The Sword Maiden

Zo

We delivered the thieves over to the Sheriff and told him where we were staying, in case he needed us for whatever reason.  

When I say, "we" I mean Valeria and I.  Redwar was still talking to the girl who the coward had held hostage. 

He had helped her up and was now talking with her.  Valeria and I glanced at each other, wondering what was going on.  

We took it upon ourselves to catch our horses, who had not wondered far.  I stroked Axe's bay coat and watched men pull the thug he'd kicked out of the wreckage of a stall.  I wondered who was going to pay for that.  Somehow, I had a sneaking suspicion it might be us.  

Valeria came walking up with Clover and Ladine.  "They seem alright," she said, referring to the horses.  

I nodded and glanced back over at Redwar, who was still talking with the beggar girl.  "Yeah, Axe seems fine."  

Valeria followed my gaze and smiled.  "I think we might have someone else joining our company for a little while."  

"What makes you say that?"  

"Come now Ravine, you and I both know Redwar can't turn away people in need.  She certainly looks like one of them."  

"You've got a point there."  

We led the horses over to Redwar, who broke off from his conversation to address us.  

"Are the horses alright girls?"  

"Yep," replied Valeria.  

"Good."  A thoughtful look crossed his face.  "Did you look behind the stall of the...  the fake vendor?"  

My brow wrinkled.  "No.  Should we?"  

"I think you should.  I'm hoping you'll find the real vendor there." 

My mouth formed an O as I looked back at the place we were attacked.  "We'll go check," said Valeria as she handed Ladine's reins to Redwar.  

We walked back.  Valeria held our horses while I went to check.  

I hopped up on the stall's table and looked down into it.  "Oh."  

Tied up and gagged was a wild eyed looking man.  He saw me and started to try talk through the gag, but they'd done it good, all that came out was soft grunting noises.  

I slipped down and knelt beside him.  "Hold still now, I'll take this gag off."  

He tilted his head so I could reach the tight knot.  I felt sorry for him, it had to be highly uncomfortable.  

I picked it loose, and as soon as it was out of his mouth he began spluttering.  "Those brutes, animals, barbarians!  I'll have them for this!  They had no right to-"  

I cut him off.  "Relax, sir, all of them are in the custody of the Sheriff."  

"Ha, not that'll do much good!  If that Sheriff was doing his job I wouldn't have been attacked in the first place!  He isn't near..."  

He went on ranting, switching between the Sheriff and his men, or the thug and his cronies.  By the time I'd finished untying him I was beginning to understand what they'd gagged him besides practical reasons.  

As soon as he was free, he was up and out of the stall, stomping across the street to the Sheriff.  "Sheriff!  I'll have you know..."  

He didn't even bother to say thank you.  

We rejoined Redwar as the vendor screamed out his complaints for all to here.  The Sheriff handled it remarkably well, staying calm and acting like his pathetic opinion actually mattered.