Chapter 3
Bandits
During her long journey to London, Marianna witnessed the horrific doings of King John. While passing by a huge field she saw a poor old man harvesting the corn crop. His back was stooped with age and his body trembled in fatigue. Beside him were two young children who looked like skeletons putting the corn into their heavy baskets. Probably half of that whole crop would go to the king and only a small amount of food for the children that would have to last a whole month. Marianna realized that she had been sheltered all her life from the injustices of the real world. She had never known of poverty or oppression and now it began to haunt her.
Marianna decided to rest as the night fell upon her. She walked towards a large tree by a small brook and unsaddled her weary horse. She drank some water and leaned against the oak tree. The ground was soft and moist and soon she fell asleep. Marianna had a fitful sleep, where one nightmare led after another. She dreamed:
Little children screamed and old women shook their hands in fury. Women with babies bent to pick up corn after corn. Their backs ached and their bellies empty. All the men had grim expressions and hollow eyes. Young girls and boys collapsed on the hard ground. Marianna couldn't stand it anymore, she...
Marianna awoke to find herself gagged with a piece of dirty cloth and her hands tied in coarse ropes. Her eyes widened in shock and she tried to wiggle free. A voice behind her made her jump.
"It's no use girl." She turned around and saw a man with a malicious grin and a rough beard. Bandits! Marianna thought in shock. The man was holding her bag and had another hand holding her horse. Marianna tried to scream, but the gag prevented her. Another man joined him. This one was skinny and muscular. Everything about him seemed greasy. He smirked and said,
"You'll sell for good money. Every noble wants a slave now." Marianna would be sold as a slave! The other man spoke in a stupid voice,
"What er we doin' with the stuff?"
"Fool, we'll buy things with it. Oh yes we'll by many things."
"Er...right, Thom." Marianna was thinking wildly of what to do. The gag clamped her lips so much she could barely mumble and her hands were tied so tight, blood began to run down her wrist. How could she escape!
"Put her on the horse Henry and be quick about it." The big man, who she supposed was Henry, swung her on Sunshine like a sack of flour. Thom clambered up in back of her and said cheerfully, "Let's go to London and make some money!" Henry led the horse, while Thom and her rode it. They went through, the forest instead of the road, while Marianna was sitting uncomfortably on a horse. The horse jostled so much, she was afraid she would fall. The horrible man, Thom, started stroking her hair with his greasy fingers and spoke,
"So what is your name, girl?" Marianna glared at him and sat up straighter. Thom knew perfectly well she couldn't talk, but he enjoyed tormenting her.
"Yes, you'll enjoy being a slave very much. Henry, move faster, we don't have all day.
"Yes sir," came the mumbled reply.
"What were you doing alone on the road, girl? Enjoying the view?" He snickered and again started raking his fingers through her hair.
"You would make a beautiful wife, yet alas I need money." The horse finally turned to a road and London soon came into view. Marianna had never seen London before and the sight made her eyes widen. Thousands of people bustled around on London's streets and huge houses towered above her. The fog rested on the peak of each house and merchants yelled their wares. Little children ran after each other, not afraid of the huge horses that were in their way. She was suddenly interrupted by her wonder when she heard a sharp voice.
"Quick Henry, go to that corner!" Sunshine trotted obediently to the corner and stopped. Heavy arms pulled her out of the saddle and Marianna sighed with relief. Thom grasped her waist and looked around him. The corner was empty and no one would think about bandits being in a corner of London. Marianna shivered in the greasy hands of Thom and slowly began to give up hope of running away. The two men started murmuring about what to do with her and her goods. As she listened to the men's consistent rambling, she thought of her family and a pang of sadness hit her. She would never see her family again, instead she would become a servant in a rich household. Rain suddenly started to fall from the late November sky. The men cursed thickly and began to talk more rapidly. Marianna soon fell asleep to the sound of rain hitting her hair and to the men's talk.
"Wake up!" a voice whispered sharply. Marianna opened her eyes, wondering where she was. Finally realizing that she was about to be sold as a servant, her stomach dropped a considerable amount. It was pitch black, but she could see the men's evil grin.
"Time fir sum money." Henry said excitedly.
Author's Note: Yeah I know this chapter's really short, but bear with me. I hope you like the story and please read and REVIEW!!! I could use some suggestions.
