Finding Her Hiding

Elara drew close toward the house. The dark stress was ominous with no moon or star guiding the way. The thunder in the sky chased all the small animals away and the deafening silence had engulfed the whole lane in its dark veils. 

Her hooded figure was the only alive thing in the street while everyone was sleeping in their warm houses with the fireplaces full with wood,

She stood there covered with a hood drenched in rain. She looked like she was part of the shadows. She had always been until two days ago when she was spotted because she was saving the child. 

Since then they were searching for her like she was the one who had tipped the knights. She didn't even know whose child was that and who were those knights. And though it had cost her peace, she did not regret what she had done. The child was too young to see those dark lands.

Elara shook her head. She did not have the luxury to worry about others when her life was in danger. If she did not hide, they would find her and there was no place where she could hide except this one.

The house of the duke of Assedon, Cedric Frostbane. There were many posts of the handmaid empty in this house after the incident and she was sure no one would notice her presence until she left the palace, yet she was struggling to ring the bells. Once gone inside, she would be part of another tempest that was running this palace.

"As if you have another choice!" she cursed when she heard some noise on the road and her heart leapt to her throat for fear that they had found her. They had come to take her.

She took a deep breath, leaving the hesitation away and pressing the bell. Soon a male servant opened the door for her with an annoyed face. His droopy eyes told that he had to leave his warm bed to open the door for her and he was not happy about it even a bit.

"Who are you?" he asked with a cold stare but his eyes started to brighten when he noticed a curvaceous woman drenched in rain. Her dress was snuggling to her body and showing her bosom which made the man hotter than the warm bed could ever have.

Elara shifted her weight from one feet to another dodging the look in his eyes, "i have applied for the post of maid.'' She has a polite smile on her face despite the itch to reach for her blades and stab his eyes so that he would never give another lecherous gaze to any woman.

"Many did!" He rolled his eyes and opened the door enough for her to enter though she was sure their bodies would touch since he did not move away. "The butler is sleeping and he would not like it if I disturbed his sleep. Would you mind sharing my room tonight?" 

"...." Elara paused and stared at him, there was no more hesitation, he was going to die and she would run for another house to hide.

"Or you can make yourself comfortable in the empty rooms but there is no fireplace and you are…" he trailed as he licked his lips and gave her another look with desire, "...wet" the smile slipped away from her face and went cold just like her body.

"I do not mind waiting here. But I do not want to disturb your sleep anymore." he shrugged, hiding his desire but not forcing the girl anymore. He would get many chances when she would be employed here.

He would teach her how to keep her mouth shut or better, use it for different purposes!

"Suit yourself." he shrugged and started walking. Elara followed through the dark long hallways of the mansion with only a few flickering lanterns, filling the rest of the place in the arms of the darkness as if it belonged there. 

"Wait here, i at least need to inform the handmaid." she nodded though she knew that he was lying. The handmaid had left the job two days ago. She had investigated enough to know the house was in shambles and there was no one to check the authenticity of the reference letter she had forged.

When the servant left her alone, she walked to the windows and peeked out, as if she was planning to jump and see how much it would hurt her. Her eyes adjusted to the dark as if she had always been a part of it. She scanned her choices of exit. She could use the pipe or jump on the nearest tree from the next window.

Taking a deep breath and hoping that she would not need it, she scanned the hall this time. It was a large hall with portraits of an old man and woman glaring at her as if telling her it was not her place to be to the furniture that was covered with dark shadows.

The vases that only have wilted flowers to the tapestry that seem luxurious but stained with many recent marks, some of them were blood. Her eyes narrowed at the scene, repeating the information in her mind until she heard more steps. 

"You can come with me." She saw a girl coming this time. She was younger and had a smile on her face that looked strange. Elara nodded and followed the girl with a following smile while the man just tsked and left.

"You are going to share a room with me tonight. I will take you to the butler in the morning.'' She paused in front of the long corridor and picked up a lantern from the wall. The inside was darker with no candle burning. 

She slowly followed the maid making sure that she did not trip when she asked again, "I am sure you have a reference."

When Elara nodded, the maid sighed, 

"And I hope you know about the accident at the palace before joining us."