Freedom
A word Isadora had never grasped in her entire life. Her whole life had been a cage.
Her mamma was embarrassed she gave birth to a mannfae, an abomination. She forbade her from leaving the house or seeing anyone and was burdened by house chores and brothers that hated her every breath, and just when she thought the gods had abandoned her, her abilities came forth.
But it never changed the course of her fortune for the better, it only gave them a reason to discard her for-profit—sold across the continent to Dashwell's grasp.
Dashwell forbade her to engage with anyone or speak and locked her up in a tower most of the time, claiming she was too pure to be tainted for her abilities must remain holy—and so she never laid with any man despite being in a brothel for many winters of her life.
They only come to seek her abilities to heal any wound not even the greatest of skin weavers could achieve. Freedom was never hers, for many would like to secure her for themselves no matter the price if given the chance. At least that was what she thought.
Isadora realized after Dashwell's action that no matter how valuable she could be, she could be discarded at any moment.
Nothing but a property tossed between savage people.
Her freedom was absolute now, although she knew she would be a fool to trust Kraven's words but he gave her a head start.
Isadora might not be good for anything except being damned with such abilities, but speed is something she knew she had, for her love for running around the wild at a young age, her mamma never let her venture down the mountain so she made it her playground.
'You'll never catch me, Kraven. I'm done being a property.'
~♧~
From the moment Kraven told her to run, he lingered around to give her the facade that she could outrun him, he was amazed because for up to five minutes he'd been unable to catch even a glimpse of Isadora.
She's fast for a petite girl. Her appearance is indeed the notion that looks could be deceiving, anyone would be fooled that such a girl cannot run properly because of weak bones.
He felt nothing but excitement, the game would not be boring after all, she was a worthy playmate and he promised to savor every single part of it, she wouldn't get far and he'd find her, he didn't intend on letting her go not after he had found her.
He didn't chase—at least not yet—he strolled, eagerly pondering what she would do. Will she keep running until she finds the brook? Or would her body give out? Would she resign to her fate?
'Show me, love'
~♧~
Isadora felt that something wasn't right, she'd been running for no less than an hour and yet she had a feeling he was not chasing her.
But that didn't stop Isadora, she kept running like her life depended on it, frantic and searching in hopes of finding the next brook.
She prayed she would see it before he caught her but her legs told a different story, she knew stopping would only slow her down.
She summoned all the strength her body could muster, determined to keep going, as the tears at the corner of her eyes were swept away by the breeze.
'Please just keep working a little longer, please!'
Just at the corner of her eye, she found it causing her to come to an abrupt stop, a smile spread against her lips. She laughed with relief and happiness, a sound she'd barely ever made in her entire life.
Isadora hurried to it, the distance becoming challenging for her legs would soon give out from exertion but she begged for it to sustain until she crossed it.
Suddenly a hand grabbed the back of her neck before her foot could touch the river, turning her to meet his eyes, the pleasure dancing in his silver eyes.
'No!' Isadora was mortified to the core, the situation changing drastically was too much for her heart to bear.
She was so close to her freedom and it was taken from her once again, what could be more crushing than this? Her insides felt like they would implode in flame and her chest burned.
"You run fast like a little bunny but not fast enough," Kraven said with a chuckle, watching as she paled in complexion.
This was what he wanted, the hope in her eyes dying and showing the eyes of a lost soul... A soul he shall feed with anything he desires.
He closed the distance between them, their faces inches apart. If he could not feel her warm breath he would have assumed she'd died by shock.
"You're mine now, love" he declared.
Isadora was not having any of it, her mind overcome by fury taking over the shock. She reached for his holster strapped around his thigh, took his dagger, and brought it to his throat.
Not having any sense of what she would do with it but maybe she could intimidate him for her freedom.
"Cheating now are we?" he chuckled, leaning into the blade.
"You started it first!" she growled. He did it on purpose, waiting for her to have a taste of freedom with no intention of giving it to her.
"I love it!" he inclined further and Isadora was scared she would cut him now, this man had no brain for sense at all, everything about him was abnormal.
"Fight me, Isadora"—his eyes begged but then he took one look at her deeming she wasn't a good enough opponent—"If you can"
With a growl, Isadora kneeled him in the balls and attempted to run through the brook, but he grabbed her by the hair causing her to yelp.
Using the dagger in hand she swung at him in desperate attempts to wound him but Kraven dodged her little fights with ease.
"Have the run taken all the energy? I expected more" he mocked.
She shrieked and came at him in speed but he kicked her knee and she fell flat on her face. She would not be satisfied until she perhaps wound him, she turned on her back but Kraven was on her.
Isadora aimed to stab him but he took her hand and pinned it above her head, but that didn't stop her from slapping him across the face, again and again until she was breathing heavily and her body exhausted with all the hits.
He stopped the hits and pinned her two hands together.
They both stared at each other with unstable breaths, the loathing and annoyance burning in Isadora's amber eyes and Kraven's with extreme satisfaction in his.
"Fight me all you want, You'll never escape me."