I calculated in my head about thirty seconds. Thirty seconds was all I had to escape his wrath. How on earth would I accomplish this? This was a near impossible task. A task that would surely get me killed. I turned from the building and ran as fast my damaged legs would take me. I hurdled over bushes and weaved through the fence that lead to the city. The city I technically ruled. My City. A slither of doubt filled my head. Would it really be my City anymore? I wonder how many rumours he had spread in my absence. Would running this way be wise? Although, I was running out of options. As I reached the road I realised how difficult this escape would be. Four lanes of heavy traffic roared past me, the force of the wind nearly blowing me over. This was it. I was trapped. How was I going to pull this one off? I couldn't! What about Arlia? I couldn't possibly leave her here again. Not after the last time I left her here. I couldn't! It was in this split second of reflection that his arms wound around my neck and chest heaving me harshly off the concrete and into the air. My feet dangled only inches above the ground, he was teasing me with the tiniest chance of escape. "You dare make another act of treason? I am the fucking future King of Wutai." His teeth brushed dangerously across the top of my ear. "And you my Queen will learn to do what you're fucking told." A pain filled sob escaped me as his teeth bit deeply into my ear. "And that pest of a daughter of mine will learn her place." His arms constricted around my neck, painfully cutting off my breathing. I thrashed and tried to scream but my attempts began to prove my earlier statement. I was weak. The more I moved the tighter his hold became and the harder it was to breathe. I had almost given up on the idea of ever escaping. It took me by complete surprise when my hands plunged toward the side walk and my body became free from all constraints. It took me by even more surprise when her miniature hands pulled me from the ground and dragged me into a sprint. Her small hands were covered in the blood of her father. It flowed to the ground as she ran, her small frame was surprisingly athletic. She seemed like she could run forever. A moment or two later I heard her mutter in Wutainese. "God damn bastard." In any other situation I would have heavily disciplined the girl, but she had a point. He was a God damn bastard. Her tiny legs raced for miles dragging me closely behind her. I wasn't quite sure where she had taken us. Neither of us had stopped running until the mansion was long out of sight and an enormous stitch had worked its way into my abdomen as we slowed.
"Arlia where are we?" Hours seemed to have raced passed, the sun was setting quickly all around us leaving us in a dimly lit residential street. "We need to find somewhere to stay Angel. Where are we?" Her face fell from highly accomplished to lost and completely exhausted. "I don't know." Her face screwed up as tears began to fall down her perfect little face. "I just ranned, I, I no idea where we are." Lowering myself to her level I enveloped her into the tightest hug we have both ever experienced. "I love you angel face don't worry, I will take care of us from now on okay? Let's just find somewhere to stay tonight." Her tears lessened and a small smile shone across her face. "Okay." "What can you see angel? Your eyes are better than mine." She thought about her words for a moment and answered in English. "There is a closed clothes shop. A bakery, some kids, ummmm…" She scanned the area for a few more moments as her eyes lit up with delight. "OH MY GOSH, Mrs Lilly lives there. I wented there once last week." I had no idea what she was talking about, but there was no way I would deny her ability to find safety in the most dangerous of situations. Before I could catch her, her legs sprinted toward an elderly lady and a child around her age. "Mrs Lilly." She called as she reached the curb on the other side of the street. "Mrs Lilly can you help us?" The elderly lady froze in horror. The way she turned to look at the pair of us was almost mechanical. He jaw dropped and she lost her grip on her groceries. "My dear what are you doing here? Your father would kill you if he saw you all the way out here!" Ahhh, this was the Nanny Arlia had been talking about. As I caught up to Arlia and Mrs Lilly, I pleaded. "Please if you can be of any help to us please, please help us. I'm desperate." The woman seemed to comprehend my words but she stood there dumbfounded. "You're alive?" I touched my arms to check and nodded with a weak smile. "I think so." "My Queen come inside. Please I'll call you a cab and arrange a hotel, my house isn't safe for you." I took her offer and pushed Arlia inside the small town house. The house was amazingly homey for such a city like street. Mrs Lilly had photographs of children and happy families lining her front room. A large couch and a cat sprawled across the far wall. "My dear sit down and I'll run you a bath with some new clothes." I pushed Arlia toward the cat and she gleefully began prodding and teasing the old feline. I watched her for a moment while Mrs Lilly disappeared into a linen cupboard, remerging with towels soaps and many different clothing options. "I have always been a Nanny," She stated "And that means I am always prepared for stylish children." Her smile broadened as she handed me a pair of pyjamas for Arlia and a pair of shorts and a loose jumper for me, she had even gone to the extent of having fresh undergarments. "Thank you." It was now my turn to be dumbfounded, I stood like an idiot waiting for her to instruct me. For that short moment in time I had forgotten how to function in a caring situation. "Come on dear I'll run you that bath." Arlia had finished her bath and had fallen asleep on the bath mat wrapped in her now drenched towel. Instead of dressing her like I should have, I took advantage of the situation and began leisurely bathing myself. I had no idea how long it had been since I was taken from Midgar, and in turn had no idea when I had last bathed. It could have been anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of months. The elderly lady had provided me with soaps, hair products and a razor. Thank the heavens for the razor. My legs looked brutal, lets not even mention the hair. It must have been about half an hour later when she knocked on the door. "I have got a taxi for you, he is a good friend of mine, and he will take you right to a little hotel just south of the boarder." I called back through the door to thank her and began the draining task of getting the two of us dressed.