The Brave One

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The man shoved Evera toward his base camp, her hands bound with William by her side. Her long plait was crudely undone, the men finding favor in the girls repulsion as their fingers ran through her now unkempt hair. William’s clear objections to their actions resulted in gagging his mouth with cloth made from his shirt, leaving him with only one sleeve and exposing his too-tan arms.

The two were pushed towards the outlaws’ camp; a large clearing with tree stumps scattered throughout the makeshift homes. Fallen trunks were chopped into seating around the fires, and the thicker branches were remade to walls and roofs for housing. Evera and William were taken in to a barely finished shack and fastened to the center beam that held the roof. Their wrists were tied behind their backs and around the pole, making eye contact with each other impossible. To Evera’s relief, William’s mouth was still gagged as the men left the two in the improvised prison. Here, she could enjoy silence between them, only communicating through reassuring hand grips. Here, she could postpone the talk of the lives they had lived without each other.

William set to work at once, grabbing the thin but strong rope that was holding Evera in place. She felt his hands blindingly grasp for the rope, trying to find the ends and the loose knots. Evera let him try, knowing he would ultimately fail. When she heard the sigh of his breaking point, he slid down the pole, his hands and mind tired of his desperate attempts of breaking free. She listened as his boot scuff the ground in anger but then he fell silent. She let herself fall slowly to the grassy floor and held his forearm, squeezing with understanding. Nothing was said, but she felt his sorrow for his belief of letting her down.

Time passed slowly for the prisoners. The day was half over when a man came into the small hovel. He did not speak, but his daunting eyes lingered too long over the young Fae’s body. William could see his gazing eyes and groaned in disapproval, among other thoughts. The outlaw laughed at the young man’s dissatisfaction and left them alone once more, a smile on his unshaven face.

More time faded away. The daylight started to grey which resulted in the campfires being lit. The flickering light outside cast shadowy figures lazing around the fire, enjoying their nightly meals. The smell of roasted animal wafted through the air. Evera realized she had not eaten for a full day and a half. The last meal she had eaten was the bread William had given her after her fainting spell and the berries she picked before that. Her stomach let out a small squeal she couldn’t have suppressed if she wanted to. She thanked God, for William could not see the reddening cheeks or her watering eyes. What would happen to them if they tried to escape? What would happen to her if they didn’t?

William chewed at the gag. The rag-sleeve made his jaw uncomfortably dry and the edges of his mouth were starting to become raw with the sweat and spittle soaked cloth rubbing his cheeks. His back and neck were still sore from his sleeping position, but the thing that bothered him most was the outlaws’ interest in Evera. His emotions flared at the thought of anyone hurting her or touching her. She deserved better. She deserved respect and decency she would not find in any area like this.

Another man came into their prison-shack and grabbed Evera’s wrist. She was forced to stand as her bindings were cut, only to be replaced after she was free of the pole. She matched the man’s hostility with a piercing stare but did and said nothing to stop his brutality. William muffled out an array of questions, all of where they were taking her, and all unintelligible.

The young man’s desire to escape strengthened as soon as Evera was out of sight. Though she could handle more than any other female he had ever encountered before, she was still one woman against those twenty or so men. His fingers clawed unsuccessfully at his own ties, his wrists bond too tightly to let any free movement. He turned his attention to the pole instead, hearing whistles and howls at Evera outside. The pole was buried in the ground, most likely farther than he could pull up. The top was too tall for him to try to lift his bindings over and if he shook the support beam to cave the shack in, someone was bound to notice. Escape, without a knife or someone untying him, was impossible. He turned his attention to Evera outside in the circle of men.

“’Gents, we ‘ave in our presence tonight… a lady.” He stroked Evera’s chin, setting off the captive’s ire. Evera jerked her head away from his hand, not betraying the disgust she must have felt. The men, however, let a roar of laughter and ‘here-heres’ as the leader motioned to a younger outlaw seated to his right. The younger man stood. Though he was smaller and less muscular than the rest of the group, he still gave the impression of someone not to confront.

“My son, Robin,” the leader motioned once more to his right. “’E says he’d like to find himself a girl, ’e told me a fortnight ago, ’e did. And so,” He drunkenly pulled Evera and pushed her into Robin’s arms, causing her to stumble into his chest. “We found ’im ’is very own lady friend.”

Cheers rose out of the men, drowning out William’s cries of stifled anger. He trashed at the pole, shoving his body weight, willing it to fall. The men must have better constructing skills than they show for with all his attempts, William could only make the semi-thick pole sway an inch or two. He saw the pained look on Evera’s face for a slight moment before she buried her fear under a look of annoyance rather than terror or contempt.

Evera bit back her words of pure rage and repulsion. Humans made women their slaves? In Morag, women were treated as equals to the men, only varying little in strength and strategy. Evera has heard the term “lady friends” as a Human term for a courtesan. Here, this man… Robin… was going to take her. Escape seemed hopeless with so many men. She looked back at the prison-shack where William was left. She knew he must have heard and wondered how he was to feel. Perhaps she could bargain his release for her willingness to stay, no fights for freedom or struggling. The slim chance seemed to fade to nothingness the more she thought of it.

Calloused hands shoved the young Fae toward a finished lodging, undoubtedly belonging to the leader’s son. Robin opened the door for his love-to-be and for the brutes to lead her inside. One man grabbed her arm and threw her inside, letting her trip on her own feet.

Evera landed painfully on her side, her face pressing into the dirt. Tears she had not known she shed made grime smudge on her face. Her dress was not only frayed on the hem, it had ripped up to her knee, exposing her thigh. She curled up on her side as Robin closed the door to his abode. She felt so humiliated and violated. Most boys in Morag had never seen her more than a sparring opponent or the strange girl who sits alone and even though pleasuring is more than common in Morag, Evera had only experienced those feelings once. The time she had someone close enough to feel desire with, was three years ago. The day after they gave themselves to each other, he was severely injured in one of the combat trainings and sent to Sileas for healing. He had yet to return to Morag.

Robin bent down to help Evera to the thin mattress on the floor that took place as the bed. Her hands were cut free and a blanket was thrown to her. Her ‘master’ stood and ran his fingers through his shaggy hair.

“It would be much easier on the both of us if you would stop crying!” Robin kneaded his shoulder angrily. Evera stole a glance at the young man. He seemed to be the same age as Evera, though he stood a head taller. His shoulders were broad but not bulky and his form did not take after his father. His was more the build of a hunter than an outlaw. The young man shook his short dark brown curls and paced the room nervously, allowing Evera to collect herself.

“What do you want of me?” The green eyed woman wiped her face with the back of her hand, cleaning off the dirt and tears. She gazed at her feet and pulled the patched up blanket closely around her body.

“I want… freedom.” Robin came and sat next to the girl he did not know. Evera flinched as he took her hand in his.

“Whose?”

“Both of ours.” Robin kissed the dried skin, respectfully. His angry tone and aura faded with time. Evera looked into his eyes. They were sincere enough to believe, and warm enough to trust. Maybe he wouldn’t be so bad to stay with.