The civilians are back

Grace was really infuriated, a week ago, this bastard was talking as if he really cared about the civilian's life. But the entire seven days he has been enjoying himself with his wives. Not even bothering to talk about the kidnapped civilians. 

"It seems we have other choice then…" Grace muttered as a light flickered in her eyes. 

"Bang…" Suddenly the door slammed open and a flustered servant rushed inside the door.

"M… My lady… the… there are a lot of people coming towards the town from the forest area" The servant stuttered as he spoke. 

"What?" Grace was stunned. 

"Y… Yes, ma'am hundreds of people are coming from the jungle area into our territory." 

"Is it an attack?" Grace asked. Although this was out of expectation, it didn't mean she couldn't hold her fort. 

"…" The servant fell silent.

"What is it?" Grace asked again.

"No, my lady… they… they all look like beggars, with some goons among them." The servant replied. 

"…"

Then as if something clicked Grace she immediately walked out of the room and went to the tallest part of the castle. 

The castle was situated at the center part of the town and was also on a high ground, not to mention it was also the highest building in the town, making it easy for her to see a large group of people coming from the forest towards the town.

There were men, women, young children, all looked quite weak, and among them were also some muscular men in black clothes without any symbols on them. They looked nothing like other civilians. 

But what shocked Grace the most, and it really shocked the hell out of her, was that all these weak, ill, and even somewhat beaten-up civilians were all…

"Happy? What the hell?"

Grace just could not understand what was happening. Of course, she immediately understood that these were the civilians who had been kidnapped. 

But even if you have been kidnapped and found a way to return home, shouldn't your happiness be like

'I am finally back… mama I was so scared…' kind of happiness.

Why were they all behaving like they just left for a picnic and are returning now. 

"Hold them on the gates… we need to make sure of their identities." Grace gave her command. 

…

On the gates of the town a very unrealistic scene was taking place.

At a little distance from the gates there was a cart, inside the cart, Grace sat as she watched everything that was happening on the gates.

She could still not wrap her head around how it all happened. 

A big group of people was currently standing outside of the gates, with many of the guards stationed hurriedly to guard the gates. 

The group of people who came from the forest were being led by the muscular men in the front. 

Seeing those muscular, men the guards felt a little threatened. They did not know when the situation might turn to worse. 

Suddenly, the forest group came to halt at a little distance from the gates.

The guards tensed up.

One of the muscular men in black, who also appeared to be the leader started walking forward. 

Sweats dripped the back of the guards. 

"Ho… hold…. Who are you people?" The leader of the guards shouted at the leading man in black. 

"Step…" The dangerous looking man stopped. 

"No harm, no harm… dear guards. We wish no harm" He raised his hands and spoke. 

"…" The leader did not speak anything.

"Actually, we are here to surrender ourself, you see we are all kidnappers who were send from the neighboring territory to kidnap people from your territory, we now realize how bad we were, so we came to surrender ourself."

"…"

"What?" The leader of guards didn't know what to say.

"Yes, oye all of you, what are you doing, hurry up and get yourself arrested, can't you see these guards are busy, later they also have to take care of the civilians as well." The leader of kidnappers shouted at his men.

"Yes boss, hello mister guard, would it be fine if you cuff my hands, or if you don't want to, I can also go with you without it, but you know it's better the cough the hands of the villains, who knows when they might end up showing their true colors." One of the men in black enthusiastically advised to a young guard.

"Eh… umm…" the young guard looked at the leader. What the hell was he supposed to do now.

"What are you looking at me dumbass, they have already admitted their crimes, arrest them. If someone resists, beat them up." Although the guard leader was also confused, he knew how to keep his calm, It was important to take care of current situation, they can get their explanations later. 

"Yes sir." The guards immediately got to the job.

After the men in black were all arrested. The weak looking civilians came to the front.

"Hold… show your identity." A guard spoke to a civilian.

"Identity… un mister guard I did not bring my identity while going to the forest, these bastards really played a big prank on us old fools, hahaha…" The middle aged man laughed. 

"What prank? You are not allowed in without identities, capture him." The guard asked his fellows to capture the man.

"Wa… Wait I have a shop in the town, you can ask my son to bring the identity." The man protested. 

"Heya father I am here. Mister Guard he is my father, he had disappeared two weeks ago, we also went to report it. Here is his identity."

"Father it's so good that you are back." 

Seeing a commotion happening at the gates of the town, the young man had decided to come with his friends and see what was happening. Who would have thought that he would find his missing father who suddenly disappeared to weeks ago.

"Slap… You dumb son, what are you doing here. Who is taking care of the shop? Always wasting your time doing useless stuff, what are you here for looking at other people entering the town? Is it so entertaining?" The young man's eyes were full of tears.

'Stinky old man, if I had not been here, you would have been captured by the guards, instead of praising me you slap me?'

The young man was about to retort, when felt a smack on his back as well. 

"Get out of the way idiot, can't you see we are working?" The guard smacked him.

"Sir, I am sorry for our earlier behavior, but you will still have to wait here for some time as we have some questions, we would like to ask you later." The guard immediately became polite to the old merchant after warming his hand on his son's back. 

"Oh no problem. I am sorry for the trouble my son caused." The guard and the man smiled at each other. 

"…" With tears in his eyes the merchant's son started walking back to the crowd, when he heard the guards voice along with his fathers.

"Man… that felt really good." 

"…" Tears flowed out of his eyes like fountain.