Not Too Late

Silk Road

Yn's POV

I wake up and check outside. The stares are bright and the moon is high. I start to gather my things together. I throw my bag over my shoulder and my swords dangle on my back. I slip out of the castle and towards my one man boat. As I place my bag into the boat. I hear footsteps behind me. I reach for my swords then the person speaks. "Yn"

I place the swords back in their holsters before straightening up and facing him. I approach him with an expressionless face. "King Alfred" He looks me up and down then moves his eyes towards the water. "My mother has informed me on how you aren't as strong as you have been in previous times" I maintain control of my anger as I speak. "Your mother is only concerned your highness, you need not take her seriously" "I hope not but I also hope that you do not push yourself any harder the you have to"

My eyebrows knit together and I swing my head at him. He continues to look at the water. "Forgive me for being rude but your sudden change in emotion towards me has me baffled as I have not experienced this from you" He sighs and finally makes eye contact with me. I see the vulnerability within his eyes. "I may be king but I am just a man and you may be the most ruthless warrior in what I think the whole of Scandinavia-" I smile at myself. "But yet you are just a woman and you still bleed, still hurt like anyone else"

I raise an eyebrow at what the point is to this conversation. He turns back to the water. "I would like you to know that you may talk to me if you ever have any serious injuries from this day forward" I contemplate if I should have trust in the man who uses me but the again he has kept his word before. "Yes your highness but it is nothing I can not handle" I start walking towards the boat. "Come back in one piece Yn" I turn and face him. I bow to him. "Have a nice evening King Alfred"

I jump into the boat and look back at Alfred. He continues to look in my direction. I sit on the wooden plank before grabbing the oars. I start rowing away and in the distance I see Alfred walking back to Wessex.

***

I use my strength in order to pull my boat onto the sand bank. I bury it so it does not wash back into the ocean. I fix my swords on my back up and I hold my bag in my left hand and start venturing off onto the silk road. I pass many known traders who live on the silk road. Many thieves live on the silk road as well. I have had my fair share of encounters with them so I only pray to my gods that I do not run into anyone. Little do I know my prayers were not being answered at this moment.

I walk along the sides of the silk road avoiding the sleighs being pulled by dogs. As I continue along the side of the road I hear the commotion ahead. I curse at myself because I know of who it was. I keep my head down and pray to my gods once again. The commotion comes closer with every step I take. A hand grabs onto my arm and I sigh. I turn to see him smirking at me with his disgusting grin. "Where are you going pretty lady?" "Away from you Bogdan"

I try and move past him but he stops me once again. "So you know who I am?" "And yet you know nothing about who I am" I give him a smile. "What a place we live in" He looks me up and down skeptically. "What's in the bag?" I glance at my bag then I look at him with a hard stare. "Something you will not touch unless you want your head as King Oleg's foot rest"

He tilts his head and then starts to crack up laughing. My stare becomes hard and cold as his laughter soon dies down. He looks at me to see if I'm joking which I am not. "If you were that important to King Oleg he would have sent someone to pick you up and not have you walk with so many enemies along the silk road" "We have a unique way of communicating with one another which doesn't concern you" I begin walking and he yanks me back. I slap his hand away from me. "I think you're full of shit" "And I think you should step away from me before I put you in the ground"

"And what can a sweet girl like you do to me?" I let him grab my chin before I break his wrist. He groans in pain before I kick him in his junk and he goes flying to the ground. I smile at myself before I hear the horses. I wipe the smile off my face and put my head down. The guards come to a stop and jump off their horses. The leader approaches me and I pull my head up to look at him. "You do that?" He points to the man on the ground.

"I was only trying to make my way to King Oleg and he was standing in my way you know how King Oleg gets when he has to wait for someone" "yes I'm aware of that which is why he has brought you a horse for the rest of your travels" I bow my head at him in respect. I look to Bogdan on the ground with a little smirk on my face. "I'll handle them, King Oleg wants you there as soon as possible so I suggest you leave immediately" I start walking before I turn back. "Make sure he suffers for his horrible intentions with me" An evil grin spreads across his face. "Will do"

I throw my bag onto the horse and climb up. I sit on the saddle and grab the reins before riding off along the silk road.