I pulled the robe's hood over my head. There it was right in front of me and I wasn't missing my chance. My escape was calling in the form of a really nice carriage. The black horses manes glistened in the circus lights and the moon. No one would see me if I slipped into the storage compartment that was staring me in the face. I squuezed the old bars of the window to the point my fragile hands turned pale.

"How to leave?" I sighed and leaned against the window. No one passed by, including the professor, so I wouldn't get caught. The night sky was dark blue and littered with stars. What I wouldn't give to be able to see them more clearly; away from the blinding lights of the circus. If only I could saw through the bars and locks. If only I can flee, even if its by foot.

I heard someone getting closer so i crouched down away from view. But not without catching my wrist on the window sill. I urgently checked for any openings in the skin but there weren't any. I glanced around the room. My eyes fell on things I would need if I was going to get out of here. A flashlight, a bottle of water, the sewing kits for repairs, and the bag.

"I just came back to get my hat." I hadn't even realized he had come back until he slammed the whip down on the floor in front of me. "It's on the table." I said and pointed to the object sitting on a little brown table on the other side of the room. "I knew that." He gritted his teeth and put the tattered hat on his head of messy brown hair.

"Why are you wearing that?" He yelled and pulled me off the floor by the collar of the hooded robe. "I-I got cold. I'm so sorry." I went to take it off but he stopped me. "Keep it if your cold. I'll bring food back for you when I close up." And for a moment, a rapidly disappearing second, I saw softness in his gaze. Maybe because I was wearing his daughter's robe, that he couldn't be cruel to me.

And he was gone again. The familiar clicking of locks faded into background noise. There was a small ping noise, like something metal hitting the floor. It was probably nothing so I brushed it off and started shoving things into the bag. I felt kind of guilty for wanting to leave as I looked at the pictures of his daughter. He made me because he missed her and needed a companion. And here I was going to abandon him, like he felt his daughter had years ago. 

There had to be at least two more hours before he'd come back again. As I headed to the window to check if anyone was outside something glinted in my periphial vision. It can't be what I think it was. I knelt in front of the door to examine the shiny object and nearly choked on saliva at what was laying there. The keys. Not just a useless key to like one of the stands, no I had found the master set. The keys to the locks on the doors.

"No way this is really happening." I thumbed the smooth metal of the ring before me. "He wouldn't drop these. I'm dreaming." I pinched my cheek, "Ow!" I'm not dreaming. I hurrriedly picked up the key ring and examined it. "One of these have to be to the backdoor." It'd be useless to try the front door because it had locks on the outside. 

Key number one was a failure at the back door's lock, so I tried the next. I knew it was goign to fail as I stuck the key into the accompanying hole. But to my ear's surprise the door made that familair clicking noise. I yanked the key out with out thinking and threw it to the floor. The cold knob on my hand felt nice in contrast to the sweat forming on my fingers.

But I couldn't open the door. What if someone sees me and turns me in? What if I'm punished for escaping or worse torn apart? What if I can't make it onto the carriage? And where exactly is that carriage going to take me? For all I know it could take me to a worse place. "I'm so tired." I heard a voice say from the front of the house. I turned and looked out the window.

A group of men were gathering aroung the carriage, that must be their's. If I don't leave now I'll miss my chance at what could be happiness. Without much thought I bolted out the door but skidded to a stop to hide angainst the house. I looked around but still saw no sign that I would get caught. The group of boys looked away in the direction of the circus and that was my cue.

I sprinted to the back of the carriage and threw open the flap covering the storage department. There wasn't anything in there thank whatever God there may be out there watching over me. I had become accustomed to making myself as small as possible so fitting wasn't a problem. I made sure the flap was secure and prayed that no one opened it.

The carriage rocked when people started getting on it. The familair smell of popcorn, sweat and dirt filled my nose. "I had fun, but I just wanna go home and sleep." He had a very charming voice, almost feminine like. "You and me both." There was a knock against the wood and i heard the horses come alive. Too my disadvantage it wasn't padded back here.

As we headed what felt like a dirt path I tried my best not to accidently hit anything. Any little noise could give me away and they'd probably turn around and take me back. It was awfully quiet from the front of the carriage as they were probably all asleep. The pitter patter of horse hooves on a beaten path was the only noise I could hear. It was kind of comforting.

