Miss, they are bandits, hide behind us!"

"Estella, wake up, this isn't the time to sleep!"

Immediately, I dragged Estella out of her sleep, and we hid behind the guards.

Soon after, several shadows stepped through the bushes.

"four on the front, and two by the side, huh?"

"Damn, the odds are with them."

It was not uncommon in this day and age, that bandits would rob incoming travelers (at least if my history teacher was correct); that was why, when traveling, there would always be guards. Still, there were some brave thieves, who would risk a fight, and attack.

It all depended on luck, whether they attacked or not. And this time, luck was simply not on our side.

"Lidra, do you think we could take them on?" Robert whispered.

"I'm not sure, but the odds are certainly not by us," Lidra answered and gritted his teeth.

More often than not, defending was harder then attacking. One has to not only fight against the opponent, but they would also have to protect the carriage, and the non-combatants. Also, in this case, the attacker had the advantage of an ambush and was better prepared.

At such times, it would be better to surrender, instead of risking unnecessary casualties.

"Miss what do you think we should do?"

How should I know? Well, okay.

It was a tough decision to make, whether to take the risk and fight or just to give up and let them take our goods.

While I was thinking, I held onto Estella in the back, and I could feel her shaking. I guess the best option was to peacefully resolve this, or else we might fall in harm's way.

Estella clutched my hands and I answered, "let's surrender, and hear them out."

"I understand."

Following Lidra, Robert and William put their swords on the ground, and their hands in the air.

From the darkness, we could hear sighs of relief, and the bandits holstered their weapons. They too, would rather not fight, even against smaller groups. As doing that would risk their companions to die.

If they could resolve everything without a fight, they would happily choose to do so.

In the end, we decided to surrender and let them take the goods.

"Oh, what do we have here," a voice suddenly rang from the darkness. The person began approaching us, and I could hear his feet crushing the grass on the ground.

As he came closer, he was illuminated by the moonlight, and I could finally make out his appearance.

Hmm, was that what a bandit should look like?

It was a bulky middle aged man, who had come close to us, he had a scruffy beard and yellow teeth, which made him look disorganized. There were black spots all over his face, and he revealed a hideous grin.

"I take it that you guys surrendered?" He asked and leaned forward. His beard moved, while he was talking.

Seeing that the bandit had no intention of fighting, Lidra answered, "yes, as for coins and goods, they are on the other side."

"Great, boys get over here," he shouted and indicated that it was safe. In a fast motion, one guy after another popped up, until, I could count six. It appeared that he was their captain.

Odd. What's with these numbers? Six people? What's this, were they tired of living? Which bandit group consisted of only six people?

"Miss, is this okay? What about the money?"

"I'd rather lose the money than my life," I told him and smiled.

"I understand. I too, would rather not fight," Lidra replied, "I also which that no harm was done to you."

Oh, looks like he could actually act like a proper guard.

"There won't be a problem anyways, as we only have minimal stu-" I planned on saying, but abruptly stopped.

Yes. We only had minimal stuff. Why did they attack us? We had only minimal stuff. On the outside, we would only look like ordinary travelers. Shouldn't they attack people with more loot, I thought.

Unless of course, they were not attacking us for the loot.

My mind started spinning and calculating the possibilities, it felt like I had gone into overdrive. In the end, I came to a natural conclusion.

"Okay boys, we've gotten the approval, collect their swords!" The bandit suddenly announced.

A plan, I needed a plan.

They made their way towards the weapons and were about to collect them.

"Wait!"

I couldn't let them do that, if my deduction was correct, then us losing our weapons would be fatal. Swiftly I tried making my way towards the closest bandit and shoved him away. I tried taking a sword, but without warning, another bandit came from the other side and slammed my head on the ground.

My brain was shaking inside my skull and I felt dizzy. Ouch.

Estella, who was still shaking from fear shrieked, "Agnes!" And was about to run towards me, but Lidra was faster.

"Hey what are you doing, we have already surrendered!" he screamed and helped me up. He then shot a vengeful gaze at the person who threw me—he simply turned away.

