TYRION

Chapter 13

The moment the door to the box they were caged opened, Tyrion discerned they had other companies. Some caravans were ahead while the ones coming from the rear came to a halt. The captor's face was covered in a mask and Tyrion, though alerted, awaited for the man to act before he could do something.

"They have broken free!" The captor exclaimed. Tyrion swiftly elbowed him on the jaw,  before dragging Isolde along, intending to escape. While the man struggled to recover on the floor, others were already motioning towards Tyrion and Isolde, and he expertly took them down with one hand. Isolde ran after him as he held her hand and guided her towards the woods.

"Be careful with your wounded arm" Isolde cautioned in fear.

Noticing Isolde's unsteady run, Tyrion pulled her into a bush for cover. She breathed rapidly as they hid. Stretching his body, Tyrion kept watch on the captors chasing them, who, fortunately, had missed their trail and were heading in the opposite direction. Glancing back at Isolde, guilt covered his face as he took her weakened features in; the day after their first magical night together wasn't meant to unfold like this.
"Can you run? We'll have to leave here in a few minutes," he notified her.

"I... I don't think I can, the stinging pain in between my legs wouldn't let me." Isolde honestly admitted. If Tyrion was feeling guilt before, it worsened at that point in time. He had almost forgotten that she would be uncomfortable down there after their first time together.

"I'm really sorry" He said to her.

"Why are you sorry, do you know them?" She asked.

"No, not at all, I don't" He replied. He was tempted to reveal his thoughts, but he had to keep it to himself till he could be comfortable telling her. He was almost as surprised as her, considering the fact that he felt no one knew who he was yet, so why would anyone want him captured together with Isolde?

"Where did you learn how to fight like that?" She curiously asked and he suddenly felt the urge to defend himself.

"Any man could hit an attacker on the jaw, Isolde, especially when his woman is involved," Tyrion remarked, prompting a smile from her. He cupped her face with his uninjured hand, and she lifted hers to hold his that's on her face.
"I will..." Tyrion's words faltered as he noticed Isolde's tattoo. The once vivid lock tattoo had begun to fade. A small frown crept onto his handsome face.
"I... I had thought this to be a permanent mark or something," he conveyed, curiosity evident in his tone.
"What?" she questioned, following his gaze to her left wrist, where her tattoo was now slightly fading. A gasp escaped her mouth, and she stood up unexpectedly.

"I need to go home now," She said restlessly.

"What, why?" Tyrion asked as he stood up with her.

"What happened to me before we got here?" She urgently asked, eliciting a curious scowl from Tyrion. It seemed there was something he was in the dark about, he thought.

"I... I don't know, I woke up to you unconscious, gasping and all. I was so scared, I really was and was going to take you home because I tried getting you out of it but you went totally unconscious. I was on the way taking you home when we were attacked." He told her. Isolde's fright increased at the revelation of what had happened before they got to their present. Unexpectedly, she backed away from him.

"Get away from me" She silently uttered, her sudden change of mood catching Tyrion feeling off guard.

"W... what?" He almost thought he heard something else, his green eyes widened in confusion.

"I said get away from me!" She almost shouted, her distress evident.

"I'm not sure you are in your right mind now Isolde. What's wrong with you?" Tyrion questioned, ruffling through his brown hair with his hands in a worrisome manner.

"W... who are you?" She asked, gazing at Tyrion as if he just changed into a ghost. The whole scenario was already driving him out of his mind as he tried to comprehend her actions.

"You've been so weird today and this isn't the right time to ask questions. Let me get you home safely first." He said as he attempted to reach her.

"Don't touch me. I... I didn't get to know you. You were probably sent to kill me or something, oh my God what have I done" She shivered as an assumed realization hit her, her breath quickening as she ranted, confusing Tyrion further.

"All these, y... you probably didn't...  oh god, I'm... Ah..."

Tyrion wanted to say something when their space was suddenly invaded by three armored men. He swiftly pulled Isolde to his side before trying to take the men down but the wounded pressure in his arm betrayed him.

"A... aron?" Isolde confirmed the identity of the figure that approached them during the fight.

"I have come to save you Isolde, you need to stay away from this sickening young man. He has no good to offer you." Aaron declared, catching Tyrion off guard. Tyrion was distracted as he felt the need to protect a disoriented Isolde, he was stabbed again in his right arm by one of the armored men which gave them the opportunity to hold him down. Isolde on the other hand was totally scared and confused as she took in what was unfolding before her which was overwhelming for her.

"Isolde, you aren't listening to him, are you?" Tyrion tried to convince her but she wasn't thinking straight at the moment.

"H... how did you find me?" She asked Aaron, but a feminine and strong voice interrupted as she approached them.

"You were nowhere to be found. Our land was in danger and he suspected you were with him, he came to save you." Isolde's sight almost went blurry upon seeing her mother, Lady Aurora. She was the last person she was expecting to see.

"Let's go home, I will explain all about this stranger to you, you will never want to have anything to do with him again after knowing who he really is," Lady Aurora said and Isolde spared Tyrion one last glance in disbelief before following her mother. Aaron trailed behind, leading her with his left hand on the small of her back.

"No, this isn't true" Tyrion spoke, almost to himself. He was too weak to do anything and the two armored men holding him dragged him along after them.