Prologue II: Saviour

Right then, it was just the beginning of spring. The icy rivers were beginning to melt, and hundreds of flowers were in bloom; at the same time, birds were beginning to sing from within the mountain's springs.

At the foot of a mountain just outside the outskirts of the capital there was a marvelous carriage passing by and inside was the young and striking Gabriella Gael. She had just finished the sales of her paintings at an auction house. She was travel worn as they had been on the road for two days and the road was not at all helping with her motion sickness as the road was very bad.

"Forgive the poor road conditions my Lady. We should be able to get some rest at an inn close by." The coachman called to Gabriella from the outside. 

Gabriella just hummed in reply and looked out at the scenery bored. She had just raised her dainty hand to cover a yawn when an arrow zipped past her head. 

Gabriella gave a yelp and quickly retreated inside the carriage as even the horses were scared and unsettled. 

The coachman took quite a while to calm them and swiftly searched the area then let out a breath before asking haltingly, "I think the arrow was not meant for us my lady but we should not continue on this path. Let's turn back?"

Gabriella was still in a shock until she heard that sentence and her face changed. Then she poked her head out and questioned the coachman in disbelief, "What do you mean turn back? That would be too bothersome. This is the shortest route back to the kingdom, if we turned back now it would take nearly two weeks! Besides the arrow wasn't meant for us you said so yourself." It was going to take three days on this route and then she could get home in time for Gloria's fourteenth birthday. She would miss it when she promised she wouldn't. Ugh, Just why did she leave in the first place? The sales were a bust anyway. No one appreciated good art.

"Let's wait it out a little. We keep going forward if there isn't any problem in three hours." Gabriella told the coachman.

"My lady I duly advise we turn back now. It might be mountain bandits." The coachman frowned slightly as he placed his hand over the sheath of his sword all the while cautiously monitoring their surroundings. He alone couldn't protect them from a band of goons.

Gabriella hesitated a moment before saying,"Your concerns are not unfounded. I'll take them into consideration and we will immediately leave here at the first sight of trouble…—" 

The young girl was cut off as they heard the sound of a horse galloping. She turned to look at the bend ahead and suddenly, she saw a person on a horse and blinked with surprise.

What gave her a shock was the posture of the man riding. He was looked lifeless and like he could fall off any minute as he rested his head on the neck of the horse. 

"He rides his horse funny, don't you think?" Gabriella's pretty eyes were full of curiosity as it tracked the horse's movements. "Did he fall asleep?" She noticed the horse had an odd colouring.

Androv, the coachman's face darkened as he climbed down to go inspect the stranger. He was alert as he walked quickly towards the now cantering horse. It was a smart horse, it saw a human coming towards it slowly came to a stop.

Androv drew his sword and vigilantly examined the man on the horse from a safe distance. He smelled of a strong odor that could only belong to blood. Androv's face changed slightly as he hurriedly put away his sword and went up to the man. Androv sat him up only to discover blood on his hands. The masked man's white clothes were stained with blood and the horse's back was also bloodied.

The masked man was unconscious and his breathing was faint.

The coachman didn't know when his young Lady he left in the carriage had reached his side. 

"Ah! What a pitiful horse. It's fine white coat is all dirty now. I thought it looked odd." Androv's eyes twitched.

Gabriella's first thought was to show concern for the horse. It looked like her faithful steed, Gustav at home. 

'Well I suppose all horses don't seem to look that much different from the rest.' Gabriella thought.

Gabriella's eyes then moved to the young man in bloodied fine embroidery that looked like he would yield the ghost at any moment. Androv was carefully checking to see where he was hurt.

Gabriella was petting the horses ears as she led him towards the interlocked trees. She fastened him to one of them and prayed it got a decent new owner soon. They couldn't bring him with them and his owner wasn't in a great state at the moment.

Gabriella observed Androv and the stranger from afar. The rocks below their feet wasn't really suitable for basic first aid but they had to make do. She walked back to them when Androv was in the middle of taking off his inner garments.

Androv shot her a look and Gabriella raised her right brow and gave a huff, "Are you sure he won't bring us trouble?" 

