Well, I think that ought to do it! Tesanty thought to herself as she loaded the last of her belongings into the runner-pulled cart. "I've got all my clothes, food enough for a few days, and some marks to trade in case something comes up..." She murmured aloud. "Hmm..."
Tesanty's life had been lived pretty much like this all the time. Being the daughter of a female Trader and a Lord Holder, she'd made a living doing something that no one had ever expected. Dancing.
Raven-haired and green-eyed, more than a few males that saw Tesanty ended up "heartbroken" because she scoffed at any male who tried to gain her attention. Most of them weren't handsome in the least, and even dumber than they were ugly. Even though some of them thought that because Tesanty was a dancer, she would wed any guy who came her way. Not likely. She had once remarked, "If the right guy is going to come along, then that's fine. But as far as all of the others go... I'll just slap them across the face."
And she had followed through with that threat once or twice, and a few males had been sent home, groaning in pain because of her fast hand. Tesanty was a girl of mixed appearance. She had a delicate, beautiful face with high cheekbones and what some people had described as "perfect" lips, and wasn't afraid to dress scantily and go dance. However, outside of her profession, nothing of that carried. When not dancing, she'd dress in wher-hide trousers and loose shirts, the ideal picture of a female trader. No one could understand her.
She climed up into the wagon-like vehicle, and snapped the reins expertly over her runner's back so that it made sound, but didn't actually come in contact with the runner at all.
The dapple-gray mare started out at a brisk walk, which Tesanty decided was good enough for right now. After all, she didn't want to tire out the runner before she got to the next Hold, because that would spell true disaster. Holdless villans were known to steal quite often along the road that she was traveling on. Well, atleast it wouldn't take her more than twelve candlemarks to make it to the Hold, and night wouldn't of fallen by then.
The scenery didn't change much as the runner continued to walk on. There were forests on either side, broken occasionaly by the random cothold or stretch of grass. She'd even passed by the Weavercraft hall, and had resisted the urge to stop and spend the night.
Shadows were growing longer and longer, and Tesanty still couldn't see Equsitor Hold on the horizon. What was going on? Had she miscalcuated, had the runner not been going fast enough? Or was it longer than what she'd been told?
Tesanty could of kicked herself at that moment. Before leaving, she'd asked a man at the Hold how far it was to Equsitor Hold, and he'd told her that it was an easy twelve candlemarks. She hadn't seen him before at the Hold, but took no notice; there usually were people she didn't see.
But this man must of been differant. Just her luck. He was probably a roadside theif, and had taken the opportunity to lie to Tesanty, thus making it alot easier for him to grab whatever she had. After all, an unplanned attack could always result in disaster, but if he knew where she was going to be and when... Then that would mean disaster for her.
Clucking softly, she snapped the reins in order to urge the mare onwards. The long stretch of forest was finally giving way to some hills... The question was, did she continue onwards and risk robbery, or head back to the WeaverCraft Hall? If she'd only known which was closer, the Hold or the Hall...
"I passed the Weaver Hall three candlemarks ago," Tesanty mused to herself. "So I guess it would be better if I went on." With that, she snapped the reins yet again, and the mare broke into a trot.
Shadows of trees became men that were ready to jump out at any moment, and the slightest whispering of tree branches became hurried conversations between robbers... Feeling herself beginning to sweat, Tesanty urged the mare on even more, watching as she broke into a gallop. It wasn't fair to the mare, she knew, because the runner had to be exhausted, but Tesanty wasn't about to risk being robbed because she hadn't urged the mare on.
When she escaped the last shadow of the trees and had continued on for a few more minutes, Tesanty pulled the mare to a halt, letting her relax a little bit. "Well, girl, I think that went pretty well," Tesanty said, stroking the mare's sweaty neck as she leaned down to graze.
That was the last thing that Tesanty remembered before total blackness; she felt the slight pressure of a man's hands on her neck and temple, and she slipped away into peaceful unconciousness.
***************************************************************
"I'm telling you, we ought to just go ahead and kill her and be done with it," a heavy voice said, and Tesanty fought not to yawn or make noise as she slowly awakened. "I mean, usually we don't kill anyone, but she's already got a visual on me from Soltianc Hold. We should kill her."
The voice was easily recognizable, especially with what the man had said. "I don't think that we should kill her," another voice chimed in. "After all, she probably won't remember much about you, and killing someone is not what I had in mind whenever I started robbing people."
"No matter what we do, we should have our fun with her first." The last voice was a new one, and Tesanty froze. If that man was talking abot what she thought he was... That would be worse than being killed. They should just slit her throat and be done with it.
One of them grunted slightly, and from the mixed voices, Tesanty gathered that there were three differant men. "We've gotten all of her belongings, and that mare ought to fetch a fine price. Some of those outfits that she wore ought to go for high money, too. I know of several drudges that would be happy to trade some... Ah, services for dresses that nice."
With each scentence, Tesanty grew sicker and sicker. Ugh! What did these guys think that they were doing, anyway? She wished that she could just escape quickly and quietly back into the forest and find someplace to hide until she could make it back to the Weaver Hall.
"Don't even think about it," A fourth voice said, and Tesanty opened her eyes just a crack. In the light of a fire, shadows were cast from each man. She could see the man that she had spoken to at the Hold, obviously the first one whom had spoken. The two other voices belonged to average-looking men, atleast, from what she could tell of them in the flickering light of the flames.
The man who had spoken last was facing towards Tesanty, but obviously not looking at her. He looked rather strange. There was a patch over his left eye, and there seemed to be something wrong about his arm...
Tesanty stifled a gasp. Where the man's right arm should of been, there was a stump. A dead, ugly, horrible stump. She fought back a wave of nausea, wondering how a man with one eye and one arm could lead a group of vilans.
"You are not going to 'have your fun' with this girl, nor are you going to get 'services' from drudges in return for the dresses," He snarled. "We sell everything that we get, and it's harder to trace that way. A drudge would remember someone who gave her a fine dress, but someone who bought it probably wouldn't remember it as easily. And we're not going to kill Tesanty, either."
Still in shock, Tesanty wondered how he knew her name. "Which I'm sure she is grateful for, because she's been listening to all of this coversation. None of you other idiots heard her stirring, which is why I'm still in charge of this group. And to make sure that you don't get caught, of course."