Lost Youth

She shakes her head a little to him. "I think I'm good. " She says. Her back was starting to feel a little sore now and sleep was on her mind even though it was still the afternoon.

Looking to Travis, she smiles. "I would like to learn all of it. Finding food, cooking, riding. " She then adds "though you are already teaching me to ride so that is covered." She smiles
 
Travis grinned, "We can travel faster now we have two horses, maybe I should have got a pack horse as well, but we're not exactly travelling heavy." He yawned, "I can check your back and then we can nap until the dressmaker arrives. We'll leave first thing in the morning."

Dawn was still peaking tentatively over the horizon as they left through the city gates. Rose walked steadily under Travis, the Old Fellow's head was level with his knee, plodding on as he always did. The young man glanced back at Lena, smiling a little at her, in her new clothes.
"How is your back?" He asked, worried how hours in the saddle would affect her wounds.
 
Lena had been up and ready to continue on their trip. She was excited about it and it showed as they headed out.

She smiles back to him. It was easy for her to see the worry in his eyes. Shaking her head she smiles again. "I'm okay. I don't really feel it right now. Old Fellow's so smooth so I don't feel jostled." She says honestly. She gives the horse a gentle scratch on his withers.
 
Travis grinned, "I'm glad, he is a good horse. I think we made a good buy on Miss Rose as well," He patted the mare fondly.

The trees closed in around them, shading them from the rising sun, sending them back into a gloom.
The horses whickered softly, but kept moving forward. Silence enveloped them, only the rhythmic sound of their hooves on the dirt track echoed around them.
 
Lena nods softly and smiles back at him again. She let the silence fill the air. It was so nice out and the sounds of the horses walking, just as soothing as well.

There was no sign of trouble or problems from the shadows. It was rather empty in the forest except for them and the animals but not everything was as it seemed. In the shadows the brothers were watchful, waiting.
 
Travis paused as he felt Rose stumble a little. He frowned as her next step limped and then the next, he groaned under his breath.
"Hold up, Lena, I think she's got a stone in her hoof." He dismounted, quickly ducked around the chestnut mare's side, gliding his hand down her leg to pick up her foot. He growled, a large rock was wedged between the frog and the hoof wall. Drawing his dagger, he attempted to pry the rock out, trying to be a gentle as possible, even though the mare snorted and shifted restlessly.
 
Lena tenses a little and slows Old Fellow to a stop. "Is she okay?" She asks curiously to him.

Then she tenses sharply as she suddenly sees movement out of the corner of her eyes. It was one of the brothers. She yells in alarm as the brother rips her from the saddle.

Another brother had already snuck up behind Travis and struck him over the head.

The third brother collects the horses and they head off into the brush. Lena was struggling and fighting in the brother's arms but it was useless.
 
"I'll be walking for awhile. Have to wrap this foot, I guess," Travis said, straightening as the rock came free. He tensed to turn at Lena's yell, but then a sharp pain and he collapsed, knees buckling as everything went dark.
 
The brothers took their turns with Lena as they waited for their partners to show up. At one point they got bored and tired her to a tree next to Travis who she thought was still unconscious.

Her back was bleeding again and quiet tears fell from her eyes. She tried to get to Travis but she couldn't reach.
 
Travis couldn't suppress a groan as he tried to open his eyes. He rolled, trying to shake the pain from his head and swore in a colourful array of phrases that a noble probably should not know.
He tried to reach a hand up to feel his head, but found them tied firmly together. He lifted both, pushing himself into a sitting position, finally able to blink his eyes open.
"Lena?" He asked softly, blinking at her, he swore again, snuffling his way closer to her. He reached his bound hands and stroked her hair, "Easy sweet, we'll get out of this. Somehow," He looked around, trying to formulate a plan through his pain racked brain.
 
She was trembling as she sat there. Relief filled her at the sight of Travis waking up. She was so glad he was awake.

Nodding weakly at his words she nods a bit. "The brothers......they are waiting for someone to meet them here..."
 
"Double crossing bastards," He growled. "Did you see where they put the horses?" He dragged himself closer to her, leaning back against the tree, panting a little, trying to comfort her as best as he could. He hesitated for a moment, then said softly, "Did they hurt you much?"

There was a jingle of harness as two horses rode into view. The two men dismounted, each were as different as night and day, one short and burly, the other tall and lean, a bow slung over his shoulder.
 
Lena trembled again, more tears fell. "No more than they usually do...." she mutters quietly then tenses as she saw two new people ride up.

The brothers stood up from around the fire. "Took you long enough to get here." The older brother growled.
 
Travis closed his eyes, guilt and pain washing over him.
"I'm sorry Lena, I let you down."

The squat man glared up at the eldest brother,
"If we all left at once, straight after the son of a wealthy duke, we'd have the city guard after us."
The taller man placed a calming hand on his companion's shoulder, "We're here, that's all that matters."
 
The brother shakes his head and they all sit back down. " We got them tied up." He shrugs his big shoulders.

Lena shakes her head weakly to Travis. "Dont.....don't blame yourself for this...." she mutters.
 
Travis sighed, "I should have been more aware, I knew they wouldn't just let us go, but I thought once we got to town, we would have lost them."

The tall one eased his long frame down, while the short one found a stump to perch upon.
"Good," The smaller man ran a hand through his hair, "Get them up on the horses, we got plenty of territory to cover before tonight."
 
The big brother nods to the other two brothers. "Get the horses and get them ready." The two brothers nodded and did as they were told. Bringing the horses around.

Lena tenses when the brothers came over and began hauling her to her feet and getting her in the saddle and tying her to the saddle so she couldn't jump down. The back of her dress soaked in blood.

Then the two brothers turn to focus on getting Travis on the mare.
 
Travis had risen to his feet by the time they came for him. Anger flared through his hazel eyes. He spread his feet, shoulder-width wide, hunched his shoulders, lowered his head and charged. He took one brother in the stomach, then quickly turned kicking another. That first move wasn't exactly helping his head feel any better.

Sighing, the two strangers rose their feet, the tall one drew his dagger and held it to Lena's throat.
"Fa'Toron," He said sharply, making Travis halt quickly and stand straight. "Mount up and no more trouble, hey?"
Travis' top lip curled into a snarl, but he nodded in agreement, "Fine, remove the knife." The man twitched his head, and removed the knife, but didn't move away. Travis walked towards Rose, checking her foot before hand.
"I'll walk," He said.
"You'll ride," The thin man snarled.
"The mare's lame, you want me to add the cost of her price to your charges when I put you before a court?" Travis snarled back.
The squat man frowned, edging closer to Lena, he tapped his companion's shoulder and whispered something in his ear.
The first glanced back up at the girl, then down to his friend,
"You sure?"
The small one nodded.
A slow grin spread over both their faces, but they quickly wiped them away, they would be fools to trust their new partners very far.
 
Lena's eyes widen as Travis fought with the brothers. She wanted to help but being tied to the saddle she couldn't even move. As she felt the blade at her neck, she froze and was trembling. Her skin paled a little and she stared at Travis.

The brothers got to their feet ,glaring at Travis. One of them punching Travis hard in the gut. The older brother shakes his head. "Enough. Finish getting them ready. Tie the man to the saddle and let the horse drag him if need be." He grumbled.
 
Travis groaned, doubling over, struggling to hold onto the contents of his stomach. His hands were grabbed roughly, tied to more rope and then lashed to Rose's saddle.
The two men mounted their own horses, bringing up the rear, talking quietly to each other.
Travis glanced up at Lena, his eyes wide at her back, the anger that radiated off him was nearly palatable.
"It'll be ok, Lena, we're going to get out of this, promise."
 
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