Biting Fate

"Here you go Mrs. Flores," Amelia still in her hospital uniform carefully hands the eighty-year-old lady her medicine. 

"Thank you, Dearie. You're such an angel! You helping out here in this run-down hospital that the churches have forsaken lightens up this neighborhood greatly," the old lady exclaims with moist eyes. 

Patting the free hand of the old lady, Amelia replies

"Oh, Mrs. Flores this hospital helped me when I needed it the most so I'm just paying back,"

They smile at each other.

As Amelia bids Mr. Flores goodbye, 

Suddenly a shout from outside shakes the peaceful afternoon.

"Amelia! Get out here you vile wench! Hurry up and come home. We got Mr. Herold coming this afternoon and you need to make the house sparkly clean!"

Gertitude, Amelia's aunt, hollers without a care in front of the busy hospital not caring about anybody. 

Sigh

Here we go again

"I'm sorry Doctor Richard," Amelia apologizes as she swiftly heads out to calm her raging aunt who is now making a big scene in front of the hospital. 

"It's you're horrible Aunt again huh," Doctor Richards comments as he scowls across the room helping a patient. He wants to help the poor gal but he has his hands full running/working the charity hospital. It's a shame that Amelia has such a rotten couple as guardians the bachelor doctor laments. 

Amelia can only nod with an apologetic smile. The commotion outside is getting louder so Amelia hurries out only to see her Aunt insulting some volunteer nurses trying to reason with her. Amelia quickly pulls her Aunt to the side, only to be slapped immediately by her Aunt once they're out of sight of the crowd. 

"Wench, how dare you pull me like a cattle!" Gertitude complains, spitting on the ground and massaging her wrist like it's injured. She then looks at Amelia up and down. She smiles and snickers. 

"If you don't want me to make any more racket, better give me compensation for using my precious time to inform you about a special guest that's coming to visit. A guest with special intentions that will greatly help you." Gertitude smirks while she rubs her thumb with her index and middle finger.

"Here," Amelia hands 50 esos, two weeks' worth of savings from helping out in the neighborhood, to her Aunt to stop her from cursing and insulting people around again. 

"Tsk," Gertitude clicks her tongue examining the money, and quiets down. She then walks away after shouting, 

"You better follow soon or else," Gertitude points at the hospital and then points her thumb down. She then walks away snickering while counting the money she got.

Taking a deep breath, Amelia watches her aunt walk away then immediately runs back to the hospital front desk to say her apologies. But the staff knowing her situation gives her some snacks instead saying she doesn't have to worry about it. 

Relieved and thankful, Amelia smiles and thanks them wholeheartedly. She then runs full speed to get home. After sprinting with all her might she sees the house, she speeds up rather than slow down since she wants to get it over soon. 

"Tch! I told you to follow soon! Look what time it is! Good-for-nothing daughter of a wench," Gertitude curses as Amelia, out of breath, reaches the front door.

"Make sure to pretty yourself up after cleaning you hear me! We don't want Mr. Herold to think you're such a slob, do we know?" With her eyebrows raised, Gertitude hassles Amelia to do her bidding. 

With her head bowed and her hands tightly clenching her skirt, Amelia manages to shake her head at her aunt's question. With her hands still tightly clenched, she keeps her mouth shut as she walks inside. After taking deep breaths Amelia starts to clean the house.

Taking the cleaning supplies from the basement closet, she sees Gertitude go to the parlor where her gambler of a husband lays sloppily.

"Stupid Man! Go get yourself dressed up we got an important guess coming!" kicking her husband off the sofa when he didn't move immediately, Gertitude then goes to their bedroom to prepare. 

"So the wench is about to be sold off huh? Good, good, just in time. I just ran out of money~ Luck is on my side for surely my wife would sell the wench for a high price. Heh. I'll get some pocket money soon~" Alfred mumbles as he gets to his feet to prepare since it's for money. 

Amelia hears her Uncle's mumbles as she mops the hallway floor. Biting her lips hard, her eyes moist, she grips the handle of the mop tightly as she hides in the corner to avoid her Uncle. Gritting her teeth so hard to stop herself from screaming at the horrible couple who pose as her guardians.

Just for today, just today...You can do this Amelia 

Amelia reminds herself, and then, forces herself to relax and continue to clean.

She has been planning to escape for a while now. She just has to wait for the right time to execute it and she'll be able to kill two birds with one stone soon.

Honestly, Amelia ran away a few times already only to be beaten back home. The couple have unsavory acquaintances that help them to track her every time she escapes.

But this time she happens to have luck on her side.

