My mind raced with fear, anger, and sadness as I ran through the woods, trying to escape from Maximus and his servants. The forest was dense, and I had to dodge trees and branches as I ran. My heart pounded in my chest, and my breaths came in short gasps.
Suddenly, I heard footsteps and voicesI spotted a small cave up ahead and made a beeline for it."Where did she go?" asked one of the servants."I don't know," replied another. "But we need to find her before she gets too far.""Spread out and find her, she couldn't get far!" Ordered the first servant.Panic set in as I realized they were getting closer. I spotted a small cave up ahead and made a beeline for it.As I climbed inside, I held my breath and hoped that they wouldn't find me. But then I heard someone entering the cave.I closed my eyes, trying to stay calm, as I heard the sound of someone breathing. It was so close, I could feel the warmth of their breath on my skin. I clutched my fists, ready to fight if necessary." Did you find anything?" I heard one of them ask .Just when I thought I was done for, the footsteps and voices faded away, leaving me alone in the cave."No, nothing to report, she's not here, let's go somewhere else!" Another one responded.After a few minutes, I emerged from the cave and started running again, hoping to find a safe place to hide before Maximus and his servants caught up with me.As I ran, I noticed a small cabin in the distance. I knew that I had to take my chances and knock on the door, hoping that whoever was inside would be willing to help me.Without hesitation, I ran towards the cabin and knocked on the door. It took a moment, but eventually, a young woman with bright blue eyes opened the door."Can I help you?" she asked."I'm in trouble," I blurted out. "I need a place to hide."The woman looked at me for a moment and then opened the door wider. "Come in," she said. "We'll help you."Feeling relieved, I stepped inside the cabin and was greeted by a group of strangers they were three one man with two women who welcomed me with open arms. They offered me food, shelter, and a place to rest.As I lay down on a soft bed, I realized that maybe there was hope for me yet. Maybe I could escape the fate that had been chosen for me and create a new future for myself. However, I couldn't shake the feeling that Maximus was still out there, searching for me.As I sat at the small table, eating the food that the strangers had provided me, the woman with the bright blue eyes sat down opposite me."I hope you don't mind me asking," she said. "But who are you hiding from?"I hesitated for a moment, unsure of whether or not to trust her. But then I decided that it was better to be safe than sorry."I'm hiding from a man who wants to force me into a marriage that I don't want," I said, leaving out Maximus's name.The woman nodded sympathetically. "I understand," she said. "Love should be a choice, not a duty."I felt a sense of relief that she had understood my situation, but at the same time, I couldn't shake the feeling that I couldn't trust her completely.The next day, as I was helping the strangers with their chores, one of them asked me my name."I'm Sarah," I replied, giving a fake name.The woman nodded and smiled. "It's nice to meet you, Sarah. My name is Emma."As the days passed, I started to feel more comfortable around the strangers. They were kind and welcoming, and I started to trust them more."I don't want to talk about it," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.Emma looked at me with understanding. "That's okay," she said. "We won't push you to tell us anything you're not comfortable with."I felt a wave of gratitude towards her and the others. It was a relief to be around people who cared about my well-being and didn't judge me for my situation.As we sat around the fire, I started to relax, and we exchanged stories and jokes. For the first time in a long time, I felt like I belonged somewhere.As the night wore on and the fire began to die down, something continued to nag at me. I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to Emma and her friends than met the eye.Finally, unable to contain my curiosity any longer, I spoke up. "I have to ask - what are you all doing out here in the middle of the forest? It seems like an odd place to live."Emma and her friends exchanged a quick glance before she finally spoke up. "We're trying to start a new life here," she said. "Away from the chaos and corruption of the cities."I nodded, understanding the sentiment. "But what made you all decide to come out here specifically?"Emma hesitated before finally answering. "We were looking for a place to escape to," she said. "A place where we could be ourselves, away from the judgment and expectations of society."I nodded, sensing that she wasn't telling me the whole truth. But at the same time, I didn't want to push it. I had my own secrets to keep, after all.As the night wore on, I found myself growing more and more intrigued by Emma and her friends. They seemed to be running from something, just like I was. But what, exactly, were they hiding from? And how were they able to survive out here in the middle of nowhere?As I drifted off to sleep that night, I couldn't help but wonder what other secrets lay hidden within the walls of the cabin. And whether or not I would ever