The Kidnappers

Every word Alexandria just heard, echoed in her ears as if it was the repercussion of epiphany. She was in the middle of confusion and disbelief. What is he thinking all the time? I can't also tell if this is his fault. But I didn't mean it like this little boy.

Somehow he took my words as wildly misconstrued. I have to make myself clear, I thought, as I took a deep breath. How can I let him misunderstand me like this? Little boy, who just became an orphan and skinny is afraid that I will do something bad.

"Why are you saying this? I think you misunderstand what I meant."

I sighed and said it with a steady but gentle voice.

"Misunderstood?"

He looked at me with his wet eyes as if I abandoned him and said the word.

"Yes."

"But you said I can only eat this kind of food today not anymore."

Before I could finish all my lines, he cut me down and said what he wanted.

"It's not like that. Now you grabbed food with your bare hands and started to eat the food. When will we go to the academy if you eat like this then the other noble children will laugh at you. So I said you can eat like this only today. In the future, you need to learn etiquette so that no one can laugh at you. You are also a noble."

I explained clearly. At least, he can eat now peacefully after hearing my words now.

"My name is Theodore Liam. Liam is my family name, which means protector."

He told me his name.

"Wow, your name is so good also its meaning. But you have to good job like your name, okay? Then now let's eat all food as good people, who don't waste food."

I said with a bright smile. He just looked at me with his straight bright green eyes while biting a bread on his hand. I just noticed his eyes were like the fresh green forest that became more after a night of rain. How can a person's eyes be like this?

"Why are you looking at me?"

He asked while being afraid.

"Don't be afraid. I just thought your eyes are like green forest. So pure and innocent. Hmm, don't be corrupted in the future, okay."

I said childishly. But I know in the future, I won't be with him. He will have to deal with his family and become family head. I have to do what I need to do. So we won't be able to see each other much. But when I am with him, I will try to make him a good adult. Who won't be too greedy for money or fame but will earn money with honesty and earnestness.

"What is corrupted?"

He asked while taking a sip from his soup bowl.

"It means don't be like an adult, who doesn't respect people, is greedy, or kills people without reason or for any other bad means to achieve what he wants. If you become like this then you won't be my little brother anymore. Remember that."

I said. But I don't know what kinds of emotion I felt when I said all this words. When I looked at him, he was looking at me straight with his green eyes. Then replied,

"You despise those people, brother."

"Yes, not only do I despise them but also hate them. But why do you call me brother?"

"You wore men's clothes, do you think I am the fool that I will call a man, sister."

He said while pouting like he was a stray cat. 

I think my dress looks like a male dress. At that time I was little so it was long but now I become taller than before so it was on my waist. So if I put two parts of my dress together, it looks like a male dress. So he didn't say anything wrong. I smiled and thought, you are a fool.

"I am a girl."

I said to him while eating food.

"What?"

He was astonished with disbelief.

"Why? Can't I be a girl?"

I asked.

"No, no but if you are a girl then why are you wearing a man's dress."

He said hurriedly in disbelief.

"Because I had this one dress. I lived till now in a forest cave because I also had an enemy who wanted to kill me. I am telling you because you are my brother and you will live with me from now on. But you can't tell other people that I am a girl. You will call me brother from now on, okay."

I clearly said with a straight face and eyes.

"Hmm. I will listen to you."

He agreed to keep my secret hidden.

While talking we finished our dinner.

"Let's sleep now."

Both of us went to bed and fell asleep because we both were tired. But some people didn't mean to let us sleep. In the middle of the night, someone attacked both of us. I didn't know at first but I heard some sound.

Theodore woke up and shouted. Hearing his shouting I also woke up.

"What happened?"

I said. One thing I missed, I knew that the people who were child traffickers were in this inn but I dared to fall asleep in danger.

I opened my eyes and was stunned. Two people were on the floor, and both of them were heavily injured.

Theodore came to my bed and hugged me tightly. He was trembling. I think he was terrified to see them. They were trying to sell him as a slave. Normally, he will fear them.

"Don't be afraid. I am here. No one can hurt you."

