Chapter 3: Caught By The Slave Traders
It was midday in the summer. The scorching sun was up in the sky, and not even a fluff of cloud was there to block its rays.
As the sweat drenched her clothes, Anna dragged her cracked soles to continue the journey. Her delicate body was taking its toll as it could not stand such a harsh environment.
Fearing being caught, the princess continued moving. It had been days since her escape. She had lost count of how many it had been.
However, she had left the forest long ago and was aimlessly walking in the middle of an unknown rocky road.
Anna’s throat was getting parched. Her lips and hands were chapped, and her stomach was rumbling. The bush berries she had were long gone, and nothing was left for her to eat.
Finally, her body gave in. She flopped onto the ground helplessly with heavy feet. Due to the long, arduous journey, the soles were dyed red from the cuts.
Anna thought of the castle, the only place she had known as home her entire life. She could neither return nor move forward.
Where should she go?
Where should she hide?
Were the Bargesians looking for her?
The princess was at her wits’ end. Living in the castle, she had never faced such hardship. Though not equivalent to the marvellous treatment a princess should have, she was still living comfortably. The only time that was horrible enough for her was when she lost her family.