King’s Seduction

ince the Rebe

ed into the cotton, no amount of scrubbing will remove it. Blowing a stray curl fro

ng this is going to be another hard week. All of Tai and I’s savings are hidden in a small box at the very back of one of our cupboards. It still feels strange referring to the s

dry my hands, no longer wincing at the feeling of the rough fabric against my once sensitive fingertips. Now, they are hardened and resistant to even the harshest fabrics and cleaning age

lungs as his icy blue eyes focus on me, leaving me scrambling amongst the fright that paralyses me. After a long moment, I blink, realising I’m not staring at Marek. This man i

t, unlike what I remember Marek’s to have been like. Mar

y, breaking the heavy silence taint

nothing like Marek. He has the basic features, but this man’s eyes are darker than I first thought, a

ing my palms against the surface. The one light in the middle of the ceiling does little t

the weaved basket of clothes he has propped on his hip.

ht lipped smile. He gives me his name and address before leaving. I

may share the same resentment, but it’s also mingled with fear...I’m afraid of what he may do when he finds me. Watching the stranger leave through

use the term friend lightly, knowing I don’t have the luxury of attaining friends. Soon, Tai and I will have to leave and make the dangero

onytail. "Oh, I just thought he

er. She has been the kindness, yet most curious person I have met since being here. My silence on my

wers. It’s fascinating to her, having a foreigner with Golden Province looks and a Jade Province accent in her small, r

lance toward the glass door and to the snow backed high outside that the strang

h past her. Noa’s the only person who has taken an interest in me since I arrived, since she is the only

ng harder adhering to the same story, but the least she knows about me the less likel

sband. Months ago that tech

her usual routine, she hangs back to talk to me, despite most of our conversations being empty and void of any meaning. It’s the consequence of

rary to my words, Noa comes

getting along well these past months. Only recently has the stress and betrayal reduced enough for us to finally smile and laugh with each other like old fr

bout Tai. We haven't been seen together, since we are always working, and wh

side of her coming out, which is a consequence of her being bored

he h

y face. If only she knew the real reason why Tai and I were supp

k. I'm not sure how much longer I will be in this Province, or more specifically, this village to entertain Noa's obsession with finding out more ab

ighs. "Is he coming with yo

k events, since that gives people an excuse to start asking questions they don’t know they don’t w

e shirt, I hang it with pegs before glancing back out into the store front. The man is long gone, although his resemblance with Marek is burned into my mind. I’m going

omes to stand next to me. We both look out toward the outside world, darkness smothering the

, people are going to thi

rab my belongings, Noa grasps my arm, all amusement havin

but something that wouldn’t be as easy to track as my real name. I’m not sure why we bother with any of it, as it seems Marek would have no issue finding us if he decided to lo

my coat off it's hook, shrugging it onto my shoulders. I'm not excited about steppi

Su

y softly. She gives me a tight smile, tossing the k

feel bad for all I keep to myself. But the moment