MISTRESS OF FLAME

CHAPTER 7

Sollel just sighed, seeing how Hakken quickly took care of the leader of the bandits. He even cleaned up his own mess afterward, burning the corpses so it wouldn't rot and cause pestilence. And while Hakken was cleaning up, Cira gave some medicine to the halfling and brought him to their wagon for interrogation.

"What's your name?" Cira asked the halfling who kept glancing at Hakken, fear visible in his eyes.

"L-Len..."

"Where are you from, Len?" Cira continued her interrogation while the wagon was moving.

"I-I'm from a small village outside B-Belrac," Len replied, his voice shaking in fear. "I-I'm sorry! I s-swear I only did that f-for my family! They promised m-me money...p-please don't kill me. Please..."

Hakken turned his head to look at the halfling and frowned when he saw the fear in the halfling's eyes while glancing at him. Hakken turned to Sollel who as beside him and asked, "What did I do to scare him like that?"

Sollel looked at Hakken flatly. Of course, Hakken couldn't see it because of her hood, but he felt Sollel's dry stare.

"What?" Hakken asked.

"You killed a dozen bandits," said Sollel. "Of course he'll be scared."

"You told me to," Hakken defended himself. "Your wish is my command, my lady."

Sollel sighed. She really didn't know if Hakken was serious or if he was just pulling her leg. She might have been imprisoned half of her life, but she knew when a man was flirting, and Hakken had been doing that since they first met. She was not just taking him seriously. And she had a mission to do; she can't afford distractions.

"M-my sister has been taken as a slave by the Duves family." The halfling's voice was still shaking in fear as he explained, "I have to earn money to get her back. P-please, don't kill me. Please!"

"Who's the Duves family?" Cira asked.

It was Hakken who answered, "The Duves family is one of the families that secretly control the slave traders in Belrac...and also one of the nastiest."

Sollel grimaced. "How far are we to Belrac?"

"Few more weeks, my lady."

Cira sighed and looked at Sollel. "Your Highness, can Len stay with us until we reach Belrac? I want to give him money to save her sister."

Hakken cleared his throat, while Sollel nodded and said, "Do whatever you think is right for you, Cira."

Cira smiled at Sollel. "Thank you, Your Highness."

Hakken just sighed and just signaled the horse to run faster.

♕♕♕

TWO DAYS AFTER they entered the forest, they finally arrived at a small village. Passing on the village street in their wagon, Sollel couldn't help her heart from aching when she saw ghastly halflings being lashed and forced to work, their eyes hallowed like they had given up. Slave traders pulled demi-humans, from young to old, by their slave collars. It was too horrible that Sollel's body was trembling with rage.

Back when Yther was still a prominent country, halflings, demi-humans, monsters, and every creature in Azitera were harmoniously living together. Ytherian respected every race, and they would open their country's gate to every creature of the land. It was a peaceful time.

So seeing what the halflings and demi-humans had become, Sollel was about to combust in rage when Hakken spoke, snapping Sollel out of her anger.

"Calm down, my lady," said Hakken while guiding the horse to pull the wagon to a decent inn. "Your anger can't help them escape this life. Even if we kill every slave trader in this village, another one will come and take their place. These halflings and demi-humans have nowhere else to go. Sooner or later, they will be captured again, and the cycle continues."