Her vision blurred for the span of a few seconds before returning to normal. The sun was high in the sky, displaying its beauty and strength upon all surfaces of the earth that welcomed her. She raised her hands towards the sun in an attempt to capture it between her fingers, casting a shadow on her face. It was beautiful. She smiled.
Faith had lived with a white witch living in the downlands of Crawyth. There were times the sun never sets for a full year as they dwell in ice and darkness.
Her full lips formed a pout when she noticed the people lying beside her on the open cart that was moving with full speed. She hadn't noticed that at first. Now she did, her eyes moved to her left and went wide when she saw they were bundled up from their belly to their feet to the cart so they wouldn't be able to escape.
Then it came rushing back into her head. "Mama," she murmured and swallowed the sob that wanted to come out of her mouth. She jammed her teeth together as hot tears poured out of her eyes.
"Faith?" Someone whispered. Her head snapped towards the direction the voice came from. Relief washed over her when she saw her younger sister two persons away from her.
"Thank the gods you're alright," Faith whispered quietly to the little raven haired girl staring at her with eyes brimming with tears. "We have to escape," she whispered again. Outstretching her head, she forced her eyes to look behind despite the moving speed of the cart. Behind them were huge green trees and bushes.
Faith looked at her sister and gave a curt nod which they both understood. Clasping her hands, she wriggled them out of the rope which was used to bundle her. Now her hands were free, she quietly pushed the ones used in tying her body.
Faith and Dora weren't just sisters who were defenseless when it came to war because in Crawyth, war was frequent due to boundary disputes and there were shortages of men so women were trained.
Too bad this time, they lost the war and all the men were slaughtered along with old adult women. Before that, the white witch she lived with disappeared from Crawyth, leaving them devastated. Faith didn't know why but if she got the chance to see the witch again, definitely must she find out.
The carriage came to a full sudden stop and Faith's face turned green as if she swallowed a frog. Heavy footfalls approached and she quickly closed her eyes in pretense.
Of course the captor would surely notice she had come loose from the ropes.
Checking out the young girls on the open cart, a smile graced his lips as his sharp eyes moved along and came to a stop. His face reddened in alarm. "One's loose!" He yelled.
Faith knew she had to act quickly now that she was discovered. More footfalls approached, grabbing her hands, they pulled her out of the cart.
"Let go!" She yelled at the burly men.
"Ah! So fierce," a man in a neat gray suit commented.
A tight slap landed on her cheek, sending her to the muddy ground. Her breath caught in her throat at the impact with the hard ground against her butt.
Pandora smirked sullenly. She knew they would surely find her lose. Before the men knew what was happening, she stood up and dived into the bush.
"Another one!" Mr Gray's suit yelled angrily, pointing towards the direction Dora disappeared through. The burly men who looked like mercenaries groaned and left Faith on the ground to go after her sister. When Mr Gray's suit wasn't looking, she sneaked nearer to the bush.
"You! Where do you think you're running off to?" Mr Gray suit asked when he saw the calculative glances the blue eye raven hair was throwing towards the bush. He certainly knew what she was thinking. Beside the road, it was a bush...beneath it was a huge forest.
The sound of the carriage became louder as it drove nearer. Meanwhile, the captor's carriage and cart were blocking the tiny road path.
"Oh Shit!" Mr Gray's suit freaked. Sending Faith a terrifying glare.
The carriage came to a halt. Outside of it was an outraged coachman.
"Damned idiot! Move your slaves outta way," he demanded angrily.
Faith crawled backwards away from her captor's cart to get a clearer view of the carriage. Perhaps she could call for help.
Mr gray suit nodded, fear evident in his eyes. "Pardon me Sire, I'm sure there's another way towards the direction you're heading to. This humble man here lost a slave and I have my guards go after her, surely they will be back soon," he replied to the coachman.
Faith frowned. Surely, the person inside this carriage was powerful and famous, she thought.
"Are you insane?" His Majesty is in a hurry!" The coachman yelled.
'Majesty?' Faith questioned within her. If the person was royalty, why can't they help? Oh she forgot, Mr gray suit said they were his slaves.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I'll move the carriage," he said to the coachman before looking at her. "Don't you dare escape, silly thing." Then he rushed towards the carriage.
Faith smiled to herself. Free escape but she needs to hurry because the men might be back soon.
"Romeo, are those slaves or captives?" A man inside the carriage asked. His voice was as deep and calm as the sea.
"Ahh, I think captives Sire. The dried bloodstains on their clothes, swollen eyes and weak bodies. They're all female."
The man tut, displeased. "And the other one on the ground?" That one fascinated him the most.
"Seems she wanted to escape unnoticed. One went into the forest according to the slaver," the coachman replied.
Faith took in the intricate gold patterns carved in the carriage. The whole body was made of blackwood with gold wheels. Four black horses attached to it.
The man stared at the girl on the ground. Blue eyes and raven hair, "such a rare combination," he murmured, impressed by what he saw.
Faith took the opportunity as Mr gray suit was already moving the carriage and ran into the bush. Falling down the sloppy Hill, her skin scraping the sharp stones, tree branches whipping her face and then a loud thud as her body hit the rough ground.
"Interesting," the man in the carriage murmured, now wondering how Mr Gray's suit would react if he found out another captive had escaped.
Few minutes later, Mr. Gray's suit returned with a tight expression on his face. Riding a carriage wasn't his thing and there was a reason why they were left for those who could ride it.
"Your path is cleared," he tried to put up a smile.
He looked around and couldn't find the captive he left there. "Damn it!"
"Where did she go?" He asked the coachman. His expression turned sour every minute.
Romeo threw the man a dreadful glare, "where do you think? Into the forest," he replied and mounted the carriage, not looking back or breaking the speed.
Dora groaned as she climbed up the hill. The men couldn't jump down so they returned.
Mr Gray's suit face was red when the guards came back empty -handed.
"Where's the captive you bunch of useless humans?" He asked, spittle flying out of his mouth. Pacing around, he stepped into a puddle of mud.
"We can't find her. The forest is scary and dark, I'm sure she won't make it alive," the one who seems to be the leader said and led his men back to the carriage.
Mr gray suit nodded and quietly went back to the carriage and they continued their journey.
Minutes later, Dora came out of the bush, standing in the middle of the road with her sister absent.
"No no no," she voiced. Her sister was gone. Then she remembered that her sister was caught, giving her the chance to escape but what about her? Perhaps they bundled her up and took her away. Tears poured out of her eyes as the thought hit her hard. Her sister, they were now separated.
Another carriage, all blue, came to a halt as the coachman was ordered by the Lord upon seeing a young girl standing in the middle of the road. The sky was turning dark and soon, a heavy downpour.
"Let her in," the man said tiredly.
*
Faith groaned, raising her bruised body from the ground. Without anyone telling her, she knew she was a mess right now. "Dora!" Rain was now dropping lightly.
Back up the hill, her sister needed her. She thought. Faith pushed harder, trying to hurry up. Her long hair tangled with a branch. When it finally came loose, the rain was now falling heavily. The hill was slippery as mud and erosion came from the road.
She lay flat on the road without her sister anywhere to be seen.
Faith blamed herself that she was late unbeknownst to her that Dora just left a few minutes ago in a carriage.