The Weight of the Night
Emma woke to the feeling of Ruby shifting beside her. The sky above was still dark, the stars barely flickering through the thick canopy of leaves. The wind carried the faint scent of damp earth, and the rhythmic hum of crickets filled the silence.
Her body ached. Her dress clung to her, still damp from their river escape. A shiver ran down her spine, and Ruby immediately pulled her closer, his warmth the only comfort in the vast uncertainty surrounding them.
"Did you sleep?" she whispered.
"Not much," he admitted. His voice was rough, exhausted.
Emma lifted her head to look at him. His face was shadowed, dark circles beneath his eyes. He was pushing himself too hard.
"You need rest, Ruby," she murmured, brushing a strand of hair from his forehead.
He sighed, shaking his head. "Not yet. Not when we're still being hunted."
Emma felt her chest tighten. She wanted to tell him that they were safe, that the river had covered their tracks enough to throw off the search. But she couldn't lie to him.
Not when she was just as afraid.
Instead, she reached for his hand, intertwining their fingers. "Then let's just stay here for a little while longer," she whispered.
He hesitated but then nodded.
For now, they had this moment. And that was enough.
---
The Journey South
As the first light of dawn broke through the trees, Ruby stood, stretching stiff limbs. Emma watched as he surveyed their surroundings, his sharp gaze scanning the forest.
"We need to keep moving," he said finally. "We can't risk them catching up."
Emma nodded, though exhaustion still clung to her. "Where are we going?"
"South," Ruby said without hesitation. "We'll find a town far enough away where no one will recognize us."
Emma pulled herself to her feet, brushing dirt from her skirt. "And then?"
He met her gaze. "Then we build a life. Together."
The way he said it—so certain, so determined—made her heart swell. She wanted to believe it was that simple.
That their love would be enough.
---
A Dangerous Encounter
They walked for hours, the sun rising high in the sky, making the journey feel endless. The forest gradually gave way to open fields, golden stretches of grass swaying in the breeze.
Emma's feet ached, and hunger gnawed at her stomach.
"Ruby," she said softly. "We need to find food."
He nodded. "There should be a town nearby."
They pressed on, and by mid-afternoon, they spotted a small road leading toward a settlement in the distance.
Emma's stomach twisted with nerves. Walking into town was a risk. But what choice did they have?
As they reached the outskirts, Ruby slowed, his expression guarded. "Stay close to me," he murmured.
Emma nodded, gripping his arm.
The town was modest, with a handful of shops, a bakery, and a tavern lining the main road. People bustled about, going about their daily lives.
It felt normal.
Like they weren't fugitives.
But then—
Emma's heart stopped.
A man stood near the general store, speaking to a woman. His dark coat and sharp features were painfully familiar.
One of her employer's men.
She froze, gripping Ruby's sleeve. "That man—he worked for your family."
Ruby's eyes flicked toward the man, and his expression hardened.
"We need to leave," he whispered.
Emma barely nodded before Ruby tugged her into a side alley, pressing her against the wall.
Her pulse thundered in her ears.
"Did he see us?" she asked, voice barely above a breath.
"I don't think so," Ruby said, peeking around the corner.
Emma clenched her fists. "We can't keep running like this, Ruby."
He turned back to her, his expression tormented. "I know."
But what else could they do?
---
A New Identity
That evening, they stayed on the outskirts of town, hidden in an abandoned barn.
Ruby paced as Emma sat on a pile of hay, rubbing her sore feet.
"We need to change everything," he said suddenly.
Emma blinked. "What do you mean?"
"Our names. Our story. Everything," he said, turning to her. "If we're going to survive, we can't be Emma and Ruby anymore."
The thought sent a chill through her. But she knew he was right.
If they wanted a future, they had to erase their past.
Emma swallowed hard. "Then who do we become?"
Ruby knelt in front of her, his hands cupping hers. "Whoever we want to be."
Tears burned behind her eyes. "Will that really be enough?"
He pressed a kiss to her knuckles. "It has to be."
---
A New Beginning—Or an End?
The next morning, Emma tucked her hair beneath a bonnet, wearing a simple dress they'd taken from an old trunk in the barn. Ruby had traded his fine clothes for a workman's shirt and trousers, blending into the people of the town.
They had new names now—Anna and James.
A new story.
A poor married couple, looking for work.
Emma clung to that lie as they stepped into the town square, her heart pounding.
For the first time, she and Ruby weren't just running.
They were hiding in plain sight.
And if they were lucky, no one would ever find them.
But deep down, Emma knew—
It was only a matter of time before their past caught up to them.