The fight ended with Seraphina standing amidst the wreckage of her attackers, her chest rising and falling as she struggled to steady her breath.
The onlookers had dispersed quickly, the air thick with murmurs and the lingering shock of what they had just witnessed. Three men lay writhing in pain on the ground, while the fourth had fled, undoubtedly spreading the word of her defiance.
Before she could even catch her breath, a sharp voice cut through the air.
"You! To the Bandit King's tent. Now."
One of Karel's lieutenants barked, pointing at her with a gloved hand— his face wasn't one of anger but sternness.
The tension in her body didn't ease, but Seraphina straightened, brushing the dirt from her tattered clothes and squaring her shoulders. Her violet eyes flicked to the retreating figure of the messenger before she began her movement toward Karel's tent.
She could feel the stares lingering on her as she moved, a mix of curiosity, fear, and even some respect.
By the time she reached the large, makeshift tent at the camp's center, the adrenaline had disappeared, replaced by a dull ache in her body and her mind worried about the punishment she was going to face.
There was no regret in her mind— there was no point. She stood up for herself and that was the right thing to do, at least for her. She didn't believe that Karel would punish her for something so minor, it's the reason she didn't kill them, to begin with.
The two guards flanking the entrance exchanged glances but stepped aside without a word, allowing her to enter.
Inside, the tent was dimly lit, the air heavy with the scent of oil lamps, Karel sat behind a crude wooden table, his massive frame casting long shadows against the walls.
He looked up as she entered, his expression unreadable. His silver-haired lieutenant, the Rank One knight, stood silently to his side, his posture relaxed but his gaze sharp— this was the first time she bothered paying attention to him.
He wasn't young, but he wasn't old either. He seemed around the same age as Karel, but he lacked the hardness of battle or wounds, the only wound he had was across his cheek.
Seraphina stopped just inside the entrance, her head held high despite the fatigue weighing on her— her eyes glancing around slightly. She didn't speak, waiting for Karel to address her first.
The Bandit King leaned back in his chair, his dark eyes studying her with an intensity that made her skin crawl. For a moment, the silence stretched, broken only by the distant sounds of the camp outside.
"Well."
Karel finally said, his voice carrying a note of bemusement.
"You've caused quite the stir."
Seraphina's jaw tightened, but she remained silent.
"Breaking arms, cracking ribs, knocking my men unconscious. At least you didn't kill them."
He continued, his tone almost amused, before shifting to something more stern.
"Not exactly the behavior I expect from someone in your position."
She met his gaze evenly.
"They pushed me too far."
Karel raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.
"And you think that justifies breaking the rules I've set?"
Seraphina's fingers curled into fists at her sides, but she forced her voice to remain calm.
"They deserved it. I broke no rules you set, like you said, they're alive."
The smirk widened slightly, but his tone turned sharp.
"Perhaps. But this isn't your noble estate, girl. Here, you follow my rules, or you face the consequences."
The weight of his words hung in the air, but Seraphina refused to lower her gaze. Karel's smirk faded, replaced by a thoughtful expression as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table.
"Still."
He pondered slowly for a moment before continuing.
"I can't deny that you've proven yourself capable. More than I expected, actually. And that gives me an idea."
He gestured to the silver-haired knight at his side.
"There's a merchant caravan passing through the nearby forest soon. We've had our eye on it for a while, but it's well-guarded. I want you to join the raid."
Seraphina's stomach churned at his words, but she kept her expression neutral.
"You want me to rob merchants?"
Karel's grin returned, but his tone didn't change.
"Consider it a test. You'll go with him, Rowlin.
He nodded toward the Rank One knight.
"And follow his orders. He won't help you unless you need it, but he'll be watching. Fail, and you'll wish you hadn't."
She wanted to argue, to refuse outright, but the weight of her position— of her vulnerability— kept her silent. Instead, she nodded once, her voice steady despite the turmoil in her chest.
No matter how much she refused to stoop to such a level, robbing innocent people, those who worked for their wage— she couldn't digest it. She wasn't some lowly bandit, yet, it seemed this man wanted to make one of her.
"Understood."
Karel's leaned back again.
"Good. You leave at dawn. Oh, and one more thing— wear a mask and hood. Can't have anyone recognizing you, now can we?"
Dismissed, Seraphina left the tent, her mind shifting with various thoughts. The thought of robbing innocent merchants made her skin crawl, but she had no choice— she wasn't some saint, if robbing was what she needed to do to survive, she would.
As she returned to the cell, Samuel and Edwin were already waiting, their faces etched with concern.
"What happened?"
Edwin asked immediately, his silver eyes scanning her for new injuries.
Seraphina hesitated, her gaze dropping to the floor.
"Karel has... given me a task. I'm to join one of his knights on a raid tomorrow."
Samuel's jaw tightened, his face twisted to a scowl.
"A raid? What kind of task is that?"
"One I can't refuse. I'll be fine."
The weight of their gazes followed her as she halted further conversation, moving to a corner of the room to rest before the time arrived— her fight from before wasn't without effect.
Her missing hand, and her fresh wound, made fighting much harder than she was used to. Yet morning came too quickly, and by dawn, she stood at the edge of the camp, a dark hooded cloak draped over her shoulders and a simple black mask concealing her face.
The Rank One knight stood nearby, his expression as unreadable as ever. Without a word, he turned and began walking toward the forest, and Seraphina followed along with a few ragtag bandits she was given to carry out the task with.
The caravan came into view just as the sun reached its peak, a line of wagons surrounded by armed guards. The knight motioned for her to stay low as they observed from the shadows, his voice low and steady as he gave her instructions.
"I will create a distraction."
He said.
"Draw the guards away from the wagons. You will handle the rest."
Seraphina nodded and went along with the man's plan, he slipped away from their position and moved through the trees. When he was close enough, he drew his blade and attacked a guard, drawing their attention to him.
"Over there!"
One of them shouted, and several broke away from the caravan to attack the man who retreated into the tree lines.
Using the chaos to her advantage, Seraphina darted toward the wagons.