Randu imagined the quay during the summer, while walking back to his rented room. Even in the cold that fell all over the harbor during the time he had been living there, the smell was awful and he could see the rats crossing the muddy streets all the time.
The heat would only make the place even worse. It was set; he and Emerald were going away. She was with a terrible mood since she became hostage and he couldn't blame her. However, where would they go? He has heard some uncleans talking about some uninhabited islands beyond Masha's kingdom. There were rumors that a few uncleans had gone there, hiding themselves in caves.
They were just rumors, but… it was a hope.
He passed by his proprietor, greeting him with a bow. Then, he entered his room. He had just opened his mouth to greet Emerald when, shocked, he noticed the place was empty.
He should have expected she would run away. With her untamed personality, she stayed locked for too long in that bedroom, waiting for her brother. He was ready to turn around and go after her in the harbor when his eyes caught sight of a sheet of paper over the table.
He went to it. His heart feared its content and the words brought tears to his eyes.
Silly! Idiot!
Didn't she know anything of the world? How could she believe she would find the man who had subjected Brione? He sat on a bench, while crushing the paper, trying to contain his rage. He had to go after her, but… How would a cashean enter Masha? Yes, for he was certain that the foolish girl would try to pass as a mashean. Perhaps, she was already into one of the ships, heading to the redheads' land. She didn't know, since he had always hidden it from her, that someone from the royal family had raped their mother. She would never get close to Iran! She would spend her life in a hostile place, searching for something out of her reach, until she was found out and most likely killed.
Standing up, he turned around and left the room.
***
"What do you mean; they gave up?"
The young mashean was holding between her fingers, with all the strength she had, a small linen bag, where two pieces of clothes and a book were kept, the only goods she had in her life.
"It seems there won't be a wedding anymore," Nam answered, cruelly.
The woman faced the fat black man, while he was biting on an orange, throwing over her a few drops of the food.
"But," she insisted, "no one said anything... They shipped me away… "Her despair was obvious. "They told me…"
"Look, I'm just telling you what the letter said."
"How will I go back home?"
The gold left by Cael was burning on his pockets, but Nam made no attempt to touch it."
"I have no idea, mashean. You can open your legs to some port employee and buy your return ticket."
Opening her legs? The woman couldn't understand a word the bourgeois said.
"Mister…"
"Listen," he shrugged, "I have my appointments. I have already delivered the message. Have a nice day."
Turning away, he went towards the alley who seemed endless. For a few minutes, Rhianna admired that huge shape, as if hypnotized by the blatant fat. In the end, she started to walk slowly and, when she realized, she was running after him.
Her dream of freedom… her most powerful wish… everything had been taken from her. Right then, she needed desperately to return to Masha; after all, she couldn't stay there, in a land of casheans, with her red hair and white skin. Afterwards, she would have to sneak into her uncle's basement, where she would spend her days. Lonely, yes, but safe.
She suddenly bumped into someone. At a glance, she noticed it was a cashean with long hair. For a moment, she stared at him, in awe. She had never seen such black and curly hair. However, she soon noticed that it was a trap.
"Look what we have here," He mumbled. "Hey, guys," he turned to a group of five men, on his right. "What do you say we get a little revenge on Masha?"
Rhianna took two steps behind. Terrified, she soon lost her balance and fell on the floor.
"Leave the girl alone."
The man who spoke was also black, but had green eyes. She had already read about such men in books. It was what they called unclean.
"You're saying this because you are castrated," the longhaired man laughed. "Which cashean with a dick between their legs would overlook such an opportunity?"
Amidst the laughter, she found herself being grabbed by two other men. She shouted, but her voice seemed to get lost in the middle of the galleries. She was thrown against a concrete wall, in a dead end. She defended herself when the first man advanced on her, pushing and kicking the best she could.
Then, she felt dizzy due to a punch. She softened, trying to focus on her defense once again. However, the impact had been too strong and she lost part of her strength.
When she felt her dress being lifted and the cold air touching her legs, she thought everything was lost. However, hope returned soon after, when she noticed a tall handsome black man coming out of nothing, amidst the darkness. He was holding a sword, like a hero from the tales she used to read on her basement and he knocked down two men at the same time.
