CHAPTER FOUR
"You're not going anywhere." His voice is strangely calm and Cagalli blinks her eyes, unable to believe what is happening. Just what is Athrun trying to pull? "I'm not going to allow you to go home," he continues.
She frowns as she tilts her head to the side. "And why not?" she asks.
"You're going to come with me."
"And what if I don't want to?" Whatever little game Athrun is playing, she decides to simply go along.
"You don't have a choice," he tells her in a low dangerous voice. This is where she finds out that it is no game. Athrun is dead serious.
She gasps in surprise and she looks up, searching his green emerald eyes for any signs that this is all just a silly joke. But all she sees is a hard and cruel glare.
"What do you want from me?" her voice a little above a whisper. She is confused, hurt. She thought Athrun is my friend.
"You belong to the house of Athha." He spits out her name as though it's venom. "Aren't you going to deny it?"
"No, you... you're right. But what does my house-"
"Your father," he cuts her off. "Uzumi Nara Athha, is a monster."
"What right do have to say that about my father? You don't even know him." she hotly defends, feeling a little frustrated at his accusation.
"You're the one who doesn't know him!" Athrun shouts at her. "Haven't you wondered what happens to the people outside after dark? Didn't you see who- no - what attacked me? Or maybe you do know everything? And you're just pretending you don't!"
"Are you blaming my father for what happened to you? I didn't see who or what attacked you Athrun. You were bleeding and broken when I found you-"
"So you really don't know what's happening?" Athrun scoffs. "It's either that or you're a one fine actress."
"What did our family ever do to you?" she asks in a softer voice, trying to understand.
"Your father killed my mother."
"That is not true!" she immediately argues. "Why would he do that!"
"Why don't you ask him?"
"I will if you let me go home."
"Not a chance. It'll only be over my dead body." She is a little lost for words. She is mad, partly at Athrun, and partly at herself for being so stupid to trust him in the first place. It is her own idiocy and naivety that landed her in this situation. "We're leaving in ten minutes whether you like it or not. Don't try to escape or seek help because I will catch you in the end and make your life even more unpleasant. You can hold my word for it." With that, he leaves the room.
Her heart is beating fast. She is unsure of what to do. She looks out the window. He has told her not to escape.
To hell with him.
She walks quickly to the window and pulls the curtains open. She then tries to open the window.
Darn it! The latch will not open. It is stuck!
The only way out is through the door. She takes a deep breath as she arranges her cloak.
She opens the door. Athrun is right outside. He walks her down the stairs. There are no other people aside from the innkeeper. He is an old man. He will not stand a chance against Athrun if she tries to seek his help. She cannot count on Athrun not attacking the man.
She takes a glance at Athrun. He has a tight grip on the latch of his sword, as if warning her not to do anything stupid. She keeps her composure as she walks out of the inn. Outside, Athrun grabs her arm tightly, and she bites her lip, preventing herself from crying out in pain. Athrun leads her to the Infinite Justice. He binds her hands as he lifts her easily on the saddle.
She doesn't put up a struggle. It is no use. The innkeeper is the only person around for miles. Athrun gets behind her. And then, they gallop away.
Athrun's hold on her is the only thing preventing her from falling off the horse as we speed through the forests. She has half a mind of just squirming out of his grasp and jumping off the horse. She will get hurt of course but at that point in time, she doesn't really care. What persuades her to sit still however, is the possibility of escaping later on.
They finally stop when darkness falls. He gets her down the horse and proceeds to make a small fire. He finally releases the ropes on her wrists. There are ugly red marks on her wrists and she rubbed them, trying to soothe the sore feeling.
She sits down opposite from him and he throws her a packet of preserved meat. She takes one out and immediately starts nibbling on it. She is famished, having not eaten for what feels like days. But she is also not accustomed to travellers' rations.
"I'm not going to tie you up tonight but if you try to escape, I won't be so nice anymore," he says. It is the first time he speaks to her since they have departed from the inn.
"Why?" She can't help but to ask. "Revenge is what you want, isn't it? So why don't you do yourself a favour and kill me now? Get it over and done with."
"Death will be too easy. And I don't want it easy."
Sweet Haumea! She gulps inwardly. This man is deranged! What is going to do to her?
After 'dinner', she lies down as close to the fire as possible, trying to soak in as much warmth as she can in the chilling night.
She isn't sure how much time has passed since she fell asleep. It is still dark, however. She looked across, Athrun seems to be sleeping; his breathing is even. She walks towards him on tiptoes.
No stir.
She bends down and waves at him. She tries making weird faces. There is no reaction. Nothing. No motion. Okay, maybe he really is asleep.
She threads silently towards the Infinite Justice. Her stallion is awake apparently, and he has seen her doing her monkey business on Athrun. She unties the rope to the tree and takes the reins, trying to make the steed stand up. He neighs at her as it resists her hold over him. Haumea has got to be kidding her! Justice will not listen to her; she cannot get it to move. And she is supposed to be his master!
