Nineteen

The rest of the meal Silla stayed quiet, obviously not interested in starting a conversation with this man but that didn't stop Phanes from not looking at her. And he could tell how self-conscious she was turning out to be because of the way his eyes looked at her.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked him, it was a simple question.

"Looks like you have a very forgetful memory, Silla. I v'ant you."

The problem was that she just didn't know why he wanted her.

"You cannot have me." She whispered, her hands clutching at her sides.

Phanes smiled at her stubbornness, "You haven't opened your heart to me."

At this moment she wanted nothing more than to just jump on the table and start screaming the he was fucking blind if he ever thought-

Staring calmly straight into his green eyes she said, "What makes you think a girl who has been forced against her wishes will open her heart-"

"Shh." Phanes placed his finger on her lips, "So brave. V'hat did I say of being careful v'ith v'hat you speak?" He looked down at her trembling lips.

"When will I next see my friends?" asked Silla, trying to be polite so that he wouldn't refuse her words right away.

"Once I know you have earned my trust."

"You mean when you make me submissive."

"Obedient, dear."

He then tilted his head, having a sort of internal conversation. "If you behaved I could adorn you in z'e best jewelry, hold you close, and for once, you v'ouldn't run from me."

"You're supposed to first trust and then like the person," she tried to enlighten him but she should have known this was no ordinary person. He raised one eyebrow of his and then raised his fork to his full lips before putting it into his mouth, that grinned at her.

Finishing the meal, Silla dabbed the napkin on her lips gently before putting on the table. Now that their meal was complete, Silla couldn't wait to rush back to the room she was given to sleep. Far away with enough walls between them where they wouldn't share the same space. The servant entered the room to clear the table and take the trolley back.

"I shall return to my room now if there's nothing else to do-"

"Stay." Phanes poured water on her plan of going back to her room quickly, "It v'ould be unfortunate if v'e didn't share some time," weren't they doing that just now? Asked Silla to herself.

"Okay," she agreed.

"Don't look so sullen, Silla. Life in

z'e upper ring won't be as bad as you z'ink it to be," Silla had to bite her tongue to not talk back or say anything snooty.

When he had taken a step close to her,

Silla had not meant to step away

from him, but now that she did, she could see him staring at her. There was a slight trail of annoyance as he looked at her. The next time when he stepped forward, Silla made sure to stand still where Phames raised his hands towards her hair, and he pushed the small stem along with the rose into her braided hair that he got from the flowers decorating the table. "Let us explore my tower." He whispered to her as he let go of his hands from her hair. Silla had to hold her breath once again when he had stepped close to her breathing space, letting it go only when he moved away.

"Your?"

Phanes was pleased with her question that she was taking an interest in knowing more about him now. Baby steps were good with him than no progress, but he was no idiot to not listen to the words and her actions carefully."Yes, v'ho do you z'ink owned z'is building?"

"I v'ant to show you something."

he raised his hand and seeing Silla

not move from where she stood. Phanes slowly walked towards her, picking up her hand, "V'hat a shy girl you are," and he tugged her out of the room. Phanes didn't mind her resistance, no matter how much she would resist he would never let her go.

Leading her out of the room, down the halls, and finally to the entrance of the building they followed an intricate pathway to the back of the monolith like tower. They walked further from the building and the man behind her seemed to know the way, it was to be expected seeing as he was the one who funded and built it. The only and newest transport hub between the upper and lower ring. She had no doubt the it would be buzzing with activity soon.

"V'e are here," he said when they

came to stand in front of large walls that were made of holly and ivy. Silla's eyes moved from the left to the right, looking at the tall green holly and taking in the sight of it. She had read about things like this, but this was the first time she had come to see and witness it. "Welcome to my hedge maze, Silla," Phanes announced to her, his body turning to look at her with his hands in his pockets to see that she was fascinated by it, "I have a proposal to make," his words caught her attention.

"What is it?" she inquired.

"It seems z'at you v'ant to leave z'is tower behind and go back to your hovel you call your home. Let's have z'e maze decide if you can be allowed to leave," his green eyes continued to look at her, his expression serious as he said this. Silla could feel her heart rejoice by his words. But she knew not to keep her hopes up as she knew that there was a catch; this man was a conniving trickster after all.

"You are serious?"

"Absolutely!" he answered her burning eyes. He caught how her stiff shoulders turned slack at his words as if she was happy and it somewhere made Phanes happy but for different reasons, "It is also a very good exercise. Z'e maze is a big one, and it has many paths to pick or leave. If you are successfully able to get out of z'e maze's exit point by z'e time of the evening, I v'ill let you go."

