>>Hael (A few months later)

It was hard to sit but then again it was better than how it was in the beginning. I learned to keep my mouth shut and take things in order to survive.

In the past few months we had moved a lot and I had no clue where we were but all the mercenaries were acting on command.

I was powerless and had to do what I was told. Each time the men looked at me, I felt nauseous. When they came onto me, I couldn't stop them

And when the others began to take my clothes off, I couldn't do anything. I had no strength to overpower them. And, I held no power that could command them away

All I could do was to endure the pain that made me bleed.

I sat outside the tent I shared with those five men

"Ruger, you better stop putting in without prepping him!" The blonde guy said, "It's a turnoff for everyone else."

"That's right," Freckles agreed.

"I thought there won't be any need since it's a boy!" The burly one said.

"You Fu*tar* that's a male. You won't need it when it's a woman!" Freckles said

"You've never held a female, have you!?" They all laughed at him,

"You haven't held a female! You can't just slam it in her either!"

"Look at the boy, he's grimacing in pain!" The blonde one said, "He's always like that when you have your turn,"

Ruger, the burly guy, grabbed my face with his hand, "You better change that expression boy! Or I'm gonna fuck you even harder."

I can't smile when I'm in this much pain... I'll try to keep a poker face.

Ruger licked his lips while he was staring at me.

Disgusting...

All of this is so disgusting.

"What are you looking at!" He grabbed my hair, "Why is there contempt on your face! HUH!"

"I am not-"

"Shut up!" He pulled my hair and yanked me up, then roughly threw me away and I stumbled onto the ground.

No,

I told myself

Don't show expressions! Not bad ones! Keep calm, keep a poker face on!

"Let the boy eat in peace," The blonde guy helped me up and brought me back to where I was sitting. On a tree stump. He handed me my meal which was a badly made carrot soup in a worn out bowl, and a broken wooden spoon.

"Don't ruin the mood Ruger,"

"Yea! Let everyone eat in peace."

I ate the carrots in the soup quietly, trying my best not to make any sounds but it still didn't do me any good.

The burly guy grabbed my face, "Ah, you're losing all the meat."

The bald one laughed, "You're right! He's so skinny now, doing him isn't even fun."

"There's nothing to grab onto!"

...

My gaze fell and I kept my mouth shut, but I was so tired of it all and I wished for something very earnestly.

I hope all these people die. I hope they die a brutal death. Especially this burly dude. I hope he's the first one to die!!

Die you bastard! I glared at him and he noticed that.

DIE!

"What are you looking-" He raised his hand in the air and was about to smack me when out of nowhere an arrows came down and pierced through his head

!!!

My eyes went wide as his grip on my face loosened, blood trickled down from his head as his eyes went lifeless and he collapsed on the ground.

Right the next second, without warning, the sky seemed to open up, raining down a deadly barrage of arrows upon us. Panic gripped everyone as I watched it all frozen in place as the deadly projectiles found their mark with sickening accuracy.

The first arrow struck with a sickening thud, embedding itself deep into the chest of the man sitting next to me. His eyes widened in shock as he toppled forward, a gurgling cry of pain escaping his lips before he crumpled to the ground in a lifeless heap.

Before I could even process what was happening, another arrow found its mark, piercing the shoulder of the man with freckles with a brutal force. I could hear his agonized screams ringing in my ears as he clutched futilely at the shaft protruding from his flesh, blood staining the earth beneath him.

I realized the gravity of the situation. We were under attack, and there was nowhere to hide. The air was filled with the sound of screams and the sickening thud of arrows finding flesh, each strike sending shockwaves of terror

Everyone scrambled to their feet looking for weapons and shields to defend themselves, my heart pounded in my chest as I dropped the soup as I searched frantically for some semblance of safety. And then, as quickly as the rain of arrows had begun, the onslaught ceased, leaving behind a scene of devastation and despair.

I looked back, along with many other survivors as the sound of strong thudding made its way to our ears.

It was like a drumbeat.

Which meant it was horses. War horses.

The whole arrow barrage was immediately followed by an army of soldiers making their way into our camp, killing anyone who was in their way.

Chaos erupted everywhere and I found myself thrust into a nightmare of blood and battle. I scrambled for cover, my heart hammering in my chest as I searched desperately for any place away from the chaos.

The clash of steel rang out like a symphony of death as swords clashed and arrows flew, the air thick with the scent of sweat and blood. I ran towards the opposite end ducked behind a nearby boulder that barely had any space, my breath coming in ragged gasps as I huddled against its rough surface.

But the battle raged on, the tide of war sweeping over the landscape like a storm unleashed. I didn't know how no one came to this side of the boulder, but I was glad no one did. The hours stretched on and the sun dipped below the horizon, the battle began to fade, replaced by an eerie silence that hung heavy in the air. I cautiously peeked out from my hiding spot, scanning the battlefield for any sign of movement.

