Daughter of Redmoon

Ch4: A CHEF, A THEIF, AND A PRISON WAGON

My heart races as the men close in on us. My eyes flash to our tent where my dragon gear is being stored.

Another arrow lodges itself in the tree Xia is sitting up against. She reaches toward me, her eyes open wide.

"Run!" she shouts.

"I'm not leaving you!" I shout back.

I kneel down next to my companion and clasp her hand in mine. I didn't think this would be how my life would end, but these bandits did manage to catch me unaware. Curse me for a fool, Mother Redmoon – I have powerful armor and weapons, but I failed to wield them today.

Several of the men surround us, knives, swords, and clubs at the ready. One of them grabs me by the hair and drags me to my feet. He smells my neck and smiles.

"No men here, just these two women," he calls to his fellows. "Search their tent."

A couple other men haul Xia to her feet. She winces as they do.

"She's injured!" I shout in desperation. "Please, be gentle with her!"

"It's alright," Xia replies as she's being manhandled. "This isn't anything I haven't experienced before."

Several of the men laugh at that.

My hands curl into fists.

Xia sees me about to take action and shakes her head.

"Just relax. These fine fellows are just here to try and earn a living, isn't that right, gentlemen?"

One of the men holding her laughs out loud.

"If by earn a live'n ya mean steal yo stuff, then ya missus. We're a right fine bunch of gents."

A slender, filthy-looking man produces a knife and holds it under Xia's chin.

"This one doesn't seem to be taking us seriously, lads. Maybe if I punch a couple holes in her, she'll understand our intensions a little better."

My companion gives him a little smile.

"Nah, you don't want to hurt the merchandise and lower the price you can get for my friend and I, now do you? How much do you men think you could sell a couple of beautiful women for? A hundred gold pieces? Two hundred? Huh? How much do you think?"

The bandit in our tent exits with my dragon armor in hand.

"Just some weird armor, bedding, and dried food in here, Captain."

The one holding me by the hair gives me a yank.

"Now where did you happen to procure such a fine suit of dragon armor, missus?" he asks in a gruff tone. "Me'n the boys could eat for a month if we sold that at auction."

"It's mine, obviously," Xia says with her confident smile. "My servant girl and I were enjoying a lovely time in the woods before you gentlemen decided to interrupt us."

The leader pushes me into a couple of his other men, then approaches my companion with his face twisted into a scowl.

"So, the one with a purdy tongue is a noble then? A noble just like da one that burnt down our villiage n' forced us from our homes!"

"Leave her alone!" I shout and struggle to free myself from the men holding me fast.

"Calm down, girl!" Xia shouts at me, then turns her attention back to the leader.

"I don't support such actions. A noble's wealth and power comes from their subjects. Mistreating one's subjects in some sort of misguided show of strength is not only foolish, it's cowardly. I'm sorry you and your families were treated like that. I'm sure you all lost loved ones because your lord was less than benevolent toward you."