She knew he was being suspicious but she had her own plans, she knew he wouldn't play fair nor by the rules. He was stupid if he thought she would lie down and be submissive just because she had behaved thus far.

Madeline was eager to step into the maze quickly, but she had never walked in one. She had heard that the castles often had bigger hedge maze compared to the other mansions which were small and it made her doubtful if she could do it, but at the same time. Madeline was desperate. She would do anything to get out of here.

"You mean it?" Silla whispered slightly. He was so full of shit.

"You have my word. Get out of z'e maze successfully, and I v'ill have a vehicle prepared for you to go to your hovel," Phanes promised her, his eyes gauging her face and his tongue reached to run over his fang. She hadn't entered the maze, and she hadn't come out from the other side of the maze yet, but she could see the light of hope where she would be able to leave the tower.

"Do you agree to it?" he asked her.

"Okay." came her immediate reply.

"But," came the pause she was waiting for. Phanes said, "If you don't make it out of z'e maze before z'e sun sets, z'en you v'ill never bring up z'e topic of leaving again."

Silla pursed her lips, "What time is it now?" she asked, and this had him smile at her.

"Smart girl," he pulled out the pocket watch from his vest. Flipping it open to say, "It is noon. Plenty of time to take a full v'alk in z'e maze and leave. Ready?" he asked her.

Silla nodded her head, "Ready."

"Your time starts now." He smiled, flipping the watch back from where he had removed to notice her run towards the entrance of the maze. He stared at her back, seeing her walk to look around. After a few minutes, he

finally turned around to make his way towards the inside of the tower, he would watch her through the ledge in his chambers.

Silla who had entered the hedge maze turned her head left and right. Now that she was in, she realized how tall the holly plant was. It was thrice taller than her

And that would make it difficult to jump and find out where the exit was. She had already taken left to turn and see if Phanes was still there or if he had left. She knew her luck was scarce and she would

need to do everything she could to get away from here.

The further she got in, the further she felt she was alone because she couldn't hear the city noises or any other thing. It was quiet in here, and even though it was the time of day, the holly plants were tall enough to make the path look dull and dark.

Silla had tried to memorize the paths, but there were too many, so many that she had ended up losing the count. At first, she had thought it would be easy because she had read how the maze had a specific pattern that needed to be followed, but she was lost. Maybe if she had walked in here four to five times, it would still not be enough to memorize it. Like Phanes had warned. this was no small maze, but it was a big one.

She tried leaving rocks and marking corners of the maze with her shoe but it only took her an hour or two to realize it was pointless. Mazes like these were made to trick even the brightest minds and while she knew she was smart, she also knew she didn't stand a chance. Besides the maze was so large even if she had been in this maze hundreds of times it would likely take her more than the time she was granted to get to the exit.

This man was sly and knew exactly what this challenge would be to her.

It was impossible.

Her blue eyes moved to look at her surroundings, and she could start to feel slightly claustrophobic after she had spent more than three hours of her time.

Phanes, who was in his room listening to his servant and attendant Chauncey, one hand supporting his jaw, was listening to the servant who was speaking about the recent laws that had been implemented in the upper ring. Or more specifically his newest additions. Being one of the head aristocrats didn't come without it's burdens, he was only able to check on Silla via his window every now and again.

Chauncey filled him in, the right-hand man had been curious since Phanes had returned from the garden alone, "Your excellency, did you send Lady Silla back to her room?" He wondered if he would have to bury another body today.

Hearing her name, Phanes couldn't help but laugh. He took in a deep breath and let it go, "No, she's playing in z'e maze."

"The maze?" The servant questioned in surprise.

"It v'ill keep her mind occupied. I have asked her to find z'e exit by herself v'ithout any help. If she succeeds, she v'ill be able to leave."

Chauncey's brows knit together in

confusion, "But your excellency, the maze doesn't have an exit?" At least with what he knew, the maze only had one way to get in and out.

Phanes chuckled. "I know."

Silla spent an hour more when she finally concluded that the deal she had made with the green eyed man was ridiculous. She tried to walk round and round only to meet up with the holly plant walls that

restricted her or sent her back to the path she had already walked through. The sky was changing colour rapidly, and she felt her freedom was slipping through her fingers, but it wasn't like the time was precisely passing. The energy

and motivation that she had before

entering the maze had vanished, and she was desperate to get to the exit. She tried not to lose hope. Her feet continued to walk to only be met with disappointment as she reached another dead end.

