CHAPTERFOUR
Elsy
Elsy knew very few things about her predicament, but she made certain to pay attention. There was a brigand known as Brann, and another, Ian, who had tied her to something. She suspected it was a tree.Possibly a branch?she wondered while tugging at the rope, hearing some rustling above her. Something light grazed her cheek and she inhaled deeply, smelling water and earth.Aye, she decided, she was indeed tied to a branch.
The black cloth over her head had shrouded her vision, but it did nothing to stamp down her ability to hear, smell, and feel. The men chuckled nearby, talking amongst themselves about something she didn’t care for. They weren’t paying attention to her. She wiggled her wrists together, her whimpers drowned out by the rag in her mouth. Her tongue worked on the cloth, ignoring the taste of sweat and dirt. If she couldn’t break free of her confines, she would scream for help. Surely, they weren’t the only people on the road.
Maybe they strayed from the path,she thought, her insides twisting with fear. If they were no longer on the road, then help would be impossible to shout for. She couldn’t permit herself to think that way. She needed to focus on escape. Her wrists burned from the rope scratching at them, but she could feel the knot loosening. The sharp twine was no longer scraping so furiously at her skin. She paused at the sound of twigs breaking, her head tilting toward the sound.
“I will do as ye have asked,” a man said, his tone worried, making the hairs rise on the back of her neck. “But I don’t believe the others will take kindly to this decision.”
What would they do to her now, Elsy wondered, her hands moving fervently. She was nearly free.Just a wee more, she told herself while tugging one hand through the small hole she made in her bindings. She stifled a scream as the bag was ripped from her head, sunlight making her vision spot and her eyes wince. Quickly, she turned away, clamping her eyes closed to regain her sight. She opened one eye slowly, then the other, finding two men staring at her, their faces still covered. The others stood near the horses, watching with interest.
The one-eyed man held up a water skin before her. “Are ye thirsty?” he asked, a hint of kindness in his tone. He stared at her expectantly, waiting for an answer.
Elsy’s eyes narrowed on the water skin. She was parched. All the moisture in her mouth had been sucked dry by the rag. She desperately craved for the water, but she couldn’t trust these men. Why would they care if she was thirsty or not? What if they had done something foul to the water skin? She glanced to the others standing in a group nearby, wondering if they were in on it, wondering if they’d urinated within the bag, hoping to get a laugh and break her spirits.
Elsy jerked away from him, shaking her head. She tugged sharply once more, pulling free from the rope. She tried to hide her glee. The rope slipped away from her other hand, yet she kept both pinned behind her, not wanting to reveal herself too soon. This was her only opportunity for escape. She didn’t think she would get another chance if she failed.
The one-eyed brigand sighed, the sound announcing his frustration. He took a step toward her. “Come now,” he said.
Her tongue worked harder on the rag. Her teeth sunk into the fabric, and she readied herself for attack. The brigand took another step toward her. He was nearly upon her. His hand was reaching for her rag. She waited until he loomed above her.
“Ye know ye want—"
She spat the rag in his face. The cloth hit him in the eye, blinding his view for a brief moment and giving her the ability to kick him in the shin. He groaned as she ran past, the others quickly straightening.
“What the--” shouted one while rushing toward her.
“Get her!” shouted another.
A burly man scrambled toward her, his arms reaching for her. Elsy ducked, barely dodging his hands. Another brigand, tall and lean, reached for her, but she jerked away from him. “Don’t touch me!” she rasped.
The brigand chuckled, edging toward her. “Feisty little lass, now aren’t ye?” His eyes narrowed; his arms stretched wide. The others were closing in on her. “But ye won’t be getting away so easily.”
He rushed toward her. Elsy waited, holding her breath, for the exact moment to move. As soon as she could see the whites of his eyes, she sidestepped him, tripping his feet and making him fall face first into the grass. She hiked up her skirts, not caring if she appeared ladylike as she ran as fast as she could past the horses and away from the river trickling behind her.
“Get up!” one of the brigands shouted from behind. “Don’t let her get away.”
“Ye saw what she did!” shouted another.
Elsy ground her teeth, urging her body to move faster. She looked around frantically, searching for the road, but it was nowhere to be found. They had left the path.Of course, they did,she thought angrily, tears stinging her eyes.Escape would have been too easy if they remained.
“Help!” she shrieked as she continued, running past a tree and through the green meadow. Rain trickled down, hitting her in the face. Her legs were getting tired. She didn’t know how much longer she could run. Glancing over her shoulder, she felt her heart falter as her gaze met the angry blue eye of the brigand closing in on her. What could she do? She had no clue where they had taken her, no idea how to get home or find aid. She was dead with them or without them.
Still, she would prefer dying alone than with them. She faced forward, focusing on her breath. It was raining harder. The water soaked her dress, making it difficult for her to continue forward. Her body ached. Her chest hurt.
“Help!” she screamed again, knowing it was no use. Her ankle slipped in the mud, and she felt her body falling forward. She braced for impact, expecting to feel her face hit the dirt. Instead, strong, warm arms circled around her, tight but gentle, and she felt her body being pulled closer, her feet leaving the ground.
“Let me go!” she shouted while kicking her feet. “I demand ye to release me at once!”
The brigand behind her chuckled as he carried her back to the horses and the group of onlookers watching her with amusement. “I’m afraid I can’t do that,” he said.
Her hands fisted as she jerked her shoulders, fighting to free herself, but his arms had hers pinned to her sides. There was nothing she could do. A brigand with freckles surrounding his eyes handed his leader the ropes she had broken free from. She gasped, feeling her feet drop to the ground, but before she could run away, her wrists were gruffly grabbed and once again the cords were bound around her, tighter than before this time.
“Who are ye?” she asked, staring down the group of brigands. “I demand ye tell me yer names at once!”
The brigands looked at each other for a moment before bursting into a fit of laughter. One grabbed his belly, while another rested a hand on his horse to keep himself from toppling over.