But the carnage had taken its toll, the ground littered with the fallen and the dying, followed by a few soldiers looking for survivors.

I felt a surge of relief wash over me as I realized that, somehow, I had managed to evade the clutches of death.

With a cautious glance over my shoulder, I slipped away into the shadows, seeking refuge in a hidden alcove nestled deep within the rocky terrain. It was a secluded spot, far from the chaos of the battlefield, where I could finally catch my breath and gather my thoughts.

I needed time for myself to plan what I could do from here.

In the darkness of my hiding place, I waited, listening to the distant echoes of battle as they faded into the night. Alone but not afraid, rather I felt good that all these men were dying. They deserved to die.

As I crouched in my hidden alcove, the eerie silence of the aftermath enveloped me, I strained my ears for any sign of danger. Some time passed and I thought I could come out and make a run for it to go further away when in the distance I heard it—the sound of footsteps drawing near. Panic surged through me as I realized that I was no longer alone, that the enemy soldiers were near.

I may have gotten lucky when I hid during the blood bath but I might get caught this time!

Without a moment's hesitation, I sprang to my feet, my heart pounding in my chest as I bolted from the safety to an unknown direction.

"Hey!" They noticed, "Someone went that way!!" Adrenaline fueled my flight as I raced through the darkness, "Catch him!!" My breath came in ragged gasps as I fought to put as much distance between myself and my pursuers as possible

But it was futile. Before I could even blink, strong hands closed around my arms, dragging me to a halt with brutal force I struggled against my captors, kicking and thrashing as they wrestled me to the ground . My body fell to the ground sideways, scratching my skin roughly till the point it bled while the one who threw me to the ground came onto me, with his hand on the side of my head that kept me down.

Once again, I was powerless, like always.

"Woah, woah!" I fought with every ounce of strength I had, desperation lending power to my blows as I tried in vain to break free from their grasp. But it was no use. The soldiers were too strong, their grip unyielding as they pinned me to the ground with relentless efficiency, "Calm down princess," There were two of them holding me down now, "We're not gonna hurt you."

I paused

What? They're not? Liars.

I looked at them and they smirked.

"We're just gonna sell you," One of them said, and my eyes went wide

No,

"You look like an errand boy anyway," He grabbed my face and turned it around, "With that face, you'll catch a good price."

They all seemed very pleased with their catch

***

Trapped within the confines of a rusted iron cage, I watched with hollow eyes as the chaos of the slavers market unfolded around me.

Chains clanked against the cobblestones as I sat in the corner of the cell. The stench of sweat and despair hung heavy in the air, mingling with the metallic tang of blood and the sound of anguished cries that echoed off the stone walls.

My gaze flickered wearily over the sea of faces, each one a grim reminder of the cruel fate that awaited me.

What then? I'll be sold to some old rich guy with power and he'll have his way with me.

That's all that's left to happen. I wish I was stronger, more powerful, just enough to be able to avoid these things.

'When you have no power, this kind of stuff will happen to you over and over again.'

Those words echoed in my mind.

Power...

Power,

Power!

I need power. But how do I get something like that? What do I need to do?

Right then, amidst the throng of buyers that were passing by, my eyes locked with those of a nobleman, his regal bearing a stark contrast to the squalor of the market.

He was flanked by a retinue of servants, their fine clothes a sharp contrast to the ragged garments of the slaves. But it was his gaze that held me captive, a piercing stare that seemed to see straight through the bars of my cage and into the depths of my soul.

Hmm?

Can I use the one buying me? Maybe I can,

For a moment, time seemed to stand still as we locked eyes, a silent exchange passing between us. And then, with a subtle nod of his head, the nobleman turned to his entourage,

"I like this one," He pointed at me, "He's pretty."

Pretty. Everyone seems to fancy my face.

Maybe I can use that too

The slave owner rubbed his hands, "My lord! He's the prettiest one we have!!" He looked at me too, "Would you like me to pack him?"

The nobleman looked at me and my heart leaped in my chest as I watched him approach, his footsteps echoing off the cobblestones,

"Yes," He smiled, "My daughter would love him."

***

"Corvina!!" The Count yelled, summoning his daughter while we both stood in his manor. He had a hand on my shoulder, firm and tight, as if he feared that I would run away. I was given fresh clothes to wear, given a bath where I was scrubbed so much my skin went red, and then I was given a meal, a hearty one, to make me look more alive.

Footsteps made me raise my gaze and look at the girl descending the stairs.

She was younger than me, but the moment she saw me, her eyes lit up. I could tell she liked me.

"Corvina," The count pointed at me, "This is Hael, from this day on, he's yours."