Hiraeth

Chapter 4: Escaping

I had gone to Sweden and checked myself into a hotel.

Now I am sitting outside of a little shop called the Rose Tree. My father will be expecting me to go somewhere like England or France since I love visiting those places. Going to Sweden will make him take a little while longer to find me. Especially if I keep moving around to unexpected places. Most of all, places where he doesn't have any or too much business.

As I am sipping the coffee I ordered, my plan begins to fade from my mind. The bustling of the cars and people on the street seem to fade out and muffle as I can't focus my mind on anything but those roses.

It bugs me how odd the smell was and how it shouldn't have come from those roses. Somewhere in my mind I know what was there but I don't want to face it. Since that night when I was 15, I have blocked the idea that it could happen from my mind. What if it is possible? Would it be easy to accept?

"Did you hear about the attack on the King?"

The conversation going on next to me snaps me from my thought. Reality comes back to me and the noise of life resumes in my ears.

"Yeah, I wish I knew his name. I bet he is good looking" the woman with curly blonde hair says to another woman who looks like she could be her mother. The two women are sitting at a table not too far from me. I look down at the book in my hands as I listen in. They are speaking in Swedish but I can understand them.

"Me too. But Sofia from work said that it was a very suspicious attack. I hope everything will workout."

The King. That's right. Different countries have governments but they all operate under the guides of one king, the Alpha king. I hate the idea that we are ruled by a werewolf. Thank God I never have to meet him. I imagine him as being controlling and power hungry like many Alphas are. I can't imagine how high on his horse he probably is because, you know, he is King of the world.

No one knows his name because if they did, it would make life harder for him to rule. People would alway out in a fake facade is they hear that THE KING is coming to visit. We only know the names of rulers after they pass. The last king was named King Alrick and his mate's name, the queen, was Queen Juniper. Their son is the king. It has always been the first child of the King or Queen and their mate. It would be considered impure to have any other child rule.

As I look up to reach for my coffee, I spot someone looking at me across the street. At first I ponder if they just happened to look in my direction. However, the more I watch them in my peripheral, the more I can tell that they are for sure watching me.

I call for the waiter and quickly pay. Had my father's men already caught up with me? The idea of Mr. Hale helping him comes to mind. That would mean that he has connections in other places that I don't know about. I hope the next place I go won't be one of those places.

I leave and notice a very young man following me. He seems almost too young for this job but he could still be dangerous.

I need to find a way to lose him and if a confrontation occurs, it should be away from the public. As I walk down the busy street, I hope that he won't try to make a move in front of everyone. I can't lead him back to the hotel or they could follow me to my room. I turn down an alley where there is no one else.

The young man enters the alley and I wait for him to be far enough in. For him, I'm cornered. Once he is out of view of people on the street, I jump out from behind trash cans and hit him over the head with a rock. I try to be gentle as to not kill him but to knock him out. Unfortunately for me, I think I hit too light.

He spins around and grabs his head, hissing out in pain. I move my legs to knock him down but he catches my movements and stops me.

I try to spin myself behind him but he grabs me by the hair and yanks me back. I hold back a yell. If this man is dangerous, I should handle him myself and not get others involved. Not to mention how much a police report will slow me down.

"Stand still, you bitch!"

I twist around, ignoring the pain in my head and poke him in the eyes. He lets go and holds his face and I knee him in the gut. He stumbles back and I wrap my arm around his neck. He blocks me by putting his arm in the way and breaks my hold.

I stumble back as he shoves me and he is quickly on top of me. I knee him again but this time where the sun don't shine and he crumples to the ground. I wrap my arm around him neck again but faster this time so he can't stop me.

I hold him still and begin to squeeze. I know that if I hold for too long, he can die. But if I wait for him to pass out and then let go, he should be fine.

"Tell my father to let the engagement go!"

"I don't work for Mr. fucking Hannum" he squeezes out between struggled breathes.

His body gets weaker as he losses consciousness.

"Then who do you work for?"

"Not... Mr. Hann... um." He passes out and I push him off of me.

Of course he wasn't going to tell me exactly what I want to know. What he did tell me was enough for me to know that someone else is involved. Most likely Mr. Hale.

I straighten my clothes and hair before calmly walking out of the alley. When I get to the hotel, I check out and in the same day, head for the air port. Next stop, Japan.

After a few hours of flying, I land in Japan without incident. This time I am using a different ID and change my accent to fit my identification accordingly.

"こにちわ。" [Hello] the woman behind the desk of the motel greets me.

"こにちわ。へやが一つを下さい。ベッドが一つあります。" [Hello. One room please with just one bed.]

"はい。" [Of course]

Before long, I have a motel room in a shady part of Kyoto. It might be dangerous but at least I'll be away from any possible men working for Mr. Hale. Hopefully.

I find myself thinking back to the roses. There must have been someone in those bushes watching me and whoever it was, they might be involved. Could they have been working for Mr. Hale? What if they are acting completely separate from him?

The smell was so intoxicating that I trick myself into smelling it as I go about the motel room. Occasionally, I feel like I can smell it by the door but that is impossible. I've been in this room for less than 10 minutes and no one...

*Knock knock knock*