamber deep within the Merchant Guild, a cloaked figure sitting in the shadows. The Guild Master's face was obscured, but his laughter echoed menacingly as he leaned forward, his voice dripping with mockery.
"Rutledge must have realized by now that his empire has crumbled," the Guild Master said, addressing the man before him, Guild Director Liam.
Liam smirked. "To think he would gamble ten billion gold on a shipping venture. The greed of men knows no bounds."
"Greed," the Guild Master mused, "Is a weapon sharper than any blade. It can destroy kingdoms and bring men to their knees. And now, Rutledge runs like a rat, but he'll come to us. He has no choice."
In the corner of the chamber, three figures lay bound in chains, their bodies battered and bruised. They had been tortured for days, their faces hollow from hunger and pain. The Guild Master approached them, his laughter turning cruel.
The man tried to speak, but his voice was barely a whisper. The Guild Master only laughed harder, turning back to Liam. "The Rutledge family will come to us. Mark my words."
---
At the Royal Palace, tensions were running high. The Crown Prince sat in his office; his expression dark. Reports of the Rutledge family's disappearance were pouring in, and the failure to apprehend them was unacceptable.
"They've vanished," a soldier reported, his voice stained with fear. "It's as if someone is helping them escape."
The Crown Prince's fist slammed against the armrest. "Search every corner of the Empire," he ordered. "I want them found."
-----
A week had passed, and the Rutledge family had disappeared without a trace. No one knew where they were or what had happened to them. The entire Empire was on edge, and their posters were plastered everywhere.
"Search for the Rutledge family. If you see them, report immediately," the posters read, warning everyone that their disappearance had become a matter of great urgency. These notices were spread across every town, city, and alley, reminding the people of the once-powerful family's fate.
"The Rutledge family is missing, have you heard?" one person whispered, speaking in hushed tones to their neighbors.
"Poor Sofia… I wonder what's happened to her," another murmured and laughed, as people in the marketplace speculated on the fate of the missing family.
But among the gossiping crowd, a young woman walked with a clenched fist, her expression full of anger. Beneath the hood, Sofia's face was hard with determination. She had overheard the conversations, and something in her eyes revealed she knew more than she let on.
The search for the Rutledge family had turned the Empire into a place of fear and uncertainty. Their posters were everywhere, a constant reminder of their disappearance and the growing mystery surrounding it. But behind the scenes, there was much more at play. A dangerous plot was unfolding, one that would ensnare anyone foolish enough to get to.
---
Far away, hidden deep within a forest, a grand mansion flashes under the moonlight. Fireflies danced around it, their glow adding to the elegant beauty of the scene. The mansion seemed untouched by the chaos of the outside world; a sanctuary hidden from prying eyes.
Inside, the Rutledge family stumbled into the grand hall, their breaths heavy with exhaustion.
"Come on, Sofia," Edward urged as his daughter lingered near the door. She followed him in, her mind racing. This was their only refuge now, a safe house known only to a select few. But safety felt like an illusion. The weight of the bounty on their heads and the betrayal that had brought them to this point lingered in the air like a storm waiting to break.
---
In the Royal Palace, a noblewoman paced the halls, her gown shimmering in the candlelight. Her face was a mask of fury as she barked orders at a servant.
"Find them!" she demanded; her voice sharp. "I don't care what it takes. I want them brought to me, if you do not, I'll kill you!"
The servant bowed hastily and hurried away, leaving the woman seething.
---
The Empire was in chaos, and the fall of the Rutledge family sent shockwaves through its core. Nobles whispered of treachery, commoners speculated about the family's fate, and amidst it all, the Rutledge family remained on the run, their world unraveling piece by piece.