Heart of Darkness

(This is the first chapter of Volume 2. We are moving into our second sin. Sloth.)

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"Catch her!" 

Roxana ran as fast as her legs could carry her. She jumped over stones, avoided branches and trees on her way up the hill. But she was still too slow.  It was not the best day to be dressed as a woman and running in these shoes was a hindrance.

It didn't take long for Connor and his men to surround her, some of them joining the chase on their horses. 

Roxana halted and looked around to quickly assess the situation. She held her hands up in surrender, "alright." She said looking at Connor who was puffing and panting as he came to stop in the circle around her. While trying to catch his breath he glared at her with a deadly stare. "We can talk," Roxana suggested. 

"You wench," He walked over made an attempt to slap her but she moved away. This angered him even more. 

"I will pay you back double," She hurried to say. 

"Oh you will," he spat. "After daring to lie to me and even try to run away, I will make you pay." 

Roxana dropped her hands. "I didn't intend to lie to you, Sir. But would you have lent me money if you knew I was this poor girl?" 

"Of course not. I lend money to people who can not only repay me but with an interest as well." He replied stalking toward. 

"I will repay you," she assured him stepping back. 

"How do you intend to do that?" He seized her up and down, looking at her old dress that was sewn together in a few places where it got torn. It wasn't that she couldn't even afford a dress, but she needed the money for more important things. 

"I am very skilled, Sir and I work very hard. You will see, I will repay you in no time." Roxana said with utmost confidence. 

He scoffed and turned to look at the other men. "Did you hear her?" 

They laughed. Roxana joined them in the laughter but Conner turned to her with a glare that made it seem his eyes would fall out. Roxana stopped laughing immediately and smiled meekly instead, pretending to be innocent. 

He stalked toward her, with an intimidating look until he trapped her between him and the tree that hit her back. He waved a dagger in front of her face. 

"Is this funny to you?" 

She shook her head, her eyes following the movement of the dagger. 

"What would you do if I sold you to become the wench that you are? That would be the only way I would get my money back." 

"I don't think so, Sir. Who would pay to bed me?" 

Raising one brow he took a few steps back to take a closer look. Roxana hurried to lift her dress and show him her leg. A few gasps followed her action, shocked by her behavior. 

"Look!" She said showing her bare leg but she wanted him to see the scars. Conner narrowed his eyes after he got over his shock. "My whole body is covered with these scars. I have lived a tough life, Sir. Who would pay for such a body?" She shook her head with a pretentious sadness. "No one would even be willing to marry me." 

For a moment, he looked at her with sympathy as if the scars were worse than selling her. "You are still a beautiful lady," he blurted. 

She smiled at him. "You are very generous." 

He shook his head as if waking himself up, "Listen! I need my money back. I don't know how you will repay me but I will hurt those children and animals you care for so much." 

Of course. He would have to remain tough in front of his men. 

"Why hurt the innocent, Sir. You are not so cruel." 

"Be quiet!" He yelled in her face. She grimaced when a few drops of his spit came on her face. She closed her eyes and pushed her head back with disgust. "Don't think you can fool me again with your sweet talk." 

Oh really? It was easy fooling him the first time. She dressed like a Lady and went to see him, and with a little flirtation and compliments, he was willing to lend her not only his money but his help as well. 

She wiped the spit away from her face and then gazed at him. 

"Now tell me why I shouldn't kill? Or maybe I shall complain about you to the Lord of the manor? What do you think will happen to a thief like yourself? Someone who has been dressing up and fooling people. How many more have you fooled?" 

"How can I repay you if I die? You gain nothing from it." 

He knew she had a point. 

"Complaining wouldn't be good either. Are you going to tell the world, that you have been fooled by a woman?" 

He grabbed her jaw in a harsh grip. "Be careful of how you speak, woman!" 

She held her arms up and he pushed her face aside. 

"If by tomorrow you bring me nothing, you will be known as a thief." He threatened. "You will bring me everything you earn in a day. Don't force me to put your face everywhere." 

"I understand, Sir." 

He stepped back, keeping his eyes fixated on her as if warning her before he turned away and waved for his men to follow him. "Be careful. I told the others about you." He called. 

"You old fart," she muttered under her breath even though she was glad he warned her.

Roxana watched them as they slowly disappeared into the distance. Poor man, She ruined his fantasy of their first meeting. He still had a soft spot for her. 

With a sigh, she went down the hill but before she could even reach the bottom, the ones he warned her about chased her back up again. Did the old fart tell them she was here? She would make sure to repay him if he did. 

Roxana ran, this time not caring for her lungs or heart. Not caring for the pain in her feet. These ones would have no mercy on her. She would have to leave this town soon, but…

Her heart skipped a beat when she suddenly realized the hill was a cliff and she came to the edge. She forced her feet to stop and looked down. A river ran beneath. She looked behind her. The men were nearing. Her heart pounded harder and faster and she gazed back and forth between the men and the river. 

You can swim. You can do this, she told herself. Taking a deep breath she prepared herself to jump. It wasn't that far away. Was it? 

"There she is!" 

Oh, God! Alright. Let's jump now! 

She took a few steps back, gathering some courage she then sprinted forward and jumped off the edge. 

It wasn't the first time Roxana had jumped into the water from a high point but the distance was longer than she estimated. Fear made her heart leap to her throat as she fell, gravity pulling her down forcefully. This one would hurt and just as the thought crossed her mind, pain shot up her leg as she hit the water. 

She got pulled down and buried under the waves. Roxana panicked, which didn't help because she swallowed the water. She tried to swim back up to the surface but below her waist, her leg refused to cooperate and the pain was immense. She tried only using her arms to swim back up but the waves were too strong and pulled her somewhere she didn't know. 

Oh, Lord! She needed to breathe. She was not ready to die yet. There were still things she needed to do. People she needed to meet. 

She gasped for breath but only water rushed into her lungs, drowning her. Taking her breath away slowly. Painfully.. She writhed, struggled but to no avail, and with every breath that she took, she got closer to death.