บท 30: Lia
The woman flinched at Ethan's words, her thin shoulders trembling as though bracing for a blow. Ethan softened his tone further, keeping his movements slow and deliberate. "You're safe now," he said, his voice steady. "I promise."
She remained silent, her head bowed and hair shielding her face like a curtain. Gently, Ethan reached for the frayed ropes binding her wrists. They were tied tightly, cutting into her skin. He winced at the sight but carefully worked the knots loose. The ropes fell away, and her hands dropped limply to her sides.
"Do you have a name?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
The woman hesitated, her body tense as though even answering might invite punishment. Finally, she murmured something so faint that Ethan had to lean closer to catch it.
"...Lia."
"Lia," Ethan repeated, giving her a small nod. "That's a nice name." He rose to his feet, offering his hand to her. "Come on. Let's get out of here."
As if his words were a command, the woman listlessly held his hand and started walking. She was so frail and fragile that Ethan feared she might collapse with every step.
Her grip on his hand was weak, barely noticeable, but it was enough for him to sense the depth of her exhaustion. She moved as though her body was only half alive.
Ethan kept his pace slow and steady, glancing at her occasionally to make sure she was still upright. Each time her knees wobbled, he tightened his hold, ready to catch her if she fell. "Almost there," he murmured, though he wasn't sure if she heard him or not.
A few minutes later they arrived at the inn. No one found anything odd in Ethan dragging the woman upstairs to his room. One even congratulated him on his acquisition which was quickly withdrawn when the man took a look at Lia. "Oh, you got one of the cheap wenches. Well, a hole is a hole." The man laughed and walked away.
Ethan glanced at Lia to see if she had reacted to the crude remark, but she remained as unresponsive as before, her eyes fixed on the floor.
He wanted to say something, to call the man out for his disgusting behavior, but he forced himself to keep walking. A confrontation wouldn't help anyone right now, and drawing attention to them was the last thing they needed.
Once they reached the room, Ethan pushed the door shut with his foot and locked it behind him. Lia stood in the middle of the room, her arms hanging limply at her sides as if she didn't know what to do next. The dim light of the room made her look even more frail, her hollow cheeks and sunken eyes casting shadows on her face.
"You don't have to stand there," Ethan said gently, motioning to the bed. "Sit down. Rest."
Lia hesitated, her gaze flicking to the bed and then back to Ethan. He gave her another nod and she shuffled to the edge of the bed and sank down, her posture stiff and her hands clenched tightly in her lap.
Ethan pulled a small loaf of bread and a canteen of water from his bag and set them on the bed beside her. "You should eat something," he said, keeping his voice soft. "It's not much, but it'll help."
Lia stared at the food for a long moment before slowly reaching out. Her hands trembled as she tore off a small piece of bread and brought it to her mouth. She chewed mechanically as if she wasn't tasting it at all, but at least she was eating.
Ethan sat down in the chair by the window, watching her quietly. The woman still seemed to be in a state of terror.
"You're not a slave anymore," Ethan said after a moment, his voice firm but kind. "No one owns you. Not me, not anyone. You're free to leave whenever you want."
Lia's hand froze mid-reach for another piece of bread. She looked up at him then, her eyes filled with a mix of confusion and disbelief. For a moment, Ethan thought she might say something, but instead, she lowered her gaze and continued eating.
Ethan let out a quiet sigh and leaned back in the chair. No response? Did she not believe him? Wait, did she even hear him?
He decided to work on this later. With some time, she would come to see that he meant her no harm and would automatically feel safer with him. There was no need to rush. He didn't want to disturb her too much tonight.
But there was one thing he wanted to ask her. Even back in the town square, he did feel sorry for her but the main reason he ended up bringing her along was this. Information.
"Hey, what class are you?"
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