The magician elder suggested they paid a visit to the demigod. She assumed he might be angry because none of them in Alastair went to receive him when he became the new demigod.
But, they stubbornly declined, sorting for another solution. Ever since the attack of those wild creatures, 100 years ago, no one in Alastair had ever set their foot out or attempted to. They stubbornly and fearfully stuck themselves in Alastair, believing strongly that it wasn't safe to step out of Alastair.
However, when the deaths persisted, Crown Prince Finn volunteered to be the one to pay the demigod a visit even after the continuos protest from King Gregor, his father and Isobel Lorcan, his fiancee.
Traveling to Gethin was a three-day journey so, Prince Finn had fished out a sack and stuffed few fresh clothes and foods into it.
As he prepared to seal the sack, the wooden door of his chamber jerked open and Isobel Lorcan rushed in, breathing heavily.
"How dare you? You did not even bother to tell me you were leaving today."
She snapped, snatching the sack from him.
"I didn't want to trouble you."
Prince Finn defended, trying to reach out for the sack he had tied but, Isobel withdrew it further.
"Trouble me? Are you daft? You know what you are doing is absolutely against I and your father's wish, and yet you plan to sneak out without us noticing?"
Isobel dumped the sack on the ground and matched towards him in her army boot, pulling him for a tight hug.
"Please, come back safe."
She spoke into his ears, tears trickling freely down her face.
Finn hugged her back and patted her back.
"I will."
Few hours later, Prince Finn was sent off by the Royal family, except his father, who had refused to see his son cross the border of Alastair, to a dangerous niche.
Although, Finn gave them a reassuring smile that he would be safe but, the moment he stepped out of their sight, his smile disappeared, replaced with fear looming his face.
He had heard a lot of history tale on how the people of Alastair suffered slavery from other mythical creatures before they created Alastair. And, he was stepping out of Alastair, to the midst of the people that enslaved his ancestors. Of course, the fear in his heart was enormous. But, he smiled through it. He had to smile through it.
For his father, for the Royal family, for his people and for his lover, Isobel Lorcan, he had to smile through it.
The people of Alastair anticipated his return. Isobel had refused to taste any meal until the arrival of Finn. She paced back and forth his chamber, praying and hoping for a safe return and of course, a solution to their crisis.
Meanwhile, Gethin was farther than Finn had thought. He sauntered past three rivers in which he desperately drank from, five mountains and sixteen cave in which he slept in whenever the cold night met him there. But, he still hadn't gotten to Gethin.
He built a tent in the woods on the second night and he slept peacefully in it until he heard strange movement in the woods.
Before he had time to react, a rough hand clasped his mouth and yanked him out of the tent.
He was beaten to a pulp and when one of the men grabbed a rock and smashed it aggressively on his head, he instantly lost consciousness.
~
(CITY OF GETHIN)
Prince Finn flipped his eyes open slowly, finding himself in a butcher's room, chained to the wall with a heavy padlock.
Three men sat behind a large table that had left over animals meat, going through the things he stuffed in his sack.
One of them fished out his engagement ring, gesturing it towards him.
"Is this real gold?"
He asked, observing it properly.
"Give it back! Don't touch that!"
Finn protested, trying to wring out of the tight grip of the chains. But, of course, it was a fail.
Another hefty, untidy looking man alighted from the back of the table, holding a large machete.
"Who the hell are you and where are you coming from?"
He demanded, swinging the machete at Finn. Finn swallowed as he watched the movement of the machete, hoping to avoid it appropriately.
Isobel Lorcan had told him never to tell anyone except the demigod, his identity as an Alastair because, it would give anyone more reason to end him without breaking a sweat. So, he kept his mouth sealed, staring at the sturdy man that was interrogating him.
"Do you want me to split your head into half and fish out your brain before you can speak?!
The hefty man snapped, demonstrating the machete to him.
"Hey! If you do that he wouldn't be able to speak anymore!"
One of the other three men joked from behind and they all laughed.
Suddenly, a pen knife was swung towards the hefty's man direction and he effortlessly avoided it, leaving it to proceed to Finn's direction. But, with the chains gripping his hand, he had barely avoided the pen knife and it landed on the wall, closely behind his head.
The person behind the swinging, stepped into the room and unlike the other four men, he looked tidy and well fed.
He was tall, light-skinned and his caramel hair was slicked back. He had a pointed nose and a very sharp jaw. He looked good.
"Do you say we have a visitor?"
He asked in his thick British accent, drawing closer to Finn.
"No boss, we have a meal."
The other four men burst into laughter.
"Shut up."
The dandy man shunned them and they quieted down instantly.
"Who are you, little lad?"
The man asked, accessing Finn.
"You smell of citrus. Are you from a rich family?"
He implored more but Finn, following the instruction of Isobel, remained quiet.
"Come on, you are free to speak. We know our way around here better than you do, we could help you settle down."
Finn thought about what the man suggested. He had only two options if he remained silence - he would either be kept here till he starved to death or he would be killed. So, there was only one option that could upturn his fate.
"I'm from Alastair and I've come seeking the demigod."
The men shared a look amongst themselves and suddenly, the dandy man twisted around and walked out of the room, the four other men, sharing a whisper within themselves.
Finn hoped he hadn't taken a grave mistake.
Few hours later, the dandy man returned, with another man that looked exactly like him but, he was taller and had a very pale skin. He looked like a vampire.
Finn began to panic when the both of them made it towards him.
"He is a magician, he has fresh blood so, I'm offering 500 bucks."
The dandy man told the other man who was still closely observing Finn.
"Lets have it at 200, when his blood is tested and it appeared as you have proposed, I'd complete to 500 bucks."
The pale man said and it became clear to Finn that he was about to be sold.
"What are you doing to me?! I said I wanted to see the demigod!"
The dandy guy signaled to one of the other four men.
"Chester, seal the lips of this man, he is disturbing a clean deal at the moment."
The hefty man, Chester, instantly grabbed a tape and sealed Finn's lips, muffling his protest.
"Man, consider this the biggest deal you would ever get from me. This man is from Alastair and you know what they say about magicians blood? Magicians are pure in nature, they have done no evil. So, there is about a hundred years life span in their veins. Any vampire who drank this would probably live for a very long time."
The pale man nodded, convinced by the dandy's man proposal and agreed on 500 bucks.
The dandy man signaled to one of the four men to release him to the pale man.
Meanwhile, back in Alastair, it was the third day already and everyone waited at the border of Alastair, anticipating the return of Prince Finn.