After taking a moment to collect her thoughts, Rya carefully tidied herself up, brushing away the remnants of her earlier turmoil. She reached for the familiar clothes and cloak she had worn on previous adventures, each piece a tactile reminder of her sense of identity and strength. Once dressed, she cast a final glance around the room, the silence enveloping her like a shroud, and stepped out into the dimly lit hallway, her mind a tempest of confusion.
As she walked, her thoughts spiraled in a direction she struggled to comprehend. "D-Do I truly want Quin… in that way?" she murmured softly, her heart racing at the mere thought. The tempest of conflict within her roared louder. "But he's engaged to be wed to some noble from The Divine Three. If I acted on these feelings, I could ignite a war with his people." The weight of her situation pressed heavily on her chest; the idea of causing chaos in a world that had offered her a second chance filled her with dread.
Rya paused mid-step, shaking her head in disbelief of her own emotions. Just weeks ago, she had been a man, navigating a life that felt entirely different, and now, in this fantasy realm, everything had changed—including her understanding of attraction. The notion of desiring Quin, the Crown Prince, was as intoxicating as it was bewildering. How could she feel this way about someone who belonged to a world so far removed from her own past?
Yet, no matter how resolutely she tried to push these thoughts aside, an aching sensation nestled itself in her chest, persistent and unyielding. The idea of walking away from him, of leaving behind a bond that felt both thrilling and terrifying, filled her with unexpected sorrow. It was a delicate balance between duty and desire, a struggle that left her feeling lost and bewildered. In that moment, Rya knew she had to confront her feelings head-on, or risk losing someone she never expected to care for so deeply.
'Maybe I'm just horny... No, that can't be it. I mean, I've accidentally walked into his room while he was naked once, but that shouldn't mean I want sex with him. Why am I fantasizing about him then? D-Do I have feelings for him? My heart is beating out of my chest. I'm really nervous right now. I haven't felt like this since I was a kid. I think it's because I'm a virgin again. Maybe I'm too inexperienced as a woman... I don't know what to do anymore." Rya said aloud as she looked around the hallways, trying to find the way out of the brothel.
A few moments later, Rya found herself in the dimly lit main reception room of Bella's Place, the air tinged with a hint of something sweet and mysterious.
"Ah, Miss Rya. Your hour has come to a close. Was everything to your liking?" The manager, a striking woman with an enigmatic smile, approached her with an intensity that made Rya's heart race.
"Huh? Oh… yes, I'm satisfied, Lady Bella." Rya managed, a nervous smile gracing her lips.
"Hmm… You seem a bit lost in thought. Is something troubling you?" Bella's gaze pierced through Rya, making her feel both seen and vulnerable.
Rya's cheeks flushed as she lowered her head. "Umm… I wasn't sure where to go when my hour was up. I thought this experience would help me with… something I've been grappling with."
A soft chuckle escaped Bella's lips, laced with a hint of understanding. "Ah, I see. Life can be quite complicated, can't it? But fear not, for I have a parting gift that might guide you on your journey."
"A gift?" Rya's curiosity piqued, her eyes widening.
"It's merely a small token," Bella said, stepping closer. "A potion—a love potion, to be precise. Follow me to the back room, and I'll present it to you. And if you prefer, you can slip out through the back entrance, away from prying eyes."
The promise of the potion hung in the air, a tantalizing allure that seemed to shimmer with possibility, seducing Rya with its whispered secrets.
'Leaving out the back room is not a bad idea. Someone might have followed me,' she thought, her senses heightened.
"Yes, please!" Rya agreed, a flutter of unease dancing in her stomach.
As the manager led her down a narrow hallway, Rya felt the atmosphere shift; the lively ambiance of the main room was slowly consumed by an unsettling silence. In her mind, alarms began to ring. 'Huh? All those guys are gone. I'm sure they are having their fun with the escorts.' She looked around cautiously, the unease knotting tightly in her gut.
When they reached the back room, the door creaked open, revealing a dimly lit storage area. Boxes and barrels loomed like silent sentinels in the shadows, casting eerie shapes that seemed to move in the flickering light.
"Here we are. This is a love potion," the manager stated, handing her the vial filled with a glimmering red liquid. "It should make you feel desired by whoever you want after drinking it. Keep it safe, ok?"
