The Blades and The Gauntlets [Vi x fem!oc]

Chapter VII: The Leash

The next morning came with the soft light of dawn filtering through the curtains. Mila lay in bed, wide awake, her mind having never settled enough for sleep. She stared up at the ceiling, the soft mattress doing little to calm the restlessness gnawing at her insides. She had spent the entire night thinking about Vi, about Silco, about what her next move would be.

She couldn't stay here much longer. Every second felt like another link in the chain that bound her to this world she didn't belong to.

Pushing herself up from the bed, Mila rubbed her eyes and sat at the edge of the mattress, her bare feet brushing the soft rug beneath her. The room was quiet, suffocatingly so. She could hear faint sounds of life coming from the hall - distant footsteps, muffled voices. Probably the staff moving about, preparing for the day ahead.

The clock on the wall read 8:00 AM. She had the option to skip breakfast, Evelyn had said, but lying in bed would only make the restless energy inside her worse. She stood up and walked to the window, gazing out over the gardens of the Ravencroft estate. It was an illusion. She knew that now. Beneath the polished surface, everything was just another cage.

She glanced down at her ankle, the device still tightly strapped to her skin. Her jaw clenched. She needed to find a way to get it off. Maybe then she could start planning an escape for real.

With a sigh, Mila walked over to the wardrobe, throwing it open. More neat, clean clothes stared back at her, all neatly arranged. Dresses, blouses, skirts. All too proper, too formal. Not her. She reached past them to pull out a plain shirt and some dark trousers - closer to what she was used to, but still not the same as the rugged, worn-out clothes she'd worn before. Still, it would have to do.

Once dressed, Mila made her way downstairs, her footsteps quiet on the plush carpets as she moved through the long hallways. She didn't know where Evelyn and Dorian were, but it didn't matter. She was more interested in finding out what the day would hold, whether there was any chance to slip past the enforcers, or at least find out where they were stationed.

As she descended the stairs, she was met with the smell of fresh bread and something sweet - probably fruit. The scents wafted through the air as she entered the dining room.

Evelyn was already seated at the table, a gentle smile on her face as she saw Mila enter. Dorian wasn't there yet, but a plate had been set for him.

"Good morning, Mila," She said, her voice warm and welcoming, as if nothing was out of place. As if Mila hadn't spent the whole night planning her escape. "I wasn't sure if you'd join us, but I'm glad you're here. There's fruit, some bread, and porridge if you like. Or I can make you something if none of that is to your liking."

Mila gave a half-hearted shrug and plopped into the chair. "Oh, breakfast in paradise. How did I get so lucky?"

Evelyn didn't flinch, though the smile faltered for a split second. "We just want you to feel comfortable."

It looked good, but she felt none of the hunger that should have come with the morning. Still, she reached for a piece of bread, more for the sake of appearances than out of any real appetite.

For a while, neither of them spoke. The silence felt heavy, and Mila's mind kept wandering back to the device on her ankle, to the enforcers likely standing just outside the gates. But she had to be careful. She couldn't let her impatience show, not yet.

Her companion seemed to sense the tension, because she leaned forward slightly, her eyes gentle. "How did you sleep?" she asked softly.

Mila shrugged, biting into the bread. "Fine."

It was a lie, of course. She hadn't slept at all, but Evelyn didn't need to know that.

"I know this must feel... overwhelming," She continued, her voice kind but careful. "But we want you to feel like this is a place where you can take your time. There's no rush to figure everything out, Mila."