"What is going on here?"
Several of the men stepped away from Kilian and a new person moved up close, his hair hung down over the shoulders with an orange-brown tint to it from the fire nearby, and black gloves grabbed the back of the neck of the man on top of Kilian.
"Now, don't go destroying our goods, we might not get paid." He said in a playful scolding way.
The man with the long hair was smaller than the rest but they all made sure to keep their distance from him and even the man whose neck was getting crushed by a pair of long slender fingers were having trouble responding.
"They…said to do this."
The man tried to yell out in a sad attempt to explain himself, but the words had not worked as a smirk crept over the face on the man holding him up.
Even in the dim fluctuating light of the fire, the man's face was distorted in an angry expression, the long hair falling down loosely over the shoulders.
'He must be the one in charge of this bunch.' Kilian stared up at the man who had both abducted him and also saved him from something he did not even want to imagine.
"Who said you would be the one to do it then."
Flames ignited and lingered on the Leader's second hand, bringing it alarmingly close to the other man's horrified face.
An eerie smile was now even more visible from the new source of light, and Kilian watched as the huge man was thrown aside as he himself had been earlier.
"My apologies, it seems my underling here greeted you in a special way."
The flame had been extinguished but the powerful display had been conveyed.
'Is he actually a Nobel?'
Kilian knew flame magic was rare, it was why his father had been so proud about his magic, but this man was a mercenary which usually consisted of commoners.
A hand reached down to help Kilian stand and continued to brush off any dirt and grass on the attire.
"Interesting greeting."
Kilian replied, the words making the hand stop as it was about to brush at the exposed skin.
"They are a lively bunch."
The leader now gestured to the others around, who had slowly been retreating to an area around the fire, ignoring the man who had been dumped on the side and was barely moving.
"It was unpleasant, wasn't it?"
The words sounded consoling but the tone was condescending and continued.
"I thought a little prince like you would have been screaming more, or don't tell me you actually liked that?"
Kilian grimaced and stared into a pair of grey eyes.
"I don't think he could have done much with that tiny thing between his legs."
Kilian spat out, still annoyed that he had allowed that man to get so close.
"Oy, Brutus, did you hear that, your manhood is questioned. Well, he is not wrong is he?"
The condescending tone was now directed at the man on the ground, who laid still so as to not provoke more from this leader, who they all seemed to fear.
"Well, you have already seen too much, I think we should put this back on, I'm sure you would prefer it that way."
Kilian saw a piece of cloth in the hand that had conjured a flame earlier, the fingers playing with the fabric as it was raised near his face.
"What..what are you doing?"
Kilian asked trying to move away from the hand, but another had grabbed his waist, holding him close.
"As I implied earlier. I did not allow that trash to be the one to touch you, but you see we have our orders we have to follow, or we won't get paid."
The long hair fell down over Kilian's chest tickling the skin as the face of a young man not much older than himself came close.
"We are just doing our jobs, I hope you can understand."
The creepy smile was back, and Kilian was now sure this man had not saved him at all, he had just exchanged one bad situation with another.
A piece of cloth was tied over his eyes, and Kiliian fell back into a dark world, unable to see anything around him.
'Just doing their job? Fucking lunatics all of them.'
"And what is that job specifically."
Kilian asked with an obviously annoyed tone, as he could not be bothered to follow their whims.
"How cute." The man talked back, closer to Kilian who could no longer perceive the distance between them.
"You will find out soon enough."
The hand on Kilian's waist moved up, and the other supported his legs, picking him up in a carry, then to Kilian's horrified surprise, throwing him up on the shoulder.
"Let me down, I can walk!"
Kilian shouted banging his tied hands at the back of the man carrying him like he was as light as a feather.
"Sail, my name is Sail, don't forget Young Lord Heathgrave, also I doubt you can even walk with those shivering legs."
Kilian bit his lip, his legs had been sore for a while, and he had suspected he would not have gotten far if he had tried to run.
'At least it seems like they are not going to kill me.'
Kilian was thrown onto something soft, and the footsteps of Sail were close.
"The story is I am a low-born noble, escorted by my knights, so play your part well as my plaything, if we meet anyone on the road."
'Why is he telling me this?' Kilian thought ignoring Sail.
"We will be traveling for a while so get comfortable young Lord, it won't get any better than this."
Something touched his lips and the faint smell of citrus tingled his nose.
"Eat."
A finger pressed down on Kilian's chin, and he was unabel to do anything but part his lips and felt something soft and sweet entering his mouth.
"Don't worry, it is not poisoned, as I said, you are to be somewhere, well mostly intact I guess."
Kilian could imagine the smirk the man must have on his face, and he swallowed the piece of fruit slowly after chewing it a bit.
"How well mannered." Another piece was brought to his mouth, and Kilian had to reluctantly eat everything that was offered as his body was crawing food.
'I just have to stay alive, I am sure the Valen knights are on their trail.'