6 Chapter 6: Runaway

Chapter 6: Runaway

I looked at the two guards who were firmly rooted to their positions while looking at our direction. They were not even blinking an eye at each other.

I hold unto Runi’s arm. The moment she looked at my bright eyes, she already recognized what I mean.

“Young Lady…”

And off we go like wild horses being released from the stables. Adrenaline and dopamine surged inside my brain as Runi and I squeezed through the crowd and ran all over the place. We were stepping on people’s shoes and were receiving curses from it but we didn’t care.

We also watched how frantic the two guards have been from our escape that they also squeezed through the crowds to catch us while Runi and I were laughing at each other during the whole time.

We’ve always escaped from boring town hall sessions, overly extravagant parties, and forced luncheons back at home.

When we’ve completely lost the guards in the crowd, we halted in front of a boutique. Runi was catching her breath by bending a little.

“Wow, Young Lady. You were always a fast runner,” she commented in between her breaths.

“That’s why my father was always chasing after me, Runi,” I replied with a sly in my eye.

I grabbed her hand lightly. We entered inside the boutique where she immediately got distracted in browsing hairpins. She always loved hairpins. It was a liking that we both share. She took two pins of different colors from the rack and showed it to me.

“Young Lady,” she said while positioning both pins at the left side of her head, “how do I look like? Which one should I get? Which one do you like for yourself?”

I chuckled. We both look at ourselves at the mirror. “I’d rather you have the white one, Runi.”

She smiled. “But you’re getting married, Young Lady. I reckon that you should get the white one.”

It has always been the custom back in the countryside of Ransang. When a girl is getting married, she must exchange hairpins with an unmarried girl, usually her closest friend.

I haven’t gone to a normal school and haven’t had a normal life outside of my father’s house after the fire accident when I was sixteen. It felt like my teenage years have all gone down the drain after being kept away for so many years.

I haven’t lived as a normal teenager who worried about dating or getting into college. I didn’t attend junior proms or auditioned for school plays. I haven’t complained about cafeteria food. I didn’t even had road trips or Friday night-outs. All I ever had were strolling around my father’s lawns and feeding the pigeons. And also, well, my stolen nights of sneaking out to go to the carnivals.

The few friends I have in middle school were growing up too fast that they started going out with boys and traveling to places while I was stuck to wandering in my father’s house because some people wanted me dead.

I rolled my eyes at her. “I’m not getting married yet, Runi.”

She chuckled. “I have always prayed for you to get married well, Young Lady. I am really thrilled for you!”

Suddenly, my phone vibrated inside my pocket. I wondered who could it be because it’s too early for my father to call.

I read that it’s from an unknown number. I chose to answer it. “Hello?”

I usually don’t state my name for security. My father always told me that the culprits responsible for setting my uncle’s house on fire were still around. They might still be after me from knowing that I’ve survived. My father always said that this is the price that my family is paying for running the Central Government of Ransang.

“Natalia? This is Marcial.”

From whom did he get my number? My father perhaps?

I swallowed a lump inside my throat. I closed my eyes. “Hi! Marcial! I didn’t know the Capital’s malls are huge and bright and a lot of peop—

“Why did you run away from the guards I’ve sent for you? You are testing me too much, Natalia! Do you want my head on a platter?” Marcial sounded furious.

I’ve never heard of him talking to me like this before. How many battles had he gone that turned him into a different kind of man?

I went out of the boutique in case someone would overhear me. It would be embarrassing especially that I couldn’t contain my anger anymore. I just might burst and throw all the hairpins on the floor.

“Marcial! Calm down! I’m okay here really! Runi and I have always been okay whenever we go out! It’s not like I’m the same girl you’ve been with when we’re children. I’m not a child anymore, Marcial! Stop controlling me.”

“I am not controlling you, Natalia,” he replies in a frustrated tone. “I am merely doing my obligation to the General and to Ransang. You should know that the people who might want to kill you will be after you right now.”

“Stop scaring me, Marcial,” I whine, “I just want to go out and have fun before meeting the General. I am afraid that I should be at ease before meeting my, um, husband-to-be.”

“Why are you making this so difficult for me? Do you know that I am just doing my job? Do you know that the General will have my head when he’ll learn that I let you snuck out?”

I pursed my lips. Of course. Marcial is just doing his job. If anything would happen to me. He would answer to the General then the General would answer to my father.

Fine. I would go home, but I just need more time. It’s my first time to be out from my father’s house. Why don’t I have the privilege to actually experience a taste of freedom?

“Go home now, please,” he pleaded.

“No, please give more ti—

A man wearing a hooded jacket snatched my phone while I am ranting to Marcial. And all I could do was scream for help and run after him.

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