Androv's hands stilled and he got up from his crouched position. "I'm sorry my lady. I did not ask your opinion on the matter on whether or not to save him."

Gabriella crossed her arms and gave the half dead young man a critical look over. "He looks wealthy. His strange fabrics are of the highest grade although they're ruined now." Gabriella's eyes stopped on his face. "And that mask…"

She bent over and tried to take off the exquisite white mask that had caught her fancy… but it was stuck? She struggled with it for a while before she gave up. Androv just looked on without commenting.

"Is this what people do now? Wear magic masks?" Gabriella asked Androv still in her crouched position without really expecting an answer. "What's he hiding? A scar? A really ugly mug?"

A silver dagger with a rubied hilt appeared in Gabriella's hand. She looked at it shocked. She just had the briefest thought of carving the mask off his face but she really wouldn't do it. 

She didn't have the time nor energy to clean up the blood.

Gabriella sighed and looked at the silent Androv. "Fix him up but take everything valuable on his person. Be hasty the people after him mustn't be very far." She stood up and headed back to the carriage.

Gabriella gave a sigh and cursed under her breath. Obviously they had used this road numerous times and hadn't encountered anything of the sorts before. They couldn't help but turn back now. Who knew if they'd end up like the masked gentleman.

Arik's heavy eyelids opened a small sliver with much difficulty. The light from the window entered his eyes, stimulating his pupils to constrict. Even though first aid process wasn't handled by a professional, by the time Arik woke up, those feelings of distress and nausea had already disappeared. It was just like he had been drowsing unconsciously these days, so after waking up, he was inevitably a little lethargic as if he was still in a dream. He covered his head with both hands, appearing to be at a loss.

 He looked around and found himself inside an unidentifiable carriage. Yet the carriage had come to a halt, so he couldn't tell what was outside. It was quite spacious.

Arik tried to recall what had happened before he fainted. He and his convoy had encountered an ambush and he was stabbed in the shoulder and had taken an arrow to the stomach. He had been put on a horse by his guards before he passed out.

Just as he was thinking hard about it, the carriage's curtain was lifted up, revealing a young and pretty face.

"You're awake?"

Arik's face became blank. It seemed that he was unable to react. He quickly raised his hand towards his face, inwardly sighing with relief when he discovered his mask was still on. He was pleasantly surprised to find he wasn't in his bloodied apparel. The clothes were a tad bigger than his size but they'd do.

Gabriella's eyes tracked his movements and she coughed trying to hide her guilt. She had been tempted to see the face behind the partial vizard but was dissuaded by Androv. 

"Knowing little about him is a good thing. Don't know what trouble we might bring by knowing too much." Androv had advised his curious Lady.

Seems like Androv was right as always. The masked man might be a bandit for all they knew.

Gabriella looked at the man in the white mask for a while but he Just laid there breathing heavily and when she realised he didn't plan on talking she decided to open her mouth instead.

"Are you planning on remaining silent? Your name? Not a thank you?"

Hearing Gabriella's words, the man squinted and said in a hoarse voice. "Thank you." 

Gabriella gave an annoyed pout at his concise response. She then realised he had an accent.

"You're a foreigner?" In fact everything about him was strange. The red hair, strange clothes and pretty green eyes. Yes, she noticed his eyes were interesting. 

Arik stiffened and cautiously examined the young woman. Her pretty face looked deceptively kind and there was a feeling he got that said he'd do good to be extra careful around her.

"You look like a fox spirit."

Gabriella noticed he still didn't say anything but was not deterred. "Are you usually this unsociable? You're not fun to talk to." 

The man propped himself up and narrowed his eyes. He was obviously not relaxed and with a recently bandaged up gut wound. He gave a pained inhale and held a hand to his chest.

Gabriella was in the carriage before the man could react. She sat opposite him and helped him sit. "Your chest hurts? Well let's just hope it isn't an internal injury." She said concernedly with a furrow on her brows.

