When Elswyth opened her eyes again, what met her was a familiar piece of cloth obscuring her sight.
Numbly, she fell into a momentary reflection.
From last night's series of blindfolding, she guessed that the enemy wanted to keep the major characteristics of their location a secret.
Her lips faintly curved downward at this thought.
A big mountain for her to cross was already obstructing her path. Her eyebrows pressed together. And in front of that mountain was another great obstacle in her way: her own body.
It felt like a piece soaked paper, on the verge of ripping from any strong physical stimulation as a result of staying in the water for so long. Her breaths were escaping into the air as short, shallow puffs of wind, and her whole being was on fire.
Moving herself slightly through the pain, she tilted her head, confused. Her hands moved freely against the roughly woven bed sheet at her sides.
Did Valerius remove her chains during her sleep?
Elswyth also discovered a relatively hard substance wrapped firmly around her wrists and toe, which she deduced to be bandages.
"You're awake." A low voice caressed her ears.
Her heart pounded in her chest once more from hearing such a familiar voice. He sounds incredibly like him. Too much like him.
"Where are we going?" She asked him between her breaths for air.
Silence answered her.
Then, she heard the sound of steady, slow footsteps growing slightly louder. She flinched when the weight of the blanket was lifted, and the cold air wafted into her bones. Long and firm callused hands wrapped around her body, lightly scratching her skin. She felt the man's defined arm muscles tense as he lifted her up with ease, setting her head against the inner corner of his right shoulder.
Elswyth at that moment was incredibly afraid he would feel her heart pounding like a madman.
"Do you remember now who you are?"
She dipped her head quickly. "Yes. I remember everything now."
The musty air brushed past her skin as Valerius moved in one direction.
"Good. If you didn't, I would kill you myself. What's useless shouldn't be kept alive."
She was too stunned to say anything for a while. But feeling the unfamiliar air around them, she immediately understood his choice of words.
"Where are you taking me" She whispered to Valerius, "Am I going to see your leader?"
"Close your mouth or I will cut off your tongue." He replied, his tone dripping with disgust.
She let herself conform to silence. It seems that this man won't be of much help to her at the moment.
Faint thuds on the soiled ground gently amplified, followed by a familiar sound of laughter that subtly pounded the walls.
"Leader."
The warm, muscled arms that carried her suddenly threw her forward, and a sharp, throbbing pain shot up her right shoulder. She fell into a coughing fit when her face met the dirt underneath her.
The leader hummed in gratification. "I heard from my subordinates that you thoroughly enjoyed her last night. Did she taste good?"
"Nothing tastes good from that bloodline."
Another set of laughter rolled in the thick air. "I never expected that your hatred would even thwart the pleasures of having a pretty woman in your bed"
Elswyth stayed silent throughout the conversation, forcing the leader's voice into her memory. He did not possess an accent of any of the known, small tribes living on the bordering mountains of Gerwenia, nor did he sound like a regular commoner from her country. There was a cultured undertone in his voice despite his vulgar words as he spoke. A recurring question resonated in her mind again. What has her bloodline done to offend this unknown enemy?
"So, little princess." She felt the leader come closer as he squatted down. His bony hand stroked her hair as if he was running his hands through grass, sending chills into her spine. "Remember your role and place when you get back to the palace; if you speak about us in a disagreeable way, I'll have someone cut off your tongue. If you start your own little plans to thwart us, someone will be there to kill off your coworkers before your eyes. Get the military map back to us safe and sound, and in return, I will release you and your little brother."
Elswyth, weakly drew left arm up and grasped edge of the leader's garment tightly.
"And how will I know you would keep your promise?"
The man chuckled and ripped his attire from her grip, leaving only a couple of threads in her palm underneath her closed fingers.
"Hmm, how would... you know..." The voice above her hummed in light contemplation. "Just take my words as a promise. If I didn't keep my promises, how would I have men following me for so long?"
Elswyth was unsatisfied with his answer. But which alternative path was present for her to take other than agreeing to this man's plan in order for her to buy some time?
The bony hand patted her head once more. He tossed an order to Valerius. "Take her back to the royal castle and await my order if she does not follow our plans."
"Yes."