During her long journey to London, Marianna witnessed the horrific doings of King John. While passing by a huge field she saw a poor old man harvesting the corn crop. His back was stooped with age and his body trembled in fatigue. Beside him were two young children who looked like skeletons putting the corn into their heavy baskets. Probably half of that whole crop would go to the king and only a small amount of food for the children that would have to last a whole month. Marianna realized that she had been sheltered all her life from the injustices of the real world. She had never known of poverty or oppression and now it began to haunt her.
Marianna decided to rest as the night fell upon her. She walked towards a large tree by a small brook and unsaddled her weary horse. She drank some water and leaned against the oak tree. The ground was soft and moist and soon she fell asleep. Marianna had a fitful sleep, where one nightmare led after another. She dreamed:
Little children screamed and old women shook their hands in fury. Women with babies bent to pick up corn after corn. Their backs ached and their bellies empty. All the men had grim expressions and hollow eyes. Young girls and boys collapsed on the hard ground. Marianna couldn't stand it anymore, she...
Marianna awoke to find herself gagged with a piece of dirty cloth and her hands tied in coarse ropes. Her eyes widened in shock and she tried to wiggle free. A voice behind her made her jump.
"It's no use girl." She turned around and saw a man with a malicious grin and a rough beard. Bandits! Marianna thought in shock. The man was holding her bag and had another hand holding her horse. Marianna tried to scream, but the gag prevented her. Another man joined him. This one was skinny and muscular. Everything about him seemed greasy. He smirked and said,
"You'll sell for good money. Every noble wants a slave now." Marianna would be sold as a slave! The other man spoke in a stupid voice,
"What er we doin' with the stuff?"
"Fool, we'll buy things with it. Oh yes we'll by many things."
"Er...right, Thom." Marianna was thinking wildly of what to do. The gag clamped her lips so much she could barely mumble and her hands were tied so tight, blood began to run down her wrist. How could she escape!
"Put her on the horse Henry and be quick about it." The big man, who she supposed was Henry, swung her on Sunshine like a sack of flour. Thom clambered up in back of her and said cheerfully, "Let's go to London and make some money!" Henry led the horse, while Thom and her rode it. They went through, the forest instead of the road, while Marianna was sitting uncomfortably on a horse. The horse jostled so much, she was afraid she would fall. The horrible man, Thom, started stroking her hair with his greasy fingers and spoke,
"So what is your name, girl?" Marianna glared at him and sat up straighter. Thom knew perfectly well she couldn't talk, but he enjoyed tormenting her.
"Yes, you'll enjoy being a slave very much. Henry, move faster, we don't have all day.
"Yes sir," came the mumbled reply.
"What were you doing alone on the road, girl? Enjoying the view?" He snickered and again started raking his fingers through her hair.
"You would make a beautiful wife, yet alas I need money." The horse finally turned to a road and London soon came into view. Marianna had never seen London before and the sight made her eyes widen. Thousands of people bustled around on London's streets and huge houses towered above her. The fog rested on the peak of each house and merchants yelled their wares. Little children ran after each other, not afraid of the huge horses that were in their way. She was suddenly interrupted by her wonder when she heard a sharp voice.
"Quick Henry, go to that corner!" Sunshine trotted obediently to the corner and stopped. Heavy arms pulled her out of the saddle and Marianna sighed with relief. Thom grasped her waist and looked around him. The corner was empty and no one would think about bandits being in a corner of London. Marianna shivered in the greasy hands of Thom and slowly began to give up hope of running away. The two men started murmuring about what to do with her and her goods. As she listened to the men's consistent rambling, she thought of her family and a pang of sadness hit her. She would never see her family again, instead she would become a servant in a rich household. Rain suddenly started to fall from the late November sky. The men cursed thickly and began to talk more rapidly. Marianna soon fell asleep to the sound of rain hitting her hair and to the men's talk.
"Wake up!" a voice whispered sharply. Marianna opened her eyes, wondering where she was. Finally realizing that she was about to be sold as a servant, her stomach dropped a considerable amount. It was pitch black, but she could see the men's evil grin.
"Time fir sum money." Henry said excitedly.
Author's Note: Yeah I know this chapter's really short, but bear with me. I hope you like the story and please read and REVIEW!!! I could use some suggestions.