Tangled *Obi x OC* (COMPLETE)

Led Away

Amaryllis

I'm not going to lie and say I'm not having fun here at the festival. I'm still nervous about all of the people around us, but Obi is doing a good job keeping an eye on me and my only direct interactions have been with children. I'm currently drawing on the cobblestones because a boy came up to us with a stick of chalk. I'm more of a painter than a sketch artist, but it's not too bad. The boy, Roman, is standing beside me, talking rapidly about how my picture is pretty and how I look like a princess. The little girls said the same thing. I've never seen a princess before so I don't know if I really do, but I know that it's considered a compliment. So far, the outside world hasn't been as bad as Master Oren said it would be. I think I will miss this once I return home, but I'll always have the memories I made thanks to Obi. Roman's mother calls him away to get a drink and Obi appears by my side a moment later.

"Did Master Oren ever have anything with the kingdom's symbol on it in the cottage?"

"Not that I recall, why?"

"Because your pictures seem to all have it in some way or another. I noticed it back at your cottage as well." He tells me as he points out that the gap in the trees I drew is shaped like the kingdom symbol.

"If they are, then I didn't do it on purpose. I don't remember ever seeing the symbol before today."

I look up from my finished picture right as the sun starts to set to find Obi a few feet away leaning against a building while talking to a dark haired man in a black cloak. That's not suspicious at all. Obi looks over at me and a small smile tugs at his lips before he looks away to respond to whatever the man said. My eyes widen as a hand covers my mouth while an arm forces me backward. I look to Obi for help since my screams are muffled but the crowd has separated us. This isn't good. I'm going to die... on my birthday. That's fantastic. I struggle against the grip but it doesn't give. No one else seems to have really paid us much attention to help me either. A man appears in front of me and I look up in hopes he'll help, but it's one of the twins Obi and I came across earlier. His brother must be the one dragging me away.

"Hello again, Dolly. We told you we'd see you again." The man smiles down at me and I feel tears spring to my eyes.

I don't know what to do.

We reach the edge of the village and they drag me into the trees before the one holding me lets go. As I blink away the tears, I realize why. I immediately drop into a deep bow since Master Oren is standing in front of me. Why is he here? Why did they take me to him? All I know is if they don't kill me, he probably will for disobeying him and leaving the cottage.

"There you are, Amaryllis. I was really rather disappointed when I came home early and found the cottage empty."

"I-I'm sorry for leaving, Master, I-"

My cheek stings as he barks at me not to speak unless he asks me to.

"You're just lucky I had some friends here to protect you from that awful man that took you from me. You know who he is, right?"

"Obi protected me. He only took me out of the cottage because I'd asked him to. I'm sorry for disobeying, I just really wanted to see the lights, just this once. I was going to return home immediately after."

"That 'Obi' fellow, is nothing but a murderous thief. He's only letting you think you're safe with him, but he's really just making sure that he can have you all to himself. Do you know how much a pretty little thing like yourself would sell for?"

"O-Obi wouldn't do that to me... Obi saved my life."

"So, what you're telling me," Master Oren steps forward and grabs my chin so I'll look up at him, "that if I left you with this Obi person, that he wouldn't hurt you or hand you off to someone? That he'd take care of you and bring you back to me like nothing ever happened?"

"Yes." I don't know why, but I have total faith in Obi right now.

"Fine. We shall see but don't come crying to me when he betrays you. Don't forget, the world is full of people that are after you."

"Then why wasn't anyone in Yurikana after me except these two men?" I shoot back without thinking.

I hit the ground a second later and I can feel blood coming from my lip.

"It seems you going out on your own is making you defiant. If you don't need me anymore, perhaps I'll just go. You know where to find me... if you survive that boy."

The cloaked man appears in front of me as I make it back into the village. Master Oren left with Esmon and Thayer with a final warning that trusting Obi will only get me hurt. I take a step back from the man as he looks at me with crimson eyes. He tells me that Obi had him help look for me since I'd disappeared. I'm supposed to stay with him as we go back into the village square. The lanterns should be released soon since the sun has fully set and I can see villagers passing lanterns out to everyone. I'm finally going to see the lights! He introduces himself as Sinjin, then leads me through the streets. I knew Obi wouldn't do anything to hurt me, he even got his friend to help find me. Sinjin stops in front of the door to a boarded up building and tells me Obi's waiting inside.

"But why would he be inside if he was looking for me...?" I ask as I take a step back.