Uncertainty

Only my footsteps and the screech of dry leaves were breaking the horrible silence surrounding me.

The silence which for some time had permeated the environment. I didn’t know how long it has been since the moment I decided to run out of my house. The fact is that I was running as much as I could, with a clouded mind and a broken heart.

I still remembered my mother’s harsh words. I still had her voice saying: “This is your destiny. You will marry the King of Angkor,”

Running in the wild I got several scratches on my arms, and my hair went messy but I don’t even know how to order it to get it out of my face. However, it is not what worries me now. Right now I have latent panic inside my body because as much as I follow an uncertain path, I can’t see anything but trees and more darkness.

Take it easy, I’ll go home, I just have to go back the same way, I encouraged myself, leaning on the hardness of the huge oak trees that surround the forest.

I try to keep the pace with my breathing, releasing and taking air several times, repressing my eyes, perhaps, so as not to realize the mistake I made in letting myself be carried away by my impulses, again.

I just wanted to escape from my horrible reality, one, which for many from another perspective could be a dream come true. But for me? No way,

Loud whistles make me open my eyes quickly and hit my back abruptly to the tree, making it so hard, as if it were going to protect me.

Five unpleasant-looking men that I counted quickly were in front of me, looking at me in such a disgusting way that I got chills.

“Wow! Wow! What have we done to deserve this award?” Finally says one of them.

“Perhaps something very good, mate, as far as my eyes can see my Lady is from a privileged crib.”

My lips start to tremble. But I am not scared, so I take all the courage I can and lift my face towards them.

“Therefore, gentlemen, you must bear in mind that if something to happen to me, you will pay for it with your life,” I say with total firmness.

And I don’t know how I could comprehend certain words, not with the fear that I feel at the moment. The group’s mocking laughter shook my breathing, and despite my nervousness, some discomfort begins to brew within me.

“What bravery! A very particular lady,” says another of them, trying to take short steps that did not go unnoticed.

Then it’s time to order my feet to move, it’s time to get out of here.

“Gentlemen! I manage to pronounce getting everyone’s attention. The truth is, I wanted to breathe some fresh air. So, I came on my horse along with my guards ... Only ... I told them I wanted a space alone ... Then I think I’ll be back Have a good night,”

My feet move numbly but I was no more than two meters away when one of them abruptly caught my arm and jerks me around.

“And do you think we are so foolish my Lady? You are not going anywhere,”

“Hold her! Another man says, apparently the one who dominates the group. We will go to another place. Here, we can be visible to any man.”

“No! Please!” I say pleadingly, as the men begin to untangle a rope.

I was lost!

“What is your name?” The alleged leader asks, while two others begin to tie my fists behind my back.

Don’t say anything Saravi, it will be worse! I think quickly while the dominant man waits for my answer with some anxiety, then I decide to tell the truth, perhaps hearing my name is very scary, everyone in this country knows my name and knows that I will be the future wife of the King, although that’s what I want less in my life.

“Saravi Eljal,” I say almost in a whisper.

The men’s eyes widen, and then everyone looked at their leader, making the silence take over the environment again.

“Elijah? You’re lying again!” The man shouted angrily, coming towards me furiously.

It violently shook my body, causing it to slide and fall on my back, completely losing balance with my tied hands.

“No! Wait!” One of them says. “If what she says is true, we will be in a lot of trouble. It would cost us our lives.”

“It doesn’t matter, she already saw us ... We can’t go back on our purpose, besides, who will find out once we get rid of her.”

And with those words, I know therefore that I sought my own end, unfortunately before leaving the house my words to my parents was loaded with much resentment and reproach, and those would be the last because after this I would not see them anymore.

With a jerk, a man lifts me off the ground, while I silently complain about the pain I have in my wrists as well as in my bruised body. I have always been treated with the greatest delicacy throughout my life therefore this is one of the worst physical pain I have ever experienced.

“Walk!” The angry man yells at me.

I begin to take a few steps, as the tears slowly begin to shed. We walked a long time, so, I did not know where I was or where they would take me, I wanted to die before knowing what they would do to me, my body trembled at that idea and I was extremely exhausted.

Over the course of a few minutes, we came to a kind of poorly constructed shack, poorly lit by a campfire that was about to go out. The smell in the place was unpleasant immediately hitting my nostrils.

It seemed like they had been here for a while because there were clothes everywhere, food utensils, and lots of rubbish that made the place disgusting.

“We arrived!” The tramp announces so close to me that nausea threatens to destabilize me completely.

