he could hear it, the whinny of horses, the wooden squeal of the carriage wheels along the roughly cobbled road, if his spies were right this was a tax carriage, holding within it chests of gold, silver ,copper and whatever else was collected.
He smiled, teeth glinting in the moon light, ochre eyes waiting for the carriage to trundle into sight, waiting to give the order to his rangers ,thieves and runaways.
slowly it rattled into sight, the carriage was small it's walls covered in ornate carvings ,with only one door. six knights on armoured chargers guarded the moving box filled with riches. A riderless palfrey black as night was tied to the back of the carriage.
" NOW," he roared, pulling his long sword from its sheath. His brothers and sisters did the same, surging toward the little group, the clangour of steel on steel was shortly lived, the band of free folk removed every thing of value from the dead knights ,clothes and all, and slowly began to recede back into the trees with their prizes, two of the four cart horses had died, the black palfrey whined in fear as he approached the carriage ,rearing and kicking, he walked closer to the door long sword in hand and swung it open imagining all the gold he would see, but instead of riches all he saw was a small child, trying to seem as inconspicuous as possible, he took a step toward her suddenly he felt it ,cold metal pressing against his neck, he had failed to see the Childs older sibling pressed against the wood to his left.
" Take another step toward her and I shall behead you," she hissed, the thin blade wobbled in her shaking hands, he felt it kiss through a layer of skin.
"Drop your blade, " she growled. He did as he was bidden letting his sword hit the earth out the carriage door.
She was at least year Older then him and a head shorter, her golden hair hung in loose curls and ringlets trailing down to her rear. Her blue eyes were rimmed in long, thick black lashes, she had pink pouted lips and a slight over bite, her pale skin was glowing in the moonlight that was coming from the open door, her pale dress had embroidered tree branches wrapping around her ample breasts in a tangle of blue twigs. around her thin neck was a chain that disappeared into her bodice. She was frightened, the expression worked in her favour, and he found himself stunned .
"I fear my dear that you would botch my beheading," he Managed, taking a step toward her, pressing his neck against the steel,
"I said…."
"you said not to take another step towards her ,"he pointed to the girl in the corner "you said nothing about yourself," he stepped forward again and watched her reposition the sword, it was obvious she hadn't used one before .
Her eyes flickered to the child hugging herself in the corner, That was all he needed he lunged trying to knock the sword from her hand she pulled it away from him and he grabbed her around the waist struggling they fell out of the carriage in a flurry of silk, cloth and steal. He landed on top of her holding down her hands, he hit her right hand against the ground until she released the sword, she struggled and wriggled, and made little squeals of indignation. She pressed against his chest trying to get him of her. Her long skirt had been pushed above her knee's in the fall.
"stop," he growled in a commanding voice.
She stopped and jerked her head to look at him eyes wide and full of tears, he had curly black hair pushing of in all directions, golden-brown eyes his skin was tanned and he was very muscular though not overly so. He wore a black jerkin over a red shirt She could feel his velvet pants on either said of her thighs, He was looking at her in a way that made her blush.
"As long as you don't hurt me I wont let anyone hurt you or the girl," he said, removing the pressure from her hands
"On your honour ," she breathed shakily.
"on whatever there is left of it," he Sighed getting off her.
She stood up cautiously and inspected the back her hand it was bloodied and bruised. He caught sight of it and removed a handkerchief from his pocket, Wrapping it around her injured hand, He asked her to fetch her sister ,She hid her hand as she went into the carriage for her sister, She was a small girl with short caramel hair and blue eyes, she wore a turquoise dress with vines embroidered in blue along the rim . The child hugged her sisters skirts as they emerged from the carriage.
"What do you want with us?" she demanded glaring at him
"nothing planned right now," admitted the man.
"That's your horse, right?" he added pointing at the black stallion.
"yes," She said coolly .
"calm it, and mount up before someone gets trampled will you." he said turning away from her gaze.
She sighed and walked over to her horse, reaching for it, and cooing softly. before too long she had gotten him to calm. The man had already ridden over on one of the knights grey destriers. She pushed her sister into the saddle of the black palfrey and then jumped up behind her holding the reigns. But before they could canter away the man shot his had across the gap between them and stole them from her hands.
" you said you had no need of us," She whispered.
"I said I didn't have anything planned at the time, but I just so happened to think of something while you were calming your beast," he smiled.
She hissed in frustration, as he lead her horse threw the thicket of tree's.
"Who are you anyway," She asked sometime near dawn, breaking the silence.
