Highwayman

The broken ridley

"Hey! Get me down!" I wiggled and moved pushing at the ropes "I can ride you don't have to tie me up!" I screamed
"Can't let you ride away can I?" He laughed
I could hear his smugness although I couldn't see his face. since I was laid across the horse on my front I managed to catch a glimpse of the rugged ground as he weaved between trees guiding my horse with a rope attached to his
"Where are we going This isn't the road!?"
"Nope"
"Then where are we going!"
"I need to speak to a friend about getting you passage on one of the ships"
"Oh"
"How long until we get to your friend"
"Well last I heard he owned the broken Ridley so a day or two at least."
"You cannot leave me like this for two days!"
"Really?" He chuckled
"Ugh" I rolled my eyes
Maybe if I got out of the ropes around my feet I could sit up straight so I slipped my ankles out of the ropes one by one pulled it up using my legs and pulled the rope down With my knees. I could sit up I just needed to push myself up.
"Ah" I struggled since My arms were still tightly tied with the rope. However to my luck the horse jumped into some sort of ditch giving me a jolt and allowing me to sit up.
"Wha-what?" He turned.
"I was uncomfortable" I shrugged
"We haven't got time to stop so you best still be tied up" he sighed
"Yes Yes"

An hour or so past he was almost silent I tried to keep quiet. I know this was supposed to be terrifying but I couldn't help but feel relieved that I was escaping my 'future'

"Hey we are stopping for the night"
"What?"
"We are stopping" he sighed getting off his horse and picking me up off mine then sitting me against a Rock.
"Is the rope really needed?"
"Sure is" he said picking up sticks and dry grass
"Ass"
"Sorry my lady" he bowed chuckling at me 
"I'm not some fragile rich little girl you know" I insisted
"I'm sure" he carried on picking up sticks
"I'm an independent woman!" I said falling to my side. I retired to sit up but without my hands I was stuck.
"Help me up"
"Sorry I thought miss was independent" he laughed putting the sticks and grass in a pile.
"Yes well I've been tied up!"
He lifted me up against the rock again before looking up to the sky.
"I reckon we have about a half of an hour left of light"
"And how could you possibly know that? I don't see any pocket watch"
"The sun you doxy"
"Well.. I mean who can tell that"
"Lotta folks can these days"
"Well good for them" I looked down

"Good maybe you'll pipe down for a while"  he knelt beside the pile of sticks and dried grass then taking out two rocks from his coat's pockets and hitting them together beside the pile until the grass were alight. He took of his hat and held it over the flame blowing at the centre of it until it grew.
"I've read about things like that"
"You seem to read a lot" he said sarcastically
"Don't you?"
"Not much time when your out here" he sighed collecting a few logs from around.
"I see"
"What does that mean?" He said putting s log on the fire and sitting down against a Rock
"Well I shouldn't think you could" I smiled smugly
"Who needs to read I make my way"
"That's what an idiot would say"
"Your lucky I'm not killing you!" He frowned kicking off his boots and laying his head back.
"Mmhmm" I nodded closing my eyes

Is there something wrong with me. I'm tied up and lying on a rock, opposite me there's a dangerous highwayman.. but I feel.. safe?.. relived? I was a little scared but He didn't feel like a stranger more of a saviour.. an unsuspecting one at that but despite it all he didn't hurt me when I insulted him just mocked me.

I found myself falling asleep peacefully.
"Wake up!"
"Wha-what?"
"We gotta go" he said picking me up and laying me cartons his horse
"What why?"
"Looks like people are looking for you." He sighed
Lamps flickered violently from behind the trees, I could hear voices shouting for me.
"Keep quiet" he grumbled jumping on the horse
"Let me Ride the carriage horse"
"Can't let you do that
I understood he couldn't trust me.
"Then loosen the ropes and let me sit up Orr I'll scream"
He looked at me daringly, I raised an eyebrow as to say he best do it.
"Damnit" he reached back to me and loosened the ropes allowing my arms free and helping me sit up.
"Happy!?"
"Yes"
"Hold on tight then" he gritted his teeth and told the horror to giddy up. I wrapped my arms around his waist closing my eyes.
He rod us through the trees into the clearing swiftly. As we got fourth we the shouts faded and I calmed down.
"We're safe"
"Good" I let go loosing balance, as my feet were still tied I couldn't do anything and began too fall
"Woah there" he caught me with his arm and pulled me back up putting my hands around his waist. "Hold on" he said again trotting towards the river.
"Damnit knee you'd be trouble" he sighed jumping of the horse.
The sun was rising by now.
"Well you should've checked" I mimed throwing a hat in the ground
"Shut up" He sniggered "What's the deal with you?"
"What do you mean?" I asked
"Well you could've shouted or something to be taken home" he said lifting me of the horse and sitting me against a log
"Who knows what you would've done" I shrugged.
"Right..."
"We will get moving in a Minuit my buddy's place isn't too far." He stood up taking the water bottle from his pocket and filling it with water from the river?. Next he poured it on his horse "what were you doing?" I laughed
"Looking after Asher"
"Right"
"What you never looked after a horse?"
"The stable keeps usually do" I closed my eyes
"Oh I'm sorry m'lady" he laughed
"Shut up stable boy"
"stable boy?" he laughed stroking the horse.

"What's m'ladies real name?" He asked
"Courtney and what's yours?"

"Pleasure"he laughed
"What is it?"
"None of your business" he laughed again

We turned the path showing one small wooden building with a sign hung above the door

'the broken Ridley' two dirty looking men stood outside leant against the wall chewing tobacco.
We stopped in front of it.
"It's probably best if you stay here just keep quiet" he got off the horse
"Wait but w-"
"Shh"
"Ugh" I watched as he chuckled walking away.
The men looked at me once he had left giggling too each other I tried not to look at them but out of the corner of my eye I could see them walking towards me. So I panicked a wiggled to the don't of the horse.
"They get any closer you'd better run" I whispered to the horse
Now I completely looked they were a few steps away and moving closer.
"Well howdy pretty lady" one laughed
"How ya doin" the other said stepping closer
"I'm fine thank you" I said turning away
"Well hey now we're just tryna be friendly"
"Yeah how bout'a kiss"
"Oh I-"
"How bout it" the other one put his hand on my leg
"Get off of me you gahstley man!"
"Well excuse me I'm just saying howdy, I got the coin ya know" he got closer
"Giddy up!" I kicked the horse gently, riding it towards the door, the two men Ran behind after me.
I got close enough the saloon like doors and through myself through them.

I looked up once I landed on the floor. A dozen man sat around all four of the tables and just in front of me the highwayman and another man stood looking at me shocked.
"Come back!" The men shouted as they ran through the door.
One of them picked me up
"Come one darlin'" he grinned
"We gotta problem fellas" the highwayman interrupted
"Oh no Shayne no problem"
"That's good" he nodded "we'll let her go"
"Ouch!" I Cried as they dropped me immediately
"Really guys" he rushed over picking me up
"Sorry Shayne" they looks down
"Jesus" he sighed sitting me on the bar
"Stable boys name so Shayne?" I laughed
"Uh you let her talk to you like that Shayne?" One of them interrupted
"I Uh-"
"Yeah 'she' does 'she' talks to him anyway she wants" I folded my arms
"See what I mean" Shayne turned to his buddy