Previously
Amelia looked at him with confusion, unsure of what to make of his words. She had never met someone who had spoken so kindly to her before. She looked around at the other slaves, wondering if they had heard him too. She didn't want to give herself false hope that this stranger was going to do something for her.
Meanwhile, the guards were securing the wagon and checking to see if any of the other slaves had been injured. One of the guards turned to Willow and said, "We'll need to take these slaves to the next town to make sure they're taken care of properly. It's not safe to stay here."
Willow nodded and then turned his attention back to Amelia. "Do you know where you're being taken?" he asked gently.
Amelia shook her head, still not trusting that he was trying to help her. "No," she replied quietly, barely audible.
Willow looked at the guards and asked, "Do you know anything about her? Who she is or where she's from?"
The guards looked at each other before shrugging their shoulders. "We don't know much about any of them," one of the guards replied. "We just know they were being transported to the kingdom to be freed."
Willow looked back at Amelia and sighed. He could see the fear in her eyes and he knew that he had to do something to help her. He stood up and turned to the guards. "I need to take her with me," he said firmly.
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The guards looked at each other in surprise. "What do you mean?" one of them asked.
"I mean that I need to take her with me. She doesn't belong in slavery. She deserves a chance at a better life."
The guards hesitated, unsure of what to do. They knew that they had to follow orders and deliver the slaves to the next town, but they also knew that Willow was right, and also they kinda owe him their lives.
The guards exchanged uneasy glances before finally relenting. "Fine, you can take her," one of them said. "But you must understand that we cannot let all the slaves go. They are still property, at least until they are freed and we have a duty to deliver them to where they can finally be freed."
"I understand," Willow said, relief flooding through him.
One of the guards nodded, and said, "But you're responsible for her now. Make sure she's safe."
Willow nodded in agreement and then turned to Amelia. "Come on," he said gently, offering her his hand. "Let's go somewhere safe."
Amelia looked up at him, her eyes wide with fear. "Who are you?" she whispered.
"I'm a friend," Willow said. "I won't hurt you. I promise."
Willow reached out to gently touch Amelia's shoulder. "It's okay," he said softly. "I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to help."
Amelia looked up at him, her eyes filled with fear and hesitation. "But... I'm a slave," she said quietly. "I can't just leave. It's not that simple."
Willow nodded understandingly. "I know it's not. But I want to try to help you. I promise I'll do everything I can to make things better for you."
Amelia hesitated for a moment, and then she broke down in tears. "Thank you," she sobbed. "Thank you so much. I never thought anyone would help me."
Willow put his arm around her, trying to comfort her. "It's okay," he said softly. "I'm here for you now."
The guards watched the scene with hesitation, unsure of what to do. Finally, one of them spoke up. "We owe you our lives," he said to Willow. "If you think you can help her, then take her. But be careful. The slave traders will be looking for her, and they won't hesitate to kill to get her back."
Willow nodded grimly. "I understand. I'll do everything I can to protect her."
Amelia wiped away her tears and looked up at Willow with a newfound sense of hope. "Thank you," she said again. "I'm ready to go with you."
Amelia hesitated for a moment before finally taking his hand. As they walked away from the wagon, Willow could feel her hand trembling in his. He knew that she was still scared, but he promised himself that he would do everything in his power to protect her. As they walked, Willow tried to make small talk with her, but she remained silent and withdrawn. He didn't push her, knowing that she needed time to process everything that had happened.
When they reached a clearing, Willow turned to Amelia. "Listen," he said. "I know this is all very overwhelming for you. But I want you to know that I'm here for you. You're safe now, and I won't let anyone hurt you."
"Come on," he said. "Let's find a safe place to rest."
As they walked away from the wagon, Willow couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. He had rescued Amelia, but there were still so many other slaves on that wagon. He knew he couldn't save them all, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he should be doing more.
For now, though, he focused on Amelia. He would do whatever it took to keep her safe and help her find her freedom. He noticed that she still looked shaken, so he decided to strike up a conversation.
"You know, Amelia, you have a very unique name. I've never met anyone with that name before," Willow said, trying to make small talk.
Amelia gave a weak smile. "Thank you. It was given to me by my mother."
Willow nodded. "You have beautiful red hair. It's quite unusual for an elf."
Amelia looked down at her feet, her voice barely above a whisper. "I dyed it. They made me."
Willow's heart sank. He couldn't imagine what Amelia must have gone through as a slave. "I'm so sorry, Amelia. No one should ever have to go through that."
Amelia didn't say anything, but her expression softened a bit.
Willow tried to think of something else to say. "So, what do you like to do for fun?"
Amelia looked up at him with surprise. "I...I don't know. I wasn't allowed to have fun as a slave."
Willow felt a pang of guilt. He was trying to make small talk, but he was just reminding Amelia of all the things she missed out on. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring up bad memories."
Amelia gave him a small smile. "It's okay. I just need time to adjust, I guess."
Willow nodded. "I understand. You're safe now, Amelia. You don't have to worry about anyone hurting you anymore."
Amelia's eyes filled with tears. "Thank you, Willow. Thank you for saving me."
Willow put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Of course, Amelia. I won't let anyone hurt you again."
As they walked through the forest, Willow couldn't help but notice the silver locket that Amelia wore around her neck. It was intricately designed and seemed to hold sentimental value.
"Amelia, may I ask about the locket you're wearing?" Willow asked, gesturing towards the silver trinket.
Amelia looked down at the locket, her fingers brushing against it gently. "It belonged to my mother. She gave it to me before she passed away," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
Willow nodded sympathetically. "I'm sorry for your loss, Amelia. It must have been difficult for you."
Amelia's response was a soft nod, her eyes downcast.
The rest of the walk was filled with small talk, mostly initiated by Willow. He tried to get to know Amelia better, but she seemed reluctant to share much about herself. Willow respected her boundaries and didn't push her to open up.