Brown-haired and golden-eyed, his appearance was akin to an eagle. There were many names used to refer to Eugene Rayleigh in the kingdom of Lativia, the king's bastard being the most common one.
"He looks like a young master of some rich household." a bandit commented, studying Eugene's sharp features. Though wounded, his still looked handsome. A face like his would still be uncommon, even among the Lativian noble households.
"How much do you think your family will pay us if we ask for a ransom?" The bandit asked.
Eugene snorted at the question.
"They won't bat an eye even if you kill me off here." He replied coldly.
"Say 'Bard, aren't the young masters willing to give us anything in exchange of their lives? What's with his response?" The bandit asked one of the men and laughed as if he found the prince's answer incredibly hilarious.
His smiling face turned stern the very next moment. The crease in the corner of his eyes smoothened and his jaw clenched. He lifted one of his leg and pressed Eugene's left shoulder down with his shoes until tears rolled down his cheeks. "You think we're joking!?" Using the same leg, he landed a kick on the prince's face.
As if the injury on his left arm wasn't enough, his shoulders were also hurt by the nails that were hammered inside the bandit's shoe. It would be no surprise if his left hand became completely dysfunctional after suffering all that injury.
"Ptooey!" Eugene spit the blood that filled his mouth in disgust. The kick had made him cut his cheeks and he didn't like the metallic taste as it evoked his unpleasant memories as well.
"You better cooperate with us hon and think of a way you'll pay us up or you'll end up at a slave auction to compensate us." Another man patted the shoulders of the bandit who was still digging his shoes in Eugene's shoulder, signaling him to stop.
Eugene was impatient. He had to reach the distant hut as soon as possible. It was a matter of life and death of the most important person to him in the world. He had already spent all his fortune in buying that miraculous lifesaving drug that was safely tucked inside his clothes, and now had nothing to offer to these bandits. And there was no way anyone was going to come and save him. He knew his situation was worse than any of those young masters these bandits were expecting him to be.
"Don't fuck with me! If you don't untie me this instant, I'll make sure to gouge your eyes out and cut your veins up until I splatter every last drop of blood in your body, out on the ground." He threatened them, his deep voice sounded cold and murderous. Although no one noticed in the dark, his golden eyes had turned green, glinting as dangerously as a wounded snake's.