Then, he raised the sword over the one who was already over her. Rhianna couldn't yell, but she was sure that, if she could, she would be crying as crazy. The warrior had chopped off the head of the man who was attacking her.
He turned to the unclean and to another lad, who seemed frozen in their places.
"I wouldn't rape her, even if I wanted to," the green-eyed man explained, pointing to his lower belly.
As soon as he said that, he and his companion left in a rush, towards the darkness.
Just then, the warrior faced her. His eyes seemed confused for a few seconds and Rhianna, desperate, couldn't manage to say anything. Therefore, she did the only thing she could, retreating in front of his latent manliness.
How things worked in Cashel? What would he do now? Had he saved or only pushed the other men away to subject her?
"You are not Emerald..."
The manly mumble made her eyes bulge.
"Who?"
"My sister."
He had a mashean sister? How was that possible?
Then, she remembered the books again. Unlike the unclean men, the women were born with the features of an ordinary mashean, apart from their breasts.
The man turned around and started walking in the opposite direction. Rhianna quickly stood up. It seemed pure madness, but, so far, he was the only man in that land who seemed trustworthy.
"Please."
He measured her, bringing shivers to her spine.
"They've hurt your face."
His sentence was followed by a gentle touch on her face. Even though she had witnessed how strong and aggressive he was in a battle, his kindness was clear by the way he studied her face.
"I was dumped in Cashel," she told him, at a sudden, in need to vent. "I help."
"I can't help you. My sister is missing."
"I promise I will help you finding her. I just beg you not to leave me alone."
Randu, as she learned it was his name a few minutes after, thought that, if it were Emerald in such a situation, he would like an honorable man to protect her. So, he nodded, taking off his hooded cloak and covering her.
Ingeniously, he hid her red hair inside the cloak and asked her to walk with her face down.
"Thank you," Rhianna mumbled.
"Don't thank me, it's an exchange. You will help me find Emerald."
She nodded, envying the unclean Emerald for the loyal love she received from her protective brother.
***
"You know how to eat properly, you can write and talk like a lady," Cael enumerated in a comic tone, while facing the red head. "What can't you do?"
Brione had passed on all her knowledge to her son, Randu. He, on his turn, had repassed to his sister, trying to help her in a way, if she ever needed it.
"Honestly, I believed we would stay the whole month in the sea, trying to teach our young Rhianna," Kian used her fake name, trying to get used to it, "to behave like a lady, but I don't think it will be necessary."
"Indeed," agreed Cael. "Tell me, young Rhianna," still in a joking way, making her laugh, "Is there anything you don't how to do?"
"I don't know how to fight."
What was that sparkle in her eyes?
"Of course you don't," Kian retorted. "Women can't fight. Do you wish me to teach you to?"
"No, Kian," her eyes were focused in Cael. "I want to fight with the Prince," she suggested, with a smile. "For I've heard the men from the sailboat saying he is one of the best in handling the sword."
The two men faced each other, laughing. In a few seconds, the trio was in the upper part of the sailboat.
***
The manly yelps echoed around the deck while the two swords clashed against each other fiercely, in an extremely aggressive and well-prepared fight.
Cael took a deep sigh, receding a bit to catch his breath. He was the second best swashbuckler in the realms. He lost only to his father, who was considered a demon with a sword on his hands. However, clearly, he was in disadvantage against that short unclean girl.
Emerald was very much alike him, as he had noticed in the first time he saw her. However, the look she now directed towards him was very similar to Iran's, with the same mischievous tone, as if fighting wasn't something used to be used as a defense, but as a great entertainment.
He held his sword with strength, trying to discourage her. He didn't want to be embarrassed in front of the sailors. Nonetheless, she suddenly seemed to have vanished in front of her. Faster than his eyes could follow, she dodged him underneath and raised her sword against him, placing it on his throat.
Kian, beside the sailors, couldn't even breathe. Cael of Masha had been defeated by an unclean from Cashel. He waited, apprehensive, for Cael to rebel with the occurrence, but he watched the Prince laughing as a child.
"Amazing…" he thought the words had escaped his mouth, but it was Iran's son who said them. "You are amazing."
She smiled. There was something magical between the two redheads, while they shared a look. Kian sighed, a tad jealous, a tad shy.
In a way, he always knew he would lose Cael to someone, one day.