Flight and Fancy

Chapter 5

Isabelle rode for several hours and into a wood. The daylight was now declining so she decided to shelter in the wood just a short walk from the road. Zeus was tethered, she took her bag and blanket and sat down to eat. She relished the sweet fruitiness of jam on bread. It brought back memories of her childhood eating the wild berries on her father's farm. Her thoughts while in  Graystone Manor were focused on survival and escape. She missed her father and his warm hugs. She missed her mother and her loving warmth and beauty. The girl was barely twelve when torn away from her childhood home but the memories came flooding back as though to call her back home. She wrapped in her blanket and snuggled into the warm ground.

Chirping birds and gentle snort of a horse drew the young lady from her slumber. She stretched and smiled at this new day. Sunshine was filtering through the leafy canopy and dancing on the ground around her. She gathered her things and readied herself for yet another day of riding with sore body parts.

As they were nearing the edge of the wood Isabelle could hear the gentle trickle of water -a stream. She dismounted and walked toward the sound, beautiful crystal clear stream! The reins were flung around a branch and the girl scooped up a handful of water and freshened her face, looked around and being sure that no-one was in sight she proceeded to freshen her body with the sparkling, pristine substance. She didn't dare to try to remove her chemise as she could feel the pinching pull where it was now firmly adhered to her wounds. She felt rejuvenated and energised at having freshened in the water of the stream.

"Yes, I can ride for another day!" Isabelle said to herself.

Up in the saddle she leaped and kicked the noble Zeus into a canter. The freedom she felt lulled her into peaceful enjoyment of her surroundings. She felt that nothing could harm her, that all the pain and suffering were behind her -left to wallow in Graystone Manor.

Isabelle was jolted from her reverie as she noticed horses coming speedily towards her. She could feel panic start to rise in her chest and her stomach started to knot. Two men pulled their horses up in her path. With a quick look at each other and no spoken words the men positioned themselves on either side of her and Zeus. One man reached down and quickly tied a rope to the bridle on Zeus.

"No! What are you doing?" screamed Isabelle as she tried to reach the rope. The men continued in silence and started back in the direction that they had come from, leading Zeus with a very worried Isabelle hanging on tight to the saddle.

"What do you want?" Isabelle asked, trying to hide the worry in her voice.

No reply.

"Please let me go! Untie my horse!" she pleaded.

Still no reply, just unrelenting silence from the men. They continued at a steady pace and were soon in the town of 'Bendridge'.

"Oy, you young 'uns! Let the woman go. Find your fun with someone else!" An older man's voice rang out from nearby.

The two men snickered at the the old man shouting at them from the railing of the Tavern.

"We're not done yet!" one of the men retorted.

"Let her go!" another but younger voice called out from near the old man. A well dressed young man stepped onto the street and pointed a pistol at one of the men.

"Alright! Alright, we'll let her go."

"C'mon Joe," the other said, "We don't need a hole in one of us just because of a bit of sport with a lady."

The one called 'Joe' reached out and untied the rope. The young man stepped closer still brandishing his pistol. The two were off almost as quickly as they had arrived earlier.