"Wait, wait, wait! Did you just say Atlantis? But why would you be so far south?" I question before taking in his expensive clothing for the first time. "And what's up with the clothes? Are you a noble or something?" I question, looking at Evan with a raised eyebrow.
"Well...sort of." Evan mutters, running a finger through the dirt in front of him. "I was accused of trying to overthrow my father and got banished from my home." Evan says, looking at the ground with a strange note to his voice almost as if he's...crying?
"Don't cry. I'm sure they'll figure everything out and you'll be able to go back home before you know it." I say, trying to sound comforting. Evan smiles sadly for a moment before a goofy grin covers his face as he jumps to his feet, and begins to bounce around.
Three weeks pass with nothing much happening. Evan had convinced me that staying with them would be the better choice, allowing both of us to have someone to talk to that's around our age. Currently, we're picking herbs to treat the newest member of our little caravan with. He's a merchant that got involved with a ground of tomb robbers that decided he was extra baggage as soon as he had gotten them inside the tomb and left him to death.
"So do you think he's going to survive? I mean, I've seen some people survive some of the demons with no problem, but this isn't a demon. He lost a lot of blood out there before we found him." I mutter as I stare hatefully at one of the herbs that had eluded my picking.
"I bet he will. I mean, if he wasn't going to, he would have already entered judgment by now." Evan says as he stares at his empty basket. I look at him, only to see the contents of his basket. My eye twitches in irritation.
"Evan...what happened to your herbs?" I question, a note of irritation in my voice that I may have been the only one doing anything. I mean, don't get me wrong. Evan and I had become close friends but...sometimes the fact that he's a noble from Atlantis is just irritating. I mean, he doesn't even seem to know how to pick herbs!
"This took them." Evan says as he raises a coyote pup. I stare at it with shock.
"A...coyote took all of your herbs? Can I ask how it even managed to get in there?" I ask, looking at the pup while a strange urge to cuddle it choking me.
"Apparently. I mean, one minute my basket is half full and the next-" Evan motions to his basket. I gently pick the pup out of Evan's arms, and cuddle it. He watches in surprise as the coyote curls up in my lap.
"I'll take care of it." I say as complete peace overcomes my mind. We sit there for a while, just watching the coyote sleep on my lap before we both jump to our feet when we hear the sound of horse hooves hitting the ground not far behind us. We both turn to see about six or seven horses speeding toward us. When our situation suddenly dawns on us, we both jump to our feet, intent on running toward cover. I hold the coyote pup to my chest as it burrows its head in my neck.
"Well, well, well. What might you two lovely's be doing out here on such a hot day?" The leader says as he circles us on his horse. Evan's eyes widen as I step in front of him.
"I don't think that's any of your business, now is it?" I demand, glaring at the man. He squints his wrinkle-filled eyes as he gets a better look at me.
"Well, I'll be damned! You're that kid everyone's looking for!" The man practically shouts as he grins. "I'll get a handsome price for you!" He says as he motions for one of his men to walk forward. I take a step forward, only to turn when I hear Evan shout out in surprise as someone grabs him. Unfortunately, that gives the man the opening he needed. He lunges forward, grasping one of my arms before swiftly bringing it behind my back.
"Ow, Ra dammit!" The man shouts as the coyote pup bites his hand.
"What happened?" The leader questions, looking at the man like he's lost his mind. The man rips the pup out of my arms, causing me to cry out, and try to grab it back.
"This...THING bit me!" The man shouts as he goes to throw the pup on the ground, only to stop when they see the look in my eyes. "What the..."
"Give the thing here." The leader says, holding a hand out for the man to hand the pup to him. He smirks when my eyes follow the pup. "Ah, I understand." The leader says with a grin as he reaches behind him, pulling a bag out of his saddle bag. He drops the pup inside before swinging it back and forth slightly in front of me. "If you do what we say, it shall not be harmed." The leader says, watching as I go limp, allowing the man that had been bitten to tie my wrists together in front of me. "All right. Let us be on our way." The leader says pulling on the rope connected to my wrists that the other man had given him. I gasp as I stumble forward two steps before I regain my balance. I glance over my shoulder, only to see Evan's arms and legs tied to a horse while his body is draped over it. I turn around when I feel a sharp tug on the rope before we begin our long trek to wherever they're taking us.