Gabriella reflexively wanted to put a hand to his forehead to check if he was running a fever, forgetting he had a mask on but her hand was intercepted halfway. Arik wanted to push the girl away yet paused when with the sun's brilliance coming through the window Gabriella's chocolate eyes turned near copper and he could see flecks of brilliant gold in them. She looked open and honest which were almost foreign qualities that could be said to have not seen for half of his life. It made him wonder if the owner had ever experienced the bad of this world. The sunlight pouring into the carriage made this person's complexion appear extremely fair. Her little nose, bright eyes; all her features were just right, especially those beautifully shaped lips. That touch of red colour on the elegant and refined face instantly made it appear all the more vivid. 

It was unforgettable. 

Gabriella's breath caught too. Looking at her with surprisingly verdant eyes the taciturn man gave off a different oppressive kind of feeling than when he was unconscious. His eyes carried a feeling of roguishness and also a bit of caution.

Arik broke the silence, "Excuse me Miss, but do you go out of your way to have polite chatter with every unwilling to talk, suspiciously masked, injured men you save?" 

Gabriella hearing these words knew he had no intentions to be polite, "No."

 So, it turned out she had nothing better else to do, Arik thought.

 Arik, "…I understand." Gabriella just pursed her lips frustratedly.

Arik moved to look out the carriage windows and saw on either side of them trees for days so gave up on trying to find out where he was or leaving the chatty lady.

Looking at the clenched jaws of the recently awakened stranger Gabriella could feel he was somewhat frustrated. 

Good.

"We'll be heading into town soon so we'll drop you off at a physician. We're going further south." Gabriella generously offered.

Arik just ignored her and asked, "Where is the coachman?" 

"He went off in search of wood for a fire later. Better to look for them now than in the dark."

Arik looked at her in surprise."He left you here all alone with me? Unprotected?" He had confirmed there were no guards or any other person around when looking out the window but hearing her confirm it still shocked him. He cross examined her again and felt though her actions and mannerisms were not with caution and had a freeness to them she wasn't simple and he might not have met them by the hands of fate.

If Gabriella knew what Arik was thinking she'd have thought she picked herself up quite the madman.

A confused expression crossed over Gabriella's face and she laughed a little too hard when she caught on "What? Don't tell me you're going to try something?" She cocked her head to the side and gave a grin that said it all: that would be stupid.

"Just focus on getting better okay, Mister bandit?"

Arik's face behind the mask froze and the atmosphere turned chilly. Gabriella could only catch the quirk of his mouth before he pounced. 

Gabriella gave a grunt when her head hit the side of the wooden carriage. Her hands were easily dealt with. Feeling the irresistible strength that pinned down her waist, Gabriella had every reason to believe that this man was faking his weakness throughout the journey. But still she saw the wounds herself, no human could recover so fast. After giving up her struggles, she stared directly at him. 

They locked eyes and fierce sparks flew. Her muffled reply of surrender sounded through his fingers, indicating that he release her. Arik didn't really plan on doing anything and she was his benefactor. Since Arik was confident in his strength, he let go of her without hesitation. As he pulled his hand away, his fingers happened to rub her soft lips. When Gabriella felt his slender fingers slide across the corner of her mouth, her lips felt a tingling sensation. Gabriella felt as if her lungs were about to burst. She desperately inhaled a breath of air. Never in her life did she think that breathing was such a glorious thing.

Arik averted his eyes at the sight of her rising and falling chest.

As Gabriella stabilized her breathing, the grip around her waist loosened slightly. At this moment, Gabriella's eyes turned dark. 'This is what you get for lowering your guard'. 

She headbutted him fiercely, landing squarely on the man's unprotected chin. The man grunted in pain, but his hand quickly reached out to her waist. Gabriella clenched her teeth. Her knee kicked upwards between his legs as she maliciously used almost all of her strength. The man inhaled a breath of cold air, and his palm couldn't help but loosen. Finally, he collapsed to the floor of the coach. 

Gabriella looked at the masked stranger with a cold smile. With the mere thought of it her dagger appeared.

"I'm no helpless damsel." Gabriella told him as with agile movements she straddled Arik and held the knife to his neck.

Arik looked at the face of the woman above him as his heart beat fiercely and it was not because he could probably die any second. At that moment his dick also hurt like hell.

