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    Aria walked through the narrow streets, her small, delicate steps barely audible on the dusty ground. The voices of the children mocking her faded somewhere into the background, far from her thoughts. "Witch" and "Outcast" – they had shouted these words so many times that they had long lost their meaning. To Aria, they were nothing more than sounds, like the chirping of birds or the rustling of the wind.


    "I have to decide whether to go into the house," she thought, her brow furrowed slightly. She appeared focused, yet inside, everything was cool and calculating. The old house might not be the safest place. "My brother could find me there... or worse, someone could be watching."


    The thought quietly crept into her mind, but her steps remained steady. "They fear me because of my talent. What if they decide to get rid of me?" Her eyes narrowed slightly, but her pace remained unbroken.


    A stone flew toward her. She heard it, almost felt the air accompanying it. With a slight movement, she tilted her head, and the stone flew past, as if it had never existed. She didn''t give a glance to the children who had thrown it. "Why should they matter?" she thought coolly, her shoulders remaining relaxed.


    Her clothes were dirty, her hair messily tied in a knot, but she didn’t care. Appearance mattered only among the nobility.


    The houses around her grew darker, the shadows stretching longer. Aria felt the chill of the evening, but it didn’t bother her. Everything within her was focused on one thing: revenge. "One day, they will pay," she whispered to herself, without allowing the thought to distract her from her goal. The world around her seemed foreign, almost like a game set up by others for her to play.


    She knew she was still young – too young for what was boiling inside her. But that didn’t matter. Patience was a weapon, and she knew how to use it. Even at eleven, she understood that rushing into things was pointless. The time would come. And when it did, they would all know what it meant to have underestimated her.


    Aria heard the voices of the children, but she paid them no mind. They had nothing of importance to say. When three stones flew in her direction, she only felt a hint of annoyance.


    “They’re starting to get on my nerves.” With a smooth movement, she spun on her heel, catching the stones in midair without even blinking. For a moment, she stared into the astonished faces of the boys, their wide eyes filled with shock. “Worthless street rats,” she thought coldly, with no trace of surprise.


    The stones she had caught flew back. It only took the briefest of moments before the children''s screams shattered the silence of the street. Without a glance over her shoulder, Aria continued walking.


    Twilight settled over the city like a heavy cloak, and the shadows lengthened. Soon, it would be dark, but she didn’t feel rushed. Her breath remained calm, even, as if nothing had happened.


    Then she heard the rumble of wooden wheels on the cobblestones behind her. A carriage, drawn by two black stallions, was approaching. The horses were magnificent, their muscles rippling beneath their glossy coats.


    The carriage itself was adorned with golden ornaments, glittering in the fading light. The driver threw her a long look before shouting something unintelligible toward the back.


    Aria sighed deeply. “This too.” She rolled her eyes as her steps slowed. “Some pompous nobles.” Her mind drifted through the possibilities. Someone in the carriage was probably either going to mock her or... use her as a plaything.


    “Maybe they want to make me a concubine,” she thought with icy indifference. The thought didn’t fill her with fear, but with disgust.


    It was only then that she truly noticed her surroundings. The street was wide, large enough for four carriages to drive side by side. It was one of the main roads, with no hidden alleyways or narrow paths that could have served as an escape route.


    “No way out.” She felt the tension in her neck spread. A confrontation had become inevitable.


    Her cool facade remained unchanged. Emotions had no place in this moment; they would only hinder her. With one more deep breath, she mentally prepared herself for what was to come.


    Aria sighed one last time, murmuring, “I’ll serve the bastard, and then I’m gone from this city.”If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Her steps slowed as the carriage came to a stop beside her. As expected, the door opened, and a narrow wooden staircase was elegantly lowered. A servant stepped out and unfurled a red carpet to her feet, his mouth incessantly forming words.


    “Greetings. My Lord, the honorable son of the Baron of Friedfall, warmly invites you to join him. He cannot bear the thought of a beautiful lady like yourself enduring such a fate.” The servant spoke with the servile politeness that Aria despised.


    “Friedfall,” she thought, her lips twitching slightly. “Not a grand house. Lucky for me. That makes things easier.” Friedfall was an insignificant noble family with little power. Her cool demeanor, however, betrayed none of these thoughts.


    “I’m sorry,” she began with a sweet but distant smile, “but I must regrettably decline the generous offer.”


    The servant paused, visibly irritated. “Forgive me, but I fear you are underestimating the consequences. You are, to put it bluntly, no longer a noble. Your station does not permit such an invitation to be refused.”


