Freya’s head was still in the clouds, with the three words Rowan had just said to her dancing in her mind. She hadn’t seen it coming at all, both the kiss and the confession. He’d said it so smoothly; obviously, Freya had been waiting for those words. All of Rowan’s actions had hinted at the feelings he had for her, but it wasn’t in that very moment.
Words like that were usually said in private, maybe while couples were holding each other closely. Freya never knew they could be said randomly and still make such an impact. She felt weak in her knees, and not just because of Rowan professing his feelings for her but because of everything that had happened in one night.
Rowan was just too sweet. Freya gazed at him from the corner of her eye. She couldn’t believe this was the same man she’d been scared of, mostly because of his size and how he teased her all the time without a single smile. Now it was as if a part of Rowan had changed; he was smiling at every word she said and even expressing himself better.
"I know you can’t take your eyes off me, but you need to watch your step," Rowan said, turning to look at Freya.
Freya scowled. "What? I wasn’t looking at—" she stepped into a puddle of mud in front of her.
"Then how come you didn’t see that?" Rowan pointed, the corner of his lips tugging with a suppressed smile.
Freya raised her foot, a grimace spreading across her face. "Why didn’t you tell me there was something... oh my shoe!" the girl cried.
"I did try to tell you," Rowan shrugged, sitting on his heels. He attempted to clean the dirt that had now soaked into the girl’s shoe. "You need to pull it off so I can clean it properly." He tried to help Freya get her foot out of the shoe.
Freya bent down, placing her hand on Rowan’s shoulder to keep her balance when a loud whistle startled her.
"What do we have here?" a deep male voice resounded. "Outlaws or intruders?"
Rowan stood up immediately, pushing Freya closer to him while wrapping his arm around her neck, a hint of possessiveness in his eyes. "Not intruders," he replied, staring intently at the man who had just spoken.
It was then Freya noticed her surroundings. She had been focused on Rowan, so she hadn’t realized where they had just entered. The air reeked of decay, the stench of human waste, and dust, but there was a heavier stale smell in the air, a strong scent of burning grass and tobacco, which caused Freya to sneeze.
"She’s not from here. A beauty, she is." The man continued, pointing at Freya’s face. His eyes shifted from Freya and rested on Rowan. "I know you... Rowan, right?"
Rowan smiled. "It’s me, old friend," still not letting go of Freya. He raised his free hand to shake the man’s. "Long time, Cazimir."
"It’s really Rowan!" the man named Cazimir bellowed, his loud laughter causing some people to curse at him. "You now look like those outsiders... you brought a woman?" As he said this, some of the boys around started coming closer to them, all dressed in ragged shirts but holding rolled papers between their fingers.
Freya gulped, pushing her hand back to make sure Rowan was still behind her. Though the man was smiling with Rowan, she didn’t like how they were looking at her.
Rowan’s smile faltered. "Didn’t bring her. She’s mine."
Cazimir waved his hand. "Boys..." and the young men backed down but still kept their eyes on Freya. "Hmmm... Old friend, you know what you have to do. Aye?" 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢
"That law still stands? Time has changed, don’t you think?" Rowan suggested with a small smile. He’d almost forgotten the rule about anyone who brings in a woman.
Cazimir chuckled. "It still stands; everyone needs a beauty for the night. Why not fight for it?" He shrugged, shifting his eyes to look at Freya. "Especially one this ripe," he licked his lips.
Rowan’s hold on Freya tightened; he didn’t like how they were ogling his woman. But there was nothing he could do; this was how they lived their lives. He rubbed Freya’s neck gently, trying to reassure her that she was safe. He knew the girl was tense.
"I’ll do it," Rowan nodded, his firm, low voice vibrating in his chest.
Cazimir raised his hand. "Follow me; we already have a fight going on in the blood pit." He started walking, some of the young men whistling loudly as if calling the attention of others.
Rowan started walking but didn’t leave Freya’s side. He made sure she was walking in front while he stayed behind, still holding her.
Freya gulped. Though she could feel Rowan behind her and his arm around her neck made her feel protected, she couldn’t help but feel scared. The place they had just walked into didn’t look like somewhere people should live. The roads were covered in mud, with water puddles here and there. The houses were built with dried leaves and clay tiles, looking as if they would crumble at any moment.
Freya glanced to the side and noticed faces peering from doorways; when her eyes met theirs, they would quickly close their doors or pull down the curtains. Children with bare feet and tattered clothing scurried through the alleys, some with food in their hands. Even in the dark, Freya could see the dirt covering their faces.
"You want to buy a rat? Makes good stew." A child ran up to Freya, holding up a squealing rat for her to buy.
"Go see your whore of a mother! Scram!" Cazimir threatened the small child, who immediately ran away.
Freya blinked, unable to believe the words this man had just said to a child. As they continued walking, Freya noticed some women standing by a corner. Some were young, some old, but they were all dressed the same, half-clad, with part of their breasts exposed, and still holding the same rolled leaves lighted at the end between their fingers.
"Uhh... what do we have here? A stallion," one of the girls whistled, winking at Rowan.
Another jumped in front of them, startling Freya. "I could give you a lovely bit o’ stuff. This beauty can’t go wild like me." To make her point clear, the woman removed her upper dress, letting her breasts spill out.
Freya gasped, closing her eyes. She wasn’t the one doing something shameless, but she felt embarrassed. These women were shamelessly calling to a man when they saw him with another woman.
One of the young men ran toward the woman, yanked her dress, and ran away with it.
"Come back here, you sniveling cur!" the woman shouted, chasing after the young man. Soon there were screams and curses all around.
Freya had seen more than enough in one night, and right now her heart sank with every step. She couldn’t survive if left in a place like this, she felt like they had walked into the bad no...worst lands in Avon. This was Rowan’s home, the place he had grown up in. At that moment, she felt her heart ache for him.
"One of the houses over there, a good woman took me in," Rowan said, noticing how unusually quiet Freya was. "I wonder if she’s still alive."
Freya followed the trail of Rowan’s finger. It looked like the other houses, small and weak, not something that could house someone as big as Rowan. But then she realized he had been just a boy then.
"How did you get into the palace?" Freya asked, trying her best not to cry.
Rowan hummed. "Well, sometimes when there’s a drought, the homeless ones like me get sold."
Freya bit her trembling lips, wanting to cry for Rowan. His life hadn’t been easy, and it broke her heart when she remembered all the things she had said to him. She wished she had been softer on him that night at Eridor, but it was also because she had felt hurt.
When they got to the arena, Freya noticed the crowd that had now gathered. At the center of the arena was a cage made of iron bars, and people were fighting inside, covered in blood. She grimaced when she saw a man get knocked out with one punch.
"Um... Freya, where we are going now? I forgot to tell you, but bringing in a woman... I have to fight to keep her for myself," Rowan said as they got closer to the pit where the loud uproar was coming from.
Freya raised her eyes. "What?! And if you lose?"
"I’ll have more blood on my hands than before," Rowan said, tightening the band on his wrist. "Let’s hope that’s not the case."
"Let us welcome the prize of today’s blood fight... and the one taking up all challenges," Cazimir raised his hand, ushering Rowan and Freya into the big arena, where people were cheering and roaring loudly.
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