"Are you dumb, was that how someone who surrendered looks like?" A younger one said.

"You," William intervened.

The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

"Now, now, we don't want this to escalate into a fight, right?" The leader said, and calmly collected the swords.

When he was done, he also reprimanded the bandits and said, "also, don't be so rough, what if you had harmed our precious goods."

perplexed by what he said, Robert muttered, "what?"

"Anyways, thank you for surrendering, it really helped us out. Now, bring me the girl."

Damn it. I knew it. These guys weren't bandits. They were kidnappers. I made a serious miscalculation.

I bit my lips and I could taste the iron, as there was now a fresh wound.

"Wait a second this wasn't the deal," Lidra said.

"So, what are you going to do about this," the leader said, and kicked him in the stomach, causing him to groan.

And this was why we couldn't give them our weapons. God damnit, we had failed. No, I had failed. What should do I do now:

"Wa, wait, we have surrendered, haven't we? Don't harm us, and we will do whatever you want."

My vision was spinning, and I couldn't see properly, but that didn't stop me from calming my mind and choose the best possible solution. For now, I would stay silent and polite, that was the best possible route.

I believed what they want is money. For that, they would have to leave me alive.

The problem here lies in, who they wanted to collect the paycheck from. Whoever that was, I didn't think they were going to get it. The prince had annulled the marriage and my family probably hated me.

Then what were they going to do, when they realized I had no use for them?

So the best choice now, was to act sympathetic and then escape.

I called this plan the 'Reverse Stockholm Syndrome'.

"That's the attitude I like, now why don't you all get over here and act like a good hostage?"

"Hey captain, we have a problem! There's another girl here," a bandit said, as he made his way towards Estella.

"Oh this is great! Let's keep the one we don't need as a slave," the leader replied and licked his lips. It was so disgusting, I felt goosebumps.

"So which one of you is the 1000 coins girl. Come on, answer fast, and I will spare you," he added.

Ah, I forgot about Estella. This was a problem I hadn't predicted. Even though I might not have sounded like it, but my mind was in disarray.

"Uhm, mister, even if I said I was the person you were looking for, would you believe me?" I asked from the sides.

"Hmm, what'cha you saying," he said and glanced at me.

"Well then, let me tell you, that she is the person you are looking for," I said, and pointed at Estella.

Surprised, she immediately rebutted, "no, she is the one, if you want to harm anyone, harm only me!"

"Okay, I'm the one," I added.

"Yes, she is the one, please spare her!"

"Oh wait a second, I'm not the one after all," I replied and and laughed. I then locked eyes with Estella, to tell her she should play along.

The child was more perceptive than I thought, and I felt like I saw a light-bulb turning on above her head, "maybe it is me after all," she whispered.

At the end, I turn towards the bandit and argued, "see what I mean?"

"Yes, I certainly do."

The leader clenches his fists, and hit me in the face. It was so fast, the moment I saw him move, his punch had already connected. He wasn't done though. As I fell to the ground, he kicked my stomach. I felt like the earlier stew was just about to fly out.

"You cheeky brat, think you can win one over me, what?"

He continued kicking me, until my breathing grew rough. Desperately I tried holding back my screams. This was for the best, though, I did not want them to hurt Estella.

Hmm, when I had grown so attached towards her? This really wasn't like me.

Well, whatever.

And I've dealt with way more pain than this. I even died before. This was nothing.

"Captain, didn't you tell us not to hurt the goods?" Another bandit said and laughed.

"Yeah, you are right, excuse me. My anger had gotten the better of me, for a sec. Alright, load them all up and let's hide in the cave for reinforcements."

We then began to made our way towards a nearby cave.

-

"Ugh, it's not coming off," Estella uttered, while her face filled with tears.

My face on the other hand, had grown swollen, and there was dirt all over me. Also, a stone had found its way towards my skin and pierced it. There might also be some broken bones. All in all, I was pretty hurt.

Still, I felt like I made the right choice.

Stay calm. Because that was the only advantage that I had. If my mind was clouded, so would my judgement be.

