Highwaymen!

“Hold where you are, driver!” called a gruff voice. As the road was almost entirely blocked by the three horseman, Vilea’s driver had **** but to comply.

“For what reason do you delay us in our journey?” the driver replied, know full well the men on horseback most likely intended to rob them, if not worse. Without answering the question, the horsemen rode the short distance forward, one of them taking the reigns forcibly from the driver’s hands. “Stay put, and maybe you’ll live to tell the tale of what happened this night” the man now holding the reigns said. The other two horsemen rode around the carriage, peering through the inky blackness inside. Vilea and Jilleen huddled under the blankets covering their laps. Reaching over from his place astride his horse, the man who seemed to be the leader of the trio grabbed a lamp off of its hook, and thrust it inside, casting light over the two beautiful women.

“Ah! Look what we have here boys, a pair of lovelies.” he exclaimed, pleased with his discovery.

“What business have you, on the road at this hour?” The leader asked, as he pulled the blankets first from Jilleen’s grasp, and then Vilea’s. “We have business at the court of the king!” Vilea replied, hoping she did not betray the deep fear she was feeling.

“The three of you get out of the carriage, and down on the road!” the man yelled.

Quickly, the driver, Vilea and Jilleen exited the carriage, and stood on the road. The lead of the men dismounted, along with the other who had earlier inspected the carriage. It was difficult to see them, but Vilea could see that their clothing was shabby, and the aroma from their unwashed bodies was strong. Jilleen was torn, standing still beside her mistress as two of their oppressors began to ransack the carriage, tossing their belongings outside, and onto the ground. Could she cast a spell of some sort to save them from whatever the three men had in mind, should she? Vilea sighed softly with anger as her bags, cases crashed to the ground, no breaking bottles she had packed away.

For the next fifteen minutes, the men pawed through Vilea and Jilleen’s luggage, tossing their clothing out onto the dirt road, and filling their pocket with the courtesan’s fine jewelry, and Jilleen’s bobbles. Pushing the driver to the ground, and stepping on the man’s chest, the tallest of the group, who had earlier been holding the reigns of the carriage withdrew his sword and held it to the driver’s throat.

“We don’t have any use for him do we?” he asked the leader, who shook his head in the negative. “Not at all “ the leader said as he stepped into the light and appraised the two women. He was broad shouldered, and muscular, and his head was completely free of hair or a beard. His eyes were a watery blue, and he had a nose like that of a hawk. He would not be easily forgotten by either of the women. With a loud gasp, and a kicking of feet across the coarse surface of the dirt road the driver was murdered by the tall robber.

The three criminals gathered around the women, and discussed their fate.

“What should we do with them?’

“After we fuck them?” The tall one said with a leer

“We could sell ‘em to slavers over at Kront. Ships leave there all the time for the other lands, and the price these beauties would get, we’d be well set for along time. I know a captain who’ll ask no questions, and pay a good price. He specializes in sex slaves” The tall man grabbed a handful of Jilleen’s auburn hair, and pulled it towards his face, inhaling deeply.

“And we can all attest to how good they’ll be after we’ve sampled each of them. What say you, ****?”

Before the leader could reply, Vilea grabbed his sleeve, “We are friends of the King and the exchequer, they will pay a fine ransom, if you do us no harm” **** shook his arm free of Vilea’s grasp. He paused and appraised the women once more, and looked and forth between his cohorts before taking a step back.

“Here’s what I say we do…”