**GHOST'S POV**

This girl, so fragile like an abandoned puppy, annoying and a little bit naive for her sake. I told her that we would wake up first thing in the morning but she wouldn't listen not that am complaining, you won't get another chance to belittle royalty, I'd dump pig guts on her if I could find them but water would suffice for now.

"if you don't mind me asking, why are we traveling through the forest? I think it would be much easier if we followed the road." she said.

"well your kidnappers, chose this area because everywhere from Ronich to Tortuga is filled with every scum in the world mercenaries, bandits, pirates, rapists... You name it,"

"so mercenaries are also scum, couldn't agree more," she said.

This little.. Calm down if you kill her, carrying a dead body this entire distance is disgusting and tiring.

She reeks of royalty, the way she walks, the way she talks even the way she eats seriously though how can you eat a deer's leg gracefully while using your hands. Almost every woman I've seen eats like a pig, even her face seemed royal, she has really dark and luscious hair even though we've been sleeping in the dirt this past days her hair still looks healthy, her jaw had the shape of the lower beak of an eagle but not in a manly way but more feminine, her lips were bow shaped and they were red in color, she had dark blue eyes and a tanned skin tone. But her most special feature are those eyes, I heard that they were really rare and the black eye she had now was starting to fade so they stood out more.

"uhm.. Can I..." she stuttered.

"speak," I said.

"Why do you look at me like that?" she asked.

"look at you how?"

"like right now you aren't even looking at me and when you do look at me it's like you are disgusted,"

"well I am disgusted,"

She didn't like my answer and I could feel her gaze burning through my head.

"you're not special, I just hate royalty and nobility that's all,"

"because they hate you right,"

"bitch mercenaries hate my guts too but I don't hate them,"

"so you just hate us huh,"

She then laid her head on the ground and closed her eyes after a few minutes her breathing slowed down. Finally I did my everyday routine, Fifty push ups, twenty arms stand push ups a few sit ups and I practiced some sword drills ranging from the long broad sword to my scimitars. Scimitars are my favorite weapons they are light and are faster to swing their only flaw is that they can't match up to heavy weapons like axes and hammers, that's where the long broad sword comes in, it can handle heavy hits.

**ELENA'S POV**

The gods favored me today I woke up while it was still dark, the mercenary was still asleep, he always slept five steps away from me. He was strange even while he was asleep he didn't come off his mask and compared to Raven and his friends he never even looks at me even once well unless we are counting the daily morning shower but today it's not happening. I sat up and stretched my arms as I yawned.

"huff! Huff! Huff!" I heard him pant.

The mercenary was clenching the dirt in his hands as hard as he could, I couldn't see his face but judging by his fidgeting and his pants, it's obvious that he was having a nightmare but what could a man like him be scared of. The man bolted up and I didn't even notice where he had kept his sword in a second they were unsheathed and slashing the air.

He looked around to see if his 'attacker' was still in the area his breathing still fast and his grip on the hilts as tight as he did. His eyes landed on me and his breathing finally calmed down.

"You are awake, guess I don't need to waste water today," he said his voice more sour than usual and had hints of bloodlust. If I mess up today, he could kill me as soon as we started walking I quickened my pace to match his.

As we kept walking I felt a sharp pain in my right foot a scream escaped my mouth and I dropped down on my bottom as I grabbed my leg. In my foot was the biggest nail I have ever seen in my life both in width and length.

"argh what now!?" I heard him yell as he turned.

Hot tears came out of my eyes as the wound began to throb, I tried to stand up but even moving a toe felt horrible like if my entire foot was submerged in boiling water. I must have been shutting my eyes because I felt a hand grab my legs and foot slowly but I didn't need to open my eyes to know whose hand it was.

"You are the queen of injuries princess," he said in a tone devoid of any emotion.

He touched the nail and it twisted slightly and I let out another scream.

"Listen princess we have two options, I pull it out which will relieve some pain but you'll lose a lot of blood or you bear with it as we look for a merchant wagon or something?"

"first option... No sec.. Ow... Second option... Second option.... Sounds best,"

The second option sounds the most logical of the two.

"well then you'll be the bait," he said as he carried me in his arms I kept my leg as stiff as possible any movement felt like fire ants in my leg.

He walked across the forest and placed me on the side of the road.

"and princess be sure to show that bloody foot okay it will gain more sympathy, " he said he turned around and went back inside the forest.

"bastard!"

I feel like a beggar now, oh how the mighty have fallen I miss my privileges. By the looks of this road it seems as busy as they come hopefully a caravan, wagon would stop soon because now the pain has reached my entire leg and my foot is now swelling as blood covered my entire foot and shoe, the mercenary didn't show up this entire time. The pain kept getting more and more intense as time went by, I think even my teeth started to hurt.

"excuse me miss, need some help?" I heard a faint voice say.

"miss can you hear me?"

"yeah I can," I said I opened my eyes and I saw a brown horse in front of me, I raised my eyes and the driver was the one asking. A wagon thank the gods.

"now what kind of question is that? Can't you see her state?" I heard a woman say sticking out her head out of the window.

The door opened and I saw a woman and a man coming out by their clothes they seemed to be just commoners. They picked me up and placed my arms around their shoulders as they helped me to the carriage.

"where are you taking my wife?" the mercenary asked from behind me, I felt so disgusted with the wife part.

The two Samaritans turned me around and for the first time he wasn't wearing his mask or his hood the only thing he had was his weapons.