***

She is helping out Old Marcus, the Golden Swan Inn owner, as a fill-in cleaner at that time when a well-equipped and elegantly dressed group of people comes to the inn. It turns out that the group is heading to the busy port of St. Helios. They're only here to restock their supplies and gather information. 

Hearing them talk about their plans in the passing, Amelia can't help but be curious about the group so she gathers her courage and asks,

"Hello, I'm Amelia! Sorry for the sudden introduction I was just really curious about the places you were talking about. I mean I have never ventured out of the city so I am interested in listening to your stories about the different places out there."

"That so Lass, then I shall tell you about the great cities, the vast wilderness, and magnificent mountains!" 

"Oh, there goes Ol' Cooney again!" 

Everybody in the group laughs heartily. 

After listening to their stories, she can't help but imagine what it would be like to travel.

To be free to work and keep the money I earn, and then spend it to travel to different places with beautiful orchidariums and aquariums without worrying about my aunt and uncle...How nice it would be.

Amelia muses but remembers how she overheard her aunt discussing how much she costs to the guests who visit her aunt. 

Seeing the drastic change of expression, Antony, the leader of the group, asks her

"What's wrong Amelia?"

"I, I want to travel too..." with a forced smile she answers 

"Is something stopping you?" Bernadette, the scout of the group, questions.

"Yes, you see my aunt wants to marry me off soon and I can't go against their will until I turn 20 which is still a year from now."

"Aw poor child," Helios, the head guard of the group, states patting Amelia's back.

"I don't get. Why can't you go against your aunt?" John, the clerk of the group, asks.

"You see, my Aunt has my mom's last will in her hands and only when I turned 20 can I get it from her since law officers from the church would be there to make sure she hands it over. My mom's will is important to me because she told me to hold on to it for it has her legacy on it. So, when my mom passed away I still endured my aunt but, now it's too much... I'm only 19 for goodness sake!" 

Tears run down her cheeks and she tries to wipe her tears with her sleeves only to realize she can't stop herself from letting out sobs. 

"Why not run away Dearie?" Old Cooney inquires as he hands Amelia a clean soft handkerchief. 

"To be honest I did. I tried ten times but every single time they got their 'acquaintances' to catch me, and beat me up so that I couldn't even stand up. I even tried to ask for help from the local law enforcers but I guess my aunt has brided every single one of them," 

Amelia exclaims with bitterness. 

"That's terrible, Sweetie!" Millie, head merchant in the group, exclaims. 

"In that case, how about we help you?" Helios offers. 

"Will you? Really?" full of hope, Amelia blurts out. 

"Of course. How can we not?" Helios replies smiling. 

"Thank you!" Amelia cries. 

"We'll be staying here for two weeks so we'll have some time to plan your escape, But how about we start off by scouting where your Aunt might have hidden the will of your Mom. Once we get that, then there's nothing they can use against you."

Amelia nods her head vigorously and starts to tear up again. 

I can't believe they're willing to go that far for me, *sniff* 

"No need for tears yet Sweetie, save it for later alright?" Millie voices as she pats Amelia and pushes her warm blueberry-flavored milk for Amelia to drink. 

"Okay," Amelia replies while gratefully accepting the drink and then she takes a sip. 

Seeing how she smiles so blissfully enjoying the drink, Millie tells her to get some rest afterwards and they'll do their best to come up with a plan and help her out. 

Amelia can only keep thanking them and keep bowing her head to show her gratitude. 

The travelers kept their word and retrieved her mom's will without any problem. They also devised a plan for her escape that would make her aunt and uncle pay a hefty price. 

For this plan to work, they need Amelia to follow through and do her part even if it means doing something unpleasant, such as acting to charm a dirty old man. 

***

A black high-class car stops in front of their driveway, Gertitude immediately shoos Amelia to the guest parlor. There is a great commotion so Amelia thinks that the tycoon has arrived 

A tall old man with a walnut cane, He wore a perfectly tailored suit, the fabric dark and expensive, and a fedora hat escorted by tough-looking men, Mr. Herold enters 

rubbing his hands together Alfred greets the richest tycoon in the city. 

"Where's the girl?" Mr. Herold with gruff tone questions. 

"Oh, she's in the parlor, sir."

"Lead the way,"

"With pleasure," Alfred with greasy smile excitedly answers. 

Amelia sits with her auburn hair slightly swaying from the breeze that enters the open window overlooking an overgrown garden. Her face is slightly flushed from scrubbing it with rough cloth to clean it. The flush on her face only makes her look enchantingly enticing. 