Silla wondered how much more time she had right now. She looked up at the sky that had changed colour since she had entered the hedge maze, but there should still be time. She doubted Phanes would be standing outside, waiting for her. Though she had no doubt he probably was watching her from afar and having the servants monitor her closely.

Therefore, she decided to find her way back to the entrance so that she could walk outside the maze and claim to have reached the end.

The only problem was that all the ways looked the same, and it felt like she was walking in circles inside the maze. There was no way she could climb on the holly

plants as a wall, or was it possible? She asked herself.

Desperate times called for drastic

measures. With no one in the maze

where she was alone by herself,

Silla decided to look at the length of the wall before placing her hands on both the sides of the wall and trying to put her feet in between the plants. It took her

several tries, and she tried her best to hold on, but just when she reached half of it, the grip on the plant was lost, and Madeline fell straight down on the ground.The fall was harsh, taking a couple of

seconds before she stood on her feet.

"Ouch!" She cried when she tried to move her leg forward. It seemed like she had caught something while climbing up and falling down. Silla found one of the creepers was stuck to the lace on her dress and when she pulled up the back of the dress, she noticed how the creeper had thorns and one of the thorns had pierced through her skin. She tried to remove it but when she tried to touch it, it hurt so bad that she had sucked in a breath before taking the courage to remove it.

Blood trickled down her skin but with the wound not being too big, she had left it as it was without caring about it as she had other things to do. After several tries, she had finally scaled the wall of holly, although difficult she could now see where she was and more accurately get through the maze.

"I made it." Silla murmured to herself.

As expected, when she gazed from afar she could see that Phanes wasn't there at the entrance waiting for her. However there were a few guards walking around. Along with a few servants standing in front of the entrance.

Quiet and stealthily, she walked around the maze, moving from one point to another and then to the next one in search of the exit. She had to re-climb the wall of the maze multiple times to see where she was at, but when she reached the start point of the entrance Silla gritted her teeth.

Since the beginning, Phanes had no intention to free her from the tower and send her home. If she hadn't stepped out of the maze to check, she would have never found out. She hadn't expected him to play fair, but it still managed to piss her off.

Now that there was no one around her, Silla tried to make up her mind on what she was going to do. She had thankfully managed to out smart both the servants and the guards. If she was not wrong, there was still time for the sun to set. Would that be enough time for her to run and make an escape?

"What am I going to do?"

Silla asked to herself. Her eyebrows drew in concentration. If Phanes had no intention to let her go and he was only going to play with her by raising false hopes only to crush them back. there was no reason for her to try and reason with him. The aristocrat would never change his decision.

Taking a look behind her, Silla started to walk away from the maze. Her feet as quick as she looked around her surroundings to make sure there was no one watching her, who would catch her and take her back to the tower. She had to act cool, to act like some snobby rich lady that was doing exactly as she was supposed to; just visiting the gardens. It was obvious the guards nor the servants had a keen eye, if they would've paid attention they would've noticed that she was barefoot, with leaves in her hair, and the bottom of her dress torn and muddy.

She crossed the gardens that surrounded the tower, moving farther and farther away while making sure no one was following her or watching her. Thankfully

there was no one. She took her path behind the plants and shrubs that led towards the main gates. She remembered looking at these during the time of the ball. Hiding behind the plants, she

pulled up the front of her dress so that it wouldn't hinder her from running towards the gate which was far away compared to the castle that looked like a five-minute walk.

The evening wind blew across her face, rushing quickly with every step forward as she moved towards the gate. She decided not to worry about the guards now, and to worry about it once she would reach there. Her dress wasn't the

color that could attract attention right now.

Running away from here felt good, and she could hardly contain her happiness of stepping out. Silla could only hope that no one would catch and drag her back to the castle.

She continued to run, holding the front of her dress tight in her hand and her feet carrying her away from the monolith like tower. She didn't think about the time except until the sky started to turn from blue to pink and then orange.

Occasionally, Silla turned behind to see if someone had noticed her, but there was no one and it brought relief to her mind. She could feel her freedom, so close that it brought absolute tranquillity to her mind.

Silla had been forced to stay here, without her consent, where all she wanted to do was go back to her home. Live a life which she belonged to as the people here made her feel out of place. She had been here for days upon days, probably a few weeks, she had no idea. For the first half of it she was bed ridden and the other she was forced to play along with a psychopath that somehow had some sort of fetish for her. Dressing her up in fluffy laced gowns and dazzling jewels, bathing her, and worst of all hand feeding her.

