"Ahh! Stop it." She yelled as her wrist began to throb when this scumbag twisted it. "You're hurting me!"

She warned him again, though she knew she couldn't do much about it. But her opponents didn't have to know that. Maybe she could fake some bravado, but who was she actually fooling? Her tiny frame was nowhere near strong enough to fight. At best, she could be described as fit. And these guys were already aware of it. Even Andy couldn't save her. Maybe he had already run away... "She said stop it!" his resolute voice echoed through the inn, calm yet ready for a fight. Everyone had stopped and looked at this argument. When they saw these ruffians; who had been terrorizing the town for nearly five years, they began to disperse. They didn't want to be beaten up by those thieves. The ruffians were bullies. Big and strong monsters, plus no one could say they are clean, so the folk decided to leave them alone. Even if they didn't get beaten, they could still catch some illnesses from those filthy gangsters. In the meantime the gang clashed with the stranger, and chaos erupted. Chairs and tables flew as he threw them. Yolanda, who had been bullied and almost get raped by those ruffians, had been shocked a little while. Andy yanked her under a table just as chaos erupted. Yolanda barely had time to process the scene before the table was ripped away, flung like a toy into the fray. In the blink of an eye, she scrambled to find a place to hide, desperate for cover, like a cockroach. But unfortunately she couldn't. She had to face this situation.

But how come this commotion get this point she didn't understand, what she ever done those bullies. She couldn't focus because of this mess that who was helping her? A glance couldn't make her understand who was he, he was moving so fast. He was throwing things and his fist to them, sometimes kicking them. He moved with precision and grace, every step calculated, every strike fluid -like a soldier who had trained for years. For sure he had some training. She could say he seemed like lord of something, he wasn't definitely a peasantry. He wasn't dressed in fine clothes, yet she was certain, a flash of gold at his shirt pocket caught Yolanda's eye. Was it... a chain? No commoner would carry such a thing. Luxurious she thought. His frame was giving a feel that he had to be someone important and had wealth to feed properly that it could reflect on his face. His cheeks were glowing crimson, a stark contrast to the ruffians' pallor.

He wasn't a commoner then what he was doing here? Was he here for gambling? For woman or hangout with folks? Most important thing was why he was helping her? Was only because he had hero instinct? Or he had grudge to those gangs so finally found a way to exploit it? But no it felt so random. It couldn't be grudge. Or he was just like to fight? She couldn't understand everyone scattered but he had started the fight for her? She shouldn't think this now. She had to take action soon, otherwise the mystery guy's efforts would be wasted. She tried to weigh situation; she, Andy and mystery guy, there were 3 of them and the gang had 5 man who was builded strong enough. So if we want to win this fight we should use our brain not our little muscles. She had to think fast, looked up at ceiling and walls, searching for a hint.

She spotted the dim, flickering light of the oil lamps mounted on the walls. She mean, she definitely could try to put out every lamp but she knew; before she try to extinguish second one, they would capture her. But she gave it a try since there was nothing coming in her mind better than this. So she started running towards and throwing things to the lights maybe she could break a few them. But it only ended up bumping her back some soft place like a human. She turned around and made eye contact with the mystery guy. His eyes were deep blue, like an ocean that you would've like to drawn in it. She couldn't break eye contact—it was so alluring. She had never felt like this before, as if she were both burning in fire and freezing in ice.

The contact was broken when she captured by one of the ruffians. She looked that rascal and pulled herself together. Why did she not leaving this mystery guy behind? Andy almost ready to run out here. She felt regret. But, no, it wasn't who she was. Even if she tried, she couldn't live with guilt. There was no possible scenario to escape without him. In the mean time, that villain tightened his grip, and her scream echoed through the room. Everyone—Andy, who had been hiding behind curtains, and the mysterious man—turned to her, reacting in time. The mystery guy didn't seem like get influenced by her. He was already fighting with another one until he heard her scream, he draw the sword but he thought twice when he heard leader of this ruffians, "Come on. Accepting the defeat is sign of wisdom." He sighed and throw the sword down at their feet. She surprised, why was this guy so good? Was he doing this out of his pure kindness, or was there something more?

Was he enchanted or had access to magic? Does he had his own magic to rely on? He could simply run instead of surrendering. Come on what was the catch? What was he rely on when he throw his sword... Was he up to something about our quest? Or sent it by my father to help us? No he couldn't afford him. He was a luxury! No matter how much he try to hide with this hideous clothes. While she was thinking, the villain who had seized her tightened his grip. So she came back to earth. "Take them to the tents." Said leader again. Andy tried to escape but only he could do was getting a fist at his tummy. Andy groaned, "Man you are gonna get my intestines." Andy was quite a character even in this situation he should respond with humor. Yolanda giggled even the mystery guy smiled a little bit. The ruffians thought they had been dealing with kids. They wasn't wrong actually, Yolanda and Andy were turning sixteen that year. They were child yet. But those thieves wouldn't mind this anyway.

