To Trust a Witcher

Desperation

The rope is digging into my wrists as I tug on it, trying to free myself. I don't need to look behind me at my skin to see how red it is. I wince as the rope doesn't loosen and ends up pushing deeper into the chafed skin. 

The dad of Johan, who I have decided to name Rascal in my head, glances towards me, and I freeze under his scrutinizing gaze, pausing my escape attempt, although he can't see what's going behind my back.

That's when the door of the cabin opens, and Johan enters with a shovel on his shoulder. Dust and dirt fall from the shovel like snow onto the floor as he stomps in with his boots. "I covered up Uncle Borald." 

There's blood flecks on the ends of Johan's sleeves, and I couldn't help but feel a smudge of sympathy for him. That is, until his eyes flick towards me, and his brows lower in rage, and my concern focuses on my own well-being.

I have inadvertently caused the death of a brother and an uncle, and I'm sitting in the cabin of his kin. 

They're going to kill me. 

"Johan, you know how much this is worth?" Rascal lifts my ring up. Rascal found it when they were tying my hands together, and it's probably the sole reason I'm alive at the moment.

Johan drops the shovel and leans it against the wall. He shrugs after a quick look. "Two silvers."

"Not even close. This gemstone is ruby," Rascal pauses, "Real ruby."

I inhale rapidly. If he knows the worth of that, it won't take long until-

"Now, why would a girl have this ring in her possession?"

They both turn towards me. 

Rascal stands up from his place at the table and nears me. Although I'm sitting in the corner, I push myself as far away as I can from him, wishing the walls would swallow me up. In my hurry, I feel something sharp thrust into my skin. A nail?

He stoops down and comes right in front of my face, holding the ring between his thumb and pointer finger. His gray eyes meet mine. "Who are you, and how did you get this?"

His musty breath reaches me, and I wince.

I try to keep the tremble out of my voice. "I stole it."

He chuckles. "Did you also steal that stallion? And this very expensive cloak?" He takes my cloak and tugs on it hard. "Then you must be a pretty good thief, or-" He pauses, "The daughter of a wealthy family."

Johan is standing a couple of feet behind his father, and his eyebrows jump at the news. And then, a smile graces his lips. 

I bet all they're imagining swimming in a pool of gold coins. I open my mouth to deny the fact, but then it hits me. If they realize I have no family to provide them with a ransom, then they will kill me. Or, even worse, they will sell me.  

I need them to keep me alive and hopefully, unharmed. With enough time, I can get myself out of this mess. 

I have to play along, which shouldn't be hard. I just need to play the part of a spoiled princess. 

I let a tear slip. It's not difficult. I've been wanting to cry for the past couple of hours. "Please, don't hurt me. My father will pay any sum! Just, please don't hurt me."

I hate playing the damsel of distress, but don't regret it as I see both of them beginning to grin. It's working.

"Who are your parents?" Rascal demands.

I still. What do I say now? I don't know any of the rich families of Kaedwen, so I have no name to give him. 

Rascal believes my silence to be a refusal to give an answer, so he grips my face hard and tugs me forward. His fingers are digging into my cheeks to the point where it hurts. I clench my teeth hard to stop myself from yelping out loud.