Capítulo 117: Waking up
His eyes slowly opened, letting the morning light from the window pierce through. The brightness hurt, a reminder of how long it had been since he last used his eyes properly.
His mind was still foggy, making it difficult to think clearly. He was lying on a large bed in a room he didn't recognize. The window was open, bathing the room in sunlight. He felt weak at first, but gradually regained control over his body. As he pushed himself to sit up, his mind began to clear.
Where am I? What happened? I was... fighting, and then...
He touched his face and body, feeling pain from multiple places. His initial confusion turned to panic as he noticed something alarming.
"No!" He screamed, looking down at himself. He quickly jumped from the bed, stood up, and ripped off the simple clothes he was wearing. His distress grew as he discovered his own clothes were missing—his white coat with blue details, black pants, and dark brown boots. His anxiety peaked.
"No, no, no!" He frantically searched under the bed, behind the furniture, and in every drawer, but his clothes were nowhere to be found. His heart raced with the fear of the consequences if he didn't find them.
At that moment, the well-decorated door opened. A young woman, dressed as a servant, entered the room. She gasped and turned away upon seeing him naked. Her face flushed red, but the sight of a well-toned young man, completely exposed, made it hard for her to forget.
"S-sir, please forgive me for intruding. D-do you need..." Her eyes widened in shock as she noticed the state of the room—everything was in disarray. Chairs were thrown into a corner, drawers were open, the mattress was off the bed frame, and his clothes lay scattered on the floor.
The sight of the chaos gave Rafael the opportunity he needed. With his eyes locked on the servant, he dashed towards her, gripping her throat.
"Where are my clothes?!"
"Ghh...!" She struggled to breathe, her face turning red from the lack of oxygen. Her attempts to pry his hand away were futile.
"Where are they? The white coat with blue details, black pants, and dark brown boots!" His grip tightened.
"G-give... me..." She gasped, tears streaming down her face as she tried to pull his hand away. Her feet barely touched the ground because of his height, lifting her slightly off the floor.
Before Rafael could react further, the door burst open again. Two soldiers entered, their presence bringing apprehension for Rafael. Rafael released the woman after seeing both but, contrary to what he was expecting, they did not advance against him.
From behind them another servant appeared and helped the girl on the floor to get up and exit the place.
Shit! I'm vulnerable now! He looked to the window, his only escape. His body started moving towards it but stopped midway.
"Rafael, wait!" A voice he knew called him.
How? Why? He didn't even know where he was, but somehow she was there. Does it means they aren't trying to kill me?
No... No, it can't be. She must have been captured! I must do something.... He saw a young woman walk inside his room. She was wearing a long silk dress with some garments attached, matching her long hair and eyes. She was blushing but did not avoid his eyes.
"Ella..." He did not know why but she was the most beautiful thing he has ever seen in a long time. Hearing her name, she threw herself into his arms.
"It's okay, you're safe here. You're safe." She said.
She thought they wouldn't see each other anymore. The fear of losing him made her pass almost every night awake.
Rafael felt whole again. He finally managed to calm down and his mind began to properly work. They stood there, hugging each other for a long time. Strangely, no one interrupted.
After finally releasing eachother, Rafael looked to the group of people at the door.
A man was standing in between the two soldiers. He was a bit fat, dark hair and a well maintained beard. The man was wearing silk clothes with a large portion of it being of blue and even purple color, the first time Rafael saw that color on this world.
Another servant followed, carrying Rafael's clothes. She placed them on a table near the door.
"Sir Rafael, please accept my apologies for the confusion," Maxis said, his tone apologetic yet calm. "It was not my intention to cause such distress."
"Who are you?" Rafael demanded, still holding Ella behind him protectively.
"You can relax; I'm not your enemy," Maxis reassured. "I am Maxis Steejor, and I'm here to ensure your safety."
"If you're my friend, give my clothes back!" Rafael's voice was firm.
"Of course, they're right here," Maxis said, gesturing while walking to the table. He picked up Rafael's coat and examined it with evident curiosity.
"I must say, your clothes are quite fascinating. The white of the coat is so pristine, and this blue detailing is unlike anything I've ever seen." Said the chubby man holding the coat in front of him.
"You know, it took a lot of effort to discover how to, hum let's say, open this coat. These round pieces that hold it close are ingenious but what really called my attention was this strange... Line." He first indicated the buttons from the coat and then the zipper.
"And these pants, oh my! Never before I've seen such dark colour like the one from these pants. And the quality of its cloth, is it silk?"
Maxis continued to inspect each piece of clothing with enthusiasm, commenting on the unique aspects of Rafael's attire—the buttons, zippers, and even the underwear.
"You really know how to impress," Maxis said, still admiring the clothes. He seemed particularly taken with the boots and the craftsmanship involved, "but I know you must be confused and wary of us, so I'll leave you to your wife."
As Maxis left with the soldiers, Rafael hurriedly dressed, relief flooding him as he put on his clothes and the familiar black bracelet, his only way to open the time machine besides his voice.
"I missed you," Ella said softly, her voice trembling as she approached him.
Rafael turned, seeing her tears and the anguish in her eyes, "Ella, don't cry. I'm here, safe and sound."
"You... what happened to you? You have bruises and black spots all over."
"It's not as bad as it looks," Rafael said with a reassuring smile, though the pain was evident. He gently touched her hand where she was inspecting his injuries. "I don't blame you or anyone. It wasn't safe for you to stay."
Ella looked down, feeling guilt weigh on her. "I should have tried to do more. I'll never forgive that man, and I'll never forgive myself."
"Stop blaming yourself," Rafael said firmly. "It wasn't your fault."
They embraced, finding solace in each other's presence. Despite having known each other for only a short time, their bond felt deep and significant.
"Do you know that man? Is he a friend?" Rafael asked, looking towards the door.
"Yes," Ella replied. "He's a friend of Prince Threo. We've become allies, and he's helping us. We're in Fritsburg now, not the capital."
"So, are we safe here?" Rafael asked, his concern evident.
Ella nodded. "Yes, with the support of Prince Threo and Maxis, we're safe. They'll help us moving forward."
Rafael hesitated but then allowed himself to trust their situation.
"How are you feeling? Any pain?"
"A bit, but I'll be better soon," he said.
"Let's get something to eat. You need to regain your strength."
They followed a servant to the dining room, marveling at the grandeur of the place. Rafael took a seat at the long wooden table, his mind still racing but comforted by the familiarity of food.
As he ate, Maxis entered the room again, taking a seat across from them. "It seems I was right; you were indeed starving," he said with a chuckle. "Feel free to continue eating. Once you're finished, we'll talk about our next steps."
Rafael finished his meal, feeling a bit more relaxed. Maxis's presence and the assurances given were a small comfort amidst the turmoil.
"Alright, Rafael," Maxis said as he settled back. "Now that you're fed and hopefully more at ease, let's discuss what's next. We have a lot to consider."
Ella squeezed Rafael's hand, giving him a reassuring smile. "You're safe now. We'll get through this together."
Rafael nodded, ready to face the challenges ahead.
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