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Chapter 4

Elspeth had loved riding as a child. The king's stables had been open to her, and she loved to slip away and feed the horses apples.

She never wanted to ride another animal as long as she lived. The first day's ache had worsened exponentially with every day they traveled. No opening for escape had presented itself either. They rode well away from human settlements, over rough mountainous terrain. They camped at night in the open. She was forced to seek her captor for warmth during the night and during the hard ride days.

He appeared smug any time she burrowed into his cloak or hid her nose against his neck. She was beginning to feel like a puppy the minotaur had claimed for his own. A simple amusement for him to care for as a child would a stray. It irked her, even as she hugged his cloak tighter around her shoulder.

He pat her head, then rubbed warmth into her arms.

The snow had been continuous but light over the week. She didn't relish stopping in it to relieve herself, but had to several times. Determined to teach her captor at least a handful of essential words, she tugged his cloak. "I must relieve myself."

His ears turned to her and his brow rose. He grunted as usual when he didn't understand her.

"A tree." She pointed as she did every other time, hoping he understood.

He said something short and directed his grok off their invisible trail. They appeared to know where they were going though nothing marked a path.

A minotaur called.

Her captor said something over his shoulder and they disappeared into the snow covered trees.

She wasn't allowed to go alone, but her captor presented his back and gave several yards of privacy at least. Elspeth was struck dumb as she saw a village in the distance. They must be nearing the border, but it was human. She could see horses, and chimneys smoking. It wasn't close, but perhaps it was close enough. If she ran and screamed, the villagers would see her. They'd see the minotaurs.

They'd help her.

Adrenaline pumped through her veins and she was running before she realized her decision had been made. Her legs and backside ached from a week's hard ride, but she ignored it. She stumbled over branches hidden in the snow, but she pressed onward. Out of the trees she was on flat ground and sprinted toward the village.

It was farther than she thought, and she dared not shout if her captor hadn't discovered her disappearance yet.

"Please, oh, please," she gasped out as her lungs burned.

A hoarse bull cry sounded behind her, and she foolishly looked. Her captor was not ten paces away.

She stumbled on her skirts and the ground rose up to meet her. She braced on her hands feeling the rough scrape of frozen earth and wet snow. Scrambling to her feet, she ran.

His thick arm wrapped around her waist and lifted her off the ground.

She shrieked and cursed.

Her captor covered her mouth with his meaty hand.

The village was right there. A hundred yards away, and yet beyond her reach. She bit his hand and yanked it away as he muttered a bullman curse.

She let out a blood curdling scream. "Help! Bullmen! Help!"

The hand covered her mouth again and shoved a rag between her lips. The world tilted and she was hoisted over his shoulder. Her captor didn't hesitate. With one arm clasping her thighs he sprinted back to the trees.

Looking up she saw several villagers gathering and pointing. They had heard her. Rescue would come. It must.

#

Varan mounted the grok and laid her over his thighs. She appeared no worse for wear from his handling, and he felt the urge to throttle her. He spurred his grok on to join with his men instead.

"We are seen," Varan said as he met them. "We ride all night."

His men spurred their own mounts and fell in line behind them.

"Jarvack scout ahead. Valk, bring up the rear. I want to know how many follow," Varan ordered.

"How were we seen?" Jarvack asked, eying Elspeth face down over his thighs.

"I was careless and she escaped. A village has settled near here."

Jarvack swore. "She betrays us already."

"You have your orders, title ," Varan cut in.

Jarvack snorted and rode ahead. The others wisely held their tongues.

He'd throttle her later, perhaps then his anger would settle and he'd remember she was ignorant to his intent. For all she knew they meant to kill her or sell her as a slave. It could not be undone now.

**

They pressed on, riding their groks hard up the steep mountain trail.

Varan wrapped a thick rope around her wrists, binding her hands together. He tied the end to his saddle. If he had to dismount and fight, she could not flee or become caught in the melee. She'd remain safe on his trained mount.

Leaning forward in his saddle, he forced her down against the grok's neck. With one hand holding her in place, he used the other to direct their ascent over sliding rocks.

"Beware!" he called as rocks the size of his fists scattered downhill toward his men.

They slid, his mount unable to find purchase and flailing wildly with his claws. Varan shifted his weight, and released Elspeth to drag the grok's head in the safest direction before they all rolled down the mountain to their deaths.

Elspeth made a muffled noise, arching with him as they took another stumble. Varan cursed and yanked the reins. There was only one way out of the decline.

Following Varan's command, the mount dug his talons into the soil and lunged upward.

Varan pressed Elspeth into the mount's neck as they both clung to his back. He was nearly unseated as his grok lunged twice more. Elspeth squeezed her eyes shut, but no more sound passed the gag.

He heard shouts behind him as his men followed his dangerous path up the incline. Blocking out all sound, Varan yanked again shifting the grok's path to a safer strip of rock.

Another lunge and a jolt as they hit the solid rock. The grok stumbled but righted himself. The trio panted in unison, pausing in their safe haven. They had survived.

"Whoa," a Bullman cried.

Varan spurred his mount forward, clearing the way for his men. He looked back, watching each slide and take the wild leaps. Farther back he saw Valk watching their progress. His hand raised and he signaled.

Varan cursed.

"What is it?" Jarvis asked as he made it onto the rock path.

Varan watched Valk's ascent. "Ten men follow us."

"So many," Jarvis said. "The settlement must support a militia or infantry."

"Yes." Varan gripped his reigns. "Ride ahead. I will wait for Valk."

His men followed orders with curt nods.

