“What seems to be the trouble?” the driver continued.
Elsy’s jaw clenched as she realized she had no blade to defend them against attack. She had no coin to buy their freedom, nothing on her but the clothes on their backs. There wasn’t even anything within the carriage that she could throw. They were defenseless.
“Elsy,” Scott whispered, her voice tinged with fear. “What’s happening?”
Elsy shook her head. “Quiet,” she whispered.
Her eyes widened as she heard the sound of blades being drawn. A horse whinnied. She heard some movement, heard the driver shout nervously, “I have coin! Here. Take what ye--”
Elsy stilled as the driver’s words were silenced. The carriage rocked as something large fell. Scott whimpered and clutched onto Elsy. Her nails dug into Elsy’s skin. Elsy bit back a shout of pain, a small whimper escaping as she heard footsteps coming their way.
“Elsy,” Scott whispered. “What should we do?”
Elsy shook her head. There was nothing they could do. Her hands shook as she held onto Scott, knowing if all else failed she should protect her charge, make sure that she escaped. She stared at the door, waiting for it to inevitably open. Her teeth ground as she thought of something, anything she could possibly do.
Scott screamed as the door was thrown open. Two men stood before them, shrouded in black garbs. Their faces were completely covered. One chuckled darkly while the other looked between them.
“Take me,” Elsy rasped while pushing Scott behind her. “Leave her and take me.”
The man standing in front, with his hand still on the door, craned his head toward her, his green eyes wide. “Oh, we’ll take ye alright,” he laughed while reaching inside the carriage. “We’ll take the whole lot of ye.” His hand seized Scott’s wrist and he dragged her from the carriage.
“Nae!” Scott screamed. Her hold on Elsy’s hand was bruising, but Elsy didn’t care.
“Let her go!” Elsy shouted, holding tight to Scott. The girl’s hand was slipping through her fingers.
“Her?” the brigand laughed, pulling harder on Scott’s wrist. Scott cried, tears streaming down her cheeks while the brigand laughed harder. “Why’s a young lass like ye wearing clothes for a lad?”
Scott screamed as she struggled. She wrenched her hand, trying desperately to get him to release her, but the brigand was too strong. Elsy’s fingers around Scott’s hand tightened, but she couldn’t hold on any longer and she watched in horror as the brigand, with one last strong tug, withdrew Scott from the carriage and handed her off to his accomplice.
Elsy gasped, lunging out of the carriage for Scott. Terror seized her heart, her face flushing as she watched Scott kick and punch at the air. The man holding her tossed back his head, laughing cruelly as he carried her toward his horse. “We have a fiery one!” he said cruelly.
“I said let her go!” Elsy shouted as she scrambled toward the men, tripping over the carriage’s step, and nearly falling onto her face. She elbowed the brigand behind her, earning a grunt, before running toward Scott. “Scott!” she shouted.
“Elsy!” Scotty shrieked as the man put her on the horse.
The brigand grabbed his saddle, getting ready to mount, but Elsy was faster. She fisted her hands and threw a sharp punch into the brogan’s back. He cursed, his back arching, his hands fisting as he turned on his heel to face Elsy.
“Why ye little--” he started as he reached for Elsy.
Elsy sidestepped him, remembering the moves Connell had taught her all those years ago. “Run Scotty!” Elsy shouted as she peered over the brigand’s shoulder, watching Scott jump down from the horse.
Scott froze, her eyes wide on Elsy as the brogan grabbed Elsy’s wrist and wrenched her toward him. “I said go!” Elsy shouted.
Scott sobbed and quickly turned around, running as fast as she could away from the brigands. Elsy smiled, her foot stomping into the brigand’s as he moved to go after Scott. He groaned and Elsy kicked him in the leg, missing his groin. She moved to kick him again, but before she could, the other brigand grabbed her from behind, taking her off her feet.
“Scotty! Run!” Elsy shrieked while kicking her legs, trying to hurt the brigand behind her while the other ran after Scott.
The brigand caught up to Scott easily, grabbing her by her hair and dragging her back toward his horse. Scott’s wails filled the air, making Elsy struggle that much harder. She watched as the brigand grabbed Scott’s hands and pinned them behind her, tying them quickly with rope before throwing her onto the horse. He mounted easily behind her while chuckling darkly.
“Think ye could get away from me, did ye?” he shouted while casting an angry glare at Elsy.
Elsy threw her head back into the nose of brigand behind her. He shouted in pain, dropping her. Elsy didn’t waste any time. She ran forward, moving as quickly as she possibly could.
“I’m coming for ye!” Elsy shouted. But as soon as the words left her lips a huge fist hit her between the shoulder blades. The wind was driven from her lungs. She flailed, trying to regain her balance, but she pitched forward, her face landing in the grass and mud. She scrambled to stand, lurching forward, refusing to give up. Her back ached, but she ignored the pain. Scott needed her help. Who knew what they would do to the young girl. Elsy didn’t care what they did to her, only that Scott was safe.
“Stop!” Elsy shouted as her steps quickened into a run, her tone desperate as she watched the man and Scott surge forward, the horse galloping onto the path. “Stop!” she rasped. Her nails were caked in dirt. She tasted bile and grass on her tongue. She had to keep moving. Had to get to Scott.
Something hard struck her head. Elsy blinked, her vision blurring, the world tilting. She gasped, her hand reaching up to touch the back of her head. Something wet grazed her fingertips and as she brought them before her, crimson liquid trickled down her palm.Blood,Elsy thought, her body growing limp as her eyes began to flutter close.
“Scotty,” she whispered, her hands clutching the grass as she tried to pull her body forward, but her arms were weak and shaking. Her vision ebbed. A dark chuckle filled her ears as she felt movement to her side. She turned her gaze upwards, but the sun was peeking from behind the clouds, painting the brigand before her in dark silhouette.
“Don’t think yer getting away so easy this time,” the brigand said darkly. Elsy’s eyes rolled back, her body going lax against the grass, and she heard nothing more.