Gabriella looked into Arik's eyes and stared for what seemed like eternity into his green eyes that showed a kladeioscope of unfathomable emotions at that moment.

Meanwhile Androv had gotten back from getting the firewood a while ago and been looking at the strange jerking movements the carriage had been making. He didn't know his lady as someone lustful but she was as unpredictable as the weather. His mind conjured up different scenarios as he said a silent prayer for the injured masked man.

"I might let you live." Gabriella whispered suddenly, surprising herself and Arik who looked at her in askance.

"Your name?" Gabriella asked, "Your real name." And as if to show him she was dead serious she cut him letting her blade taste his blood.

Arik felt the sting on his neck and smiled ruefully. "Arik." He said curtly. 

He swore this was going to be the last thing he disclosed of his identity to this woman. He'd obviously been saved by a madwoman. The saying, out of the frying pan and into the fire was fit for this situation.

Androv cleared his throat outside the carriage and the tension inside the carriage was instantly dissolved. Gabriella looked at their position astonished at her momentary loss of composure.

She saw the upturn of Arik's lips and gave him a scathing look.

Gabriella stood up, righted her dress, and straightened her hair. She held out a hand to Arik who hesitated only a little while before taking it. 

When they were to their full height. Gabriella gave him a brief look over. She wondered if he was fully healed. "Sorry about this Arik."

Arik thought he still dizzy from the blood loss and the kick to the dick because he felt his name sounded like molten sugar coming from her mouth. With the hilt of her dagger Gabriella knocked Arik out.

******

A maidservant tended to the fire beside madam Farcy, the best physician in Humpty town who was currently feeling a man's pulse with rapt attention. Madam Farcy knew his pulse wasn't human.

Madam Farcy was a kind old lady who couldn't see anything past her fingers. She'd been born half blind and had still managed to become the best healer in her hometown.

In all of her years assisting Madam Farcy today had to be the strangest. It was the first time she'd seen a perfectly fine looking lady and her squire bring down an unconscious masked half-naked man from their luxurious looking carriage and just leave him here without so much as a dime to cover his stay.

The worst part was that the masked man was perfectly fine and they'd claimed he'd suffered from an attack by bandits. She didn't trust foreigners easily but Madam Farcy was too kind.

The maidservant didn't know that Gabriella and Androv were equally as dumbfounded. They'd tended to his shoulder and gut wounds themselves and it wasn't humanly possible for them to heal so fast and not leave a scar.

The maidservant was pulled out of her thoughts by the weak groans coming from behind her. The stranger was awake.

Arik rolled over, confused but lucid. He opened his eyes and suddenly remembered what had happened yesterday. His eyes flashed and he immediately sat up. Arik immediately conjured up his enchanted bow and arrow given to him by his grandfather and aimed it right at Madam Farcy.

The maidservant, Rusel immediately screamed, petrified.

Arik's senses were assaulted with the vile smell of medicinal concoctions as he surveyed his surroundings. Bottles and vials of different kinds of coloured fluids were on the rickety shelves. There was also an old looking cauldron with green smoke coming out from it.

There were two people in the room. The person his arrow pointed to was an old woman with smile lines who looked like she had a problem with her eyes. 

'She looks like a good person.' Arik thought. But then he thought back on the girl he met before and concluded he was a bad judge of character. She'd robbed him of everything he had on him including his shirt.

'Looks can be deceiving.'

Arik directed his first question her way. "Where am I?"

In the dim light of the room Arik's body looked like sin and with the addition of white mask,the bow and the arrow he looked like the god of death to Rusel.

Arik got an answer to his every question from Rusel and Madam Farcy just remained silent.

"…She said to tell you her name and that the bandits were still looking for you." Rusel narrated. Arik had already put away his weapon and was hurriedly drinking the water offered to him.

Arik couldn't care less about the assassin's sent to kill him at the moment. He'd been in more near death experiences than a mosquito.

"What was her name?" Arik asked in a hoarse voice. 

"Gabriella." Rusel responded.

Arik squinted his eyes as he looked outside at the already darkening sky. 

'I will find you' he thought. 'I'll repay your favour.'