Spiked wooden poles, served as the camp walls. A crude but effective wood gate was moved aside at the call of a guard upon a watchtower. The guard then addressed the leader. "Sorry boss, but a shipment is coming through if you could just wait a moment!"

"Not a problem! Alright everyone moves aside! Hauler coming through!" All the men and their horses went to the side of the road. 

The sound of a whistle filled the air. Toot Toot, then machinery, the sounds of the ground crunching under a heavy-weight. The source of the sound came. The Hauler rolled along on four wheels on each side linked by treads, the Hauler had a pointed nose and a rectangular back with steam rising from a stack, hitched to the back of the Hauler was a wooden wagon, a semi-circular cloth top hiding its contents. In spite of this, the wind caught a front flap reviling, only for a moment, a fate the likely awaited me. People in cages.

The Hauler stopped in front of me. The window rolled its way down. "Ow, are these twins I see?" The driver of the vehicle asked the leader. I could only see his upper half but, from what I could tell he wore a leather coat and a top hat. He grins with delight revealing a golden tooth. "Well, I assume you just caught them. Yes?" The way he spoke sent chills up my spines the same way the forest did. It was hard to describe it without any memories to base it off of, but his voice was high, and he spoke flamboyantly with a slight hissssss noise on his Ss.

"We did, I think they'll make us good money if we can find the right buyer." He said giving my female half a pat on the rear. 

"GEY STOMPPID DATT!" Did he have to do that, seriously!? Squirming against the ropes, I did my best at giving him at icy glare but looking behind me was difficult. My effort did not go unnoticed.

"Hahahaha, It would appear that they still have some fight in them." Said the driver 

"That'll change." The leader said, with a disturbing amount of anticipation in his voice.

"I'm sure, as far as finding a buyer goes. I think I could help. There is a noble couple you see that just love twins, both of them even go both ways. If you know what I mean." With that last part, he gave the leader a wink, and a grin once more revealing his gold tooth, that caught the sun a shined.

The leader was intrigued. "Oh."

"Indeed, I don't have it with me at the moment, but next I come by I'll bring you there means of contact."

"That would be splendid."

"Anyway I have an auction to run, I'll see you then. That is if the Kingdom doesn't find your operating within its border first!" He rolled the window back up and drove off.

After the Hauler past, we went inside the camp. The camp was nothing special, not that I had anything to compare it to, but it didn't seem noteworthy, just a lot of tents of various sizes. I was lead to a larger tent in the back. It wasn't a peaceful trip either. The camp was mostly men so my female half got the most attention. At best all I got were catcalls.

"Hey, cutie!"

"Kissy kissy kissy!" 

"Nice ass!"

"Hey, babe you come here often?"

"Meow meow."

At worst, ass grabs, boob feels, and one guy even sniffed my hair. Not that my male half did get any attention.

"Hey, pretty boy I hope your cool with being someone's bitch!"

"Hey, is that your sister, she so hot I'd fuck her all day!"

"You, ever fuck your sister, I would if mine were as hot as her!"

"Yeah, I bet you fuck your sister! Don't you!? BWAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Although I didn't get the same groping treatment on my male side. I did have the blonde woman hanging on my left arm, as best she could with it being tied behind my back as if escorting me to her room for a friendly private drink. Feeling up my bicep every step of the way.

Reaching the tent, blonde and I parted ways. "Well sugar, this is your room, I hope you enjoy your stay." She said as she walked away. This woman just thought she was hilarious.

The goon who took over for her was much less gentle with me than she was. Tossing me against a poll, like really hard, then tieing to it, to the point that I felt my circulation slow. He then turned to my female body. Tossing me this time, not to a poll, but a table. To his credit, he was much lighter handed with my female form.

But what came next was unforgivable!

My legs were already untied for the walk back here so nothing was stopping him from doing it. After recruiting two of his goon buddies, to hold me down. He then took off my pants and ripped off my underwear. 

OH, HELL NO! I kicked I squirmed and even managed to, get the goon not holding me down square in the jaw. He then called for back up. Two more goons showed up. Grabbing my flailing legs, and spread them apart. 

What came next. A virginity check. "GWAAA!" Well, this is uncomfortable!

"Hehehe, that's a lovely sound your maken," he said as he removed his hand. I actually made that noise with both bodies, but he ignored my male half.

"Pifffsh oof." Out of principal, I said that exclusively with my female self and my male self just glared at him from my pole.

"HEHEHEHE!" The whole crew joined with laughter, at my attempt at being mouthy. 

"Well, what is the verdict?" Asked the goon still holding my left leg from my right.

"Virgin."

"Haha, we can double the price this way!"

They put my legs back together. The guy who did the check tied my feet up. 

"What are you doing? Just put her in a cage."

"No way, not after that kick she gave me. I'm putting her ass on display." The other goons shook their heads with goofy grins on their faces and did not complain.

