Two for Treason

Chapter 3 - To London

Warning: This installment contains graphic violence.

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2 days later the 6 women were led out of Norwich the same way they had entered, however this time they had an escort of 10 mounted guards. They were on foot, surrounded by the guards. The 10 day walk to London was going to be arduous!

The first day passed without incident. The guards made them keep up a punishing pace that resulted in no opportunity to talk. They were practically forced into a run.

The second day passed much like the first, except on this day the guards started taunting them. "Women should be seen, not heard." "They are for warming a man's bed." "Look at the tits on that one." The comments continued to get coarser as the day progressed.

Each night the guards would take 2 hour lookout shifts. The women were charged with preparing the nightly meal. No women's work for these men! When it came time to sleep the women were told to lay in a row; the guards ensured that Anne and Genie were kept apart. The guards slept nearby, their scabbards removed, but close at hand.

On this particular night Anne could not sleep. She propped herself on an elbow. The only sounds were the chirping of crickets and the steady rhythm of snores. She sat up and looked to the tree under which the lookout was located. Asleep. Very carefully she stood up and made her way over to Genie.

She shook Genie awake, placing her finger over her lips to keep her quiet. "We need a plan," she whispered.

Genie sat up and said, "Are you crazy? If they see you they will beat you!"

"We need to do this now, everyone is asleep. We need to do something before we get too far away."

"Do you have a plan?"

Anne shrugged, "No...I was hoping you would."

"Okay, okay..." she sighed. "We need to get their weapons, for sure. Let's wake up the girls...quietly!"

Once they had woken everyone they gathered in a tight circle. Maddie kept her eyes on the guards.

"Does anyone have any suggestions?" Genie asked.

Catherine put into words the only thing they were all thinking, "The only thing we can do is try to collect their weapons while they sleep." The others nodded their agreement.

"When?" asked Anne.

Genie looked all of them in the eye, "Tomorrow night. I will stay awake, as soon as I see the lookout sleeping I will wake you all."

Anne emphasized, "We need to do all of this very quietly. We won't be able to take the lookout's sword."

"I'll take care of him," Genie glared at the sleeping guards. "Now, back to sleep."

Late the next day they entered a forest skirting the village of Newmarket. 'Perfect,' thought Genie.

After the nightly routine was complete the women were getting ready to take their regular sleeping places. The guards had purchased ale at the last village and were well on their way to drunkenness. The sergeant, a big burly man, had been eyeing the ladies most of the day and evening. "Not so fast," he said, his voice booming around the middle of the thicket they had chosen. The fellow guards chuckled. "We would like to thank you for the meals you have made, but," he reached out, grabbed Catherine by the arm and ran a finger down her cheek, "you need to provide other services." He smiled; a smile filled with absolute evil.

Catherine turned deathly pale and tried to wrench her arm out of his grip. "Now, now, little one, don't struggle..." he sneered, "That will only make it worse." The men closed ranks around the women, "Maids only!" The sergeant smirked. "Might as well get the best of the lot." Anne and Genie were still sporting their wedding rings. The youngest of the guards took them away from the fire and tied them to a tree. He remained to stand guard.

The screams were deafening. The grunts and ribald talk from the guards were soul wrenching. The 2 tied women made no sounds, the tightness of their throats would allow no sound to pass. Instead they cried quietly. The time stretched, it seemed interminable. Finally, there was relative silence. The only sounds they heard were the hearty backslaps and congratulations the men shared. Anne turned her head and vomited.

The young guard untied Anne and Genie, who immediately ran to their friends. They tended to any wounds they found, cleaning welts and whip marks. There was no consolation for their souls. The 6 women huddled together. Not long after all of the guards were snoring.

Fury raged in the hearts of these women. Quietly they gathered up the swords and any other weapons the guards had left lying about. One by one, Anne and Genie woke the guards. One would hold her hand over the mouth of a man, while the other held the point of her sword directly above his heart. Each man was taken to an area just outside of the camp, stripped, tied at the wrists and ankles and gagged. Once all 10 men were lined up, they removed the gags.

Starting at opposite ends of the line-up Anne and Genie slowly castrated each of the men. The blood curdling screams could be heard far off. The women didn't care, they would be done soon enough. Once they were finished their first task they returned the gags to their mouths and stabbed each man in the chest, to the left of their hearts through the lung.

The women changed out of their dresses into the men's clothes, gathered up the supplies and mounted the horses. They turned to the northwest and didn't look back.