CHAPTER 7 - ESCAPING GAVARIA

Zealan sat cross-legged at the balcony, a cigar hanging lazily between his fingers as he stared at a lone star in the sky. It had been three days since that dinner with the Walreece heiress. Three days since he last saw her. She had stubbornly refused to leave her room or breathe the same air as him and the seamstress had been forced to take her measurements from one of her dresses. Zealan wondered what she hoped to achieve by self-imprisonment. Not that it mattered, she was going to come out one day or another, and with nine days left until the engagement, he would make sure of it.

“Night seems peaceful” a voice came up behind him. Zealan sat up in his seat before exhaling a puff of smoke into the night air.

“Save your lecture” he said to the person who took the seat beside him.

“The girl has only been here five days and there's already trouble in paradise” Darius chuckled and Zealan ignored him “Y'know threatening to imprison your future wife is not the way to woo”

“I'm not trying to woo anyone, Darius” Zealan's gaze shifted to the older man

“But you should” Darius turned serious “or all this would've been for nothing”

Zealan leaned back into his seat “I do not have such time on my hands to indulge her fantasies of love. She will relent. They always do”

“Call it old man intuition, but something tells me you're about to be wrong for the first time” Darius said getting up “I hope for your sake, you go about this the right way”

Zealan took another drag of his cigar as Darius went back inside.

Zealan's hair tousled with the wind's activity as he stared at the burning cigar in his hand disinterestedly before a tiny hooded figure heading for the walls surrounding the mansion appeared in his peripheral vision. His sharp eyes zeroed in on the suspicious person who met up with a second cloaked figure that had managed to blend into the shadows. A gust of wind blew, lifting the hood of the first person. And although the person was quick to catch on to the fabric and place it back in position, Zealan had already seen all that he needed to.

The wind went deathly still as he rose from his seat, putting out the cigar and in the next moment, he was gone from where he stood, heading towards the cloaked duo.

Sensing an approaching presence, the second cloaked figure quickly drew a knife to the first person's neck, holding the person hostage and bringing Zealan to a halt.

~Three days ago~

Nevaeh shut the door behind her as she leaned against it, blankly staring at her bed before taking hesitant steps towards it. She could not let this marriage happen. She was tired of letting other people define her life and if this Gavarian Lord meant any of what he said, then she could kiss her freewill goodbye forever. She crawled into bed wishing that some miracle came her way.

The next morning, Carol stood knocking on the outside of Nevaeh's door. Receiving no response, the maid twisted the door knob to step inside and see the girl seated on the bed, hugging her knees to her chest.

“Good morning, milady” Carol bowed

“Morning” Nevaeh muttered.

“It’s time to get ready. The seamstress would be arriving soon-”

“You lied to me when you said the Lord of Gavaria was absent from the mansion that day” Nevaeh's eyes trained on the maid who's brows lifted before quickly offering a deep bow.

“Apologies for my insincerities milady. It was not out of will that I spoke falsely, we were all asked to do so” Carol replied earning a tired sigh from Nevaeh

“Lift your head, Carol. I understand. But I shall not be leaving my room today. I would like to be alone” she dismissed the maid who still stood conflicted in her room “What is it?” Nevaeh asked.

“Lord Torres has instructed that you get ready on time”

“And I said, I will not be stepping out of this room today” Nevaeh stubbornly said, getting up from her bed and heading for the door to pull it open. “You may leave, Carol” she gestured to the open door.

Carol stared at the girl before bowing slightly and leaving the room as instructed.

Nevaeh locked the door behind her.

With the hours gone by and Carol returning to the door to serve her breakfast, Nevaeh had come to accept she simply could not sit, waiting on that miracle to save her. She needed to think of a way out and she needed to do it quickly before the Gavarian Lord lost his patience and forced her out of the room.

It was the hour of noon when another knock came on her door, interrupting her train of thoughts while she paced the room.

“Leave me alone, Carol” she grunted, frustratingly.

“Milady” a soft-spoken voice replied.

That was not Carol, Nevaeh thought to herself as she unlocked the door revealing a young maiden.

“Who are you?” Nevaeh asked sizing the girl.

“Laura, milady” the maid replied

“Where is Carol?”

“She has her hands full and I have been ordered to step in for her” Laura bowed “You are needed in the fitting room, milady”

“Sending a different face is not going to change my mind, Laura. You can tell Lord Torres that” Nevaeh said, shutting the door to have the maid stop it with her foot. Nevaeh stared at the girl's audacity.

“You need to come with me, milady” Laura said “Lord Torres has a knack for getting his way and it may not be particularly pleasing for you” she warned

“Are you threatening me?”

“I would never dare”

“Well Laura, unless Lord Torres chooses to create a big scene of dragging his supposed future wife out of her room like a criminal, I would not be going with you, anywhere” she said with resolve and Laura took a step back from the door, letting Nevaeh close it.

She knew she would leave the room eventually. It was her only way out. But first, she needed an escape plan and making everyone believe she was still locked up in this room was the best way to do it.