Betrayed

You quickly moved out from behind the tree, guns drawn for intimidation. A dilemma quickly drew upon you as the carriage moved towards you with all speed. Both the carriage and the horses that bore it wore the markings of the Purshand Empire, your home. Attacking the state was not your plan, and you knew what retribution would swiftly follow if you were found out.

The decision was taken out of your hands as the driver simply drove the carriage faster, pushing the horses to move so fast to cause you either retreat or be run over, while his accomplice fired at you from a readied crossbow. Traveling at such speed, his aim was poor, the bolt sailing over and away from you by several feet. Responding on instinct, you fired at both men; the task of aiming both weapons at two different moving targets a difficult shot, even for the well trained. A loud bang rang out as you squeezed the triggers, trying to put the emphasis on the driver, startling the horses barreling towards you. That and the sudden jerking of reins from the driver, either dead or severly injured, caused them to finally break from their path.

Unsure exactly where they would go, you leapt behind the tree you had hidden yourself behind originally. It provided the necessary safety, and as you heard the carriage charge away recklessly, the armed guard shouting wildly as he tried in futile desperation to get control of the situation, the position allowed you to watch events unfold. Moving rapidly on even ground caused the carriage to sway erratically before something broke, seperating horses from carriage entirely, allowing them the chance to run off as the carriage heaved off of its wheels and tumbled into a ditch, laying on it's side.

This was not at all how you wanted this to go. With a probable casualty, a few Imperial horses missing and destruction of property, this was about as far way from that as possible. You were a self made privateer and highwayman, taking from those even more wealthy than you in order to provide for those stricken by poverty, not a traitor or an anarchist, and yet that is probably how someone from the outside would view things. Hoping you could salvage something out of this, and wanting to check for injured bystanders you could help, you dashed towards the turned over carriage. The guard who had been sitting along the driver had been quick enough on his feet to hop off of in the carriage before it toppled over, and was in clear view of you. Like most Imperials, he was a human, within the capable years of adulthood, rage and indignation flowing throughout his body, no place more strongly than in his eyes. With the distance closed and this time firing from a static position, his accuracy improved dramatically, the loosed bolt striking deep in your shoulder. You yelled out in pain as you felt it penetrate skin and muscle, but managed to push through. Sword drawn, you lowered your body slightly to make yourself a smaller tarket as you charged towards him, before quickly deliving a fatal slicing blow across his gut.

You were ready to walk away from all of this. Putting a face to a killer would never be worth whatever treasure or coin could be inside. You had started to take a few steps before you heard an unusual noise from inside. It resembled some form of a muffled scream, the voice seeming feminine in nature and tone. Cautiously, hopped onto the carriage, concerned that the sides wouldn't be built for the weight you were putting on it, as you reached for the door and opened it up. As you did, you were startled by what you saw. It was a feminine figure, that much was clear. Her naked frame made that fact unmistakable. Who or what she was evaded easy classification. Her overall size and build seemed very elf like, even with the long ears typical of your kind. That was where the easy similarities stopped. Her hair was completely white like an old woman, or your Drow cousins, though her skin was hardly the brown or purple tones of their kind. Instead, hers was a completely bone white, matching her hair almost exactly. Most striking and otherworldly, were the long, slinder tail, her piercing red eyes, and dark black horns, that spoke of being a demon, though you'd never heard of one appearing like this, not even the sucubus' and their ilk meant to attract and seduce. She was bound by the wrists and legs, and mouth gagged, like one would do to a resistant prisoner.

Or a ****.

That someone like this would be held and trafficked in an Imperial carriage was mortifying, as was leaving her here for whatever might happen next. Your mind raced through the possible reasons and conseqeuences, trying to map out a course of next steps. You had to remind yourself whatever that would be, the first step had to be getting her out.

"It's okay." You said, trying to calm the situation "I'm not trying to hurt you. If you can lift your arms up, I can get you out of here." The young lady nodded and lifter her bound hands. It was a grueling effort, the necessity of the moment the only way you found the strength to get her out. Unsheathing a sharpened dagger, you cut through the bonds of her wrists and ankles, allowing her to stand and move freely, before removing her gag.

"There we go" You said gently, trying to be a source of calm despite the violent chaos "I'm sure that's gotta feel better. Can you move? Can you walk? Can you understand me?"

She nodded and began to speak, a heavily accented voice gave some hint of her not being from here "Yes, to all" Her voice was faint and scratchy, likely dehydrated, along from all of the shouting and screaming she had tried to do on her journey.

"Good." You looked around quickly "I can get you some place safe, but we have to move quick, okay?". With a nod, the two of you darted away from the scene of the crime, hoping to find a good place for her to hide and figure out next steps.