More than anything, I felt relaxed when Estella's with me.

"You stupid, why would you go so far for me?" She asked and continued wailing.

I tried calming her down by placing my hands on her face, but she just got louder.

"I don't know, either."

I really didn't know. Still, I couldn't bear the thought of her getting hurt, at that time. Really, what was wrong with me?

Why?

'Ah, but I do not mean attraction, as in love. It is more abstract, it's, uhm.'

'Devotion?'

'yes exactly.'

It was at that moment, that a voiced popped up my head.

'What, are you dissatisfied with my decision?'

'No, it's, it's just. I just can't stop smiling.'

One after another, with every tear drop falling from Estella's face, another memory had surfaced. It couldn't be, right?

'Is there something on my face?'

'yes, my hands.'

'Owie, why wphould chu do thwat.'

'I wanted to find out how flexible your skin was.'

What's this. How was this possible?

'Estella, come here, sleep with me.'

'Wha, Agnes? I don't think that is such a good idea.'

'Why are you being humble again, didn't I say I want us to stand as equals?'

Oh lord. Right now, I felt like a barrier had been broken. I felt like a caterpillar who had evolved into a butterfly. As if I was reborn. Wait, I was. No. That's besides the point.

Like a dam, the memories piled up.

'I, I don't know what to say. Th, these, these feelings, I, for so long-'

'You don't have to say anything for now.'

To think I had neglected such an important factor.

'you're beautiful.'

Perhaps, Estella had become more important to me than I thought.

Pathetic, that it would take such an occasion for me to realize it. Me, who was supposed to have the sharpest mind.

In a quest to raise her devotion towards me, I had unconsciously become attached to her, too. Is this the case of a hunter becoming the hunted? No, rather hasn't it only been three days? When had I grown so shallow? Something was seriously wrong with me.

Well, whatever.

Those feelings inside me, as they welled up, I couldn't help but notice them.

Those feelings, they transcended time. Whether it was three days or three decades, it would not matter.

Those feelings weren't infatuation, they weren't devotion, and they certainly weren't love.

They were compassion. Compassion gained from giving birth. From a mothers love to a child. Or was I a father?

Is that why my mind was in jumbles? Is this why I couldn't think straight?

So, it was not because I felt danger for myself. It was the danger I felt for my kind, which made me panic.

Those feelings, I have felt a long time before. I thought I had stored them far away. Why would they surface from a person like her—I didn't understand. This wasn't right.

Well whatever.

Maybe traveling to this world had made me weak, or maybe it was just Estella, but I can't help getting excited at the thought of being with Estella.

As I was wallowing in my newly achieved enlightenment, I heard a silent voice echoing next to my ear.

"Miss, I think we could ambush them now," Robert said.

"Hmm? What do you mean by that?"

"If they aren't bandits, we should have nothing to fear."

I suddenly saw a slight glint reflected into my eyes. It was a knife, in Roberts hand.

"Of course, we didn't give them all our weapons, if we take them by surprise, we could kill of 3 of them at once," he added.

I look around the place to check our surroundings. The guards, Estella and I were the furthest in the cave. In the darkness, I was able to make out four silhouettes. The other two, I take it, are outside the cave, waiting for something—or someone.

Suddenly, Estella stopped crying, well, she tried holding it back as well as she could and said, "Well, if they aren't bandits, but just ordinary people, they would never win against trained mercenaries."

Now it was my time to ask her why.

"Because those bandits are often exiled knights, or soldiers who have retired, so there's a sufficient risk in fighting against them, but a normal person, would be easy to defeat," she whispered.

"I see."

I rested my chin on my hands, and stared at the trio. Even though it was dark, I could see the determination in their eyes.

"Wouldn't it still be dangerous though?"

"Yes, it would be," Lidra answered, "but more than anything, I think we have disappointed the miss often enough, so we are willing to take the risk."

Risk, huh?

That reminded me, since when was I someone who cared about the risks? I might have really changed a bit, being with Estella. It's time to get myself together.

In a low voice, I answered, "alright, I will allow it."