The sun was blazing at the height of the sky, casting its harsh rays upon the narrow alleys.
The air was heavy, and the smell of dust mixed with the sweat of passersby. In that relatively dark alley, a seven-year-old boy stood, struggling to hold back his tears while sweat streamed down his forehead.
Beside him were three men. One of them bent down and said sternly:
— "Don't you dare cry, or I'll hit you."
The boy trembled and fell silent.
The man muttered as he turned to his companions:
— "The Duke's guards are searching for his son on every road… we must move through the alleys."
The boy's heart trembled, and he thought desperately: "Father is looking for me. I must find the nearest way out of these alleys."
While the men were busy talking and arguing, the boy stepped back, then suddenly dashed forward with all his strength. His light footsteps echoed on the old stones as the men turned in anger. Their leader shouted:
— "Catch him!"
They rushed after him. The boy slipped between the tangled alleys, his heart pounding like war drums. He ran as fast as he could until he was nearly out of breath. He glanced behind him… no one in sight. He breathed with relief for a moment—only to crash suddenly into something solid, falling to the ground. At the same instant, several dishes fell and shattered loudly, piercing the silence.
The boy lifted his head, trembling, and saw a young woman with dark skin and wide brown eyes. She wore a white blouse, a yellow skirt, and a simple white apron. She was staring at the broken dishes in annoyance, then raised her gaze to him.
The boy panicked and was about to run, but she firmly grabbed his wrist and said with feigned sternness:
— "You break my dishes and then try to run?"
His eyes widened, and his voice shook:
— "I… I'm sorry… I didn't mean to."
The young woman regretted her words, thinking: "Oh no, I really frightened him." Then she smiled gently and said:
— "I was only joking. Don't worry."
She studied his fine clothes and raised an eyebrow:
— "You look like the son of a noble, aren't you?"
The boy nodded.
She questioned further, one eyebrow still raised:
— "But… why are you running so fast and looking behind you?"
He whispered in a trembling voice:
— "Three men kidnapped me. They want to take me out of the Empire… they're chasing me now."
The young woman froze where she stood, staring at him in shock:
— "What?! Are you serious?"
He nodded quickly.
At that very moment, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed. The three men emerged from the end of the alley, their eyes scanning the place. When they spotted the young woman and the boy, their leader straightened and said with false politeness:
— "Thank you, miss, for finding the young master. We are his guards. Could you hand him over to us?"
The young woman narrowed her eyes, then turned to the boy and said firmly:
— "Step back."
The boy stepped back, while she raised her fists, a defiant smile spreading across her face:
— "If you want to take him… you'll have to get past me first."