The Unraveling

Nesta

Nesta watched each step she took as she methodically checked the traps she had laid. Fully aware that fairly bad men regularly laid their own in hopes of catching a pretty young thing to sell to the highest bidder. She had counted four already in the time it took her to check two of her own. With no luck. The rabbits weren't falling for it today.

She pressed on, passing thicket after thicket. Empty snare after empty snare.

"Mayla! Do not move!"

Nesta froze. Fully aware of what a man's voice this deep in the forest could mean for her.

"Shite! Mother says that the only people who lay these kinds of traps are slavers. They're gonna sell us. They're gonna sell us. Oh, gods, what are we gonna do? You have a plan right?" She relaxed slightly at this. It sounded like two unlucky souls had gotten caught.

"Just give me a minute to think."

Nesta knew their chances of getting loose were slim. Slavers set fantastic traps. She'd actually learned how to set better snares because of them, not that they knew it. She thought about leaving them to be found by the slavers. It would mean less danger for her. But what would Aielle say when she told her of the story later?

Sighing, she walked into their line of sight.

"You're a slaver? But you're a woman!" The girl was small, maybe sixteen, but likely younger.

Nesta said nothing, just walked over to the catch and cut it in two. The strangers fell to the ground with a satisfying thump. The man was up in an instant, small knife in hand. He was quick and probably trained.

"Relax, I didn't lay these traps. You're free to go on your way."

She turned to leave and found herself held against the man, knife to her throat.

"Who are you? Why were you walking around the woods alone?"

Nesta didn't like his hostility. Especially after she had just saved his life. What in the world had happened to gratitude? She should have left him suspended in the air for the slavers to find. It was too late for that now. She bit down on the hand holding the knife. Reflexively, she reached up, grabbed the knife as it fell, and turned to face him.

"I could ask you the same thing." She glanced at the girl, pointing to the man with his own knife. "Do you know this man? Is he holding you against your will?"

"Yes and no. It's confusing. He is just doing his job."

"His job as a slaver?"

The man laughed. "A slaver who gets caught in his own trap? Not a very clever slaver, am I?"

She stepped forward, placing the knife at his throat.

"I was not asking you."

The girl placed her hand on Nesta's arm.

"Please, he is a member of the King's guard escorting me to the castle. I have to go or King Vier will kill me, my family, and burn my village. I have to go and he has to take me."

Nesta removed the knife from his throat. Not a threat to her then.

"Like I said, I did not lay these traps. I was out checking my rabbit snares. Lucky for you two." She tossed the knife at the man.

"Isn't that dangerous?"

The man snorted at the question from the girl. "She's doing what it takes to survive. Come Mayla, we need to get to the next town before nightfall."

His words, spoken so straightforward struck a chord within her. He made her sound somewhat noble whilst also making it seem like fact. Her survival. Like he wasn't surprised in the slightest. And given that she had held a knife to his throat, she wasn't entirely shocked at this.

"Safe travels." Not an entirely sincere sentiment. She wasn't overly worried about the pair.

They rode off and Nesta went back to checking her snares. Aielle would be hearing quite the tale tonight.