I wonder how he's going to react when he comes back and finds me gone. I really wished he brung me food earlier because I could feel hunger setting into the pit of my stomach. A growl escaped and I instantly went stoic. "Did you hear that?" Someone asked and I held my breath in anticipation. "No hyung. Now be quiet." And it was quiet again.

I patted my stomach and hoped it didn't happen again. I braced my hands on the back of the seat when we came to a stop a few minutes later. "We've arrived." A deep voice said and the carriage rocked again as the people got off. "Let's go clean the cart, shall we?" The deep voiced man asked another. And before I could get off we started moving again.

The strong smell of horse filled the air around me and I nearly vomited. We were stopped in what I guess what some sort of barn or something. I peeked open the flap and didn't see anyone yet so I slipped out. "Hey you!" Someone yelled and my feet propelled me forward. "Hey! Get back here!" The deep voiced one was running after me.

I looked back for a moment to see him gaining up speed. Thank God the hood stayed over my head and none of my scars were seen. Tears stung my eyes and my cheeks and ran rampant down my chin. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going I just knew I had to keep running. "Stop her!" He yelled to someone but I didn't know who until I hit someone.

I fell backwards when I made contact with the person's back but the man from before caught me. "Let me go!" I screamed obviously alerting the group of men now standing in awe. The men from before at the circus, the ones I hitched a ride from. "What's the problem?" They asked. "He won't let me go." "She's a stow away, your majesty."

Majesty? Did they think so highly of themselves for some reason? "Please let me go!" "No. Stow aways get to spend the night in lock up." "What? No! Please, I can't!" But he just hugged me to his chest tighter. I reached and grabbed the nearest person out of fear. "Please just let me go." I pleaded again. When he pulled away from me the guy holding me snickered.

He started towing me away. "I-I'm sorry!" I screamed and kicked at his knees. When my foot made contact with his leg he let me go and I took off again. I ducked behind one of the men, he called his majesty. They didn't protest when I hid my face in the broad back. "Leave her be. We'll take her to father." The feminine voice again. Once the man was gone I was pulled in front of them.

"What's your name?" But I didn't have an answer for them at the moment so I shrank farther into the long robe. "Where did you come from?" And again I blew it off because if they knew the was the possibility they'd take me back. "How old are you?" You think when I didn't answer they'd stop asking so many questions. "Hey, we know you can speak."

"Where did we pick her up from?" Someone asked but I refused to look up at them.

Sungyeol's POV

The more we grilled her, the more the poor girl seemed to cry. She raised her head to look at the side and for a moment I saw a glimpse of long scars running across her face. Was she running from whoever had hurt her so badly? I noticed where she had been looking. She was eyeing the gates we drove through that led back to the road.

As everyone was talking amongst themselves on what to do I noticed her feet start moving. "Again?" I groaned and headed off after her. My brothers realized what was happening and joined me in the chase. Her hood flew off and all I could see was black curls bouncing around her back. "Please come back." But I doubt she'd listen to me.

She had already reached the gates. She was trying to shake them open but all the metal did was creak. "Damn it!" The curse word flew from her lips in what sounded like desperation. I didn't mean to startle her when I wrapped my arms around her waist. She screamed and for a moment I paused contemplating if I possibly hurt her in some way.

"We're not gonna hurt you." I said as she knelt to the grass, taking me with her. Her hands moved to pull her hood back on before I could get a look at her face. One hand held the front of the hood shut so it completely covered her face. The other gripped onto my forarm around her waist. "Please," Her blunt nails dug into my skin.

I pulled her to stand as the others joined us. "I'm already tired enough without running around all evening." Sunggyu fell tot he ground, gasping to breath right. "What do we do with her?" Woohyun asked and placed a hand on her shoulder. She made a pathetic whimpering sound and flinched away. "Let's accomplish getting her inside first, then we'll think about that." Dongwoo suggested.

She just slumped against me in possible defeat. I looked down and noticed her bare feet were bleeding. "Will you let me carry you?" She seemed to follow my gaze to her soiled toes. "S-sure." Her voice was nice when she wasn't screaming. I picked her up bridal style. She kept her hood closed and buried her head in my shoulder. "Okay." I sighed.

I followed behind the others into the castle.