Chapter 4 Play your cards right

No one, not even Fortes Farrell, expected a bidding that high. And maybe, just maybe with the right words he could persuade one of the guards into lying the queen.

As Fionna was being dragged back into the dungeon, Fortes observed both men carefully.

The one seemed strong-willed and dedicated to his work whereas the other,doing the least work, he would be the perfect catch.

Fortes Farrell, the guy seemingly well past his fortys,was always ready to play with fire most especially when gaining money in illegal ways were involved.

"You" trying his very best not to seem obvious, "You have gotten most of the work done, you may leave" now facing his target "While he puts his back into something"

The masked guard who had been discarded seemed to be reluctant to leave "But if the final convey isn't done,though I am here or not, I would be a dead man"

What a drag, Fortes thought as he reasoned a way to dispose of him.

He didn't seem to trust in his friend, that is if they were friends.

"What do you know about him?" He had spaced out away from the other guard who resistantly made ready Fionna for her new home.

"There is nothing much to know about" the masked man said dryly.

Fortes admired him for that...his plan would come perfectly in place "Tell me your name" he looked at him straight in the eye hoping to set a ground of trust.

"Our personal information are confidential,even-" something seemed to have drawn his attention much more than Fortes' futile conversation.

The masked guy who had been attending to Fionna's change of clothe seemed at this moment, on the verge of loosing it.

"His tiny temper won't take him anywhere" Fortes brought back the man standing infront of him to face him, yet, still not having his full attention "I have reasons to believe he is sent to spy on us"

"And where did you get such information" His curiosity kicked in.

Fortes simply smirked and said "My sources"

"Then wouldn't it be wrong to send him out there alone with her, if, he is a spy as you say"

"And who said I was sending him off alone?" Fortes' brows rose questionably.

As a professional auctioneer, he was very good at soothing people's desires. Just by telling them what they want to hear without a way or thought of even confirming if it were true.

"The queen has given an order" he looked over to where the other guy was. Making sure they weren't heard "Once a slave is bought, they are not to be mishandled after that. As a spy, he might run away with her or worst"

"And how am I useful here" he sneered."If you are so sure he is a spy then let me go instead"

"You can't always trust your sources" Fortes was already tired of the attitude he had been giving off "Just watch them closely. Make sure if she gets hit you report to me immediately"

The masked guy just stood for a while before saying his name "Ashton"

Fortes had been nodding slightly in approval of his cooperation. "Pleasure working with you Ashton" as he vaguely extended his hands which Ashton received also with a nod.

Fionna had noticed their preserved handshake but had been pushed a moment later.

She said nothing...

Words, she realised, were mere turn of phrases.

Fortes, unsure of his loyalty to the queen, he had to wager on it. Plus, he had cooked up a plan that was not, in his case, very effective if he didn't take actions on his part.

There is a price to pay for most of our actions, and he was willing to bare the price even if it was the life of a close one.

Money could fix everything. Everyone has his or her beliefs, and this was his...

"You will do the transporting alone" Fortes looked at the soar girl who God knows when, had received all those scars "Do not lay a finger on her"

Caiden's sight roamed her grazed body, he probably wondered why he would want to hurt a scarred girl, Fortes thought.

But this was not so.

Of course Fortes did not care if he did or didn't beat her up somewhere along the hidden tunnel... With the little time he had gotten to know Fionna, she had been more or less, judging from that bulldog of a guard's behaviour, a hassle.

Caiden, the masked guard had now taken a blindfold and was about to tie it around Fionna's eyes when she scuffled and for the first time since then she had spoken, rather, pleaded.

He scuffed after she had tried to bite his flesh off. His temper wasn't stable but because of Fortes, the guy who just told him not to harm her, and some other guy he got paired up with today.

Caiden held her head in place and somehow found a way to get the blindfolds around her eyes.

The hidden tunnel was the only means of transporting all bought slaves, the ones which weren't wanted would have an easier way in the incinerator.

Disclosing the whereabouts of the tunnel would be, at some point a major problem if a slave was to return with defenses.

As Fionna's mind was somewhere else, she was constantly being pushed because of her reluctance to walk. The darkness surfaced up many memories from last night. She was restless.

Suddenly, Caiden grabbed Fionna's head and in an unpleasantly rough manner which was jarring to the senses pushed it down then shoved her forward.

Fortes had noticed how he handled her and smiled.

In the tunnel, Fionna was as reluctant as ever to walk. Beneath her feet, she couldn't tell what they were but every steps were accompanied with a cracking sound.

Bones?

Right now, walking forward with the sounds wasn't a big of a problem but to her, it was like getting closer and closer to the guard.

That, was the problem.

In the tenebrosity, she envisioned the man that tortured her just standing some feet away from her.

"Move" Caiden had been patient, in her case, with the slave and just kept nodging her forward every once in a while.

He could just keep doing this till...

Fionna had abruptly stopped, she had been facing forward but shuddered underneath. Her feet wasn't stable, she was now very close.

Moving some more would be like she was accepting him back to torture her.

"Please don't make me do this" she faced the man that was with her while frailly inhaling "Please"

Under his mask, he rolled his eyes and pushed her like he had been doing. Only this time, she did not budge.

"Move!!" he rose his voice and gave her a bash on the head.

Even with that, Fionna had just moved one step forward and the gap itself wasn't noticeable.

"Walk now o-" his voice wavered out of place and blood spilled on her dress.

Fionna knew something horrible had happened to him but being cuffed and blindfolded, she was vulnerable.

She quickly turned around to the last place his voice was heard "hey" she called out then suddenly heard footsteps approaching.

Just as last night...

"Don't worry" the man said.

It wasn't familiar to her but still, what happened to the man that had just been escorting her.

She could hear him patting something beneath her, searching for something on the other man's body.

"Why did you kill him?" Fionna had to be sure.

There was no reply till after she heard the dangling of keys "He was about to hurt you, what other reason should there be"

Obviously something much more than that, Fionna thought. Back then, she observed the way he had been dutiful and his present tone said much more than a maiden in distress. He was greedy.

Probably for being commended.

"You shouldn't have" Fionna planned on getting him to say the truth.

"Aren't you afraid of talking to a killer" he had been wiping his blood-stained sword.

Now moving towards Fionna, he used the same clothe to wipe the little splatter of blood that was on her face.

She had been standing in place "Ive been through much worse" she replied.

Ashton now grasped her hand that resorted to her squealing. Bones never did well with rough surfaces...

"How do I get to my bidder?" Fionna had returned to walking slowly but this guard never pushed her, well he did, but not as hard as the dead man.

Serves him right. Although wishing it had been the night guard.

"No talking" he ordered but Fionna was persistent.

"Am sure you want to get high up the ranks, one way or another "

Ashton knew what she meant by what she said. But offered her silence as his reply.

"People would do- " before Fionna could finish bickering, he rammed her against the tunnel walls.

" My patience isn't limitless... unlike my authority." He threatened...