To Love, Once Again

Chapter 60

Thunder rolls in a long, low rumble in the black sky. A rainstorm was coming.

After what felt like an eternity of running, Sera lowers her pace and checks behind her. No one was pursuing her anymore. Her breaths puff out of her as her breaths even out, though her heart still beat quickly in trepidation.

The town around her was gone, leaving only a wide mud path with wheat fields stretching around her, grains frantically waving their heads in time with the wind increasing its momentum.

Stopping, Sera puts her hands on her knees, catching her breath. Somehow, she'd made it out of the capital, away from the man that tried to kidnap her.

It was scary knowing he was still out there somewhere, other assassins like him that were hunting her and Lucien down.

But where was she now? Before her was only fields of grain stretched before her into a horizon of nothingness. There were no streetlights here to light the way.

Behind her, Sera could vaguely make out the tall East Gate almost floating in the darkness, light reflecting off the grey stones that it was made up of. The East Gate was a smaller gate that led out of the capital and into one of the noble Lord's fiefs. Though she couldn't remember which one it was. The East and West gates were mainly used by peasants to bring in their grain tax, as well as the occasional peddler and entertainment troupes.

Only the pale light of the moon lit her way as she spotted a small shack. Maybe there was someone inside that could help her, or at least shelter from the light pattering of rain that sprinkled down from the black sky. Before the moon hides behind the dark rainclouds and takes away her sight altogether, Sera headed towards it, picking her way over the stones and grains. With each step, she winces, the skin wrinkled at the corners of her eyes as her bare foot meets sharp stones.

The rain was falling faster now, pasting Sera's hair to her cheeks and down her back, soaking her thin white shift till it felt heavy on her body.

At least the rain washed the thick blood off her hands. She was used to the smell of blood in the line of work she did here, but to feel it on her hands for so long...it was another detail in this horrifying ordeal.

Sera shivered, rubbing her arms to try and retain heat. Had it been so cold in the night? She'd never known, with her nights spent with Lucien in their bed, away from the rest of the world.

She hoped Lucien was ok.

Two hours should have passed by now. After Lucien's reaction sending out knights to find her when she was a maid, she wasn't sure how he would react when he found her gone from her hiding spot.

Finally, with hobbling steps to keep herself from slipping into the mud that cakes itself between her toes and up her legs, she makes it to the small shack. The pieces of warped wood that made up the home, tied together with straw knots and mud slapped over the surface made it appear

But she could see a dim light pouring out from between the cracks. Someone was inside.

Walking up to  the small door, Sera knocks against the wood.

"Yes?"

After a minute or two, the door opens with a creaking sound. An older woman, looking to be in her late 40s, opens the door. The blue-black, deep under-eye circles and straggly hair peeking out under a threadbare kerchief on her head made her look haggard.

"May I-"

Sera speaks with a bigger voice, to make herself heard over the low thundering and shuddering of rain falling in heavy sheets onto the ground.