Recap: "There are so many places she could hide", he said to himself.

Aurora had arrived at the Bordertown below Mobilis after a long ride in a rusty bus. She had been the last passenger to alight and the bus driver had taken it upon himself to bother her with questions she had no interest in answering. He had moved on when she didn't reply to him but not before advising her to find a place to stay for the night before continuing her journey. Aurora had no plans of staying at the Bordertown too long, she wanted to move on to Mobilis quickly and disappear into the big city so Acacius and the Ambroses wouldn't be able to find her. She had no doubt they would be searching for her even if she had run when they had left the villa to seek out some old crone. She eventually decided against making the lone hike up the hills that late in the night, she resolved to stay at an inn tonight. She walked around but no inn had room for her but she was referred to another inn in the quiet part of town, and she was told they might have room for her.

When she walked into the only inn she had been told would have room for her, she considered taking the journey up the hill after all. The patron looked at her while she took in the dusty inn as if she was a strange creature, this could have been due to a couple of reasons. One of which might be that they don't get that many visitors or that the inn looked dirty and very much unoccupied. "Welcome to the harbor", he said in a croaky voice. Aurora couldn't blame him though, the man was human and had to be in his seventies. She was only here because she had no other option, no, she was here because her only options were to take a room here or make the hike up the hill this cold winter night.

She worked up the courage and told him she needed a room for the night, he told her how much it was and she counted the coins that might suffice and placed them in his hands. He gestured for her to follow him as he took the lamp that had been his only source of light all this while. She followed him quietly dragging her duffel along. For all she knew, he was taking her to certain death.

The bed looked like it hadn't been slept in a while but she would take the room. She turned around and said her thanks as he was setting up a lamp for her. He murmured his reply and nodded then left her alone in the badly lit, dingy room with the flea-infested bed. She collapsed unto the bed anyways as tears rolled down her eyes. She was finally alone, she could break down now where no one would see her. Her tears were limitless as memories upon memories she had put away for so long threatened.

The day her life had ended had started like every day in her home did. Her father, Ethan had made breakfast as he would do, God forbid her mother make breakfast. Ariana was great at everything except cooking, every meal she tried out ended as a disaster. But she loved Aurora and Ethan and it was that love that made her stop trying to make meals. So, Ethan, her chameleon mate made the meals while Ariana kept the home.

A tear rolled down her eye as she remembered how happy they were. Their home was full of laughter, dancing, and love. The only thing was she wasn't allowed out of the sight of either of them. When she grew older and asked why they told her it was because so many people who didn't have the laughter and love they had in their home would try to take their own laughter and love(her). She had laughed and obeyed their wishes, never straying far away from either one of her parents.

When she grew older though, she wanted to explore and meet people her own age but they wouldn't allow it. She hadn't understood at the time and that had caused many fights between her and Ethan. Ariana could only watch and try to keep the peace but Aurora understood now as she didn't then and had tried her best to explore the world outside in secret. Her explorations hadn't gone unnoticed by Acacius and his desire to have her was now stronger. Now that she was older, his enemies will notice her and try to use her against him.

Aurora shook her head and wiped her tears, all that didn't matter anymore. What mattered now was she getting to Mobilis by first light and losing whatever search parties they might have sent after her in the big city. She wondered if this time she would have to change her name, switch up her look, maybe dye her hair and change the story she would have to tell. These amongst other things were what was on her mind when she drifted off to sleep.

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