She looks back to Athrun, checking to see if he is awake. To her horror, his body has disappeared.
"Justice here has become quite loyal to me. I'm the only one who can get him to move."
Athrun suddenly emerges from behind the tree. He gets the Justice to stand up. Then, he takes some ropes and begins binding her wrists again.
"The sun hasn't even risen yet," she tells him as he lifts her onto the red stallion. "Why are we leaving now?"
He doesn't answer.
Days has passed and Cagalli doesn't bother to make any more attempts to escape. They are in the middle of nowhere and she can't get the Justice to cooperate. She can't possibly make her way on foot knowing that civilisation is miles away. She will just die trying. Either she will get lost and get eaten by a wild animal or she will just rot away after her legs collapse from all the walking. Both are miserable ways to die.
She is thinking about the life of luxury she has left behind at home. Mostly, she is thinking about food. Kebabs, chocolates and strawberries, her three most favourite food in that order. She doesn't notice it when they enter a small quiet town. There is young man, blonde hair and tan skin, waiting for them at the front of the inn.
"Dearka," Athrun curtly nods.
His friend whistles and says, "What have you gotten yourself my friend? She's a hell of a hottie!"
Athrun places her down. This is when the blonde, Dearka, sees her bounds hands.
"Athrun! How can you treat a pretty lady like this, tying her up?"
"Don't get too close to her Dearka; she's an Athha."
Cagalli winces slightly when Athrun says her name.
"WHAT? B-But h-how? How can she stand it? We're in broad day light!" Dearka exclaims.
Athrun gives look which makes Dearka shut up. Athrun then drags her upstairs to the room, Dearka is trailing behind.
Great. With two of them now, chances of her escaping will be a point zero one percent.
Athrun unbinds her hands when they are all inside. And she perches herself at the edge of one of the twin beds.
"Are you sure it's safe to let her free?" Dearka asks wary.
"Don't worry. She's harmless," Athrun replies.
She wants to pounce on Athrun in that instant. He is mocking her, saying she isn't any threat. She'll show him!
"She's not like them. She can barely put up a struggle with me," Athrun says.
She really wants to interrupt and say that it is simply because she hasn't bothered. If she puts her mind to it, she can kick his ass all the way back to the Plants.
"Stay here and make sure she doesn't escape," Athrun commands Dearka.
"Wait! I thought you said she's harmless?!"
"Yes, but that doesn't mean she won't try to escape. And more thing Dearka, don't get fresh with her," Athrun warns before he leaves.
Cagalli remains seated on the bed, thinking of a thousand ways to escape, until Dearka breaks the silence between them.
"Do you eat?" he asks, handing her a loaf bread and an apple.
What kind of a question is he asking? She wants to knock on his head to hear if it is hallow inside.
"Do you have a brain?" she asks rather sweetly.
He looks back at her in shock, mouth gaping like a fish. "Of course I have!" he says indignantly.
"Great, then use it," she says as she starts to chew on some bread.
She is dreaming of the fire again. She has been dreaming of it for many nights. Every time, she will wake up after the windows has shattered in her dream. Tonight is no exception. She is covered in beads of sweat as her eyes adjusts to the moonlight shining into the room.
She has fallen asleep earlier. She is not able to resist. The bed is just too comfortable after sleeping for nights on hard ground. She looks to her left and sees Athrun occupying the other bed. Dearka, the imbecile, is no where in sight. Maybe this is her chance! Suddenly, the doors fly open. Athrun is immediately up with his sword drawn.
It is Dearka at the door.
"We have to go now!" his voice is urgent. "Soldiers from the house of Athha are on the way!"
She doesn't have to wait long before she is dragged up on her feet and then lifted up onto the horse. She is already used to the bound-hands-and-manhandling treatment. She sticks her hands out to Athrun willingly as he ties them up. In his defence, Athrun doesn't really manhandle her. He is very gentle. Suddenly, she wants to give herself a slap. Athrun is her captor! Sweet Haumea, is she suffering from Stockholm syndrome?
Her eye lids are heavy as they travel in the night. She can feel herself dozing off. She leans slightly back to something hard but warm. "You can lean back on me and sleep," she hears a voice. "I won't let you fall."
And she blanks out.
She wants to get some rope and hang herself on a tree. Clearly, she is more level headed in the morning when she realises that she could have escape. Come on, her father's soldiers were nearby, they have probably been deployed to find her. She could have put up a fight and last long enough for them to arrive. But no, she just had to sleep through it all. Great job Cagalli, she should be proud of herself.
She takes an apple from Athrun and starts munching on it. Dearka is not in sight. Aside from being angry with herself, she feels disgusted. She hasn't had a descent bath in ages. Her clothes are clean, Athrun actually bothered to buy her a change of clothes. She is wearing a simple cream dress with short sleeves. It is a travelling dress although she much prefers trousers especially for riding.
She hears ruffles and Athrun and her look towards the bushes. Dearka emerges, smiling like the idiot he is.
"Guess who I found wondering in the woods?"
TBC.
Revised as of September 2016.
