Fortune Favors the Cursed
the-reticent-seer
diverselit
diverselit
1.3K5
An orphan girl with questionable morals. A scarred prince with two lives. One relic to change their world.
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Badriya As-Sahra is sick of piling up camel dung and ...Chapter 10
Ayaz flicked Layl's reins, wishing for him to go faster than his usual speed. He could feel his dear steed wanting to slow down from exhaustion, but he caressed his horse's mane gently, relaxing his grip on the reins.
"Come on, Layl," he whispered. "Faster. We need to save them."
He hoped that they didn't get too far in fear of losing them. He couldn't bear the idea that an innocent person slipped from under his watch.
As if by a miracle, Ayaz finally saw the ones he pursued; the traders unmounted not far from him, their weapons at the ready. Salma and Iman gazed at him with fearful looks, their mouths gagged and their limbs tied.
As Layl rounded around the 'osba, Ayaz leaped from his saddle and faced his enemies, matching their blades with his own.
And then they attacked. Three of them came to Ayaz all at once. A storm of steel crashed onto him, but he countered by using his saif as a shield. A loud clang rattled his ears. They continued their offense by raining deadly slashes and stabs. As Ayaz parried and evaded as a defense, a grim thought crossed his mind.
These people he was fighting weren't just slave traders: they were mercenaries.
Their skills were impeccable, something that took years of training and experience. They used powerful techniques that could handicap or kill a person in an instant. They were moves that Ayaz hadn't mastered yet. And even if he did, he wouldn't dare use them on anyone.
Too bad for them, he was a better swordsman for it.
Ayaz kicked one of his enemies aside and hit the other with the blunt side of his blade, leaving the last of them circling him. Beads of sweat rolled off his brow, but his energy wasn't as spent as the mercenaries. While he watched them collect themselves, he noticed how they panted like dogs and how their arms shook from bashing their swords at him, and failing. Ayaz couldn't help but smirk.
They were damn bold to attempt a kidnapping in the daylight. No matter. They'd tire themselves soon enough, and then they'd pay for their deeds.
The fourth mercenary stepped away from their captives and slowly headed for Ayaz. He looked at him arrogantly, as if he hadn't just watched his comrades fail to end him. Instead of reaching for the sword behind his back, he inserted his hand into his pockets.
Ayaz narrowed his eyes. What is he up to?
"Ayaz!" a female voice shouted.
He whipped his head to the source of the voice. Badriya was coming towards them. Everyone, including Ayaz, suddenly became distracted. Moments later, she pulled her horse into a stop and landed beside him, pulling out her dagger from her sleeve.
"What are you doing here?" Ayaz hissed. "I told you to stay back."
Badriya scoffed. "Do I look like a medic to you? I'm better at fighting people than healing them."
The mercenary threw something overhead. Before he got the chance of discerning the object, a click sounded and it exploded right in front of their faces.
Ayaz pulled his balaclava up to his nose, protecting himself from the smoke. On the other hand, Badriya coughed, collapsing on her knees. He didn't watch her further and resumed the fight with the mercenaries.
Like what Ayaz speculated, the three traders barely had the strength to continue with the fight. One by one, he ended their lives swiftly until the only one left was the twins' supposed watcher.
Swinging a punch that toppled his remaining enemy, Ayaz fisted the man's collar while barely inching his sword to his neck.
"Who sent you?" Ayaz demanded. "How did you know about the twins?"