truly be able to trust Emma and her friends.Days turned into weeks, and I settled into a routine at the cabin. I found myself enjoying the simple life of farm work and spending time with my new friends. But despite the peace and safety I felt, I couldn't shake the feeling that Maximus was still out there, searching for me.One evening, as we were gathered around the fire, Emma spoke up. "Sarah, I know you've been through a lot, but I think it's time for us to start thinking about your future."I looked at her, unsure of what she meant. "What do you mean?" I asked."I mean, it's time for you to start thinking about what you want to do next. Do you want to stay here with us, or do you want to leave and start a new life somewhere else?"I thought about her words for a moment. The thought of leaving my new friends and the safety of the cabin was daunting, but at the same time, I knew that I couldn't stay there forever."I don't know," I said honestly. "I haven't thought that far ahead."Emma nodded understandingly. "That's okay," she said. "Just know that we're here to support you, no matter what you decide."As the days passed, I found myself growing more and more conflicted about what to do next. Part of me wanted to stay at the cabin with my new friends, but another part of me knew that I couldn't hide forever. And I still didn't trust them.One day, as I was working in the fields with Emma, I finally spoke up. "Emma, I think it's time for me to leave."She looked at me, a hint of sadness in her eyes. "I understand," she said. "But know that you'll always have a home here if you need it."I felt a lump form in my throat. "Thank you," I said. "For everything."As I packed my belongings and prepared to leave, I felt a sense of sadness and loss. The cabin and my new friends had become my home, and the thought of leaving them behind was difficult.The other girl Samantha approached me, "We're going to miss you, Sarah. But we understand that you have to go."I nodded, "Thank you for everything. I'll never forget you all."As I walked away from the cabin, I felt a mix of emotions - fear, uncertainty, but also hope. I didn't know what the future held for me, but I knew that I had the strength and determination to make the most of it.Suddenly, I heard footsteps behind me. I turned around and saw a group of men in the distance, wearing the uniform of Maximus's servants. My heart raced as I realized they were heading in my direction.I ducked behind a nearby tree, hoping to avoid detection. But as they got closer, I saw that one of them had a familiar face - it was Maximus himself.Fear and panic took over me as they progressed.I took a deep breath and braced myself for whatever was about to happen. The next few moments would determine the course of my future, and I had to be ready for anything.Chapter 7As the group of men approached, I tried to stay hidden behind the tree, but my heart was pounding so loudly in my chest that I was sure they could hear it. Maximus was scanning the area, searching for me, and I knew that if he found me, it would be the end.Suddenly, a hand reached out and grabbed me, pulling me into a nearby bush. I turned around to see who had saved me and saw a young woman with dark hair and piercing brown eyes."Who are you?" I asked, still trying to catch my breath."My name is Ava," she said.Before I could ask any more questions, she led me through the woods, away from Maximus and his men. We ran for what felt like hours, until we finally reached a small, hidden cabin deep in the forest.As we entered the cabin, I couldn't help but notice how cozy and warm it felt inside. "This is my home," Ava said, "you're safe here.""Thank you," I said, still in shock from what had just happened. "I don't know how to repay you.""Don't worry about it," Ava replied
8Maximus's POV:As i sat in my throne there lost in thought, i heard a commotion outside the throne room. It was my servants returning, and i jumped up, eager to know what news they had.As i approached the entrance to the throne room, I heard the sound of footsteps getting closer. I could hear the muffled voices of my servants as they discussed something, but I couldn't make out the words. Finally, the doors to the throne room opened, and my servants entered. I went back to sitting down and scanned the group, looking for any sign of Felicity. " Where is she ?" I asked angrily.One of the servants stepped forward, bowing low. "Your Majesty, we have not found her . " "And why are you coming back?" I growled furiously "Didn't I tell you not to come back unless you found her?" " We found this one trying to escape my king !" He said pushing Stefan to the floor in front of me .I looked down at Stefan, who was now kneeling before me, his head bowed in submission. "Is this true?" I aske
The sun peeked through the small window of the old, abandoned cabin where Ava and I spent the night. I stretched, feeling the warmth on my face, and took a deep breath, inhaling the fresh morning air."Good morning, Emily," Ava yawned, rubbing her eyes.Don't mind me, I have told that my name is Emily , as I said earlier, I preferred to be safe than sorry."Good morning, Ava," I said, smiling at her.We packed our bags and stepped outside, ready to start the day. As we walked towards the village, we saw a group of villagers gathered around, curiously looking at us."Don't worry," Ava reassured me. "They're just curious. They'll warm up to us soon enough."As we approached the village square, a man with a friendly smile stepped forward."Welcome to our village," he said, extending his hand. "My name is Peter.""Hi, Peter," I said, shaking his hand. "I'm Emily, and this is Ava."Peter introduced us to the other villagers, and we spent the day getting to know them. They showed us around
