The Battlefield

The Trap

Miriam entered into the market. The market was nothing but stalls on either side of the wide road on neat rows.
The stalls all looked similar to one another. There were four wooden posts holding up a square orange cloth to provide shade for the cashiers. There were wooden tables which held goods to buy.

Miriam pulled her shawl tighter around her face and looked around suspiciously. Everything seemed to be normal. Kids were running from one stall to another while their mother ran behind them berating them, while some people shot her disgusted looks at her immodest fashion and vendors were kept busy with the constant rush of customers.

Miriam walked towards the stall that contained various vegetables. She started to sort through the produce, remembering the golden rule her mother instilled in her when she was a child; the fresh fruits and vegetables are always placed at the bottom to sell the older ones.

After fifteen minutes of contemplating in what to buy and another fifteen of choosing the fresh looking ones, Miriam collected eight tomatoes, four eggplants, a kilo of olives, five hundred grams of cheddar cheese and carrots.

She placed the basket on the cashiers table and took out the pouch of money she tied around her waist.

The cashier turned around from the table and started to weigh and count the vegetables.

After what seemed like two minutes, Miriam felt cool metal slightly graze her neck. Surprised, she stepped back, only to bump into a person who stood too close to her. He was the person who was gliding the cool metal on her neck in a teasing manner.

Miriam breath came out ragged as she tried look at what was on her neck. She was great at masking her real emotions, though on the inside, she was screaming.

The person chuckled deeply, but it didn't sound rich and warm like Luca's, it sounded evil and cold.
"Got nowhere to go now do you...Ria?" As soon as he said that, Miriam heard a soft and painful whimper.

"I'm so sorry Ria, really sorry," pleaded the voice of Miriam's aunt.

Miriam, quickly understood what was happening.

The cashier looked at the scene in satisfaction. At last he was able to repay his best friend Paulo.

The man behind Miriam pushed, what was obviously a knife, closer to her throat.
Miriam pushed her head upwards, to get as far away from the weapon as possible.

The man led Miriam out of the stall, holding on to her upper arm to guide her. Out of the corner of her eye she could see that her weeping aunt was being held by another man.

The man holding Miriam pulled her into the street and forcefully threw her on the ground.

Miriam fell on her left side, but caught herself with both of her hands. She stated still for a few seconds, taking deep breaths. She snapped her head up to the man when he started chuckling.

A crowd had formed around them, yet no one came forward to help Miriam, they knew exactly what could happen if they intervened.

The man reached towards Miriam and pulled down her royal blue shawl from her face. "No need to to hide anymore. We've found you now," he sneered with a sickly smile.

He grabbed hold of her arm again and pulled her up "Throw her in the cart boys" he instructed his men.

Miriam shook her head vigorously. She pulled herself up and pulled out her dagger from under sleeve, she slashed the man's upper arm. The man looked at his ripped, blood soaked sleeve which outlined his deep gash. Taking his surprise for advantage, she swung the dagger at his cheek. Blood trickled down his cheek. He looked up at her lividly. His eyes blazed with fury and his mouth twisted in disgust at his own ability to be fooled by a woman.

He had realised that women can seem foolish, yet when you look deep into them, you can realise that they are cunning creatures that take men for granted by their looks and acts of cowardliness, and this woman was no different.

He grabbed Miriam by her long hair which had fallen out of her bun at the rough movements and slapped her across the cheek. Miriam's aunt cried out while Miriam stood in shock at her burning cheek. He tossed Miriam like a rag at one of the men who was opposite to him.

The man who had caught Miriam pushed to another man next to him. All the men of the gang stood around in a circle laughing while pushing her to one man and then another. Miriam tried her hardest to pick up her dagger from the ground again but failed.

She was then thrown into another man's hands, but he didn't loosen his grip on her. He held her tightly, then pushed her behind his back. Miriam, who had her eyes closed thinking that the man was going to push her harder than everybody else when he gave a pause, had opened her eyes at this new found protection.

She was shocked to find the familiar hair of Luca in front of her. Not wanting to take her chances at her observation, she ran away from behind him, although she was limping. She crouched down near her aunt who was neglected by her capturer as he also wanted to join the circle of men.

Pulling her limp aunt from the ground, she limped over to the inside of a stall further away from the group of men where they were all shouting at her 'saviour'. She laid her aunt down again and her eyes brimmed with tears for her sickly aunt. "Its okay, we're going to be alright," she comforted her aunt.

Miriam was helped by some of the people who had watched what was going on. A kind looking man carried her aunt while a woman came to assist Miriam walk by putting her arm around Miriam's shoulders.

"Thank you Signora, but could you please find a horse and cart for us to travel in?" Miriam asked the woman, wincing.

The Samaritans made their way towards the requested transport and gently placed Miriam and her Aunt in the wooden seats at the back. The only instruction the driver got was: to take them as far away as possible to a safe haven.

Miriam closed her eyes. How could they have known she was in the market? A low moan from her aunt brought her out of her daze. No, her aunt wouldn't have known exactly which stall she was in, in the market.
So someone who knows her could've done it. But who?

Suddenly, it struck her. What could be a better timing than introducing themselves than when the Lady and Lord were out of town and move into the house as a servant?

She tapped the driver urgently. She didn't know where he wanted to take her, but she knew exactly where she wanted to go.

When the driver turned around, she was surprised to see a familiar face. "Marco?"

Marco looked at her suspiciously. Did he know her? "It's me, Bella's family friend, Miriam!" She cried out in delight.
Marco's face lit in recognition. She was the masked beauty who was the only one in his career who treated him as an equal.

"I need you to take me to Luca right now!" She said desperately, in concern for his and Mia's safety.

Marco's eyebrows scrunched in confusion. "I thought Luca came to you, in the market?"

Miriam froze. 'No!' She thought when she realised that Luca was going to be in big trouble back in the market.

"Take Chiara to the villa," she said motioning to her aunt, "Stay with her and Mia to make sure their safe. But first take me back to the market!"