After running a certain distance, Silla paused a few feet away from the guard to notice that two guards stood at the gates. She couldn't walk past it that easily as

the guards would find a single lady

walking out of these gates to be

suspicious. Also, Silla was worried that the aristocrat had announced her presence in the tower but did he? She wasn't sure about it.

She was wondering what to do when she heard the sound of a vehicle that was coming from the tower, and she noticed the brown hovercraft coming in view that was heading towards the gates. Silla didn't know whose it was, but she decided to ask for help so that whoever was in there would be kind enough to drop her at the nearest train station.

Silla walked in the opposite

direction, running as quick as she could and she then stepped away from the bushes and other plants, to come on the path so that the driver would be able to see her. She waved her hand as it got closer. The coachman did stop out of kindness but because she was a strange dirty woman.

Silla was dressed in rich clothes and rare jewels around her neck. He was a man who was biased to the rich, and he pulled the reins of the horses so that the carriage would stop. She bowed at him for his help when she heard the woman inside the vehicle ask the driver, "What is wrong, Humphrey?"

"Madame, there's a lady out here."

answered the driver.

"Who is it?" asked the woman, and when the woman pushed the curtain over the window to lean forward, Silla felt her hand let go of her dress. She didn't know if her luck was good or bad right now, as the woman was none other than a rich aristocrat who she had seen staying in a luxury sweet at the tower.

She stared at the girl, looking at her, "Haven't you come a little too far for a walk?" asked the woman. Silla had seen the vehicle coming her way, and she had jumped to ask for help but who would have thought it would be such a woman as her.

She didn't know how to reply to the question that was asked as she was too stunned to speak the first few seconds, "I was wondering if you could drop me on your way to the next station."

"And why would I do that?" Asked the lady who was seated inside the carriage.

Of course, why would she?

Seeing another curious head poke out behind the lady she noticed a maid that had once attended to her. Nigael.

Trying to be polite, she replied, "You are going on your way out from here. I don't want to ask for another vehicle madam," Silla's words were polite, "I only need a ride."

Nigael glared at her openly now unlike when she was serving her. Silla supposed that she was still mad about being punished for not getting her dressed properly and locking her out of the room "Madam, I don't think it wise to give such a strange and dirty woman a ride."

They looked down at the girl who was standing outside the vehicle. The woman was surprised to find her here, wondering what the girl was doing far away from the castle. With her red eyes, she continued to look down at the girl, in literal words. If it were some other time, she wouldn't have spared a look at the girl, but something was odd here. Hadn't she seen the girl with the head of the Kaiserreich family? Perhaps she was a lady of the night or a mistress of his, seeing how nicely dressed she was. Women like her greatly annoyed the lady; she thought them nothing but lowborn leeches.

Was the girl perhaps trying to leave the tower without his knowledge? Questioned the lady to herself. "Fine, I'll give you a drop." The less time girls like her would spend in the tower, the better it was. The woman despised seeing prominent men like the Kaiserreich stoop so low, it was beneath an aristocrats regal status.

"Let the girl in," ordered the woman and the driver jumped down on his feet and opened the door for Silla to step inside the holocraft.

She wasn't looking forward to riding with the woman and the resentful maid, but she had no other choice. She wanted to leave as quick as she could. Maybe she could hide somewhere where the aristocrat would not be able to find her and would in time forget and find another girl to be caged in this tower.

"Thank you," Silla bowed her head in appreciation for getting a ride, but the Lady didn't respond to her thanks and instead looked outside the window. The holocraft was pulled back when it reached the gates, the lady waved the guards off before they bowed down to her, letting the vehicle pass the main gates of the transport hub.

Back at the tower, Phanes asked a simple question. "What time is it?" He spoke standing up from his chair and stepping down to be quickly followed by his servant Chauncey.

"The sun has set your excellency," answered the servant and after a pause, he said, "Do you think the Lady has got tired and is lost in the maze right now?" It was not usual that people were able to get out of the maze quickly, especially not on their first time.

"V'ho knows," Phanes said, starting to walk out of the hall and the other people who were in the building bowed their head to him, "Z'e maze v'as a v'onderful z'ing to keep her mind occupied. She keeps thinking a lot. After today's little adventure, she v'ill be tired and able to fall asleep quickly and have a sound sleep. Perhaps I could even put her in my bed for z'e night and she v'ould never know." Phanes had strange ways of taking care of the woman who he was interested in, thought Chauncey to himself.

Phanes looked at the hedge maze that came into view. The maze was built across a vast land that would leave one forever in there unless a person knew the tricks of how a hedge maze worked. The mazes had been grown and made so that it had entries and exits but not here. Phanes had made sure to seal the other side that left only one place to enter and exit.

