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Chapter Two

Hye had walked until she couldn't no more, and she curled up at the bottom of a large oak tree and slept for the night - her blanket a torn part of her dress to keep her warm.

The next morning she woke up thirsty and hungry. That was something that the books in the library hadn't prepared her for, it hadn't told her to bring a water canteen and some silver for food or even a sliver of food. Her stomach rumbled and her feet hurt and her mouth was dryer than anything she had ever experienced.

But she knew she couldn't back down now, not after running such a distance, not after committing to the idea. She forced herself to her feet, every muscle screaming in protest but she didn't give in. She assumed she took after her mother in that sense, her birth mother that was, stubbornness. "Left then right." Hye spoke to herself, voice croaking and that's what her body did. Left foot. Right foot. It continued that until she reached a village and by then it was nearly nightfall again.

Hye realised that maybe this was why her family was never in any disagreements with any other kingdoms, because the family was so isolated from the other kingdoms that they had no one to disagree with unless they wanted to travel two days by foot.

She stumbled through the door of the nearest building, a tavern, and sank down onto a stool that was near the door.

"What's a dirty girl like you doing wearing such fine materials?" A drunken man approached her, his tunic covered in muck, his facial hair messy and unkempt, and the ale covering his lips which smacked together and made a sound that Hye thought she could throw up because of. That would've been the case if Hye had eaten anything to throw up. She kept silent and looked past the man into the bustling part of the tavern where townsfolk dance and sang drunkenly and she hoped that someone would distract the man.

No one did.

"You're meant to respect me and reply when I ask you a question!" He got angry and raised his voice. "Did you steal it?"

"Where I got it from is none of your business. Leave me alone." She spoke firmly, hoping her accent didn't give it away that she wasn't from around here.

"You're well endowed for such a small brat." The man who towered above her smirked, looking right down the top of her dress. Her eyebrows furrowed and she covered the minimal cleavage she had showing.

"I'm pretty sure the lady said for you to leave her alone." Another man approached her, white shirt, messy hair, black jacket, black pants, and just overall attractive. "Now scram."

The drunkard turned to face the man who was attempting to rescue her. "What are you going to do about it?"

The man in mostly all black just stared at him and the man crumbled to his knees scratching at his throat, Hye sat there paralyzed on the stool. She had heard stories about the men in black, how they hated human kind and that they were going to take over the kingdoms-

"You look hungry and thirsty. Can I get you anything?" The man in black looked at Hye. Hye was still staring at the man who could've been dead on the floor, eyes wide. He crouched in front of her and waved his hand in front of her face. "Hello?"

She looked into his eyes for a brief moment, fear coursing through her veins and she went to stand up to escape. Escaping was her plan now.

Or it was her plan till her knees buckled beneath her as she passed out and the man in mostly all black caught her. "I didn't do anything to her?" He tilted his head confused at the situation. His friends noticed that he was now cradling a rather pale woman in his arms near a collapsed man and it was starting to gain attention.

"New village it is then." The leader of the group whispered and got off his stool, the other five following suit and they walked over to the man in mostly all black. "Let's go. Bring her with you too. We can't leave her here like this."