Crystal Eyes

Chapter 7

Alas the guards stepped down from the horses at the small village far from where they came. They all began positioning their weapons alongside of them in their costumes.

"Are all of these weapons necessary? She is only one woman who is harmless." One of the guards muttered under his breath.

"It is the ones who will protect and surround her that we should be focusing the weapons on. She may be harmless, but those who love her have immense strength to fight off a thousand men." Another guard replied.

"That is very deep, Lotkan." The guards smiled at each other and went down the village path to where the houses were.

Some villagers ran into their houses afraid of the sigh of the guards carrying the weapons. Other villagers tried to question the guards about their visit and with no answers from the guards, the villagers gossiped among them. Finally one guard stepped back and asked a small boy who was eating an apple, "Where have you seen the prettiest girl in this village, little boy?"

The boy pointed to a woman with long dark brown hair feeding a dog some bread crumbs. The guards at the sight of her captured her. She was shocked. The villagers stood there wondering what was happening.

"What did I do?" the woman asked as they tied her hands in a rope.

"You have kidnapped our royal highness. The kinghas ordered to return him back to the castle." The guard snapped.

"I did no such thing. Before you accuse a woman of wrong doing and with such treatment this way, I suggest you get your facts right. I have done no such thing. I do not even live in the village by the castle. What purpose would it make for me to kidnap a prince?"

"Money I suppose" the guard muttered under his breath.

Another guard looked confused. "Lotkan, I think we took the wrong girl. What is your name woman?"

"Seriah. My name is Seriah."

The guards immediately bow down in mercy of the woman for accusing her of a wrong doing.

"See? I am not the person you seek. Shameless you all are to tie the hands of a woman without letting her speak." The woman explained. "Untie my hands."

The guards untied the rope from Seriah's hands.

"We are sincerely apologetic for our behavior. We would not see day and light if we did not bring the woman who kidnapped the prince. It is our order from the king. Please understand." The guard explained.

"Still it is not a way to treat a woman." Seriah said firmly.

"We understand but whoever commits a crime should be treated as a traitor, whether it is a man or a woman. It is the law. We must get going." The guard signaled the other guards to search the village for Hanguel. Seriah did not budge.

"Is that so? Then the law should be broken. If your mother stole a loaf of bread to feed your stubborn little soul when you were a little boy, would you still tie your mother up and lock her up in a dark room? Is that what you would do to your own mother who sweat every day to feed you somehow, other than letting you starve and die?" Seriah said stubbornly.

The guard looked down facing his toes in disappointment. "It is still my job. You villagers do not understand. If we fail in our duties, our heads will be cut. Our families would be lost."

"Then is it right to punish other families, everyone else's other than yours? You are committing sin. Whether it is an order of the king or not, it is still your choice." Seriah said.

"WE FOUND HER! WE FOUND HER!" the guards rushed back near Seriah and the other guard, holding Hanguel by the arms. "Soon tie her up!" the guard ordered.

Hanguel stayed still. Her family was also captured by the guards. Seriah had no words.

.