Serayah remained still, in fear and shock as the bandits ransacked her personal belongings and stole the only possessions she had with her. They had her horse already, and now they were retrieving the littlest things like her hair clips, rings and necklace. She stayed put at a tree in the narrow road wondering what was going to happen to her, not only was she travelling alone, but being dumb about her own journey was the greatest mistake she could ever make.
<span class="Apple-converted-space"> "Yes, she wanted to run away from her father's wings but she didn't imagine the outside world to be so cruel and shocking." Would she die here? In the center of this open forest, would anyone even find her body!
"No, no that couldn't happen to her. Don't think that way, Serayah. She cautioned herself praying this would be that worse that happen to her."
"Woman, are these all your possessions? The taller one of the bandits asked as he walked closer, making Serayah insecure."
Yes. That is all. Can I go now? She said as she took a step away from him, eyeing his progresses and body movements. Serayah may not know a lot of things but she knew men and women were not supposed to be in close contact with each other except if married. The thought of this man following her steps made her heartbeat race.
"Of course you can. Now be on your way now before night falls. He said insultingly, his eyes following the physique of her body while he licked his lips and turned to his three partners who knew what he had on his mind."
Serayah turned her back from them, walking forward even when she did not know where she was going. "Anywhere, as long as she was far from these men," she felt the hair on her neck stand due to inward steps that approached behind her, she increased her steps and before she knew, she was running. The bandit on the horse hit the horse to move faster and cornered her in no time. He jumped down from the horse, landing in front of her with an excited grin on his face, pulling closer to her as she moved away with every step he took.
Her heart raced raptly, she was crippled in fear, never had she been in such situation where she would be fighting for her life. "Oh, papa, I'm so sorry for running away. If you save me now I will stick with you forever."
Immediately she had that wish, she turned to run away once again and the bandit grabbed a hold of her dress from behind and pulled the fabric so hardly that it tore, leaving her back naked. His fingers left a deep scratch at her back and that was when she crashed to the ground, bruising her knee and biting down the hissing pain she left. She fought her way up while the bandit stood proudly waiting for her to try again.
He grabbed her hair and raised her to her knees where she cried, tears rolling off her face while she pushed his hands when she couldn't ignore the stinging pain in the roots of her scalp.
"Still struggling to get herself free, she heard the sound of horses and the movement of a lot of people. Taking this as her opportunity to get herself freed, she picked sand from the ground before throwing it into the bandit's face.
Serayah got up her knees and ran like she had never run before, she heard the bandits chase her from behind but she was in a direr situation. She crashed down in the front of a huge carriage where she got surrounded by men who pointed their swords against her.
"Ple--ase, help me. Those bandits are chasing me down, they want to harm me. I beg you, please help me."
The bandits ran towards the center of the carriage, on seeing the troupe and banner of the flags they immediately fell to their knees in fear. They fell on their faces in regret as they prayed today won't be the end of their life.
"Master Damien, please forgive us, our new slave is very stubborn, while the taller bandit said eyeing Serayah with rage."
"Slave! I'm not a slave. These men stole from me, my horse and all my possessions. They also tried...they tried to molest me!"
You foolish slave! The taller one said heading over to her and hitting her hard on her cheeks that she had to collapse back on the floor. Master Damien, please do not let us toil our journey, I will drag this slave away from here now. He said yanking Serayah by the arm.
"I'm not lying. They really stole my belongings, don't believe them."
"Let her go. The command came loud and clear as three men from the troop came in front of Serayah making the bandits stare at each other in fear." The captain of the troop jumped down from his horse and walked over to Serayah, looking down at her.
"You claim they stole your belongings and tried to molest you? He said clearly seeing the torn part of her dress, her composed skin and spotless hands. She wasn't a slave."
"Yes, my horse and possessions are over there behind that path. Serayah weakly said when all she started to see was blurriness."
The captain nodded to the three men who ran along the path in search for the belongings she spoke about. "Good sir, do not listen to what this pesky girl says. We brought all kinds of possession from where we brought her from. The tall bandit said showing his crooked teeth in an attempt to smile."
"How much did you buy her then? The captain said not cutting his eyes from them, on seeing how nervous they became. She doesn't look like a slave at all, what kind of slave wears such dress and have such a pampered look? Did you lie to Master Damien?
No. No. They all fell to their knees, contemplating what to say. "We won't dare lie. It's just that..."
"Captain Reshnok. One of the three men spoke, holding a horse, and other of Serayah's belongings that they left behind."
"Are these yours? Captain Reshnok asked facing Serayah who was forcing herself to stay still."
Yes.
Reshnok smiled at the three men before his eyes changed into daggers in an instance. "Kill them. He ordered the men behind."
"Wait. Wait."
The bandits said running before they were stroke with three arrows at the center of their heads in an instance. Serayah fainted in fear as she saw blood drain from their heads.
· · ─────── ·· ─────── · ·
Damien, a sword master and barbarian from Rabath who was sent to infiltrate the walls of Mecho was feared just by his name throughout all the villages in Rabath. Throughout his life of being a barbarian, this was the first job he was doing without getting paid even though he would be risking his life.
Regan, the creator of lands was the originator and sharer of nations but going through the years, Windcastle, a neighbor nation had begun to grow bolder and guarded in all their dealings. They built a gargantuan fortress as their walls that couldn't be penetrated enabling the creator of Lands, Regan<span class="Apple-converted-space"> to put a close eye on them.
In his earlier years, he had been on a lot of missions that accredited to his title and wealth but none had ever been an attack into another nation. This mission would surely attribute to his fame but he didn't need it, Regan was a nation that saved him, picked him from the gutters of slavery and thought him how to fight and kill. "Deep down in his heart, he was recompensing the love Regan had first shown a little boy who was left to rot and die in a cave filled with dead infectious bodies." The day he will never forget.
The carriage came to an enforced stop all of a sudden, juddered the carriage but not having any effect on the man inside. He was about to yell out an order to the man driving the horse before hearing the scream of a woman, letting out a stressed sigh he closed his eyes not wanting to hear the story this mysterious woman in the woods would make up, as the rest did. Regan closed his eyes pretending not to hear the conversations that were exchanged between both parties for the whole while.
He trusted his Captain to take total control of the situation, being the just person he knew him to be all these years. "Beside him Reshnok got off the horse and gave orders to the men and they performed as they were instructed to."
"Are you lying to Master Damien? Damien heard when Reshnok probed the intruders and he smiled seeing how his men knew he hated being lied to. After copious arguments and sounds of piercing arrow flying through the air, Reshnok returned back to him opening the window of his carriage."
Master.
"What is it, Reshnok? Damien asked facing the window where Reshnok was standing, guilt on his face."
You might have to share your space, Master.