By Bolgerjc
Albert decided it would be best to talk to Samantha later when they had a little down time like when they settled down for the night when she was more relaxed. He hoped the ride would help to calm her emotions which must be running a mile a minute. Samantha had loved riding for most of her life from childhood in the monastery run by the Order of the Silver Griffin. The squire wondered what life would have been like without his family growing up as an orphan. It was a very personal question and his master tended to avoid those questions and Albert wasn’t one to pry as much as he might want to pry.
The long ride was giving Albert too much time to think, so he adjusted his mind to focus on the road ahead. The ride was shaded by the forest allowing it to feel much cooler than it really was. Occasionally small roads leading off to family farms would appear in view before rapidly vanishing in the dust of their horses. It wouldn’t be long before they reached the imperial roads and not long after that they would be able to see the capital city. Worry struck the squire’s heart as he thought of the masses of people the person they were following could vanish into.
A loud scream awakened the squire from his dark thoughts as he saw a woman being thrust into a caged wagon ahead of them. He was about to bring it to the attention of his master but he saw Samantha had already spotted the men up ahead and pressed her horse into a gallop towards the attackers. Albert pressed his own horse into a gallop worried about how much of her combat skill Samantha retained.
“What is your business with these women?” Samantha asked in a less than friendly tone.
The men grinned at the attractive blonde who appeared before them. They were a little surprised by her drawing of a short sword but they were far from frightened by her or her companion who was drawing up close to her. The five men had experienced combat many times before and weren’t afraid of two novices.
“Collecting debtors for trade,” a big bearded man laughed. “You want to join them? A pretty nymph like you would go for quite a bit of money.”
“Slavery is illegal in the kingdom of Dar,” Samantha retorted. “Your actions are punishable by death. If you free these young woman I will let you go, but I warn you I am very familiar with combat if you chose to fight me.”
“Apparently this young woman is not up on the latest news,” A thin man holding a whip loosely in one hand spoke up. “The King in his infinite wisdom has decided to change that rule, so much debt has been built up by the kingdom they need to make some revenue to keep the nobles at bay. Take your boyfriend and get out of here if you don’t want to end up like the criminals in our cages.”