"Edmund Elric, but everyone calls me Heartless,and who might you be?," he smiled.
"My name is Elaine Liana Winter, the eldest daughter of Lady Linda Jenneta Voice and Lord Luke Jonathon Winter of the house Winter And this is my sister Ame Marree Winter youngest daughter of Lady Linda Jenneta Voice and Lord Luke Jonathon Winter of the house Winter," She concluded gesturing the sleeping girl in her arms.
Edmund looked at her as though she had just told him that she was a giant purple dragon named cucumber. She rolled her eyes
"I'm Elaine, This is Ame." She sighed,
"It suits you," He smiled.
"Why are you being so nice? You just captured us," She wanted to be mad, but the entire situation was convenient.
"Well,…. I don't know,… Its not like I'm a bad guy,….. I just ," he looked at her almost shy. "I'm not a bad guy"
She blushed, "Okay"
quickly looking away she closed her eyes, listening to her sisters breathing, the horses making their little whine's at each other ,the sound of running water, their was another sound she did not recognise it at first. it was a low mummer at first but it slowly grew louder as the sun rose, laughter, curses, horses , People speaking and yelling. her eyes flew open and their down in a ravine was a village a lovely little village full of children and animals and smiles. She shook Ame awake.
"look at all the animals," Ame exclaimed as they passed a still sleeping farm.
"look at all the people!," Elaine smiled.
Edmund cocked his eyebrow, and chuckled.
"never thought I'd see the day when a highborn lady would smile at our poor little village," he teased.
"well, I never thought to be stolen by a handsome prince," She mocked. As they neared a large log cabin.
"So you think I'm Handsome do you?" Edmund smiled Bashfully as he dismounted.
"yes. No. ….I'm mean n..not overly so. NO!" she stammered.
"So you think me ugly, is it my Scar does the disfigurement frighten you," He asked walking over to her.
"Your Scar is fine, I mean," she buried her head in her sisters hair.
"Help me," she whispered to her sister who giggled.
Edmund reached up for her little waist , she slapped his hands away
"I can get of by myself," she sighed. So with a little effort and a lot of skirt gathering she slid of her palfrey, then proceeded to fall flat on her silk covered rear and managed to get mud almost every were.
"yes. You seem very capable," he snickered reaching up and helping her sister off before offering her a hand, she took it begrudgingly and after standing on her feet for two seconds slipped on nothing in particular and would have fallen again had a pair of hands not gripped her arms, she halted mid-fall.
"not very graceful are you?" Edmund laughed.
"Its this stupid dress, the outer layer is embroidered with thread of silver, its very heavy," She looked down at her mud splattered dress and giggled.
"What's so funny?" Edmund queried.
"To think I chose to wear this damned thing the one day I would have been better of without it ," She laughed harder. He joined her infectious mirth as they walked to the log cabin slipping about as Elaine lost her footing over and over again.
Once inside the cabin she was very conscious of the fact that she and her sister had been captured, as though she had been ignoring it or suppressing her fear. Like it had been dormant inside her .Shock that's what the healer had called it. The cabin was small with a few chairs placed around the room and a staircase that led to what she guessed was a few bedrooms and maybe a privy. Edmund instantly made himself at home, as the two girls stood in the corner, After some time he remembered them sprung to his feet.
"My Apologies, I seem to have forgotten my manners, will you please wait right here" He Babbled as he slipped out the door. Elaine had a good mind to escape, although after the sound of the door being barred echoed through the cabin she thought better of it.
"El, "What's going on?" Ame pipped up.
"We seem to be in the Service of the People in this village," She replied
"Does that mean we're on an adventure?" Ame smiled "I have always wanted to go on an adventure,"
Elaine thought back to their childhood games of damsels in distress, and ridding through the forest on their horses playing battle. She had to admit this entire situation was exciting, But Deadly, Very Deadly and dangerous, that thought made her feel even more excited.
"Are we still going to get married?" Ame asked quietly gripping Elaine's mud covered skirt.
"I don't know," Elaine held her sister tightly.
Their was a scraping of wood and the door flung open, Revealing a tall pale and very aggressive looking man.
"AHA, I knew you were keeping something from me," He grabbed Elaine roughly by the wrists
"A woman, And a girl I ask for riches and this is what you find," He pulled her this way and that, moving her like a rag doll .
"My lord, They could be of some use to us…."Heartless had began.
"The only thing these women are good for is slavery," He shoved Elaine to the ground.
"Look at her she has no fight, No drive, she is useless," And with that the man left, leaving the three to hang suspended in silence.
