Escaping Fate - Ja'far X Reader

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

My eyes fuzzily focused. I tried to sit up, immediately falling back down and clutching my ribs in pain, "F-fuck." I groaned, lying on the thin wicker mat. I held my head in my hands, curling to lessen the pressure on my side. I was on the floor alone, a cold sweat dripping down my back. The various bandages on my body made me feel stiff, like a mummy.

"Thank the gods!" I saw a blur of short, black hair before feeling the light pressure of a hug. "How are you feeling?" Zuri asked, pulling away. She stared down at me, relieved but anxiously waiting for my reply.

I smiled weakly, dipping my head, "I'll live." My face fell with an erupting sting in my side, "W-what happened?" I winced.

Zuri's lips pursed, "You had a rough night." She sat on the floor, her knees beneath her, "You were closer to death than you've ever been." I nodded, continuing to listen, "We did everything we could, but this went beyond our basic training. Thank the gods Aliya found him; you'd lost too much blood. You're so lucky they returned in time, or you wouldn't have made it."

"You've been out for about a day and a half, I wasn't sure if you'd wake up. That man's magic saved you, he healed you! To think if you had died—" Zuri began to break into tears, holding her mouth with her hands, "I-I don't know what I would have done."

I shakily sat up, wrapping my arms around my friend, "But I'm not dead, that's what matters."

"I'm glad I have at least one person who cares about me," I mumbled as Zuri pulled away, wiping tears from her green eyes.

"That's not all, (Y/n)." Solemnly, Zuri continued, "You're to leave by dusk."

Shock ricocheted through my body, "W-why?" I gasped.

Zuri's hand held onto mine tightly, lightly shaking, "Tonight you are to be taken to the city for auction; the Latin Dragon, that dumpster pub . . ." She took a deep breath. "You are to be fully healed and ready to go in the next few hours at the latest." Her lip quivered, "I-I'm so sorry, I tried to convince the master otherwise! B-but I couldn't do anything." Zuri looked down at her lap, clenching her knuckles white. My shock became irrelevant, and I looked down at the floor, processing the news.

Just as the silence grew uneasy, the door slammed open, "Please tell me she's alright! I swear to the almighty gods above," Aliya's voice cut through the room as she frantically looked me dead in the eye, "(Y/n)! You-you're alright! Oh, thank the gods!" She ran, practically strangling me with a bone-crushing hug. "How are you feeling?" She wailed.

"C-currently, Aliy-ya, I-I can't b-breathe!" I managed to choke out, feeling Zuri peel her off of me.

"Aliya! (Y/n) is still injured! Be more careful!" Zuri yelled, angrily dragging her into the corner, lecturing the whole way. A small cough cleared the air, and standing awkwardly by the threshold was a bright young man. He had long blond hair draped over his shoulder in a loose braid. His brilliant blue eyes darted between Zuri and me. He held a tall staff and wore a large, pointed green hat, which he took off as he turned to me.

"How are you feeling, miss? He said as he walked over, setting down his staff and hat behind him as he knelt beside me. I felt his eyes analyzing my condition.

"Better, sir." I kept my eyes down, a habit I had developed when talking to people other than Zuri and Aliya, "T-thank you."

He gently lifted my chin and smiled, "There's no need for such formalities. Please, call me Yunan." I nodded, "Now, tell me, where does the pain feel the worst this morning?" He asked, gently brushing the folds out of his shirt.

After a few minutes of asking and answering questions, Yunan worked to heal my remaining injuries. We watched in awe as the small white butterflies flickered around the mysterious man. Both maids began to panic, backing away from the mat I sat on. A new sensation racked through my body, I felt light and strong. A pleasantly warm sting buzzed through the wounds on my face and back, the flesh rebuilding and winding into place. It was impressive how restored my body felt, almost brand new. Except for all the scars I had, including my new ones.

I looked at my arms and pushed deep into my gut, feeling no bruising or pain. "W-who are you, Yunan?" I gasped, hesitantly.

The man tilted his head, "Just a traveler passing through." He chuckled. I nodded and politely thanked him, "You're welcome miss (Y/n)." He stood, gathering his belongings. He placed his hat on his head and turned to face me, inquisitively, "I must ask you one more thing before I leave."

"What is it?" I stood before him, watching his serious face.

"Do you believe in fate?"

I blinked, "Do I believe in fate?" He nodded, waiting for my answer, "I'm sorry, I don't know if I do."

Yunan shallowed a smile, "It's quite alright, you'll know your answer soon enough." He bid us farewell, smiling, "Take care, (Y/n)."

As he vanished from the room, he was replaced by an unkind, frustrated face. I quickly put my head down, and Zuri prepared to inform him of my condition, "Sir—" She started.

"Shut up," He grumbled, pushing past her, placing a hand on my head, gripping a handful of my (h/l) hair, "You have two hours to make this passable." He directed Zuri, "I need to make a pretty penny, don't I?" He pulled my hair harder, tearing at my roots.

"Y-yes, sir." I whimpered, feeling his grip throw me to the side.

"Get on it," He huffed, "Now!" The servants flinched at his tone, scrambling to me as fast as they could.

—

Aliya set out to find a new set of clothes as Zuri removed the heavy chains from (Y/n)'s ankles and helped her into the bath. (Y/n) quickly washed her hair and scrubbed the blood and dirt from her legs. After drying herself, she put on the dress in front of her, enjoying the weightlessness of her feet. She hardly had a moment to remember how this felt, old memories flooded back into her mind. She smiled at the thought of her homeland, touching the ink markings on her face. This feeling soon faded as she dragged herself reluctantly back into reality.

—

"Hey, Aliya, do you remember that old bet we made a few years ago?" I chuckled, tying my thin leather belt around my waist.

She threw me a "which one" face. "Depends, (Y/n), we've made a lot of those." I pointed to my feet, "Oh, that one." She stifled a small giggle. "Guess you won." She shrugged.

Zuri looked between the two of us, "What the hell are you two talking about?"

I looked at Aliya, smiling like an idiot, "Go on, tell her."

Aliya groaned, twisting dramatically, "Fine!" She started, "We made a bet a few years ago that the only time (Y/n) would have permission to remove her chains was to prepare to be resold."

Zuri gasped, "Why would you joke about that kind of thing?" Appalled, she flung her hands, "That's awful, you two!"

I rolled my eyes, "Keep going, 'Liya."

"If (Y/n) was right, I would have to tell you what happened to your shoes." Aliya ran behind me, hiding from Zuri, "That I was the one who hid your brand-new shoes in the well by the market."

Zuri, steaming with anger, dove for Aliya, who flinched and ran across the room, "Y-you did that?" She yelled, "They were brand new!"

"I-I know! I was jealous!" They chased each other around and we relished in the moment. I was so glad to have friends like them, they were always so kind to me. In their eyes, I was a person, and they treated me like one. Sometimes I yearned for our happy memories to be outside of the shadow of something so terrible.

A little while later, we slid my chains back onto my feet, begrudgingly, and walked out onto the veranda. We quietly said our goodbyes, tearing up as I was met by a guard and torn away from their arms. I looked back, "We'll meet again!" I vowed before being pushed inside the cart.

The three of us knew that was a lie.