    Aria met his persistent pressure with a forced smile. “I believe you’ve misunderstood me.” Her tone became deliberately soft. “I would be more than happy to accept your master’s offer.” She paused briefly, noting the fleeting moment of triumph in the servant’s eyes before continuing.


    “But today is unfortunately not possible.” She raised an eyebrow. “The letter from House Nightshade, which I received today, clearly states that I must enter the house assigned to me today. Duties, you see?” Her words were sweet and flattering.


    "Tell your master that I will be happy to come for lunch tomorrow," Aria winked at him, as if making a private promise. "Then I will make sure to look presentable."


    "That''s fine," came a voice from the carriage, and a boy stepped into her view. He was at least four years older than her. Aria couldn’t help but direct her gaze to his "well-kept stomach," which bulged prominently beneath the fine fabric of his clothes. She inwardly wrinkled her nose at the sight.


    The boy was simply put, fat and unattractive. His brown hair hung in greasy strands over his chubby cheeks, which were dotted with freckles. A repulsive grin twisted his lips, making Aria feel as though she might vomit.


    "I’ll expect you for lunch tomorrow. Make sure you show up properly," he said, winking at her lewdly.


    "Of course, my lord," she replied, curtsying slightly while forcing herself to suppress the disgust rising within her.


    "Disgusting scum. Useless. Depraved. Filth," she cursed inwardly, watching his face stretch into a slimy grin. On the outside, however, she smiled demurely to mask her loathing.


    "Come, servant! Let’s go!" he commanded, and the servant standing next to the carriage promptly replied, "Yes, my lord."


    The servant threw her one last glance before the carriage slowly pulled away. Aria could feel the gaze of the two boys on her. Disgusted, she wrinkled her nose.


    "I think the situation is clear now. I have no choice anyway." A bitter smile crept across her face. "Tonight, I will disappear."


    The darkness around her seemed to close in, and the urge to escape became overwhelming. She was determined to leave this place behind, along with everything it represented.


    Inside the shabby house, Aria paid no attention to the dreary surroundings. The walls were crumbling, with plaster falling in dirty flakes, while the musty scent of the neglected rooms clogged her nose. It looked so ugly that it was almost absurd. Another humiliation from the nobles who had confined her to this wretched dwelling.


    With an internal sigh, she pushed the thought aside and began some stretching exercises. Who knew what would happen tonight?


    She knew there was always scum that would take pleasure in a young lady, especially one who once had noble blood and looked good. She pushed such thoughts away for the moment, using them to help pass the time until dusk.


    Her movements were fluid and precise, a testament to her training. Her body had to be ready for whatever might come.


    She thought back to her childhood. Training had been important to her since she could remember. She was constantly teased by other nobles. Unfortunately, she had no trainer—she had to teach herself everything.


    At the thought of the annoying nobles and how they lay in the dirt, she couldn’t help but smile. She had beaten all of them except for her brother.


    As night finally fell and the darkness settled over the world like a heavy curtain, she rose and whispered to herself, "Enough waiting. Time to leave. Away from the cursed schemes, from the noble brats, from my brother."


    The hated face of her brother flashed in her mind, and for a moment, a sharp sting of anger pierced her. She shook her head to banish the thought. "Doesn’t matter, the question now is: where to?"


    She briefly considered the left direction, which led to Lindell—a decent choice. But she knew she couldn’t make it too easy for her pursuers. Whoever might be after her would likely expect her to head there.


    Instead, she decided to go right. Her temporary destination was a village called Lenos. It was known for its excellent alcohol—wine and beer were their specialties.


    Though Aria didn’t drink herself, she saw this place as the perfect refuge. From there, there would be various ways to escape and come up with a new plan.


    With one last glance at the filthy house she was leaving behind, she set off. First, she would have to travel about 80 kilometers to reach her destination. The thought of the upcoming journey made her heart race. It wasn’t just the desire to escape, but also the yearning for freedom that drove her forward.


    Aria slipped quietly out of the house through the kitchen window, which creaked slightly as it opened. She refrained from using light; now was not the time to be discovered. Taking a detour, she walked through the narrow, shadowed alleys toward the edge of town. Her dark brown cloak wrapped around her like a second skin, and the hood hung low over her face, concealing her feminine form.


    Suddenly, she heard a sound ahead. An irregular tapping on the cobblestone signaled someone’s approach. She pressed herself against the cold wall of an old stone house, holding her breath as her heart raced.