Unlike the East side of Ambara which had long been burnt to dust, the West side had been developing quite well for the past 5 years. The only reason for this city to survive Ankara was the city officials. They had given up their pride and submitted themselves to the foes, losing all the rights to actually own a nation, an identity that defined who they really were. Indeed, that was such a shame, but that's probably the only way for everything to work out. 

At least, Ambara people were alive. Even though their soul were constantly stripped off, their bodies were fed and covered which was considered as a humble luxury. These people surely didn't have anything against their masters. They had learned the long and hard way to eventually be the obedient human slaves to Ankara. Compliance was imperatively demanded. Everyone understood that, and so did Astina - the only survivor of East Side of Ambara disaster that no one ever knew.

Astina fortunately grew up by herself. She was just 15 then, when she arrived at the West. She managed to work as an assistant in an orphanage. Even though she barely got paid there, she at least got the shelter and food to continue her life. Only when she got older and understood how things operated in the city, she landed herself a few fulfilling part-time jobs. One of them is becoming a courier.

"Good morning! The package from Berry Shop is here!" Astina adjusted her cap and told the lady waiting in front of the motel with her slightly hoarse voice.

"How many crates do you bring today?" Asked the lady.

"Only 10, as requested. So, do you want me to drop those crates off here or somewhere else?" Astina pointed at the boxes on the huge wagon behind her horse.

"Follow me to the back door." The lady led the way and Astina followed suit, along with her horse pulling the said crates inside the wagon.

"Store them all inside this cupboard." The lady instructed Astina who willingly obeyed and soon lifted the heavy boxes, moving them into the huge hidden storage. 

"Good work for today. Here's your pay." The lady gave Astina two heavy coin purses. "Make sure to always bring us only good quality wine, or else I'll make sure you'll never get any more job for the rest of your life." She said sternly. 

"Noted, ma'am." Astina answered casually. She got used to any threats from the business owners like this one. Every time they got mad with her service or any petty things, she just needed to change her look and things would go well at the end of the day. She was the master of undercover apparently.  

"So, I should bring 10 more crates after two weeks. Is that right?" 

"No. I think you should come back with 20 more next week." The lady informed quickly.

Astina smirked to that. "I guess the business is getting well, lately." 

"It is. You better tell your boss to prepare more for this month. We're having more guests from Ankara."

"Sure! It's been awhile since they visited us. There must be some kind of celebration downtown, and that means a lot of profit."

"You surely understand how things work, young man." The lady twitched her lips.

"I do. In fact, I have prepared more than just a bottle of wine." Astina smiled confidently as she mounted her horse. "Thanks for the good business, Madam. I'll see you soon." She saluted and rode away to the dusty road ahead.

<><><>

"You sold 10 crates today, huh?" A girl nudged Astina's arm before she gulped down the liquor from its long black glasses bottle.

"I did. Here's your share." Astina threw one big coin purse at the drunk girl who almost didn't catch it right.

"You need to smuggle more. The lady requested 20 crates every week for this month. Ankara bastards are coming to town." Upon hearing this information, the drunk girl pulled her eyes wide awake.

"That's bloody insane! We're going to be filthy rich in just a month, and we don't even need to sweat for that." The drunk girl cheered before she chugged down more liquid down her throat. 

"I know, right?" Astina chuckled. "But are you sure your boyfriend could steal that much for this month?"

"Don't worry about that. He never got caught."

"You better make sure of that, Jona." Astina warned her.

"Sure, Tina baby. As long as you could make more golds, everything will be fine."

"You can leave that to me." Astina took off her cap and loosen her hair bun into a subtle ponytail.  "More bars and motels have sealed the deal with me. They won't risk taking the supply from Ankara legally, anytime soon."

"Yeah, Ankara bastards won't let them get even a slice of bread any cheaper than a hundred golds."

"They won't. They've always been dirty that way."

<><><>

On the way to the orphanage, where she currently resided, Astina stopped by a small diner. She needed something to eat and she deserved that after a long day of work.

"One bowl of meat soup, please." She told the waitress.

"Coming right away!" The waitress told her after serving Astina with a glass of mineral water.

"You are under arrest!" A police officer shouted. On her impulse, Astina looked to her right and immediately noticed the man who were handcuffed by the police. He looked awfully familiar, and on the second glance, Astina could eventually tell. Without mistake, it was indeed Roy, Jona's boyfriend.

"Damn it!" Astina grumbled to herself. Roy being arrested only meant one thing. The business was going down! 

"Here's your order." 

"And here's your money," said Astina without missing a beat, as she shoved the coins into the waitress's hands and walked quickly towards the back exit door.

"Are you going somewhere?" Someone slung his heavy arm around Astina's shoulder, slowing down her pace.

Wiggling out of the stranger's cage, Astina gave him an indifferent look before she kept going to her escape.

"Slow down, please." The stranger grabbed Astina's hand and pulled her with him. "Just follow my lead and you'll be out of the police's sight in no time." He casted her a slow smile.

"Here. Just sit and calm your nerves." The stranger told her as soon as they both arrived in a hidden room inside the diner.

"Why am I here?" Astina was obviously wary of the situation. The stranger was wearing a formal suit and styled hair, which could only define a bad idea as he probably had some kind of power to actually control her. Then again, his handsome face didn't even help lowering the tension. If anything, it made Astina feel even more uncomfortable as she couldn't decipher the gravity of her current situation.   

"Because you owed me something." The stranger beamed, the playful gleam in his eyes.

"I'm pretty sure I never owe anyone anything, and I don't even know who you are." Astina managed to answer firmly.

"Really?" He chuckled.

"I don't even need to blink to remember." 

"You are connected to the man arrested in the diner, correct?"

Astina didn't answer to that. She was not that stupid to sell herself right away to someone she hardly knew.

"Well, I know you are." He smirked. "And that only means all of his huge debts are on you."

"So, you want me to pay in his stead?"

"Exactly."

"Nonsense." Astina cringed. "You should've asked his girlfriend, not me."

"Unfortunately, she's got arrested too. You are the only one left in the circle."

"But I'm pretty sure I don't have anything worthy to pay you back. I only have a few golds. You can take them all if it satisfies you."

"I don't need your gold. I have lots of them." He shrugged. "What I need is your body."

Astina gulped her saliva down her dry throat. "I'm not sure I'm following."

"You will be my wife." He declared.

"Excuse me?" 

"Am I not clear enough?" He lifted his right brow, looking dissatisfied. "You will be my wife, the woman who will always be by my side and only moved a finger under my strict instructions." 

"What's your real catch?" Astina locked her eyes with the stranger's. The stranger looked like he came from a noble family. He could have found himself some princessy partner, instead of deciding on her who was literally a nobody in this corrupted city.

"Your shady connections. I'd like to open some profitable business too." The stranger casually answered.

"Is that all?"

"Of course not. You don't need to look too much into things, if you don't want to get hurt."  

"Fine. Whatever you are up to, I don't really mind. As long as you keep me alive. Will you?"

"No problem. You are actually in luck to have met me today."

"I surely hope so."

.

To be continued...