(Photo Credit: CC, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Felin_Geri_Mill_Wooden_Fort_-_geograph.org.uk_-_384304.jpg)
The men had to talk it over, but a decision was made; They'd rob her, if she didn't have anything to sell they'd just have to find a slaver. There were six of them in total but only two made themselves known, slowly creeping from the thin shafts of light between the trees. The odor the men propagated was the first hint, like day old baig dung baking in the sun all afternoon, the second was their dirty faces and their wide grins; they were up to no good.
"Well look what we have here!" The shorter of the the two said.
"Don't she know this place is dangerous?" The other one said from her left.
"Hey little girl, ya know, we..." he said flicking his thumb back and forth between himself and his comrade, " can protect you, for a fee."
"There are wollars and grenmites roaming these parts, jus' listen." he said, as one of the men in the trees made a high-pitched sound vibrato into a snarl.
"Ooh scary, now come one, shows us what you got, me an Lont here won't hurt ya, not unless we have to. Lont hold her."
The two men lurched forward just as she started to run for it, she wasn't quick enough and one of the men grabbed her arm. Her foot came down hard, Lont let go to grab his left foot. She forced her body left and then right, breaking Shorty's grip. The trees were right in front of her now, just within reach. Thud. Black. Nothing.
She woke in the back of a wagon, surrounded by hay and dirt, her arms tightly tied behind her back, her head throbbing like it was an egg and a baby tharn was breaking free. She felt Baby shift, tears welling in her eyes. Two other people, a small girl and middle aged man, were bound the same way. Next to the cart were most of the bandits; two on either side, and behind. Shorty and Lont were steering the baig driven cart. Up ahead she could see a large wall made of wood that cradled a hefty door. The door had men standing guard with tall pikes in their hands. She could see archers on top of the wall, arrows notched and aimed at the cart.
The cart approached the wall and one of the men stepped forward.
"You got you're papers, eh? I don't want to hear no excuses this time, no papers no entry Giravus."
"Well you'll get you're papers when I get my coin, way I see it you still owe me fourteen dejuin, cough it up and you'll get you're filthy papers."
The men grab at each other and draw their fists back, a moment passes, and the men start to laugh.
"Open that grubby door of yours, I've got a market to get to, found me a little something special." He said jutting his thumb behind his shoulder.
The man from the gate came around back, climbed into the cart, and looked at the middle aged man shielding the little girl. He smirked. His eyes darted to her, he could tell she was pregnant, his smirk grew to a grin.
"Can I have a quick go?" he said as his hand touched her shoulder.
Giravus thrust his riding crop across the gate mans back. "There'll be none of that, I have places to be."
"But she's already spoiled, look, it's..."
"No! Now open that fucking gate."
_______________________________________________________________________________
Sorry this took so long to get up today. I hope you enjoy. I will make up for the brevity of this with the next installment of Mariloth's tale.
Let me know what you think, comments are greatly appreciated, and don't forget to check out all of the other great authors who participate in Free Fiction Friday.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Be sure to check out the other stories;
Follow all of your favorites and read the first 100 words on the groups website:
