Chapter 3

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The next time I awoke it was bight in the room. The candle had gone out and the tapestry pulled back slightly to let in the suns rays. I felt stiff but not as sore. I sat up and swung my legs over the side of the bed. Sitting up I realized my shirt had been removed and I was only in my bra. What the h***! I should have known those guys were creeps!

Wait... The outrage left sooner than it came. My bloody arm and shoulder had been bandaged and was tied in linen strips. It was tender but in one piece. Gingerly I tried to stand but I caught myself on the sidetable. Muttering curses under my breath I got up and tried to locate my backpack with my extra shirts. Not here. D*** they must have put it somewhere. Think Cass, where would you put a bag that belongs to someone else. Normally on a chair in the room but... would they use the basement. Creepy basement. But then again... maybe they're actually nice and its by the door with a map towards home. I shook my head. To h*** with it. I should at least explore and know where I am. From that i could maybe get back to my hiking trip and move on from this crazy ordeal.

Not wasting a minute and as stealthily as I could I unlatched the door. Which unfortunately gave a rusty creak. Wincing I peaked around the corner. No one was in the hall. Actually it looked empty. Opportunity of the century. Quick and quiet I tip-toed down the stone hallways slowing near the open wooden door. I listened intently-- no noise. Empty. I made my way down a flight of steep stone steps and into a large open hall. This place was massive!

The ceiling was a good thirty feet above my head with arched windows and all. This was literally out of a fairy tale. Albeit an old and dusty tale. I tried to hold my nose as the dust began to torture my already bad allergies. Cass dont you dare. No no no. Hold it in!

AAAAACHOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

"Looks like our guest has tried to run away without saying goodbye."

Instinctively I wrapped my arms around my chest. Not that I'd never been in a bikini in front of guys at the waterpark but these guys were something else.

"Its not what you think! Really, I just need my backpack."

"Sure little spy." The man, I'm pretty sure was called Lambert, jeered. A nasty smirk highlighting his single scar. What is with these guys and being scarred. "But the least thing you could do for us saving your sorry backside is to give us a little show." He stepped closer and I shivered.

"Lambert enough!" An old man with equally odd blue medieval armor sent a vicious disapproving look at Lambert. "Stop teasing our guest like a young scoundrel. Show some respect, and give her back her bag."

Lambert snorted and muttered something obscene under his breath but relented and walked down another corridor returning shortly with my dirty but intact bag. I snatched it back and awkwardly curtsied to the old man before returning to the little room. Once dressed appropriately I went back down to the open hall. Now a fire burned in the fireplace and the four men sat at a wooden table talking. The pale one, Geralt I think, notice me and coughed. The others stopped and the older man stood up.

"Ah, Miss. Cassiopeia apologies for Lambert's outburst earlier. Please join us," he motioned for me to join them, and not wanting to be rude obliged semi-reluctantly and sat farthest away from Lambert.

"Ok, and its just Cass."

"Very well, Cass, Eskel here explained your story. Although I am not sure where your town is I brought down a map from the study." Sure enough an old map was sprawled out on the table. I honestly expected it to be fake but the worn map looked legit. But no marks of home. I didn't recognize anything.

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