It was mid-day in the summer. The scorching sun was up in the sky, and not even a fluff of cloud was there to block its rays.
As the sweat drenched her clothes, Anna dragged her cracked soles to continue the journey. Her delicate body was taking its toll as it could not stand such a harsh environment.
Fearing being caught, the princess continued moving. It had been days since her escape. She had lost count of how many it had been. However, she had left the forest long ago and was aimlessly walking in the middle of an unknown rocky road.
Anna's throat was getting parched. Her lips and hands were chapped, and her stomach was rumbling. The bush berries she had were long gone, and nothing was left for her to eat.
Finally, her body gave in. She flopped onto the ground helplessly with heavy feet. Due to the long, arduous journey, the soles were dyed red from the cuts.
Anna thought of the castle, the only place she had known as home her entire life. She could neither return nor move forward.
Where should she go?
Where should she hide?
Were the Bargesians looking for her?
The princess was at her wit's end. Living in the castle, she had never faced such hardship. Though not equivalent to the marvellous treatment a princess should have, she was still living comfortably. The only time that was horrible enough for her was when she lost her family.
She was devastated by the loss, but the people around her repeatedly told her to be ready for the throne. She soon overcame it with their support and started to learn to be a ruler. But now, all of that was gone.
There was nothing left for her. Not even a kingdom named Ardel.
Would it be better if she could end her life since she had nothing to fight for?
The thought that slipped her mind was quickly pushed away when she was reminded of Clara's sacrifice. She couldn't put the knightess's effort in vain just because she could not withstand this hardship.
'I can't give up! Not now! Not for Clara! Not for those who died for Ardel!'
Anna gathered her remaining strength, rose, and was about to set foot when she suddenly heard the rattling sound of rolling wooden tyres coming. She quickly hid behind a boulder on the roadside.
From a distance, she saw a wagon driven by two men approaching. Their attires were dull and worn, and from the figures and appearances, they were clearly not the Bargesians, who had tanner skin with burly statures and fierce faces.
After the escape, Anna finally met other living souls for the first time. She was relieved that they were not the enemy who had captured her. The princess came out of hiding and signalled her hands as the wagon approached nearer.
"Help! Help me, please! Water! I need water!"
Anna waved her hands, hoping for something to drink despite the heavy chain of the shackles. The abrasion wounds on her wrists were getting worse from her numerous attempts to break free from them.
"Hoooo…..!!" The drivers pulled up the reins to stop the horses from moving. The tyres screeched, and the wagon halted. Staggeringly, Anna hurried towards the wagon.
"Please, Sir… I need some water," she pleaded.
Both of the wagon's drivers gazed at her with strange looks. Their eyes rolled up and down at a woman wearing torn clothes that appeared more like a rag. Her hair was unkempt, and she seemed filthy in her ragged dress, like a deranged person.
Noticing the gazes, Anna looked at herself and realised how sloppy she was. She quickly raised her hands again and said,
"I'm not crazy. I need some water. Please…"
After a few moments, one of the drivers came down and handed her a container. Impatiently, she grabbed it and chugged the water down her throat.
"Oyyy… slow down there… You might choke if you drink too fast. Take it easy… you can have it all. We have plenty in the wagon," the man spoke up.
He let Anna drink to her heart's content, quenching her thirst.
"Say… What are you doing here alone?" the man asked.
Anna finally let go of the container once she was relieved. Thankfully, she returned it to the man.
"Thank you, Sir. I… I was lost," she answered.
"Lost? In the middle of nowhere? How did you get here?" the man asked again, his eyes shining with curiosity.
"I don't remember," Anna replied. She had been straying hopelessly for days and couldn't recall her path.
"Why are you being handcuffed? Are you a runaway?" His eyes were fixed on the metal handcuffs wrapped around Anna's delicate hands that were already lacerating her skin.
"The Bargesians caught me! They wanted to kill me!" she explained.
"Ohh… that's bad. Well, don't worry. We can help you, right Dean?" The man turned to his friend and winked.
"Sure!" Dean smirked. Then, both men laughed wickedly.
The sinister act made the princess anxious. It was a red flag.
Frightened, Anna took a few steps back. Before she could retreat any further, her back collided with a solid figure, halting her moves. As she turned her head to look around, a strong arm quickly grabbed her tiny waist.
"My… my… What good luck we've here." The man chuckled. Anna was greatly shocked when she saw two other men behind her back. She didn't realise when they had sneaked up on her.
"No! Let me go! Help! Help me!"
She struggled frantically to break free but to no avail. While one of the men held her waist, the other, named Bill, appeared before her and caught her jaws.
He took out a clean cloth and wiped her face. Then, he turned her head left and right as if inspecting a product. He even pried open her mouth and examined her teeth.
Anna could not break free since her waist had been held firm by the large man behind her. Furthermore, she was still handcuffed by the heavy shackles.
"We've got a nice one here! What a rare eye colour she has. She'll surely sell well after the clean-up!" Bill smiled as he turned to the driver, who had previously handed Anna the water.
"We'll drop by Tarnova. There's an auction there next Friday. We should arrive in five days if we detour through the Cassian border," suggested Jake, the man holding the princess.
"Are you sure you want to cross it? You know that they're not so friendly. Plus, we only have one piece of merchandise," replied Brian, the man who offered Anna the water container. He seemed reluctant at Jake's suggestion.
"Hey! This is a jewel with quality. She's better than the other dirty wh*res you picked up," said Bill.
"The guild's chief already briefed us that all routes were clear. Let's move. The faster we get there, the faster the money goes to our pocket." Dean decided.
Anna was scared. She cried and begged to be released. But before she knew it, she was thrown into the wagon and locked up again. It seemed as if all the misfortunes had fallen upon her. What would happen to her next?