Chapter 11 - Rare Breed

Emelinia found her way to the market. She headed to the train station. She planned on sneaking in it and figuring out what to do about a ticket later. To her dismay, she saw guards showing people her picture at the train station.

My suspicions were right. Her heart sank.

Emelinia walked away quickly before anyone could see her. She was snatched a two meter cloth from a trader unnoticed, and she wrapped herself in it in order to conceal her identity. Emelinia nervously walked past guards who were looking for her. The market seemed to be filled by them and this made her restless.

When she was about to lose hope, Emelinia saw a man load a cart with bundles of clothes he had just ordered. Emelinia waited until he was done before sneaking into the cart. He didn't notice her get on because he was too busy talking to another man. Her small frame made it easy for her to hide in between the bundles. The man unknowingly threw a rag over the bundles. With a whip, his horses pulled the cart out of the city.

****

Sharumez and Jenu were admiring a carriage that was on sale. Sharumez's carriage was completely destroyed in a storm so he thought of buying another one especially now that they were in the capital. Everything was up for a bargain there.

The particular carriage initially cost 2000 pearls but after negotiations, it dropped to 1500pearls. Sharumez only had a 1000 to spare so Jenu agreed to lend him the remaining 500pearls. The trader and his workers helped Sharumez and Jenu bound their horses to the wagon after payments were done. The two of them then proceeded to load their luggage into the carriage. When everything was done, they set out of Cherilisia.

****

Light awoke from an unplanned afternoon nap when he heard a knock on his bedroom door. Light groaned and put his pillow over his face. He assumed that one of his sisters wanted to bother him with something. When he heard light footsteps get into his room, he concluded that he was right. The sound of his door closing didn't make him take the pillow off his face.

"You might as well say what you want now that you are here." Light said through the pillow but got no response. He unwillingly took the pillow off his face and checked. "Sharaina?" he sprung up to a sitting position.

"I'm sorry I came unannounced." Sharaina said, her eyes avoiding Light. "Your father told me to come here. He said that you wouldn't mind."

Why is she nervous? Light wondered, "Um he was right. I don't mind that you have."

Sharaina said nothing but just nodded her head with her eyes looking left and right. Light was baffled that she was failing to look directly at him. Sharaina was blushing so much that she feared that her head was going to explode.

"Sharaina, what's wrong?" Light finally asked her.

Sharaina pointed at him and he noticed that he wasn't wearing a shirt. Light covered himself with his pillow.

"Sorry, I forgot that I wasn't wearing a shirt." He apologized. "Pass me that brown shirt over there." He pointed at the shirt on his couch.

Sharaina picked it and threw it at him. Sharaina faced away as Light was putting his shirt on. She saw his guitar lying on the carpet and walked over to it. She knelt down and admired its beauty. Sharaina slowly ran her fingers through the strings. Light knelt down in front of her and picked up the guitar.

"Would you like me to play you something?" He asked her and she happily nodded her head. "I started working on this last week. It's not done yet but let me know what you think about it." Light said as he played.

Sharaina was completely enchanted by the sweet melody of the guitar. She felt herself getting lost in the symphony. She swayed to the song and Light smiled at her the whole time.

The sweet music was heard by the whole household. Velan was reading a newspaper in the living room while his wife Nami was knitting. Their daughters Stariss, Jayniss and Lara were reading novels. Stariss was the oldest of the girls. She was ten years younger than Light. Jayniss was the third born and she was Sharaina's agemate. Lara was the youngest. She was 31 years old.

All four of Velan's children were gamarax manipulators like his wife. He on the other hand was a fourth class darkas god. He made a living from his successful multimillion pearl shoe and clothing company. Nami secured a job at the local hospital as a doctor. Other times she would lecture at the Gamarax Manipulator Academy.

"Papa," Stariss called suddenly.

"Yes, dear?" Velan answered without taking his eyes off his paper.

"Light is playing for someone who isn't a family member. Don't you find that interesting?" Stariss smirked.

Velan laughed softly. "Yes I do actually. This means that he is particularly fond of that young lady."

"Do you think that perhaps he is developing romantic feelings for her papa?" Jayniss was next to ask.

