Chapter 2

It was dark when we finally arrived escalating the ideal castle's beauty. I glanced up towards the magnificently happy seeming castel. "It's so beautiful" I glanced at the castle which stole my breath in it's glorious lights. "I don't want to go in." I found myself saying suddenly pulling away from my companions, Levy & Gajeel both turned to face me. "Don't you want to see the castle of my home?" Levy asked I bit my lip. "I do, but...I'm afraid I'll crave it once I get it...but I won't be able to get it back again." I felt my hand clench near my chest. "I don't want to crave what I can't have." I whispered as Prince Gajeel patted a mere servant like me on the head as if I were some sort of sibling. "If you're worried that much you could head home early." Gajeel sighed I offered one glance towards the magnificent castle, my hands curling around the simple but elegant green dress. I nodded only once before Gajeel handed me a lantern. "Gajeel!" Levy frowned upon how quickly he was going to let me go. "Net year then. She's my servant not my slave. I can't force her to go." He sighed the last half towards LEvy. She nodded quickly. "But next year! I'll make sure you know the part of your life!" The Prince shouted as I smiled at his good intention despite his evil sounding voice. I nodded "have fun!" I waved.

Continuing walking I lit the lantern leaving the two entering the castle behind me. "Are you sure? I mean it's a lot safer here but there's been another drastic string of robberies here in the past several days." Levy whispered. "She can handle herself." Gajeel laughed as if he knew something no one else did his arm wrapped around Levy's shoulders. I felt a small prying smile come on to my own face as I struggled to keep my feet moving forwards instead of turning around to tease them. "Burglars?" A new more dreary voice appeared it was quiet and almost as if it were hesitantly trying to make conversation. I glanced to bother asking him what he meant but I was too late. I was too far into the night. Although the dress was pretty it wasn't meant for combat I quickly ran into a closing pub to change into what would soon by one of my many 'usual' outfits. It was higher up just above my knees and it was a perfect v-neck jewel at the bottom, along with long sleeves that wrapped around my thumbs giving the illusion of holding them there. After that I changed into combat boots that came all the way up to just below my knees, quickly I slid my knife holders on and once the knives were in those I was done. Although I wasn't particular expert with knives and combat the knives often came in handy with a maid's everyday task. I sighed wing forwards it'd be nice to meet my cousin if only I would see her in a place like this.

I watched as a cart passed with a brunette in a beautiful red dress. Smiling I laughed to myself. No, not in this particular situation not yet at least. I wouldn't meet my cousin until I've escaped this cruel fate. I wouldn't let her see me this way. I sighed wondering further down the street it had not been the plan for me to head home before them so aimless wandering wouldn't get me killed not tonight. At least that's what I had thought. "NOW!" Voices rang out as suddenly a ton of weight fell from thin air. i felt myself grunt struggling to look up at all of whatever-had-just-landed on me. "Weren't we supposed to attack Gajeel's maid at the ball?" A voice asked as the gruff voice above me just laughed. "This isn't the ball but it is Gajeel's personal maid. It just can't be helped." The gruff voice murmured.

"But doesn't that ruin the make Gajeel seem like a dangerous leader plan? The one who hired us said-"

"Shut up! She's still consis!" I felt myself struggling to breath as suddenly the weight was lifted but I didn't have any time to breathe before my wrists were yanked above my head. "Hey ransoms are usually captured alive!" the one asked "But they don't have to be in one piece now do they?" The one with the gruff voice laughed. I glanced around quickly "Over there! Help!" I shouted as the two muggers both glanced over their shoulders it was just enough so that I could kick one of their shins in so I would be dropped out of shock. Quickly once that was accomplished I swung out my first knife on my farthest right. It was a knife that became a sword. "Go! Now." I stated tightening my grip on my sword attempting to fix my stance. I knew I was shaking. But it wasn't from fear, at least not of them. I was afraid of the ridiculous laws of PhantomLord, there was practically no council or law keepers so it was okay to kill and plunder, it was almost encouraged to kill and plunder. There was a law that the maids could only use their weapons to defend royalty not even themselves. "Who hired you?" I shouted clutching onto my shaking sword. "We can't tell you that!" They laughed even though they were defenseless and I was the one with the weapon they were still the ones that were laughing. I felt my breath hitch and my sweating hands tightened with my only resolve, to live through this.

"Than what is your point in being here?" I murmured waiting for the illy-educated people of lower classes to explain. "It's kind of funny, how I think they're a lower class that can't even read and I can do a ton more than them but I'm still the lowest class." My mind buzzed as I shook my head 'no, that won't do'. I braced my sword waiting for the two to get into fighting positions as they glanced at each other. Suddenly I felt myself swing around with as much force as I could administer throwing my sword back into a dagger and dashing as far as I could into the darkness of Mongolia.

