Red Glass

09.

Daniella can see Samuel dressed rather oddly in a large dark blanket, looking rather devious.

"Sam, you made it!" Daniella smiles, feeling rather relieved.

"C'mon let's get outta here." Samuel whispers, acting as sketchy as he's dressed.

Taking his hand, they ran. For her each step was like something of fairy tales, for him it was full of the dread of being caught trying to kidnap a noble. They ran through the dark alleys of Vatala taking in it's beautiful fragrance one last time before arriving at a secret tunnel Samuel had known to be used for smuggling narcotics. He had never actually utilized this tunnel but he knew where it started from and where it ended... or so he thought.

The decaying ladder lowered them directly into the forsaken rat squeals of sewers. Daniella was not delighted. "Ewww!" She squirmed, stepping into the wet stinky dark.

"This is the only way out. It's this or go back." Samuel convinces his disgusted friend.
"Here, take my hand."

She squeezes his hand for a second time, following in trust. To Daniella, this escape was something she had fantasized about for years and now it was finally happening, it felt equally as rebellious as it did liberating. Most unfortunately, navigation equated a dabble more problematic than anticipated. Turned out the tunnel was not a prepossessing path of light and clarity but a grim maze of indistinguishable passages all ushering towards dissimilar uncertainties. Taking significantly longer than expected to emerge out the other side, still, for Daniella, it was all part of the adventure.

"Finally!" Exclaimed Samuel, relatively annoyed at the delay in their antics, grateful for the sense of direction his father taught him once upon a time.

Outdoors had never felt so open and free. The forest looked more beautiful than ever under the moons loving smile. Taking everything in like it was all new, feeling like the wondering traders and passing pilgrims who stumble upon such for the first time.

Sam scours bushes rather boisterously with anxious groans of frustration. "Dammit! C'mon c'mon!"

"Is everything alright there?"

"No! Everything is not alright!"

"Are you hurt?"

"It's gone, it's all gone! I hid everything right here under these shrubs. Clothes, supplies. I was here just yesterday. I'm, I'm so, so sorry Dannie."

"Nothing in this world is worth anything without somebody to share it with." Daniella smiles with a sunrise of optimism.

Samuel's panic and anger calm. Samuel was not upset about anything of his own being taken including the savings he dared not mention, he was just angry that somebody had taken the bag which contained a pocket painting of his best friend's mother. Daniella was never shown kindness by Enya, but she had always loved her and treasures her memory.

Jogging through the white forest at night, it was a thrill trying to evade the guard's watch. Under the shadows through the trees into the frozen wilds, at last, the two felt safe enough to rest by the road.

"I told you not to wear rich people clothes." Samuel explains to Daniella, clearly trying to hide how much the dirt on her dress bothers her.

"These are maids clothes, are they not nice?" She responds rather disheartened.

"It's your coat's a dead giveaway that you're rich. It's better people to think we are poor when travelling is all." He apologises.

"Should I.."

"Don't worry about it. Anybody ask, we'll say we robbed it okay."

"I'm sorry."

"Im probably just over thinking things, infact, maybe looking rich can work to our advantage."