He had seen the way Silla's eyes had dilated in worry when he had mentioned how she would never leave. He had warned her after hearing her little heart beating in her chest. When he had asked her to step into the maze with a deal, he never had the intention to let her go. It was funny how she thought that he would agree to give her a ride back home.

When he reached the entrance of the maze, Phanes who had a pleasant expression on his face stopped going in further.

"What's the matter?" asked Chauncey the servant noticing how Phanes didn't walk further. When Phanes turned around, he looked angry, and his eyes had turned dark. His mood turned foul, and his jaw ticked.

"She's not here." Phanes couldn't hear her heartbeat, and he had been listening to it ever since he found her. A perk of his heightened senses being that he was completely enveloped in her scent and the sound of her heart. The girl hadn't noticed every time he got close to hold her, how he would breathe in deeply and take in all of her. Nor how he loved pressing his head to her soft breasts and listening to the gentle beat of her heart.

"Have z'e guards check z'e tower and z'e grounds," he ordered. Chauncey didn't waste any time, and he quickly left his masters side. Phanes couldn't sense her in the maze, and he doubted anything had happened to her as the guards had been strictly instructed on who she was and not to harm her. He started to walk, trying to catch her trail of scent which was gone. This only meant she had left the maze some time ago.

"Release z'e hounds."

Large dark figures kept in huge cages snarled violently and shook the thick metal bars. They looked more wolf then dog, their claws and teeth sharper than even a wild animals would be. The hybrid mix seemed larger than even a wolf and was no doubt a result of genetic engineering. The tall green eyed man took out a lock of raven hair from his pocket and allowed the dog like creature to sniff it. Strangely the creatures seemed rather calm and less vicious when he approached. Rather they all seemed to lower their heads. Loyal creatures.

Out of the tower, Silla felt a sense of relief sink into her chest and mind. It felt as if a big problem had been solved. Now all she would have to do was get in a train and fine somewhere to hide out until all this blew over. Although she had no money she would no doubt be able to pawn the jewelry she wore to get a train ticket. But before even the station or the next district arrived, the Lady tapped the window of the driver to say, "Stop the vehicle here." Silla took a peek outside the window to notice the abandoned buildings that stood outside the holocraft. "Get out," said the older lady to her.

Silla slightly frowned looking at the woman. Her lips pursed, innocence in her eyes, "But this is the middle of nowhere? It's not even the next station," if she remembered correctly. there was still a journey of twenty more minutes by vehicle.

"Did you think I would give a whore a drive for free?" asked, the lady who looked at Silla as if she was stupid, but peasants were stupid and thought they could surpass the aristocrats.

Silla should have known the lady would pull something like this, but she was desperate which was why she had asked and gotten inside the vehicle, "Madam, I apologize for the inconvenience but I had no intention to insult you. I'm not a whore?"

"I have no wishes to insult you. Please allow me to take a ride to the nearest habitation. I wouldn't ask for anything more. Please," she bowed her head, hoping the woman would be swayed.

"Madam is right," said Nigael, "It is beneath her to accompany a whore. Step out of the carriage unless you want to be pushed or thrown out forcibly," said the former maid, crossing her hands and legs while looking at the girl who looked pitiful. It brought joy to Nigael that the girl looked powerless.

"Humphrey." The lady called the driver's name so that he could throw this girl out. "I will get down," Silla responded.

"Quick. We have other things to do than spend time with someone like you." The lady said, and Silla saw herself out of the holocraft. The door of the vehicle was shut close, and the woman said. "Next time learn how to behave with people who are above you. Hopefully, we don't cross path again, which is unlikely knowing our status. Drive," the engine started up again before pulling the craft to leave Silla in the middle of nowhere, rotten and fallen down buildings surrounded her, there weren't even working street lights.

She had hoped it wouldn't come to this, but then Silla told herself that she had got a headstart compared to her actual plan. Trying to see the positive side and being thankful to be getting a ride this far and out of the castle, Silla started to walk, taking the path of the left. All she needed was another vehicle passing by her to ask for help, but she doubted she would be getting one right now. She raised her chin, her blue eyes looking at the sky that had turned dark. The evening had passed quicker than she would have thought it would, and it was the time of night.

The sounds of the creaking buildings surrounded her, the strong wind threatening to knock them over.

When she heard a howl, Silla felt her heart jump out of her chest, turning around she made sure there was no animals following her, and when she heard another howl her feet moved even quicker than before.

_____________

to be continued...