OUR CRUEL REALITY

ROBBIE'S POV

 After Amber gave me her answer, my heart lifted with joy. Quickly I held her face between my hands and gave her a peck.

We remained still for a moment.

"We need to go", I said gesturing towards the window.

"Let's go then", she said with a nod.

As we approach the window she stopped "Wait I want to take my mother's necklace with me" she said walking back towards her bedside drawer.

"Found it!" she said raising the necklace for me to see, while I only nodded with a smile.

Swiftly she stepped forward…

All of a sudden the door opened revealing a maid, she had her black hair in a neat bun while her gray eyes are wide with shock. She stood still… uncertain about what to do.

Without a warning she screamed "Monsieur! Monsieur!" she shouted with a thick French accent.

Amber quickly jumped her and tried to cover her mouth.

"Monsieur the boy is here!" she continued to scream.

Without thinking it through I grabbed the vase in the top of the drawer near me and hit her in the head, she immediately fell on the ground. Her temple is bleeding lightly however she is visibly breathing.

With wide eyes, Amber stared at me in shock.

"Let's go", I said in between heavy breaths.

She nodded her head and went over the window.

In the distance, I could hear footsteps drawing near.

Using the willow tree as our way out we've landed outside the manor, I held her hand.

"Let's go", I said as I led the way.

"Amber get back here you wretched woman!" I heard a voice shouted it was her father, such a vile man he is.

I held Amber close and placed my hands over her ears, not wanting her to hear more of her father's profanity.

Both of us hurried towards the woods, it was already dark and the sun is long gone.

Out of nowhere, I heard some barking.

I panicked as the pursuers are already closing in.

I held her hand tighter and run deeper into the woods, with the hunting dogs behind us we keep on running for our life, for our future, and for the freedom we've been longing for.

We reached the river, its deepwater raging wildly. Still holding her hand I looked over Amber.

While she nodded in agreement.

Both of us jump into the cold raging water of the river.

It feels like I'm going to be crushed by the current but I still struggled to get both of us into the riverbank.

With luck I manage to get us across the river, my lung felt like it was burning while my body is shivering from the cold. I'm exhausted from everything but I'm not giving up, not without a fight.

Looking over to Amber she looked fine but I still asked her "Are you alright? Can you keep on going?

"Yes…I can", she said as she caught her breath.

I forced myself to stand only to fall back into the ground.

"No! Stop!" I didn't understand what happened, Amber run to shield me only to be grabbed and taken away.

It was her father along with other men working for him.

I stood up ready to fight back, if he planned on killing me tonight then here is where I stand.

They say the most dangerous animal is the cornered one because they have nothing more to lose. This is it for me then either to live with the love of my life or to die like a feral animal.

I took my stance.

Marcus blew the first punch he hit right in the gut which caused me to double over, it hurts and it feels like I was going to pass out. But I'm not done, I quickly grabbed him by the back of his arm and with every bit of strength I have left- I threw him off, the middle-aged man stubble in the ground. Not wasting any time I kicked him on the side as hard as I can one, two, and three! I kicked him over and over…

Until I was grabbed by the neck and was thrown to the ground if only his hooligans are not around.

Suddenly, a man is standing before me and with his polished dress shoes- it is obvious who it was. Marcus lifted his left foot and placed it over my head keeping me down.

He applied pressure on his left foot, in an instance my head was being crushed between the ground and his foot. It hurts, it hurts so much but I bit my tongue because the last thing I want to do is give him the satisfaction of witnessing my pain.

"Listen here you brat, for eighteen years I raised Amber well. I gave her the clothes she wore, the food on her table, and the very home she was living in, every single thing came from me. I invested time and money on her and for that very reason, I will not allow a lowly peasant take her away" he said between his gritted teeth.

Marcus chuckled "You know what? I will let you in on something important. It is time to harvest the goods a friend of mine was recently widowed, he's an old duke and now he is looking for a young beautiful wife. Now you're maybe a peasant but I think you could put the pieces together. Now imagine how much money I will get from that marriage. Not to mention the political power that union will provide" he told me mockingly.

This bastard! Is that it?! Money! Power!

He never loved his daughter to him Amber is nothing but a bargaining chip, an object to obtain more power and wealth.

The sick bastard- I hope he burns in hell!

 Marcus lowered his head and whispered into my ear "Amber will be sent there tomorrow at dawn and you will never see her again" after he told me those words he stood back up and laughed loudly- maniacally as if a criminal on the loose.

"Now as much as I want to just kill you right here- right now. I can't really do that there are too many people and too many witnesses to pay, which will definitely cause me a fortune. Besides, that will be boring, so how about this… I will let you live your miserable life knowing that you will never be with the only woman you loved" he said mockingly.

He then removed his left foot from my head and kicked me in the face so hard that my ears started ringing, I felt dizzy and my vision blurred.

Slowly, I lost my consciousness just like how I'm about to lose Amber.