When the carriage abruptly comes to a halt, she jolts awake. She sat upright, rubbing her eyes, trying to figure out what had happened.
The driver looked back at her from his perch and muttered something under his breath before he stepped down from his seat and walked to the back of the carriage to investigate, muttering curses as he went.
She peered out the window, but all she could see was a dense thicket of trees surrounding them on all sides. It seemed like they had hit something or gotten stuck, and she couldn't help but feel a sense of unease as she wondered how long they would be stuck here. What would they do if they couldn't move the carriage? Would they be stranded in the middle of nowhere? She tried to push these thoughts aside and focus on the present, but her mind kept racing with all the possibilities. She could only hope that they would be able to fix whatever had gone wrong and continue on their journey.
As she waited, she couldn't help but notice the eerie silence that had settled over the forest. There were no birds chirping, no rustling of leaves, nothing but an unsettling stillness. She shivered, suddenly feeling exposed and vulnerable.
Before making any more choices, she chose to check in with the horseman and get an update on the circumstances. But she didn't have to wait long as she heard the driver's panicked voice yelling, "Please have mercy! Spare my lif-"
She froze, her heart pounding in her chest. Then came silence. She strained to hear any sound, but there was none. The stillness was absolute, and it sent shivers down her spine. She didn't know what had happened, but it couldn't be good, and she's not sure if she should intervene or stay hidden. Thoughts of various scenarios and options raced through her head as she attempted to collect herself and consider her next course of action logically. She knew that any wrong move could put her in danger, but at the same time, she couldn't just sit there and do nothing.
She yelled out at the driver, ''What's up, sir? Is there a problem?'' Her voice sounded shaky, and she hoped it wouldn't give away her nervousness. There was no response. She waited for a few more seconds, but the silence persisted. Hence, she decides to cautiously peek out from the window, hoping to catch a glimpse of anything that might explain the situation.
She looked through the window. The road was empty, and there was no sign of any disturbance or commotion. She furrowed her brows, and she wondered if it was just her imagination playing tricks on her, but the feeling of unease persisted.
Suddenly, a face appeared through the window glass. She screamed and stumbled backward, tripping over her own feet. She looked toward the window again and found a man pressing his face against the glass, his eyes locking onto hers, staring with an intense and unsettling gaze. Her heart raced, and she could feel a cold sweat forming on her forehead. She stumbled back further, backing away from the window as fast as she could. She didn't know who he was or what he wanted, but she knew that he didn't belong there.
She was frozen in place, unsure of how to operate, when the man abruptly vanished from view, leaving her terrified. She tried to calm herself down and rationalize what had just happened, but her mind was racing with fear and confusion. She quickly scrambled to her feet and regained her composure.
This was a total disaster.
She wanted to get out of there as soon as possible; her legs felt like they were made of lead.
She was stuck in the carriage while the man was outside, lurking in the shadows. She had no idea how long he would stay there or what he would do next. She was trembling all over, her heart was pounding in her chest, and her thoughts were jumbled and unfocused. She felt like she was going to be sick with fear and anxiety.
She hoped and prayed that he wouldn't come back, but her fears were not assuaged. She heard a loud banging on the door and found the man crazily banging on it, trying to get in.
She screamed, and desperately looked for an escape route, but the door seemed to be the only way out. At this point, she was completely at the mercy of whoever or whatever was outside.
She looked around the carriage, searching for anything that could help her. Then she spotted her bag, which she had left on the seat next to her. She quickly opened it and rummaged through its contents; her hands were shaking so badly that she could barely grasp anything. She looked desperately for whatever might help her protect herself, but she had no luck.
She became increasingly anxious as she realized there was nothing she could do to escape or defend herself. Despite her best efforts, the situation felt hopeless. She felt like she was completely powerless and cursed herself for being so careless, for not bringing any weapons with her, and mostly for being unlucky. Just when things were going the right way for once, fate dealt her a cruel hand, leaving her vulnerable and defenseless in the face of danger.
The hammering became louder and more frenetic. She could feel her palms getting sweaty and her heart racing as her time was ticking. She knew that she had to think fast and come up with a plan before it was too late. But no matter how hard she tried, her mind remained blank, and the only thing she could do was pray for someone to come to her rescue before it was too late. But she has no one.
She felt a lump in her throat and tears welling up in her eyes as she became aware that her only option was to confront them directly, as the wooden door started to splinter under the force of the blows. She hurriedly backed up to the carriage's edge. bracing herself for the worst as the door burst open. Soon after, a hand violently gripped her hand and pulled her off the carriage and onto the hard ground.
She groaned, struggling to breathe, as pain rocked her like a lightning strike. When she opened her eyes, two sets of black boots were standing in front of her, and she knew that she was in deep shit.
Slowly glancing up, she saw a figure looming over her, tall and menacing. A man with a scar running down his cheek and staring down at her with mocking blue eyes.
She tried to push herself up, but the pain was too much. The man chuckled and said, "You're not going anywhere, so you might as well make yourself comfortable, sweetheart." He wore a black hat with a silver buckle, a dark leather jacket, and black pants tucked into his black boots. He held a dagger in one hand as he sneered at her.
She attempted to scoot away, but a hand seized her by the hair, wrenched her head up, and hauled her up to her knees, making her cry out of pain.
"What have we got here, my, my?'' a voice sounded above her as he pulled her hair from behind so she could look at him. She winced as she met his cold gaze, feeling a lump form in her throat. The man chuckled again, tightening his grip on her hair.
