If Only

Chapter 3

"He's got it." You say angrily as you slam some coins on the bar, grab your bag and storm out of the pub.
——

You quickly stomp through the same wooded path to the next town east, where he said he was headed. When you arrive, you go straight to the bar. Sure enough, there he is, sitting at the bar with a drink in one hand and a woman in the other.

"Hey doll, you look good." He tells the woman. As she laughs and gets off his lap. He smacks her butt as she walks away giggling like a fool.

You march towards him as he looks up and notices you.

"Ah! Hey princess!" He says smirking. You pull out your knife and put it to his throat once again.

"Where is it!" You growl in his face.

He just sits and smiles at you saying, "where's what?"

"Don't be an idiot! You know you took it from me!" You yell at him angrily.

"Do you want to search me for it?" He asks playfully as he holds his hands up in invitation.

You glare at him for a few more seconds before sighing and putting the knife back in your pocket. You flop on the chair next to him, grab his mug of alcohol, and begin to chug it.

"Whoa lady slow down!" He says as he pulls it from your grasp. "I was only joking around."

You wipe your mouth with your sleeve and look up at him pleadingly.

"Please....just tell me...do you have my necklace?" You ask him tiredly.

"What's so important about it anyway?" He asks you as he rests his head on his hand.

You look at him, sigh, and say, "it was my brothers."

"What happened to him?" He asks, a bit more sympathetically.

"He was taken, like all the other boys." You say coldly.

You look up at the man next to you, something in his face changes, he looks almost sad, or is it fearful?

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out Jimins necklace, dangling it in front of you. You reach out for it but he pulls it back and says, "first tell me your name."

You sigh but comply, "it's Y/N," you say as you pull the necklace from his hands and put it safely back around your neck.

"What's your name?" You ask him back.

"Just call me V." He says as he takes a drink.

"So why did you steal from me V?" You ask curiously.

"I don't know, it seemed fun." He says smirking at you. "That's how I survive, by stealing."

You roll your eyes at that last comment and ask curiously, "How old are you anyway? You look young enough to have been taken, yet here you are?"

V swallows, his Adam's apple bobs up and down before he answers, "I'm 21, and I hid, some boys were lucky like that."

You nod understandingly, there was no way to steal ALL the boys, but it made you sad to think some boys survived while Jimin was taken. However, you push that thought from your mind, you shouldn't become bitter.

"Why were you all alone in the woods?" V asks, stopping you from your thoughts.

"I'm....traveling." You say hesitantly. This man doesn't need to know your business.

"Traveling where?" He asks persistently.

"Not sure yet...I..." you stop and think if you should tell this annoying stranger your problems. However, you're never going to see him again, so why not get it off your chest?

"I'm working up the courage to find my brother." You say seriously.

V looks at you and states plainly, "you're not going to find him."

You whip your head around and glare ferociously at him saying, "you don't know that!"

He looks at you seriously and says, "only 6 boys survived the training and one ran away, do you honestly think one of them was your brother?"

You turn away from him and lay your head on the table. You blink back tears as this stranger speaks your exact fears.

"Hey....I'm sorry." V says more sympathetically.

You've been traveling in circles the past two years, too scared to get Jimin back. But as days go by, the more you realize what you must do.

You turn back and look at V saying, "I've got to get to the palace."

V's face grows dark as he asks, "why would you ever want to go there."

"Because my brother might be there!" You say defiantly.

V sighs exasperated, "The palace is a horrible place!" He yells at you angrily.

You stare into his face surprised as you ask curiously, "have you been to the palace before?"

He sits back in his chair and answers carefully, "After the boys were stolen, and my village destroyed, I snuck into the palace and got a job as a servant. I saw the evil that was happening and I couldn't stay any longer."

"V! You can take me to the palace!" You say enthusiastically.

"Are you kidding me?! Why would I want to go back there!" V says angrily.

"V please! I've been wondering around the past two years because I've been too scared to get my brother! But if you help me get there I can finally save him!" You ask entreatingly.

V looks at you dumbfounded, shakes his head, picks up his bag, and walks out of the bar without looking back.

You quickly follow him outside and catch up to him desperately asking, "V, haven't you had a loved one taken? Or at least seen one get stolen? Wouldn't you want them back?"

V turns on you harshly, "of course I would! but it's just not possible! I saw how they were treated! How they were stacked up in ships and sold like cattle! How their dead, bruised, and weak bodies were piled up for burning like they weren't people! Like they had no soul!" V yells passionately.

"Look, Y/N, I don't know where your brother is, but it's near impossible he's alive and at the palace," V says more calmly.

You stare up into his face, the night sky gives his serious expression an even darker tone. You glare at him defiantly as you say, "well I'm willing to go for that small of a chance."

You walk away and head back into the bar. V doesn't follow you. You get another drink and sit quietly by yourself thinking about what you should do. Someone sits next to you, but you don't look up at them.

"Hey lady."

You turn to your right where the person sat down and see a strange man looking at you lustfully. You move one seat over from the man. But he moves next to you.

"Oh don't run away little lady." He says as he puts his hand on your thigh.

You swat his hand off and get up. You walk out of the bar, but he follows. You keep walking as he quickens his pace. He grabs you by the shoulders and says, "where do you think you going huh?"

"Get off of me!" You shout as you struggle to free yourself from his strong grip.

"Hey let her be." Someone says from behind you.