Torrs
Torrs gazed down at the woman as she lay unconscious on the ground. She was bound hand and foot. He could see the tear marks that had stained her cheeks, and the bruise on her arm from where he grabbed her. Though he was a man of war, Torrs was not someone who enjoyed death or suffering, which is why he was still standing over his captive like this, thinking over what he should do next.
He sighed, truly kicking himself for allowing this sort of unplanned confrontation to unfold while on duty. During times of war, there was often no place for mercy or compassion. In order to survive, Torrs knew that he had to defeat his opponent swiftly and finish them off once and for all. However, this woman wasn’t an enemy soldier, or even a Luxo public official like she claimed. She was likely just a messenger, or a servant from the royal palace at best. Her clueless nature nonetheless left Torrs wondering if she had ever come across a stranger on the road before. Most people these days were smart enough to be on their way and mind their own business, instead of prying into the identity of others. She, on the other hand, could not seem to understand the difference between foolishness and curiosity.
And yet, she was clearly not an innocent civilian, for his captive had proved to be far more clever when it came to battle than Torrs had anticipated. She had mentioned that she had at least some level of combat training, which it now seemed was true. And yet, her abilities were still severely lacking, indicating no real field experience. Torrs found that to be a pity, as she obviously possessed a brave heart and a courageous spirit. These were rare finds in a woman, especially one as pretty as her.
Torrs felt his eyes being drawn to her appearance again. He had never seen anyone of such great beauty before. Her black hair reminded him of a dark-furred panther, and her eyes were like amber colored stone. Her skin was soft and delicate, and her lips were red like camellia flowers that would bloom back home on his mountain in winter. Yes, a woman like this, with both looks and wit, was quite uncommon. Unfortunately, none of that made any difference in the grand scheme of things. He had a mission to complete, so she had to be dealt with, and fast. The only problem was, how was he to do it?
Torrs looked around at their surroundings. If he left her here in the forest tied up like this, nature would surely take care of the rest. On the other hand, as a man who preferred to end things quickly and avoid adding pain, such a fate would be both cruel and unnecessary. There was the option of leaving her a dull knife to free herself of the ropes while giving him plenty of time to escape, but if she managed to alert the authorities to his presence, it might make things difficult for his reconnaissance work.
He rubbed his brow with annoyance. Things were definitely getting more complicated by the minute. But true to his promise to his sister Emalia, Torrs would never allow himself to act in the same manner as his enemies. Victimizing captives, enslaving the vulnerable, inducing agony, taking delight in the killing of others, these were traits found only in the soldiers of the House of Basileos and Castillo, not within the House of Ivarson. In his land, honor was always to be upheld, no matter the situation.
Torrs reached down and grabbed her bag and searched through it, looking for anything of use or value. Perhaps if he left her with only a small amount of supplies she would be forced to hunt and camp out here in the forest for much longer on her own, delaying her return home. In that way he could finish him mission quickly and make his way back to the mountains before she even had a chance to-
Suddenly, the woman let out a weary groan. He froze, watching her movements carefully. She wasn’t awake, but she would be soon. Which meant he was running out of time to decide her fate. Torrs returned his attention back to her bag. The contents within were strange, to say the least. Two canteens of water, one bottle of wine, a few jars of jelly, a container of face cream, one extra knife, a map of the land, a few bars of food, and an extra pair of socks. He chuckled, wondering where on earth she had been headed with such a pitiful collection of items.
Just then, Torrs paused as he came across a most unusual sight. At the very bottom of the bag, hidden within a secluded pocket, there appeared to be a letter. He tore open the fabric and pulled it out. It was made of expensive paper and sealed with the wax mark of the royal family of Luxo. At once, he ripped open the letter and read its contents.
Dear Sir Kurain, I have written this message in case we cannot talk face to face upon my arrival. I have come here because I have heard about the battles being waged on our land and the war that is to come. As the princess, I wish to strengthen our soldiers and aid them in defeating our foes. You know as well as I do that my intellect can only be of help to you, not a hindrance like my father or my fiancé would suggest. That is why I am asking you, my dearest friend, for a chance to stay here and prove myself. Give me a week to show my worth, and I promise you will not regret it.
Torrs shook his head with disbelief. She was a princess?! And she had been planning on going to the battlefield with nothing but some food, water, and a knife?
He glanced over the woman once more. Now her rude and arrogant demeanor made perfect sense. Her naïve nature could also be explained, as Torrs assumed this had been her first time leaving the castle. Based on that, and the fact she had been traveling alone in a restricted area, could mean she had been running away from her father’s castle in secret.
Torrs read the note a second time. It seemed the king was unaware of her plans to reach an army base and engage in combat. Which meant the princess had probably taken this forest passage hoping to throw them off her trail for a while. Unfortunately for her, this also meant that her father’s men would have no idea where to start looking once they realized she was missing.
He smiled to himself. It seems the House of Basileos had a weakness after all.
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