The Epic Tale of Cregan

Chapter 8: Nightmare

He blinks his eyes open and sees the world slightly spin in a blur. Orange light of the setting sun shines on his face, telling him that he's been out for a few hours but can't tell how long exactly. He looks up to see his wrists tied together above his head on a tree branch. He sighs and looks down at his body, seeing the red stain on his white tunic from his wounds reopening, but the blood has dried by now.

The pain sets in once he feels himself slowly returning to life and his vision clears, only to see someone standing on the ground a few feet in front of him. As if today couldn't get worse, he's once again found himself in the situation of being restrained before Sara.

Why can't he have just one normal day on this damn continent?

Sara chuckles. "We certainly need to stop meeting like this. You being tied up and helpless to me. I'm starting to think you enjoy it. If that's the case, you should have told me that first night we had. I would have gladly seen to your needs, love," she hisses.

Cree groans as he tries pulling his arms down but his strength fails him. "Sara... did you do this?" he growls. Sara snickers.

"Tying you up? No. I would have done a far better job than those Latyrs did. Which is saying something because that's quite impressive." She eyes the ropes restraining him.

He glares at her and pulls on the ropes, but his efforts amount to nothing. "What the hell do you want? Did you really just come here to stand there and gloat, if so you can save your breath and walk away now," he mutters.

Sara giggles elegantly and steps closer. "I can't resist helping a damsel in distress when I see one. However, I'm sure you know that my actions are not quite what one would call 'noble'."

"I'm not a damsel in distress," Cree growls and tugs a bit harder. It feels as though it only tightens the ropes the more he struggles.

Sara rolls her eyes. "Please, you're hardly the hero of this story."

"There's a difference between trying to be a hero and just refusing to be a coward," Cree states.

"And yet here you are, tied up and defenseless." Sara smiles and draws her silver dagger. "I could kill you easily if I so chose to. I would complete my mission and find satisfaction in doing so. But instead, I'm prepared to make you an offer." She runs the blade over his side, lightly enough that it doesn't cut him, but just as a warning that she's not afraid to hurt him. As if that wasn't clear already.

"I don't want anything from you." Cree frowns. Even though nothing about this situation is enjoyable, he finds a small hint of relief in the fact that she isn't using her magic on him to make him want her. So at least he's able to maintain some form of sense as she's speaking to him.

"No? Alright, then tell me. How do you plan on getting down from there?" She leans against the tree beside him and waits patiently for his reply.

"I'll find a way," he says. "I always do."

"Go on then. Let's see you get down," Sara hisses.

Cree growls and focuses on ignoring her so he can think about how to free himself. He remembers what Regan mentioned earlier about his arm possibly having a release switch on his shoulder somewhere, but he can't even begin to look for it since it's covered by his jacket, which he can't get off while tied up.

"You might want to hurry. You wouldn't want to be late to save your pet bard from being sold and beaten by those Latyrs. They seemed to be rather enjoying themselves last I checked."

Cree keeps ignoring her and looks for an alternative solution. His knives are on his belt. It would be really hard to reach one of them without his hands. He might be able to bend his foot up to get it out of the sheath, but he doesn't know how he would be able to get it from his waist to his hand that way when he can hardly move.