Chapter 10 Maximus POV But as the night wore on and the trackers failed to return, my impatience grew. Hours turned into days, and still there was no sign of them. Finally, they returned, looking battered and defeated. "What happened?" I demanded, unable to hide my frustration. "Your highness," Marcus said, bowing before me. "We're sorry. We were unable to find Felicity." My anger erupted like a volcano. "What do you mean you couldn't find her? You had a lead!" I slammed my fist on the table. " Damn it! You're just useless!" I snapped. "We followed the tracks to the neighboring pack's territory, but Felicity wasn't there," Marcus explained. "We searched everywhere, but she was nowhere to be found." I couldn't control myself any longer. I picked up a vase and hurled it against the wall, shattering it into a million pieces. "This is unacceptable!" I yelled. "I need answers, and I need them now!" Marcus and the other trackers flinched at my outburst, clearly take
Felicity's POV The next morning, Ava and I woke up to the sound of the village coming to life. People were bustling around, preparing for the day ahead. As we got out of our sleeping bags, we noticed a group of people gathered around a man who seemed to be giving orders. Curiosity getting the best of us got Ava and I walked over to see what was going on. As we got closer, we recognized the man as the village leader. "Good morning, travelers," the leader greeted us. "I hope you slept well." "We did," Ava replied. "I have an announcement to make," the leader said. "As you know, our village has been struggling to survive for some time now. But with the arrival of these two travelers, I believe we have been blessed with an opportunity." I raised an eyebrow, wondering what he was talking about. Ava and I exchanged a curious glance. "I have decided to offer these two travelers a permanent home in our village," the leader continued. Ava and I exchanged a surprised look. W
Maximus's POV Chapter 12 As I sat in my throne room, contemplating the betrayal that had been uncovered, I knew that I couldn't take any chances. The map that Titus had shown me was a clear indication that there were traitors in our midst, people who were working against me and the stability of our kingdom. I needed to act fast, and I needed to be careful. I couldn't just start accusing people without proof, or I would risk causing even more chaos and confusion. But there was one person who I knew I could trust, one person who had always been loyal to me no matter what. And that was Marcus, my head tracker. "Marcus," I said, turning to him. "I need you to gather a team and investigate this map. Find out who created it, and why." Marcus nodded, his expression serious. "Consider it done, your highness. We'll get to the bottom of this." As he left the room, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. Marcus was one of my most trusted advisors, and I knew that he would d
Chapter 13 Felicity's POV As we were escorted out of the leader's house, we noticed that some of the villagers were watching us closely. We wondered if they were bandits, or if they were simply suspicious of outsiders. "Something's not right here," I whispered to Ava. "We need to find out what's really going on." Ava nodded in agreement. "But how do we do that without getting into more trouble?" "We'll have to be discreet," I said. "We'll need to keep our ears open and our mouths shut. And we'll have to stay out of sight." Ava nodded in agreement, and we walked in silence for a while, our eyes scanning our surroundings for any clues. Suddenly, we heard a rustling in the bushes, and we both froze. "Who's there?" I called out, my hand instinctively reaching for the dagger at my waist. A figure emerged from the bushes, and we both let out a sigh of relief when we recognized him as one of the villagers we had met earlier. "Are you two okay?" he asked, looking around
Chapter 14 Felicity POV "Do you recognize them?" I whispered back, trying to keep my voice calm. "No, I've never seen them before," Ava replied, her eyes still fixed on the figure outside. I gasped, "Who do you think it is?" Ava shrugged, "I have no idea. But we should probably alert the authorities." I nodded in agreement and reached for my phone. But just as I was about to dial, there was a knock on our door. Ava and I exchanged a glance before she cautiously made her way to the door. She peered through the peephole before opening a crack. Standing on the other side was a familiar face. "Peter? What are you doing here?" Ava questioned. Peter grinned sheepishly, "Hey guys. I was in the area and thought I'd stop by for a visit." I let out a sigh of relief, "You scared us for a second there. We thought we were being watched by some stranger." Peter's expression turned serious, "What? Are you sure?" Ava nodded, "We saw someone lurking outside our window just