"She truly is a young fresh beauty" Mr. Herold comments as he examines the lady 

"I'm glad our Amelia appeals to you sir, she's such a sweet child~" Gertitude states with an overly sweet tone

Hearing her say those words almost makes Amelia gag out of disgust, but she has to endure for the plan to progress. The tycoon's intense gaze at Amelia signals her to act even if she doesn't like to.

"I hate to rush you, good sir. But, I'm well aware that you value your time. So~ if I may suggest that my aunt and you sir discuss what must be discussed," she slowly blinks at Mr. Herold with upturned eyes. She even coyly bites her lips locking gaze with the old tycoon, the way Millie taught her the day before.

No matter how much she hates doing such action, for her freedom, she'll do it. 

Mr. Herold charmed as expected promptly lays a huge amount on the table. 

"I want her to come with me right away" Mr. Herold insists as he thinks of a variety of loving acts he would let the young lad experience. He wants it as soon as possible!

"Oh, sir I would like to go soon as well, but may I be allowed to arrange my personal belongings? and can I stay just one more night, please? Just one night to say goodbye to my aunt and uncle." Amelia shyly asks while acting lovely and looking straight into the old man's eyes. 

"Of course, I'm a gentleman after all."

Mr. Herold replies as he lets his eyes Amelia over and over 

Amelia meets his lustful gaze and forces herself to sweetly smile. 

Mr. Herold satisfied leaves and lets Gertitude and Alfred that he'll pick up Amelia at dawn. 

The couple promises to get her prepared before then and will wait for him eagerly. 

Seeing the tycoon leave Amelia immediately tells the horrid couple she'll pack her stuff and rest. 

The couple to lost in their delusion of how much more money they'll receive hum in response. 

Great! Now I can proceed to the next step on my plan!

She puts the acorn necklace in her pocket the only possession that's left in her room. For her belongings are at the shed near the abandoned farm just outside the city proper already. 

The travelling group already made sure that she's ready as soon as possible so they told her to pack her stuff in advance. They even help her buy necessary items for traveling.

Dr. Richard too help pay for her expenses so she can finally have her freedom. He knew how she endured all these years so when he can finally lend a helping hand he did so. 

she changes her appearance, she manages to buy a quality hair dye and hair color changing potion. After making sure the dye and the potion work, she jumps off the window that's 3 stories high. 

She lands and hisses for her ankle bent at an odd angle, showing a clear injury. Her face grimaces in agony but then it quickly heals and so she continues to head to the meeting place shrugging off the pain. 

Reaching the outskirts of the town, she then meets up with Helios' traveling group.

She grins.

At last, I can live for myself...

Too bad she won't see her aunt's horrid face when she realizes she escaped. 

She grins, then can't stop herself from laughing as she sees the city far getting fainter fainter

She plans to go to the Baltic port town where the city provides decent jobs, she plans to be an apprentice of an alchemist or at least a librarian.

But perhaps because her escape is too smooth that fate had to add a twist to her journey... 

The travelling group heads to the dense 

The woods suddenly turned deathly quiet that they could hear their breaths 

"Something is wrong, Prepare for battle!" 

stay here in the wagon Amelia 

Then, from deep within the trees, there came a low, guttural growl—so deep that it seemed to vibrate in their chests. The sound was primal, feral, unlike anything they had ever heard. Their movements stilled, eyes darting in all directions, scanning the thick foliage for the source.

*BAM!* something overturns wagon 

'AAHHH!" Amelia can't help but scream.

"No way!"

"Surround the demonic beast! John and others protect non-combatants!" 

everybody tries to fight off the demonic beast but they are no match 

"RUN!" Helios shouts

"but..." Amelia hesitates 

"GO!" Millie grabs Amelia

But then, the beast moved too quickly. Before anyone could react, it smoothly evades the fighters and comes crashing through the underbrush toward Amelia and the rest. 

It was massive, a blur of fur, claws, and muscle, charging at them with terrifying speed. The ground seemed to quake beneath its weight. The beast's eyes were wild and glinting with a savage hunger, its jaws lined with sharp, gleaming teeth. A scream tore through the group, cutting the air as the creature lunged at the nearest person, John, knocking him to the ground with a sickening thud.

another beast approaches and Amelia is frozen on the spot even when the beast jumps and bites her head off 

"AHHHH!" screaming awake, the Mellie immediately goes to Amelia's bed

"What's wrong Dearie?" 

"I..."

There's a knock on the door followed by Helios and the rest asking, "What happened?

to her shock, she went back in time a couple of days before the incident...