Chapter 5 We meet again

Fionna was in no way expecting something that shocking and felt great pains once she hit the stiff walls.

The keys once more dangled followed by a clanging sound .She could hear him grunt.

Probably the exit...

The ringing sound filled her ears once it landed open on the ground.

Ashton, after having opened the other side of the tunnel, dragged Fionna and brought her to the steps. "Climb"

Fortes had been checking the time for the past 30 minutes now "What is taking him so long!?" he expected Ashton to come back with reports by now.

Ashton was a proud man, someone who always loved being praised for his work by the higher authorities.

Whenever a bought slave was being transported to their bidders. They are to be escorted twice.

Within the tunnels and out of it.

There were people assigned to do that even before the auction starts but the last bought slave is to be escorted by either one of the two masked guards that had opened all the dungeon cells.

Knowing fully well that the last persons are of high importance, both the two masked men and the person waiting outside the tunnels are to be trusted subordinates of the Queen.

Fionna had been climbing with just her legs and using her elbows as a grip. Ashton was beneath to support and ensure she doesn't fall.

In other words, he was very strong and of lower ranking than the guard outside -a castle guard-.

The strongest men within the walls, and Ashton wanted to be approved by him.

The light penetrated into the folds making Fionna shut her amber eyes involuntarily. She could feel the breeze against her face and her jet black hair danced with the wind once she was out, the smell of sweet nature filled her lungs.

As fund of adventures as she was, this felt like freedom till a robust arm punctured her flesh and stopped its flow of blood.

"Hey!!! " she shrieked before noticing someone had been taking her folds off.

She was wrong to think she wouldn't see this despicable figure for a long time once out of that dungeon cell. Her torturer was once more standing face to face with her.

But she knew he wouldn't just let her off.

"Job well done" he commended the masked man that had transported the girl.

About to remove his mask to officially introduce himself, he was stopped "Your face must be concealed!"

Fionna eyes met with his and she smirked in an attempt to make him boil inside. It was humiliating whenever there was an odd person around and you were been scolded.

"You may leave" the guard added authoritatively.

Fionna eagerly searched her surrounding. Nothing but trees. Then she looked at her light dressing which was stained with blood.

Light and transparent...

Once they were alone, he had taken notice of her slender figure. This was a dressing code the escorts recommended to reduce boredom.

Fionna had tried her very best not to do anything stupid and just walk. But it seemed like he didn't like it that way.

"Am hoping you slept well" he said in a casual tone . If someone who never knew what he had done to her last night was around, the person would think he actually cares for her.

She gnashed her teeth still facing forward.

"It's a shame I won't be able to check on you any longer" he added.

"Better watch your back" Fionna had, for a while, wanted to threaten this guy even if he laughs it off, she would make sure to have him killed someday.

She has to make him know she meant business. Fionna who had slightly been infront of the guard, stopped in her tracks and approached him then looked into his brown dirty eyes "When I am free, I will come get you, your wife, your children, your loved-" she hissed after getting the impact from his punch but continued speaking her mind.

The girl was crazy, the guard thought. He had, just now, punched her in the gut to weaken her but she still blabs.

"With blood already on my cloth, I feel like a killer," she narrowed her dead eyes "your killer" then gathered up the little saliva she could get from her dry mouth and landed it perfectly on his cheek.

Fionna was vulnerable to another torture. Out in the open with no one else, but she knew he wouldn't do it.

Not only because he had said so yesterday but because he could not leave someone who had bid a billion Belmoths waiting.

He once more ignored the evil spirit pushing him to do as he wishes "Your bidder awaits" he said plainly after he was done wiping his face void of her saliva.

Ahhh, brings back memories... the guard thought.

Fortes knew that whatever was going to happen now wouldn't be good for his plan to be executed.

So, incase if he had to be forced by his mad craving for money, he equipped himself with a gun having a silencer.

The tunnel's metallic door was now opening and someone came out.

Quickly, Fortes hid the gun behind his back. "Ashton?" His clothe had murder written all over it "Who did you kill?" He took another good look at him and asked,"Where is Fionna's escort?"

Ashton removed his black hoodie followed by his red tinted shirt. "You mean the spy?"

"Dear Lord, Oh God" Fortes murmured to himself.

"Did he hurt her?" Fortes had to be sure there was , atleast, a good reason for killing a guy only because he was called a spy.

"Yeah, and am pretty sure when he was doing it, he was wondering who would notice the small bruises I add to her already grazed body"

"So he was a maniac" Fortes was both terrified and glad that he hadn't made his plan known to him.

"Thank me later" Ashton boasted at his false news until it felt like he somewhat believed in it too...or maybe if he hadn't pierced the other escort's heart sooner, that was the outcome he predicted.

"I would" Fortes had removed the safety lock on the gun "If you survived this" pulling the trigger slowly in one smooth, controlled motion.

He aimed for his heart, it was a tat off but killed him instantly.

Fortes recoiled from the gun's impact and now he had to take care of the dead bodies. Both Ashton's and the other guy.

Finally, Fionna had made it out of the forest into a remote place. No one was around...

Her bidder probably got tired of waiting. As she paused, the guard gave her a haughty push that she tripped and almost fell.

"Watch it!"

"Move" he looked at her discontentedly and started walking infront of her.

In a corner, he had turned around then Fionna followed.

Just as she had done so, she was welcomed with a horse's neighing palate. It wreaked. Fionna took unconscious steps backwards and realised there was more to see than just a horse.

It was a four-wheeled chariot, another horse by its side with two much more prestigious looking men than anyone she had seen in the past two days.

They couldn't possibly be the coachmen? , she thought.

However, it was of a divine white. Not even in her kingdom had she seen something as beautiful as this.

Her kingdom, she thought sadly, was in ruins. Ever since they had fallen hard from an historic battle, other kingdoms had used the chance to take revenge for the past wars in which they had been the defeated forces.

And all the alliances they had made for the past decades now just vanished into thin air like they had never been there in the first place or like their kingdom never assisted them in time of needs.

Fionna thought of the pain her father must be bearing at this moment even though he had been, at this very hour with some of his loyal guards who kept him safe with the knowledge that if a battle was about to break out, there was no chance of surviving the attack.

Drider was still been rebuilt and as of now, it could be compared to as a new born babe. Very fragile.

Luckily for them, the lands have been kind enough, very productive, and so they suffered not from hunger or thirst.

Fionna, hearing the light but sharp clinking sound of coins, came back to the present.

The guard had been receiving, out of his service for bringing her here, a little something.

It displeased Fionna to see a fool having money in his hands. For he would never spend it wisely... Just on immoral, unethical women...

Fionna questioned out loud "Why not give it to the dogs instead, they would find more use to it than this hollow man" she just never knew when to keep shut but she knew that the guard no longer had power over her.

A snap was heard from inside the carriage and immediately the uniformed men that had surrounded it on the rear side ganged up on her.

A hefty-looking man was the one that swept her off so easily from her feet.

Fionna had been mishandled on so many occasions. She fought back by kicking and thumping on his back with her fists.

"Unhand me, I am a princess for Christ sake" those were the most useless words.

Out here they had no value, they were just plain or like it never even existed.

The hefty guy, in the same manner, used his left hand to open the carriage doors and roughly sat her down.

But till her final moments in his arms, she had been bickering on how she is a princess.

Fionna had been recovering from the fight she claimed to have won since she was put down but was intruded by a guttural voice.

"And where has that gotten you so far?"...