Chapter 2
All night Rinoa had been walking, trying to get to the nearest town. By the time she reached it, she was close to collapsing with exhaustion. She found the nearest inn, and entered, ordering a drink to quench her thirst. Gulping down the water as fast as she could, she turned to the innkeeper.
"Is there any way I can get out of town today?"
"Not that I know of, unless you want to walk it."
"There must be some way," she screamed in desperation, wanting to get as far away from the castle as possible.
"I can get you out of town," the man next to her offered.
"You can?"
"I'm only in town for the farmer's market. I was about to head off now. I can take you to another town on the way."
"Thank you. Thank you so much."
"Of course, it'll cost you."
"Will this do?" She handed him a 2000 gil note, and his eyes lit up.
"That will do nicely, thank you." He got up to leave. Rinoa picked up her bags and followed.
The ride in the cart was long and uncomfortable. Rinoa did not enjoy the company either. The man she was travelling with was rude and unpleasant.
"Though not quite as unpleasant as Seifer," she thought wryly. Despite the bumpy ride, she soon found herself falling asleep, her head resting against a bale of hay.
Rinoa awoke and found her surroundings had changed. She was lying in the gutter, alone.
"He just dumped me here? Maybe he is as bad as Seifer." Seeing that her bags were still beside her, she checked her purse, only to find that it was missing.
"Damn him." She began to weep.
"I'm all alone, with no money, and I don't even know where I am. What am I going to do?" She heard voices from a nearby alleyway and two men emerged, obviously drunk.
"Well, look what we have here."
"A little beggar girl."
"They're always the best, they are." Both of them began to laugh.
"I bet she'll be fun this one. Such a pretty little thing."
"Looks so pure and innocent."
"We'll see what we can do about that." They both advanced upon Rinoa, and she began to scream.
"Don't come any closer. Get away from me."
"Ha, did you hear that?"
"Somebody help. Please help." Both men were almost upon her now. "Help." She closed her eyes, knowing that her pleas were hopeless. However, nothing happened. She tentatively opened her eyes, only to find the two drunks sprawled unconscious on the floor.
All night Rinoa had been walking, trying to get to the nearest town. By the time she reached it, she was close to collapsing with exhaustion. She found the nearest inn, and entered, ordering a drink to quench her thirst. Gulping down the water as fast as she could, she turned to the innkeeper.
"Is there any way I can get out of town today?"
"Not that I know of, unless you want to walk it."
"There must be some way," she screamed in desperation, wanting to get as far away from the castle as possible.
"I can get you out of town," the man next to her offered.
"You can?"
"I'm only in town for the farmer's market. I was about to head off now. I can take you to another town on the way."
"Thank you. Thank you so much."
"Of course, it'll cost you."
"Will this do?" She handed him a 2000 gil note, and his eyes lit up.
"That will do nicely, thank you." He got up to leave. Rinoa picked up her bags and followed.
The ride in the cart was long and uncomfortable. Rinoa did not enjoy the company either. The man she was travelling with was rude and unpleasant.
"Though not quite as unpleasant as Seifer," she thought wryly. Despite the bumpy ride, she soon found herself falling asleep, her head resting against a bale of hay.
Rinoa awoke and found her surroundings had changed. She was lying in the gutter, alone.
"He just dumped me here? Maybe he is as bad as Seifer." Seeing that her bags were still beside her, she checked her purse, only to find that it was missing.
"Damn him." She began to weep.
"I'm all alone, with no money, and I don't even know where I am. What am I going to do?" She heard voices from a nearby alleyway and two men emerged, obviously drunk.
"Well, look what we have here."
"A little beggar girl."
"They're always the best, they are." Both of them began to laugh.
"I bet she'll be fun this one. Such a pretty little thing."
"Looks so pure and innocent."
"We'll see what we can do about that." They both advanced upon Rinoa, and she began to scream.
"Don't come any closer. Get away from me."
"Ha, did you hear that?"
"Somebody help. Please help." Both men were almost upon her now. "Help." She closed her eyes, knowing that her pleas were hopeless. However, nothing happened. She tentatively opened her eyes, only to find the two drunks sprawled unconscious on the floor.