Description
Chapter 4

Elspeth had loved riding as a child. The king's stables had been open to her, and she loved to slip away and feed the horses apples.

She never wanted to ride another animal as long as she lived. The first day's ache had worsened exponentially with every day they traveled. No opening for escape had presented itself either. They rode well away from human settlements, over rough mountainous terrain. They camped at night in the open. She was forced to seek her captor for warmth during the night and during the hard ride days.

He appeared smug any time she burrowed into his cloak or hid her nose against his neck. She was beginning to feel like a puppy the minotaur had claimed for his own. A simple amusement for him to care for as a child would a stray. It irked her, even as she hugged his cloak tighter around her shoulder.

He pat her head, then rubbed warmth into her arms.

The snow had been continuous but light over the week. She didn't relish stopping in it to relieve herself, but had to several times. Determined to teach her captor at least a handful of essential words, she tugged his cloak. "I must relieve myself."

His ears turned to her and his brow rose. He grunted as usual when he didn't understand her.

"A tree." She pointed as she did every other time, hoping he understood.

He said something short and directed his grok off their invisible trail. They appeared to know where they were going though nothing marked a path.

A minotaur called.

Her captor said something over his shoulder and they disappeared into the snow covered trees.

She wasn't allowed to go alone, but her captor presented his back and gave several yards of privacy at least. Elspeth was struck dumb as she saw a village in the distance. They must be nearing the border, but it was human. She could see horses, and chimneys smoking. It wasn't close, but perhaps it was close enough. If she ran and screamed, the villagers would see her. They'd see the minotaurs.

They'd help her.

Adrenaline pumped through her veins and she was running before she realized her decision had been made. Her legs and backside ached from a week's hard ride, but she ignored it. She stumbled over branches hidden in the snow, but she pressed onward. Out of the trees she was on flat ground and sprinted toward the village.

It was farther than she thought, and she dared not shout if her captor hadn't discovered her disappearance yet.

"Please, oh, please," she gasped out as her lungs burned.

A hoarse bull cry sounded behind her, and she foolishly looked. Her captor was not ten paces away.

She stumbled on her skirts and the ground rose up to meet her. She braced on her hands feeling the rough scrape of frozen earth and wet snow. Scrambling to her feet, she ran.

His thick arm wrapped around her waist and lifted her off the ground.

She shrieked and cursed.

Her captor covered her mouth with his meaty hand.

The village was right there. A hundred yards away, and yet beyond her reach. She bit his hand and yanked it away as he muttered a bullman curse.

She let out a blood curdling scream. "Help! Bullmen! Help!"

The hand covered her mouth again and shoved a rag between her lips. The world tilted and she was hoisted over his shoulder. Her captor didn't hesitate. With one arm clasping her thighs he sprinted back to the trees.

Looking up she saw several villagers gathering and pointing. They had heard her. Rescue would come. It must.

#

Varan mounted the grok and laid her over his thighs. She appeared no worse for wear from his handling, and he felt the urge to throttle her. He spurred his grok on to join with his men instead.

"We are seen," Varan said as he met them. "We ride all night."

His men spurred their own mounts and fell in line behind them.

"Jarvack scout ahead. Valk, bring up the rear. I want to know how many follow," Varan ordered.

"How were we seen?" Jarvack asked, eying Elspeth face down over his thighs.

"I was careless and she escaped. A village has settled near here."

Jarvack swore. "She betrays us already."

"You have your orders, title ," Varan cut in.

Jarvack snorted and rode ahead. The others wisely held their tongues.

He'd throttle her later, perhaps then his anger would settle and he'd remember she was ignorant to his intent. For all she knew they meant to kill her or sell her as a slave. It could not be undone now.

**

They pressed on, riding their groks hard up the steep mountain trail.

Varan wrapped a thick rope around her wrists, binding her hands together. He tied the end to his saddle. If he had to dismount and fight, she could not flee or become caught in the melee. She'd remain safe on his trained mount.

Leaning forward in his saddle, he forced her down against the grok's neck. With one hand holding her in place, he used the other to direct their ascent over sliding rocks.

"Beware!" he called as rocks the size of his fists scattered downhill toward his men.

They slid, his mount unable to find purchase and flailing wildly with his claws. Varan shifted his weight, and released Elspeth to drag the grok's head in the safest direction before they all rolled down the mountain to their deaths.

Elspeth made a muffled noise, arching with him as they took another stumble. Varan cursed and yanked the reins. There was only one way out of the decline.

Following Varan's command, the mount dug his talons into the soil and lunged upward.

Varan pressed Elspeth into the mount's neck as they both clung to his back. He was nearly unseated as his grok lunged twice more. Elspeth squeezed her eyes shut, but no more sound passed the gag.

He heard shouts behind him as his men followed his dangerous path up the incline. Blocking out all sound, Varan yanked again shifting the grok's path to a safer strip of rock.

Another lunge and a jolt as they hit the solid rock. The grok stumbled but righted himself. The trio panted in unison, pausing in their safe haven. They had survived.

"Whoa," a Bullman cried.

Varan spurred his mount forward, clearing the way for his men. He looked back, watching each slide and take the wild leaps. Farther back he saw Valk watching their progress. His hand raised and he signaled.

Varan cursed.

"What is it?" Jarvis asked as he made it onto the rock path.

Varan watched Valk's ascent. "Ten men follow us."

"So many," Jarvis said. "The settlement must support a militia or infantry."

"Yes." Varan gripped his reigns. "Ride ahead. I will wait for Valk."

His men followed orders with curt nods.