A Piece of Advice

Among the tears that had been welling up until now, a single drop slowly slipped down Theresa's cheek as she watched the town where she grew up grow distant, its familiar outlines fading into the horizon. The scent of damp earth and leaves filled the air, a bittersweet reminder of the life she was leaving behind. If only she had someone...anyone who would offer her support and comfort, but instead she was alone and forced to face this cruel world by herself.

"Don't cry now." The head guard said, his voice low and gravelly. He leaned closer, his elbows resting on his thighs. "Your town folks were stupid to sell you off because of money and grudges. But don't worry, you'll be treated well, and you might perhaps have a life better than theirs." His lip curled into a faint, unsettling smile.

Theresa's gaze drifted away from the man in front of her, her eyes following the trees as they flashed by in a green blur. She heard the rhythmic creaking of the carriage wheels, the soft snorting of the horses, and the head guard's tongue clicking softly as he raised her chin with his fingers. His touch sent a shiver down her spine, and she wondered, with a growing sense of unease, if she was perhaps lucky or not.

"Those two idiots just had to scratch your face," he muttered, his eyes narrowing as he inspected Theresa's injury. "They are dreaming if they think I will pay them what we agreed on."

Theresa's gaze found the head guard's, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "Pay them?" she asked, her voice laced with a mix of curiosity and wariness.

The man hummed, his expression thoughtful, before responding. "They insist they get paid for discovering you and going through all the trouble to get the permit." He chuckled, a low, menacing sound. "But that agreed payment is long gone. They will only be getting a few gold coins from me." The carriage creaked and swayed, the sound of horse hooves echoing outside.

"How much did you agree on?" Theresa asked, boldly, her fingers gripping the edge of the carriage seat as it hit a bump. She doubted she would have dared to ask such bold questions if the head guard's men were present, but the carriage was empty except for the two of them.

"The greedy humans wanted over five hundred gold coins," he said, his hand drifting to his side. "I made them agree on three hundred gold coins instead. They will still benefit from their town being developed, either way." Leaning back against the carriage seat, a smirk grew on his lips as his gaze moved to the window, where the passing trees cast dappled shadows. "They are smart and foolish at the same time."

Theresa's brows raised. "You cheated them..." she accused.

"One of the reasons I prefer working with illiterates," he chuckled. "Consider it a payback for what they did to you."

Theresa couldn't believe they thought she was worth three hundred gold coins, nor had she expected them to stoop so low as to sell her. The idea of being sold like a commodity made her stomach churn. But knowing Mr. Johnson, who was educated unlike his mother - who could sell anything at the mention of gold - he probably had something up his sleeve. He surely didn't plan to just let her off the hook easily, there was definitely more to his plan.

Remembering something, Theresa decided to take a risk. Perhaps the man in front of her could show pity and let her go. She felt a glimmer of hope, but it was quickly extinguished as she looked at the head guard's impassive face.

"What if I buy myself back?" Theresa's words sounded odd even to her own ears. She hadn't expected herself to be having this kind of conversation for the twenty-three years she had lived. The desperation in her voice made her cringe inwardly. "Any amount you want." She added, trying to sound confident.

The man laughed, a cold, mirthless sound, and Theresa stared at him with a straight face, wondering if she had said something amusing.

"I will pretend I didn't hear that," he said, his expression unyielding. "Keep whatever money you have and don't think I will show you sympathy, I am only doing my job here." He moved his gaze back to the window, watching as the trees passed in a gentle blur. "There are people out there, willing to give more than enough money just to get their hands on slaves." His gaze moved back to hers. "Now just pray you are bought by someone who will treat you like the human you are."

His words sent a chill through her, and Theresa felt her hope dwindling. She was trapped, and she knew it.