Nami paused her knitting and scowled at Jayniss. "He won't be foolish to make that mistake." Nami said and continued knitting. "He knows that he is engaged to a beautiful and well cultured girl of a wealthy family."

Velan folded his paper and locked eyes with Nami. "You don't have to get angry with Jayniss' question. Light is a sensible boy. He will never do anything to upset us. That girl is just his friend."

"I know that. I just don't like the amount of time he is spending with her." Nami sighed.

"He is improving with his talent everyday." Velan changed the subject. "If only he didn't have stage fright, he would have been making good money off of it."

"I'd prefer he utilizes his talent as a gamarax manipulator instead. So far he is doing extremely well at the academy. He has been top of his class for five years. I tolerate his fond for music as a hobby and nothing else." Nami said, her tone was cold and had a hint of arrogance in it.

Velan unfolded his paper. "Of course." He said and resumed reading.

****

Emelinia dozed off as the cart bounced on the rocky gravel road. For hours she listened to the owner of the cart sing songs and laugh at his own jokes. She couldn't believe that she had escaped. Emelinia hoped that she would never have to return to Cherilisia again.

Suddenly a huge bump on the road woke her up. The cart was turned over and Emelinia crushed to the ground. She heard a ringing sound in her ears. When she held her pounding head, her hand got wet with her blood. Emelinia peeped underneath the cart and saw the two horses struggling to get back to their feet. She couldn't see or hear the cart owner and wondered if he was okay. Emelinia heard strange muscular voices and fear crept into her.

The royal guards have found me! She panicked internally.

"Are you telling me that you are on your own and all you are carrying are a bunch of clothes?" Emelinia heard one man say.

"Yes, please have mercy on me. You can take everything I have but please don't hurt me." He begged.

Take everything I have? Emelinia asked herself. This can only mean that robbers are the ones who have attacked us.

"Flip the cart!" Emelinia heard the same say.

Her heart beat so fast as she listened to the men walk to the cart. They lifted it off and immediately set their eyes on her. One reached for her but she kicked him in his balls. Emelinia tried to run but another man grabbed a handful of her hair and forced her close to him.

He was a tall and slim man with a fit body in black tights and purple cloak. His long hair was tied in a pony tail. His right ear had six piercings and his eyelids were covered in black eye shadow. He looked very different from the other five men who just wore regular clothes that consisted of shirts, jeans and dusty boots.

The mysterious purple cloak man put a knife to Emelinia's throat. Emelinia struggled to get him off but her efforts just cost her cuts on her neck. The owner of the fallen cart was on his knees with his hands up. He gaped at Emelinia astonished.

"So, you lied to us?" The man holding Emelinia said. "You were not alone. Tell me, who is she to you? Wife, sister or girl friend?" He deviously asked.

"I honestly don't know who she is. Please believe me!" He begged.

"What should we do with him, Jemi?" One of the other men asked the purple cloak man.

"Get up!" Jemi ordered the man and he stood up. "Get out of here." He said.

The man cut and ran as fast as he could. One of the robbers pointed his gun at him and fired. Emelinia screamed at the fallen cart owner. The gun shot startled Sharumez and Jenu. They looked up to their west and saw birds flying away in fright.

"Jemi what do we do with this girl?" The man who fired the gun asked as he lustfully eyed Emelinia.

"We will take her back to the hideout. I'm sure she will please Lord Diavinx." Jemi said.

The man frowned but when he looked at Emelinia from head to toe, he grinned hopefully. "She will not please him. Lord Diavinx likes them pretty with a full chest. She is only pretty." He argued.

Jemi pulled up Emelinia's head band and exposed her star birthmark. "She will make an exception. She is a rare breed." Jemi grinned deviously.

A gun shot was suddenly heard and Emelinia screamed uncontrollably. The men except Jemi pulled out their guns and pointed them at the stranger who fired at them.

Sharumez

He pointed his gun at Jemi who further pressed his knife on Emelinia's neck.

"Now, I am going to need you to let her go and we can go our separate ways." Sharumez boldly said as he sternly looked at Jemi.

"Are you out of your mind? You want to risk your life for a whore you don't even know?" Jemi laughed.

"I won't ask you again." Sharumez warned him and pressed gently onto the trigger