Suddenly an Empress

VIII: A New Friend?

This is not some fantasy fiction kind of world anymore, this is real. I am for real tied up, locked inside a carriage with two men who have the potential to murder or strip me if they see fit to do so. So here I was, trying my best to not piss them off to the best of my abilities by just remaining motionless. My life is currently in imminent danger and the worse thing about it is that I do not know how to escape, even if I did escape I have nowhere to go, I can't possibly go back to the capital where the emperor's palace and the colosseum stands.

"Do not touch her!" The man who got me into this mess by interrupting me in the middle of the road swiftly slapped away the other man's hand from touching my hair as soon as he saw his hand snaking towards my head.

"Ack! Why not? We still have a long way until we reach our hideout, might as well have fun, right?" The sleazy looking man was rubbing his hand that was recently smacked by the other.

The man did not answer and just shifted his head to look at me. I could see through my blurry eyes that he is actually concerned about my well-being, just like how he looked when I first met him.

"Fear not, little miss. Unlike these goons, I am a decent man and am only interested in the money we will make by selling you to another kingdom that would highly appreciate your beguiling hair." He elegantly placed his palm over his chest while speaking to me, seated a foot away from me in an indian style. "Oh, and um, where are my manners? I am called Faerus Vaerla. . . Well, obviously it is my fake name but it is still better to have something for you to call me by."

His name did not sound like a Roman name, because usually Roman names ends with 'ius' like Lucius, Gladius, and many others, and judging on his brown skin and distinct, magnificent facial features, he is probably from the Southern portion of this continent.

I only furrowed my brows at him in response, making it painfully obvious that I hate him and the other men with every fiber of my being for abducting me.

"Sheesh, you are going to burn a hole in my face at the way you glare at me, little miss." he faked like he was hurt from my spiteful glare.

"Faerus, don't you see how much of a jackpot we got? Have some sort of entertainment or something! Aren't you bored with your life of stealing and trading?" The other man who was still adamant in trying to touch me, crawled closer towards Faerus and leaned towards his ear while talking.

Faerus had a blank face while the other kept nagging him, I met his eyes and tears welled up in my eyes. I kept trying to make a whimpering sound from speaking against the cloth tightly tied around my mouth and Faerus seemed to have noticed that hence his blank expression.

"You are annoying. . ." He deadpan, pulling out a sharp dagger from who knows where and swiftly pressing it against the other man's neck that made him yelp. His sudden movement was really unexpected that even I was shocked from his incredible speed.

"Gah!" The man froze since he knows if he moved, his neck would be sliced so he had no choice but to be in a faced to face session with a pissed off Faerus.

"Didn't I say, not to touch her?" His voice suddenly became deep and ominous that even though the blade was not pointed at me, I was still groveling with dread.

I saw the man gulp in fear and just laughed it off as a joke. "Geez, I was just kidding." He finally pulled away before his neck gets injured, standing up and opening the door to climb back to the driver's seat to join the one who is driving. He probably did not want to be near Faerus or else he would get his neck sliced.

After he left the two of us inside, there was a moment of silence before he spoke up again but this time, with his usual thin smile.

"So. . . what should I call you? Given that we would be traveling together for quite some time, we should at least get to know each other."

There was another wave of silence and the two of us just stared at each other, when he realized that there is no way for me to speak while my mouth was covered, he chuckled and pulled the cover away from my mouth making me gasp for more air.

"Sorry about that, we had to make sure you won't yell or you will attract a lot of unnecessary attention. But since we have made quite a distance from the city, you can yell all you want now." He raised his hand to the sides, shrugging his shoulders.

I only recollected myself, breathing in and breathing out before answering back with a quiet voice.

"It's Alexandria." I answer while avoiding eye contact.

I heard him snap his fingers as well as a sound of amusement. "Aha! You are also doing fake names, I see, quite clever of you."

This time, I shifted my gaze and meet his eyes, we had the same eye color. Brown.

"How did you. . ." I was not even finished with my questions and yet he already answered while rubbing his invisible beard.

"Oh, it was just a hunch. Was it true then?"

He caught me.

This man seemed like that certain character in movies where he was very skilled in all aspect but was unfortunate enough to go and do illegal stuff like k********g people for money. He also seemed genuinely nice, even when I first met him and it was only then that I remembered that he was the only one who held me gently while the other two forcefully grabbed me and tied me down.

Believing that this man, Faerus, was a kind man-if I ignore that he is involved in human trafficking activities- I lowered my guard at him and talked as if we were just friends.

"I won't tell you my real name."

"Fair enough," he responded, once again lifting his hands to the sides as if admitting defeat. "So how did you end up at the capital? What is your story? It is not everyday we get to see a woman with pink hair so I apologize if we are about to sell you to some foreign country."

I knitted my brows together as I look back at him, but for a moment there, I felt as if I was mesmerized for a split second. The sun was already setting at the horizon and its golden glow was gently hitting his side profile. If this is the modern world then he would instantly get scouted to become a model, shame that he is in this timeline stuck in doing illegal activities.

He noticed that I was spacing out in front of him so he snapped his fingers at my face that made me blink numerous times.

"Are you perhaps charmed by my face?" He was direct to the point and smirking but I only looked away.

"I am actually from the very distant future, to be exact, about 2000 years from now. The only reason why my hair is like this is because I used some chemicals to change its color which is quite common in my time." I explained with such speed I doubt he'd get that, but when I took a peak at his face he seemed to be curious.

"So you are not actually a goddess or some sort? You got me there at your acting back at the arena. . ." He laughed.

I widened my eyes and leaned forward to him which took him by surprise and lost his composed self, "You were there? At the crowd?"

"Err, yes I was there. I saw you act magnificently but when I got to you by the entrance of the city, you seemed like a totally different person."

"So you chased after me and stalled some time for your other 'goons' to get the carriage to reach me."

"Oh, you guessed correct."

I felt stupid, biting my lip in annoyance but what is it to be mad about? I have nothing in this place and whatever they have in plan for me, is something I should look forward to since at least I have something to do in this world, which is to be a hostage and be sold somewhere.

"What is going to happen to me now?" I ask, leaning back against the carriage wall. He noticed the change in my demeanor and answered.

"Well, I know an incredibly rich person who fancies the color of pink, and when I saw you back at the arena I immediately remembered them and thought that I should sell you to them." He smiles toothily, as if proud that he managed to catch me before I left the city.

"That is very honest of you." I reply.

"No point in trying to trick you now so might as well give you a heads up about your fate."

"And so? Is this man a decent one?" I ask with a very monotonous voice.

"I did not say anything about a man, your buyer is actually a woman. She is a princess not far from here, a tad bit younger than you I assume. She is a nice kid, only wanted things that are pink and you would be a great friend to her if you meet her in person. So no worries, no killing or r****g will happen to you as long as I am here." He placed his palm again on his chest as he spoke the last few words, even though I was kidnapped by him, I somehow felt thankful that he would deliver me to a princess and not some perverted king or something. At least he is giving me a place in this world.

"So. . . tell me about this young princess."