Rya nodded, forcing a smile despite the prickle of doubt clawing at her mind. "A love potion? Well, I'll keep it safe. Thanks."
"Any time! The door to the back alley is around the corner to the right," he added, an edge to his voice that made Rya's instincts scream for caution.
"Thanks again!" she said, turning to leave the storage room. But as she focused on the vial, entranced by the vibrant liquid, a sudden sensation jolted her.
*Click.*
Rya's heart plummeted as she felt a cold, unyielding object clasp around her neck. In one swift move, she whipped her head to the left, her pulse quickening as she faced a figure clad in light armor, adorned with a sinister black rose—a symbol that felt all too ominous.
"What the…" Fear gripped her, a tight vice around her chest. Rya's instincts screamed that she had walked straight into a trap, but the door behind her felt impossibly far away. The scent of danger hung thick in the air, mingling with her racing heart.
"Got her!" He yelled back to someone behind him.
Rya, on instinct, slammed her foot to the ground to raise a three rock that smashed through from under the wood flooring as it floated about chest high before she quickly pushed it with the palm of her hand, causing it to fly like a bullet into the guy who put something on her neck.
*Smash!*
"ARGH!" grunted the Black Rose Merc as he was sent flying into the wall 15 feet away in the blink of an eye.
"JONES! You bitch!" Screamed another guy in similar garb to the first guy. He brandished a sword and charged Rya.
*Swing!*
*Swish!*
Rya dodges under the oncoming attack with ease as she counters with a sweeping kick to his knees.
*Thump! CRACK!*
"AAAUUHHH!!! MY LEG!" The man screams as he falls to the ground.
Rya rolled to her feet, ready to run, when she heard a commanding voice say, "Halt, slave!"
In that instance, she felt an energy rush from the object on her neck and went through her body, causing her to stop in her tracks.
'W-What the FUCK IS GOING ON!' Rya thought as she stared at the two men in front of her. One of them she recognized. He was the Black Rose Merc that was Marcus's hired bodyguard back in the labyrinth.
"You weren't lying, Dietrich. This Dark Elf will be useful for us." Said a man with the same armor as the previous merc. He wore a crown on his head and had a blue robe covering his upper half. His lower half was covered in leather pants that were ripped up the thighs with silver jewelry hanging from his arms.
'NO! NO! NO! Nooooooo!' Rya cried inside her mind. She knew who these guys were. She had just been captured by the Black Rose Mercenaries.
"Yeah, there's no way that weakling of a prince could defeat a Cave Troll with only a sword. This elf had to be the reason he's alive," said Dietrich, the second man. He had his war hammer on him, but he wasn't wearing his heavy armor.
Then, from the storage room came Bella.
"I-I've done what you asked, now let my people go and leave! I'll tell them to never speak about this ever! We have nothing to do with the prince or the king of Fiafyr or your mercenaries for that matter," she begged them.
"That's funny coming from a whore that doesn't care about anything but herself. Haha! You keep quiet, and we'll spare your establishment. You understand?" asked the one in the crown.
Bella looked worried but kept her calm.
"Of course. Anything to make it easier on you?" she answered.
"That's a good little whore. Devin...is Jones alive?" The man with the crown asked with a smirk.
"H-He's dead! You could have stopped her. Why didn't-" Devin stopped when he noticed his superior was glaring at him.
"You have a problem with me testing her? I can have her continue if you wish, Devin?" the man asked his subordinate.
Davin gulped after realizing that his commander would let the Dark Elf kill him, as his knee was still killing him after Rya kicked it. "N-No need, Jeremiah, she's good enough as far as I'm concerned. Let's just get out of here before word gets around that we are here in the city."
Jeremiah nodded his head and turned to Rya.
"Slave! Bury the dead. We're leaving." Jeremiah said as he put his cloak on.
'I-I can't stop my body! RRRAAAHHH!' Rya thought as she tried to will herself to stop. But the slave collar had full control over her body as she made the dead man disappear into the ground.
"Are we clear to move out!" Dietrich nodded his head and walked over to Rya. He grabbed her by the arm and dragged her to the door.
"Go on, we don't have time," he ordered.
She bit her lip but obeyed without a fight, even though she wanted to with all her might.
'Why didn't I see this coming! I'm a FUCKING IDIOT! Quin! Someone! HELP ME!' Rya thought to herself as she walked outside with the three other cloaked men.