Soon they arrived to tents, they had been tied to a big tree by villains and left with one guard who seemed to going to sleep soon, they had time until villains eat and rest for a while. Ruffians lair's was outside of that old town and almost inside of the forest. She believed she could hear the rush of a nearby river or waterfalls. She was assessing the where they should ran off after the escaping. She tried to loose her grip on the rope but it was pointless. 'Yolanda?' Andy whispered 'What?' She snapped at him. Her opinion she was the victim, she asked to not go in that inn to him but he insisted. There was no any options for them to get food, spend night under a roof and find exact same things for their horses either. They could rest in a stable. They had been riding almost 24 hours without resting even for eat or some drink. The horses had been tired enough to go anywhere. They had been tired enough too only because of her. So they had to stay in this town. But this bullies saw new faces in town they wanted take advantage from her like they always did.

Meanwhile she was thinking quietly the guard had been fall asleep even started to snoring. "Hey! Who are you? By the way thank you for help, even it didn't change anything." Said Andy to mysterious guy. The guy sighed. Yolanda completely forgot the mysterious guy, added quickly after Andy, "Thank you, really you have a hero fabric!" The mystery guy responded, "Your welcome both. Though I'd hardly call this a rescue... yet. But it wasn't my fault, (tried to turn her so he could deliver his message to her) staring at me in the middle of fight? I mean I am charming, I have to admit that but you have to consider the situation that you in it."

Yolanda, "What?" she was stunned. After a second, "What? Who looked at you Mr. Charming? I mean if you ask Andy? He is a straight man." The mystery guy surprised, "Oh is he your fiancé then?" He seemed like more questioning to then assumptions. Like this mystery guy was trying get to understand, if she had a speacial man.. and added, "I am sorry, I completely misunderstood then." hesitately.

She gave him bemused look she couldn't imagine how could he misinterpreted this much? "I mean. What..It is rid..." she couldn't finished. "Are you out of your mind?" Andy snapped. "She's like a sister to me—and I'm sure you're not her type either!" The mystery guy's face briefly flickered with fury. And then turned back stone cold face. Andy was understand what this stranger up to. But Yolanda was clueless. Feeling strong dislike to him was only because try to protect his friend; more then friend as he said his little sister. Didn't want to anyone come near her. Andy was only child of his house, that's why she was like the sister he never had. That's why he was so protective. But like Yolanda he didn't have priority, he had to unite with that person who clearly wanted help, even it means surrendering. But instead of that, snapping at him and dislike him what for?

Yolanda snapped, "What's the wrong with you? You charming Prince what was you said? You have to consider the situation that you in it, Right? Well, You both have to consider the situation that we in it. What do you think that they are planning? What will they going to do to us?" scolded them. And added tenderly, "Guys.. We have to be collaborate.. Even I have to forgive Andy with this terrible choice..." both, "Yes, you are right" but they were still staring each other eyes with that look, as they were trying to set boundaries like wolves. And then Andy weighed the words of her. "Wait, what? Yolanda? What did I do to you? You mean when I was at behind curtain when they captured you.. it was only because there was a thief who I was fighting he ran there so I had to run after him."

Yolanda even couldn't find chance to stop him before explain, actually lying. But she didn't care about his cowardly behavior, she was glad that he didn't get hurt. But she had to say something about that too. "No Andy, I didn't mean that. But since we're talking about it. I am glad that you didn't hurt. And I know you did best what you can. So hiding behind curtains at the end was not something that broke my heart. I didn't resend you. What was I talking about actually was, you insist that we had to stay at inn in the night. But you knew better then me, this kind of places never safe at night if we arrive there during daylight we could book a room for us with two beds and we could rest there, eat at the tavern before sunset or at room.

But at the night, going a place where has drunks and bullies, especially with a girl? You should take my advice. But it isn't matter now, either way we ended up at the barren field like I said.. but if you took my advice then we could be warm, have a fire for cook now. I am hungry and tired. But I cannot go to sleep. They are going to kill us guys!" Andy understood her, "I am truly sorry. I didn't think that is true. I thought that stories were only for frightening us. But that's okay. At least we could say not every stories are exaggeration. I would like to make up to you, once save us from this rope. I mean what kind of knot have they tied this rope in? I can not untie it."

Then they heard some rustling near by. The our mystery guy was quiet a while. She consider to ask him if he is okay. But she felt rope loosened, "What's going on?" at the same time she tried to stood up for not lost the chance of freedom, and Andy as well. It seemed the mystery guy had untied the rope. They had a tons of questions about him but he was making shush gesture to not take attention of ruffians, who they had been still eating. "How much they should eat to stay like that" Andy was thinking like that, when she nudged him to move to behind the tree. Now what ?