''A beautiful and helpless damsel in distress,'' he continued, as he grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. "It looks like we hit the jackpot tonight." She shuddered, knowing that she was in for a long and painful night
"Please, let me go; I won't tell anyone." She begged, but soon realized her pleas were falling on deaf ears as they only laughed in response.
She came to a halt when she noticed blood in a scarlet splatter covering the carriage's back as she turned to face it. She tensely followed the path of blood with her gaze. A few meters away from the carriage lay a mangled body, lifeless and unrecognizable.
It was a gruesome scene that made her stomach churn, and she wanted to throw up at the sight. It was then that she realized the true extent of the horror she had stumbled upon.
The body's features became clearer, and she recognized the face of the horseman, whom she had just spoken to hours ago and who was grumpy but kind enough to let her take a ride.
He was now lifeless and covered in blood. Shocked and horrified, she struggled to process what had just happened.
She stood frozen, unable to move or even make a sound. Her mind was spinning with disbelief and fear. She could feel her heart pounding against her chest, and her hands were shaking uncontrollably. With every passing moment, the reality of the situation seemed to sink in deeper, and her sense of helplessness grew stronger. All she could do was stare in shock at the gruesome scene before her, wondering how this could have happened and what she should do next. 'What am I supposed to do now?'.
She felt a lump form in her throat as she realized the horseman's act of kindness had led to his tragic end. She couldn't believe that someone who had shown her such kindness was now lying dead in front of her. She really is a magnet of trouble...
She pursed her lips and thought about how unfair life could be sometimes, feeling a sense of guilt for thinking it was kind of her fault.
Her situation was even more dire than she had initially thought, and her chances of survival were slim as she struggled against the tight grip on her hair. She knew she had to come up with a plan quickly if she wanted to make it out alive.
She tried to calm herself down and think rationally. Maybe she could offer them something in exchange for her freedom, no matter how little it may be. She had to act fast before they decided to harm her as well. Or maybe she could try to escape when they were not paying attention. She took a deep breath and assessed her surroundings, looking for any potential tools or weaknesses around her that could aid in her escape. She knew it was a risky move, but she had to try something before it was too late.
She analyzed her surroundings carefully; the bandits were five in number and heavily armed. The blue-eyed one seemed to be the leader of the group, barking orders and keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings. Maybe she could try to reason with him, appeal to his humanity, and convince him to let her go. It was a long shot, but it was worth a try. She took a deep breath and prepared herself mentally for the difficult task ahead.
As she observed them, she realized that they were all focused on their tasks and not paying much attention to her, except for the one holding her hair in a tight grip. From the side of her eye, she could see him holding a dagger in the other hand. She tried to stay calm and not panic while thinking of something.
The blue-eyed man who stood in front of her ordered one of his men to inspect the inside of the carriage while the remaining two men dragged the horseman's body to God knows where.
As the man inspected the carriage, she noticed a piece of shattered glass from the window on the floor. It was small, but she could use it to defend herself somehow. She slowly reached for it, hoping they wouldn't notice her movements. Her heart was pounding as she closed her fingers around the small, cold object. She knew that if she was caught, her fate would be uncertain at best. She discreetly hid behind her back and waited for the right moment to make her move, hoping for the perfect opportunity to present itself.
As she gripped the glass tightly, she couldn't help but think that this was not the glamorous adventure she had imagined in her head.
Unexpectedly, the leader approached her.
She tensed up, ready to defend herself if needed. The leader smirked as he looked at her, making her feel even more uneasy. She was wary of him and on guard, not knowing what he was capable of doing. She wondered what he wanted and whether he had any suspicions about her.
All she could do was hope that the piece of glass in her hand would be enough to protect herself if things took a turn for the worse.
The man towered over her; his expression inscrutable. She could feel tension looming in the air as she waited for him to speak. The seconds ticked by, but he remained silent, his gaze fixed on her. The pressure of the moment seemed unbearable as time stopped, leaving her stranded in a suspended state of uncertainty. All she could do was hold her breath and wait for his next move.
Suddenly, he lowered his upper body enough to be at eye level with her. She held her breath, wondering what he was going to say or do next. She tried to maintain her composure and not give away any signs of fear or nervousness. Yet she couldn't ignore the disdain she felt as he looked up and down at her chest. His gaze made her skin crawl. She wanted to speak up and tell him off, but she knew it wouldn't end well. It was just another reminder of the everyday sexism she faces as a woman, and she couldn't wait to be out of his presence.
She could feel his breath on her face and the weight of his gaze on her body, making her feel uncomfortable and violated. She didn't know what he wanted, but she was determined to stand her ground and not let him intimidate her. So, the best she could do was to glare fiercely at him and wait for him to speak, hoping that her body language would convey her message and stay away from her. The silence was deafening as they locked eyes, waiting for the other to make a move.
Soon enough, he broke into a wide grin and said, "You're a feisty one. I like that."
She rolled her eyes and let out a deep sigh, realizing that her attempt to intimidate him had failed. With a forced smile, she replied, "I just don't appreciate being talked down to." Well, if she were going to die, she would rather die with her dignity intact than be belittled by someone who thinks he's better than her.
"Oh! Sweetheart, we're going to have so much fun together." He grinned, his eyes sparkling with mischievousness. She felt a shiver run down her spine and couldn't help but feel a little nervous about what kind of fun he had in mind