I assured and comforted him. Hearing my voice, he stopped trembling. I came out of my bed and tied them both with a rope that was beside my bed. Then I locked the door and then went to my bed again.

"Brother, can I sleep with you?"

Theodore asked in fear as if he knew I won't agree. 

"Hmm. Let's sleep but go and take your blanket here."

I said. I agreed to let him sleep on my bed because he is still a little boy.

I can let him sleep in the same bed but not the same blanket. Here, the blanket is for one person. If I let him sleep in my blanket, then how will I sleep on this cold night? I didn't know it would be this cold when the day was not so hot or cold. 

In the morning, a sudden urgent knock on our door woke us up. Theodore and I woke up while hearing the constant knocking. I slipped out of bed and made my way to the door.

As I opened the door, I saw the manager was standing there. Seeing him this early morning, I had a sudden curiosity and confusion.

"Why are you here in this early morning, manager?"

I asked with a voice that was full of surprise and suspicion. 

But the manager didn't respond to my question and without my permission entered the room. I turned to follow him. As he entered the room, his eyes widened in shock when he saw the two wounded people tied in the room. Both of them were sitting on the floor and their faces were bruised and the body was full of blood.

I also was surprised. In the night, I didn't see them clearly but the wound was heavy. Who wounded them like that? I didn't do anything. But no one will believe me if I say that. In this room, only I and Theodore stayed the whole night. So I can't even make an excuse now.

The manager turned behind and looked at me with disbelief etched on his face.

"What's going on here?"

He asked me.

"As you see."

I replied with a smile while crossing my arms and met his gaze steadily.

"Both of them entered our room in the middle of the night and disturbed my sleep. They tried to kidnap my brother. Do you think I will just sit in the bed and do nothing? So I just beat them up a little. But who knows they are so weak and won't be able to take two slaps."

I explained with a calm but firm voice.

"Just two slaps?"

He said while sweating and gulping.

"Hmm. But the manager I don't understand I locked the door at night, so how did they enter this room? Not only that you also came to knock on the door urgently in this early morning. What do you want?"

I asked him suspiciously. Even if he showed his innocence yesterday, I can't believe in this world, anyone. Who knows when someone will try to back stab you when you don't notice? So it is better to be careful than getting hurt without knowing.

"How did he beat slap them that they are this wounded? Also, what was he trying to do when he asked me this? Both of them are stronger than any other man. I took them in because they looked strong and could do more work. But I didn't know they would do these kinds of things. If the guard came here then I won't be able to open my inn anymore. What will I do now? How can I prove my innocence?"

The manager is thinking all of these in fear. 

"I was thinking to hand them over to the guard. Then they will get some punishment."

I said just normally but I wanted to see his expression. If he is also with them then it would be easy to know with his expression. But the manager didn't let me down. When he heard, what I said his expression became shocked and his gaze flickered for a moment, and then he sighed in relief. Who knows what is he thinking?

"Why ask for help?"

He asked while looking at me with a straight gaze.

At that time, I also didn't know that two kidnappers had come to this room. If Theodore didn't call me in the middle of the night then I wouldn't even know until the morning.

"Who goes to disturb people in the middle of the night? It's best to wait till morning and do all the work swiftly."

I responded coldly and angrily.

"Haha. It's also true. Who disturbs other people?"

He remarked while laughing awkwardly as if he was trying to fix the situation.

"But manager, you can go now and prepare some food for us. We will eat before we go. Also, call some guard over here to take them to the prison."

I smiled and said coldly. I tried to find some fault in him but other than that time when he showed some emotion on his face but tried to hide, I didn't find anything on him. But don't worry, I will be on guard and when I will go to the academy, I will talk about this to the academy professors. I hope they will try to handle the situation. I won't be able to handle this big slave trading situation alone.

The manager nodded his head and went from there. After a while, he sent some food to our room with washing water. But he didn't come personally. I think he went do the things I said to him.

"Come and wash your face. Then we will eat breakfast."

I said while washing my face.

"Mm."

He just nodded his head and went over to wash his face. I went to the table to see the food if was all right. This time the food was fresh and no medicine was on them.

Theodore also came after freshening up. When we just touched the food someone knocked on the door again.