Realizing what he meant I began to struggle again. My female form, trying to get away from them, and my male form trying to get out of the ropes. "GRRRM! HMMM! GRAAA!"

It was all in vain. After I started my uproar the others got involved, before I knew it my feminine torso was tied to the table chest first. With my back half hanging just slightly over the edge. Putting me on display for the world to see.

"That should do teach her." All five goons left the tent, but not without giving my naked rear a slap as they passed me for the exit.

"Hope you like the view of your sister's ass kid, you're going to be looking at it for a while. Hehehehe."

When they were gone I broke down tears streaming down both my faces. I made no sound. I refused to give them the satisfaction of hearing me cry.

Time past.

I'm not sure how much time, but I could tell, it was darker outside, what light did come in flickered like firelight. The goons were also getting rowdy, and likely piss drunk celebrating their future payday. Anticipating when I get sold off to god knows who, to god know what fate.

With my butt still in the air, I hoped nobody who knew about my unwilling position would get drunk enough for funny ideas.

Thankfully they did not.

More time passed it was early morning, and I could hear the groans of hangovers. 

BOOM! 

A load noise shook the air. It sounded like it came from this side of the camp.

"WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!" 

Shadows against the tent cloth and faint glimpses though the tent flap was the only way I could tell what was happening. The men who were, just moments ago, moaning in agony due to partying too hard. Were now on their feet scrambling to battle back the intruders.

BOOM! 

Another one! Same direction. 

Crash! Snap! Boom!

Wait, what's happening!!! "WAAAA!" A large piece of wood came flying through the top of the tent. Although it did not hit my male form, a large splinter of it landed directly on the head of my female half.

Crack!

Reflexively I got my self as close to the pole as I could, not that it did me any good. Opening up my eyes and realizing what had happened I looked over at female me. It wasn't good, blood poured out of both my mouth and nose, my eyes were wide open, but unmoving, and unseeing. I couldn't see through my eyes! I couldn't move them either! Or anything else! Did I just die! Or rather my female body! There was only one way to find out.

I had to get off of this poll! I looked around for a way, anything! Something about this tent had to change after the top of the tent fell in! 

A knife! I don't know where it came from or how it got there, but it was like a gift. A very welcome gift. Maybe it was blasted in here the same way as the piece of the camp wall did.

It wasn't too far of a reach. I had to grab it with my foot, but I got it. I had to bend and twist my legs in a way it wasn't designed to bend, but I managed to deliver the knife to my hands tied behind the poll. Knives still made me nervous, but this wasn't the time for that.

I cut and cut and cut and... Finally, I was free!

I rushed to my own side. Cutting the rope that bound me to the table. I rolled myself over, placing an ear to my own chest. 

Thump Thump, Thump Thump

A heartbeat! I WAS ALIVE!

Even if this part of me did die. I could go on as this me, right? Then why am I so happy? I guess no matter how you slice it, me is me. I wanted to live in one (two) piece. Nothing you can do about that, just survival instinct. 

Right now to get me and myself out of here! Starting with pants! The last thing I wanted to do was run to safety half-naked!

I found my pants! Nothing I could do for my underwear, however. RIP underwear.

I was putting my pants on when...

"AHHHH, DIE SCUM!!!" I turned to the sound of the voice. Just in time to dodge a sword thrust!

"Whoa." I dodged out of the way sure, but in doing that somehow stumbled my way in front of the tent entrance. With him between me and myself. He was a young man. A few inches taller than myself, with broad shoulders. Golden blonde hair and ice-cold blue eyes. Wearing a white, gold-trimmed cape, with metal heavy armor underneath.

"Don't you worry miss I'm here to save you." He tolled the unconscious me. 

Without thinking I said. "I can't hear you." I was referring to the other half of me not being functional at the moment, but he didn't quite pick up on that.

"I wasn't talking to you, YOU BASTARD!!!" He charged at me again, this time giving me no room to get around him and to myself. I had no choice but to go out of the tent.

The battle still raged out here, the ones winning were clearly not my "old friends" who called this place home.

"Alexis! There's a girl inside that tent! take care of her!" He shouted at a redheaded girl who had just shot a man with an arrow. She wore the same cape, but with dark brown leather armor underneath.

"Yes, sir!" She responded. Immediately dropping everything she was doing and taking off for the tent.

He then turned to me, death in his eyes. "Now hold on..." I tried talking to him, but it wasn't much use.

"DIE SCUM!!!!" He just charged me again. I kept dodging, trying my best to get a word in, trying to reason with him. At some point, I ended up outside the camp through the hole that was made in the back of the camp wall. There was also a wide and rapid river back here, and my back was right to it. "Nowhere else to run now coward."

One more attempt to reason with this hot-headed fool. "Look, I don't know what..."

"Shut up!" Well fine! "Men I've grown tired chasing this coward around! take aim!"

What? Looking around the battle had all but stopped, and now I was looking at least, fifteen men. All pointing bows or guns at me. They opened fire at his command.

