Another Realm

She gulped when she saw the narrow and long log that has been carved as a makeshift stair to the entrance. Sensing that she was standing stiffly when he pulled her arms with slight force, the muscular man turned his back to face Aria. He saw her excruciating facial expression and his gaze lowered down to her feet. Bloods stained her fair skins mixed with muds from the earth.

She really could not take another step further nor she wants to thread along the narrow and steep stair.

The man took a deep breath and hoisted her up in a swift motion. Stunned by the sensation of her feet no longer touching the ground, she let out a soft gasp. Both of their faces are now only an inch apart from each other. Aria unconsciously studies the appearance of the man that kidnaps her. The man has tanned skin and he has a rugged feature resembling the character in the Rambo movie.

'I better not try to mess up with this man.'

Aria thought to herself while bringing her gaze down to avoid the stern stare from the man. She unintentionally puts her arms around the man's nape as he quickly climbs the stairs with light steps as if he was walking on air. She was in awe and admiring the man with a huge body built able to have light footsteps.

The sunlight shines brightly and reveals the interior of the house. The floor is made of planks while the wall is made of wood barks. There is a long hallway yet along the wall there are doors. The doors will lead to a different household yet it is all combined by one huge hallway that is divided into sections. The combined open space is usually used by the folks for socializing or held gatherings such as harvest festivals.

They walk further into the hallway and the room is getting dimmer. By the time they reach the midsection of the longhouse, she feels the shaking motion stops abruptly. The man opens the door that seamlessly blends into the wall.

"Clack!"

The door slam shut behind him. Aria prays earnestly that she would not be made a sex slave by this kidnaper. She closes her eyelids and her body is shivering from the fear. Her lips trembled from holding back her tears.

"Y-you will be a slave for my family."

His low deep voice rang in her eardrums as the man threw Aria into the huge living space. She can feel every inch of her body aching from the sudden impact. Aria opens her eyes and the room is filled with huge ceramic jars organized along the wall. There is no furniture in the room apart from the cold wooden floor.

"Be careful. Why do you have to be so rough on the fragile lady?"

An old woman came running from the kitchen at the back of the house and kneel by Aria's side while propping her up.

"She is just a slave, mother."

He stomps his feet out of the house while muttering incoherent words under his breath.

"I apologize for the rude behavior of my son. He has the worst social skill in this longhouse. All he does is hunt animals in the forest. Maybe that is why he is such a brute."

The old lady sighs and helps Aria to get on her feet. Despite looking like someone in their fifties yet the old lady's strength is on par with a young lady.

"Thank you for helping me. Hope you do not mind if I ask, where exactly is this place?"

Aria brushes off the dust off her dress and looks into the old lady's eyes with a hopeful look. The pain has subsided as all she can think about is collecting as much information before she can come up with a plan.

"You are in the Lu'An Boktu settlement. My name is Nana and the man that brought you over is Naki."

Aria nods her head at Nana's answers and trails behind. She brings Aria upstairs and gives her a long tube of fabric fills with floral patterns. Sympathy is written all over her face as her gaze falls upon the soiled clothing that Aria wore was soiled from the dirt after being dragged around the forest floor.

Nana knows from her great grandmother's stories on how the girls were kidnapped from different settlement to be made as a bride.

"I was taking a bath with my friend by the river before the ambush happened. They killed all the man that was guarding us."

The words from her great grandmother still fresh in her mind. She remembers that the only time she saw her grandmother feeling happy is when her great grandfather passed away. Young girls at marriageable age who are well-known for their talent in weaving and making traditional patterned multicolored ceremonial cotton cloth are sought after. Normally this kind of girl is hidden in the attic away from the public by their parents. Their future is normally determined by arranged marriage to the strongest man in the tribe.