Hours, minutes, seconds. None of it seemed really real, like I couldn't even tell anymore throughout the empty streets that would've been dark with violence if it weren't for the illuminating lights from the castle of joy and partying that cleared the streets. "Faster run faster!" My mind buzzed as I gulped realizing if I returned home alone "King" Jose probably would've taken the perfect chance to execute me. "Why do you think he's been so determined on executing you lately?" a voice in my head whispered as I shook my head, no I had to ignore it keep running. Every single little breath burned as I tried to run through the cooling midnight air. "Got her!" I glanced out of the corner of my eye to notice that just barely the gruff one was about to tug on my hair. They seemed as if they hadn't even broken a sweat. "You don't know us do you? We're the two professional murders called on so often by your king. I guess we can let you in on a little secret since you'll be dead in a few seconds." the gruff murderer lowered his voice to a whisper. "When we kill you we'll blame it on your orders to kill prince Gajeel because you were in cahoots with this kingdom and the kingdom of Pyre has a special liking to his girl there so after that we'll have the support of the kingdom of SaberTooth that will try and settle a personal debt. And don't forget the other kingdoms that would pity us for that Pyre's underhanding scheming of attempting to kill our prince. And everyone will think they see their true colors." the gruff murderer laughed as I attempted to glance to check how far the murderer was behind me tripping on an unstable sidewalk falling to my knees.

"Perfect!" The murderer laughing pulling out a gun from his coat pocket.

"Don't come any closer!" I screamed wrapping my hands around myself as I shut my eyes, I didn't want to die here. I hadn't even escaped yet from my fate! I hadn't even done anything I wanted! I wasn't even considerably an adult yet! I didn't want to go, not like this. "A mage?" A hushed breath from the other one came as suddenly there was a bunch of grunts. I slowly opened my eyes glancing at the fading glow as I turned around to see a rather dreary looking person his hand pushing the gun up above his head into the air. That person was definitely much shorter than this tall murderer but yet he demonstrated a ton of power. I glanced up towards him as out of the corner of his eye he glared at me with a glowing red eye that were almost a match to Gajeel. Except yet they were plagued with some different kind of emotion.

"Shut your eyes again!" He shouted as I threw my hands over my eyes hearing the brutal grunts and smacks of the fight. "You can open them again." I blinked open my eyes to see all traces of the fight were gone already. Not even the people were there. "Come here...and don't you lie to me about that leg." this man sighed picking me up piggy-back. "No, I should walk home, you'll be in trouble..my kingdom might hurt you." I whispered slightly panicked that if he brought me home that kingdom would rather kill the man then thank him for shaving my life. "I think that'd be rather a problem." the man sighed, there was a pause of silence as we walked further and further into the darkness. "Name's Celestine...what's yours?" I murmured as he laughed. "Celestine? Interesting...kind of reminds me of a name for something other than a human." he stated as I glanced at him. Was he saying I wasn't human to him? "It's Rogue." the man finally said after walking a while.

"Um, watch the knives." I said as I thought he thought he was slipping as he carried me suddenly he put me down. "Give me, all of it." He said suddenly as I felt myself attempt to withdraw. "Wait all of what?" I murmured. "The knives." he rolled his eyes as I pulled away. "No, you can't have them...they're a requirement they're part of my job...it'll be a problem if I let a stranger take them." I stated pulling away. "Don't make me get them myself." He glanced away as I reached for the knives taking each one out as I dropped it on the ground. "Is that all of it?" he asked. "I won't let you have this one." I stated my hand curling around my very last knife. The one I had used earlier in the night. Suddenly his hand curled around the handle coming closer. "The last knife, Celestine." He started as I felt my heart skip at how close-no fear I felt it because of fear. He was intimidating especially at this hour with a stranger. "In my country women, no people, don't need to go around carrying weapons especially to this extent." he stated attempting to loosen my grip on the knife-sword hilt. "I need to protect myself, I need to." I felt myself lower to a whisper realizing that real reason I reluctantly actually equipped the last part of my uniform every morning. I wanted to save myself from being killed by Jose. "That's nonsense! If you're so worried, I'll protect you!" he shouted causing me to dropped the last weapon into the bag he had collected of my knives. A frail smile coming to his face. "See that wasn't so hard" He stated as he picked me up carrying me piggy-back style again. "Why had you chose to save me?" I asked waiting for it to be one of the few questions that weren't answered throughout this trek to his kingdom. "I don't like to see people die in front of me. Not when I can save them...If I were to guess it's mainly because I watched my own mother die.." he said sadly. As I glanced down at him wondering if I should changed the topic. A voice echoing once again it was his..."That's nonsense! If you're so worried, I'll protect you!"

For the first time in my life. I think. I think just maybe. Just maybe that dusk had brought me something wonderful.