I jumped for it! What else could I do the river, regardless of how dangerous the raging water looked, gave me better odds of survival than getting hit by those projectiles. 

Splash!

 Although my unwilling savior, the river carried me away to safety. It was ruff sure, and there were rocks. What didn't have rocks? Trying to stay on the bright side was the only thing keeping me from panicking as the river dragged me along, and down under its currents... Ok now's the time to panic! Trying to go back up for air, I ended up spinning my self around, in the water. Then, rock. 

Smack!

Right to the head!

Darkness took me.

On the flip side. Light filled my eyes and a sound in my ears. A voice, a woman's voice. My vision blurred I could hardly make her out, but little by little I could hear her more clearly.

"Hey, you're with us, that's good."

But wait the last thing I remember before now was being stoned, possibly to death, by a river. Just like with this half of me earlier I couldn't feel the other body once knocked out. I needed to know what happened to myself. Did my corpse wash up somewhere? How much time had passed between now and then? "Hey, I, uh," I was far too out of it to speak properly. 

"Oh no don't try to talk if you don't have to." But I did have to! What was that word? These people here at the came called me something... 

" Twin, uhh, where is other, me?" 

"What?" Her face was still a blur to me, but I could tell she was looking me up and down. "Other? Twin? Oh, gods no!" She rushed out of the tent. "WAIT! MY PRINCE!"

That was all the strength my broken body could handle, I passed out once more.

---

Alexis Loxley ran as fast as she could after her revelation. That man her prince was fighting with, she thought it was odd that he wasn't fighting back. She had now figured out why. He was not the enemy. She should have seen it sooner. How foolish! Her ability for observation was second to none within the whole kingdom.

Except maybe her own twin sister, between her and Christine it has always been a contest. 

How had she not noticed! The similar clothes, the fact that they looked the same. The fact that he wasn't fighting back even with his life on the line. When Alexis had entered the tent, the poor girl only had her pants half on. The only conclusion to how this had happened, why the Prince was chasing after that man, with death in his eyes, was that the ever impulsive Prince Arthur must have also seen this and drew an incorrect assumption. Again.

Running across, the already quiet battlefield, she rushed out the improvised entrance the Prince insisted on making with his light arrows.

Claiming "This is a sneak attack! They'll never see us coming."

"In that case my lord we should station men at the front entrance to take care of runaways." She tried to reason.

"Nonsense! They will never react fast enough! WAHAHAHA!"

Of course, getting away was exactly what most of the slavers did. A tactician the Prince was not.

The Prince stood before the raging river. Sword held high in the air. "WAHAHAHA! The coward ran! Victory is ours!" 

"Wait! My Prince! What happened to that man?!" 

Prince Arthur turned to his friend with blinding white and smile. "Did you not hear me the coward fled!" He announced gleefully. "Into the river! He shall not survive, I think."

Alexis hung her head. "No, I'm too late."

"Too late for what?" Asked Prince Arthur.

She glared daggers at the Prince. The way only women can. Although the Prince hadn't broken a sweat during the battle, he suddenly found himself sweating bullets. "That man, that just so desperately escaped from you was one of the many citizens that we came here to save!"

"What? No, that can't be true. When I entered that tent he was..." Alexis was in no mood for his excuses.

"Did you even ask who he was before trying to kill him!?"

"Why should I have? His villainy was obvious."

"Great just great, now I have to explain to that poor thing why her brother was just killed."

"B-Brother?" 

"Yes, Brother! She woke up, and was asking for him!"

The Prince was sweating buckets now. "Oh, but..."

"No, buts. Whatever you saw wasn't what you think you saw."

"Oh."

The daggers not only continued from Alexis's eyes but increased in intensity. "Oh? Is that all you have to say for yourself?" Her voice was now a  growl not dissimilar from a lioness. 

"..." No more sweat came from the Prince, he was all dried up.

"Sir Prince! Madam Loxley!" A soldier shouted, approaching with hast. "I'm sorry to report this, but aside from the one woman. There are no other abducted civilians in the camp."

Prince Arthur snapped out of his fearful trance. "What!?"

"No way!" Alexis cried.

"I'm sorry, but we also found this manifest." The soldier held up a booklet. Alexis took it from him and proceeded to look over the latest dates. The civilians had been shipped out yesterday. Not today as their intel suggested. She handed to manifest over to the Prince. Who also studied it carefully.

The Prince grated his teeth together. Throwing the book in frustration shouted. "DAMN IT!" The mission was a massive failure of epic proportions, not only did most of the slavers get away, he had the dates all wrong, which meant over 50 people of Shearwood are now being sold as slave in the empire, and to top it off the only one of two people left to rescue survived, because he had killed the other believing him to be a slave hunter boss taking advantage of his prey. When in reality it was a sibling likely trying to remove his sister from danger. There were no amount of excuses that could make this better.

Alexis pitied the poor young Prince.

His father the King would not be pleased.