“Dumas! What do you say? Shall we prepare it?”

My eyes widen, as my body flickers at the impending threat. God help me. “Moron! You must not say my name! We will have to kill her faster than I thought!” The leader says as he punches his partner several times in the face. Kill her ... Several sobs come out of my mouth, and I really wanted to scream, I really wanted to cry ... Why was I so stupid? How could I look for this evil myself? The men begin to circle my body as they giggle among themselves their leader approached me as he takes my cheek and rubs his filthy fingers over my mouth. “This will be so exciting ... I start to tremble with pure fear, his hands start to take my hair as he pulls it up to his nose. “I’ll be the first,” he says as he pushes the others aside. And when the sobs escape my mouth and I turn away from the face of their horrible presence, a movement behind them draws my attention...

Three huge thoroughbred horses seemed regal along with their riders, behind the men unaware of the movement. I still can’t see their faces, the only thing I can see is how the index finger meets in the mouth of the man who rides the horse. He beckons me not to make any noise, putting his index finger to his mouth. I pass gulped hard, apparently relieving the tension of my body, giving thanks in a certain way for this opportunity, of course without knowing if these new men will be my help or definitely my despair. “There seems to be a celebration here!” says the knight poking his face out into the light of the fire. And, taking off the hood to reveal his face that does attract my attention.

The three men who appeared do not look anything like the tramps that have me tied, nor could I say that they are royalty, they, rather seem army fighters but with other clothes, something that seems very particular to them is a green ribbon around their arms.

Will they be hidden guards of the palace? If so, I am more than a loss.

“What do you say Mishaal? Should we join the celebration?” One of his companions asks.

“Mishaal?” That’s what he’s called.

“I don’t know Borja, let’s ask first if they want to let us in.” His voice alerts all my senses, consequently, his words were thrown with double meaning and something tells me that these men, especially this one, will help me.

My kidnappers are pale and static, without saying a word, without even beckoning. Nothing…

“I think they have cut their tongues,” says the third one.

“Or perhaps they saw some Esmail ghost,” says the man they call Mishaal again.

OKAY. Esmail, Borja, and ... And Mishaal.

They will save my life.

“Sir! Please! Let me explain.” The leader of the tramps finally opens his terrified mouth. “You will understand when you know who she is.”

My eyes got wide and again I start to tremble a little.

“Never mind! You will die today, for this aberrant act.”

The men get off their horses, terrifying all those present, unsheathe their swords, while the others lie on the floor, pleading for their lives.

They must be very reckless because they are three and the tramps are five.

Just when the three of them were going to murder the tramps, something inside me stirred, I didn’t want to see this. I do not want to.

“Please! I don’t want to see something like this,” I implore, while Mishaal watches me closely.

Mishaal looks at his two companions gesturing to them then the men begin to disarm the tramps and then tie them to their horses.

“Mishaal?” Borja asks while he continues to watch me.

“Come on, you know what to do ... I’ll go later,” he replies without even taking his eyes off me.

The men nod a little doubtfully and begin to leave the place, leaving that man’s horse along with the two of us.

“Who you are?” He finally addresses me.

“Take the rope out of my hands please,” I ask, ignoring his question.

“Are you giving me orders? Do you not know what situation you are in?” He replied a little grumpily.

“I didn’t put myself in this situation!” I say a little haughty.

“Seriously? And what is a lady like you doing in the middle of the forest at this time of night? Never heard of the dangers that this entails?”

“Is this an interrogation?” I asked.

“Then ... I’ll be going.”

The man turns and begins to walk towards his horse.

But what am I doing? Have I gone crazy? I definitely want to die.

“Wait” I shout pleadingly.

The man turns his gaze back to me while my heart begins to beat strongly.

“Saravi Eljal ... That’s my name,” I say and his face instantly impressed. “Does anyone know that my Lady is here?” He asked coming closer. “No.”

The knight untied my hands, and relief runs through the skin of my bruised wrists. I massage them slowly and then shook my dress and fixed my hair a little. “Thank you ...” I say without looking at him. “Then my Lady ...

“Just call me Saravi ... Please.”

“Okay ... Saravi, we will go, I will take you.”

“No! ... I mean, not yet, Sir,” I ask subtly. He nods slowly, not taking his intense gaze away from me.

“Misal ...” he corrects. “Why are you here?”

“It’s a long story ... ” I answered,

“Well, since you don’t want to return ... yet, we have time for you to tell me ...” I nod slowly, raising a smile, combining my gaze with the Mishaal, and discovered a roar in my heart.