The Bandido's wife

FIFTEEN - The Bandido's Lair

Alise didn't know how long she had been walking, only that her feet and wrists hurt and her mouth was getting so dry, she could feel her tongue stick to the roof of it.

Her shoes had long gone, she had stumbled and lost one, then after a while, she realised that Diego was completely ignoring her, and kept his head turned to the view in front of him, only to give the odd tug on the rope when she faltered, so in the end she just kicked off her other shoe. So, she had been walking on her bare feet for a while and they were chafing under the rough ground beneath her. But she refused to utter a word of complaint or ask for any sort of mercy, or beg him to stop, not wanting to give Diego the satisfaction of this further humiliation.

Only her sheer hatred of him kept her going on her feet. But eventually, even the force of her stubborn willpower was not enough under the harsh environment of her surroundings to keep her going, as the ground got rockier and then there was sun burning down on her. She had no hat to shade or protect her from its glare and heat, She felt herself lagging, and staggering on her feet, then she stood on a large sharp stone that made her let out a small curse with the pain that shot through the sole of her foot as it brought her to her knees.

Feeling the tension on the rope at his end, Diego now glanced round and noticed Alise was sprawled on the ground, struggling to try and get on her feet again.

His expression showed no particular concern for her sorry state, but more of slight irritation like it was a hindrance to his progress.

But still, he did bring the horse to a stop and then dismounted, before leisurely reached into the saddle bag to pull out the water pouch. He went over to where Alise lay, only now noticing she was without shoes as he knelt down over her.

Although his dark shadow briefly gave her some welcome shade from sun, she still managed to scowl at him.

"I guess we can stop for a break, you look like you need it Senora" he drawled with a smirk

"Go to hell!" she shot back, her voice sounding strangely raspy, and for a moment she thought she saw a hint of admiration flit through his expression that she had still the audacity to fire insults at him, but then he shook his head in exasperation and sighed at her stubbornness, "You still have not learned the art of respecting your husband, this is going to be a long journey"

"You have done nothing to earn my respect, quite the opposite in fact!" She returned bitterly, and now attempted to get up on her feet again in defiance, but he easily pushed her back down on her backside again, with a hand on her shoulder, which she hurriedly shrugged off.

"How long have you been walking on your bare feet?" he then enquired in a tone that sounded like it was more out of curiosity, than worrying about her welfare

"I don't know, and what does it matter? it's not like you care." She returned dully, feeling too exhausted to want to keep conversing with him, and wishing he would go away and leave her alone.

He now opened the water pouch, "Drink," he ordered, holding it up to her mouth, and as much as she would have like to refuse, when the cool water fell on her lips and tongue and then down her throat, she gladly gulped it down, he just gave her enough to moisten and relieve the dryness in her mouth and the back of her throat before withdrawing the water pouch again, and taking a drink from it himself before closing it up again.

Then he grabbed one of her ankles in an attempt to examine her foot. She tried to kick free, but feeling weak, she was not very successful.

"Stop fighting me Alise!" he then ordered, his grip on her ankle tightening