PhoenixMire
ᛚᚨᚦᚢ:ᚹᛁᛞᚢᛉ:ᛖᚱᚦᛟ
The rickety wooden cart went over a rock, making Sebastian bounce uncomfortably. The young man bit angrily at the cloth gag in his mouth, despite knowing by now that there was nothing he could do to free himself. He'd tried. The ropes chafing his hands, the scratchy sack cloth tied over his head, the gag - these were all things he'd fought against for the past... well, who knew how long? He couldn't exactly see to tell the time. He heard chattering from the bandits around him, and a quiet snort from the horse leading his cart. It felt like an age that he'd been tied up. How long had they been traveling? When would they stop? What did these bandits plan to do to him?
Suddenly the cart halted. Did Sebastian dare hope that they were stopped for good? Being kidnapped was still a less than ideal situation, but he'd take that over being kidnapped and forced to lie in the back of a horrible, jostling cart. Moments later, he felt four pairs of strong hands grasp him roughly, hauling him out of the cart and throwing him against what felt like the rough bark of a tree. His sack cloth head covering was removed soon after. Sebastian squinted his amber eyes against the brightness of the noonday sun; a group of angry-looking, scruffy bandits stood around him in a semi-circle, a forest of oak trees behind them.
Sebastian tried and failed to speak. He could only make muffled noises past the thick gag in his mouth.
"Oh, shut it," the tallest bandit growled, a particularly large man with dark eyes and an equally dark voice. "You prissy lil nobles drive me mad!"
Sebastian's heart raced. What did they intend to do? Ransom him? Kill him? He stared at his captors, wide-eyed, desperately wishing he could hide his fear, but unable to help it.
The dark-eyed bandit dismissively waved a hand. "At least you'll fetch a good price. We'll be eatin' like kings for weeks after this one, boys!" With this last statement, he turned to face his comrades, and they cheered in response. Sebastian tried to hide his trembling. Ransom it was, then. Praise the gods he would at least live. Still, he found himself wondering how long it would take for his father to send whatever amount of money they requested... and for a brief moment, he wondered if the accursed old man even would. They'd never really gotten along. But no - he wouldn't allow his son's throat to be slit by bandits. At the very least, it would be an insult to his pride, something Sebastian's father never took kindly to.
With a shaky sigh, Sebastian leaned back into the tree. Now he just had to wait.
Suddenly the cart halted. Did Sebastian dare hope that they were stopped for good? Being kidnapped was still a less than ideal situation, but he'd take that over being kidnapped and forced to lie in the back of a horrible, jostling cart. Moments later, he felt four pairs of strong hands grasp him roughly, hauling him out of the cart and throwing him against what felt like the rough bark of a tree. His sack cloth head covering was removed soon after. Sebastian squinted his amber eyes against the brightness of the noonday sun; a group of angry-looking, scruffy bandits stood around him in a semi-circle, a forest of oak trees behind them.
Sebastian tried and failed to speak. He could only make muffled noises past the thick gag in his mouth.
"Oh, shut it," the tallest bandit growled, a particularly large man with dark eyes and an equally dark voice. "You prissy lil nobles drive me mad!"
Sebastian's heart raced. What did they intend to do? Ransom him? Kill him? He stared at his captors, wide-eyed, desperately wishing he could hide his fear, but unable to help it.
The dark-eyed bandit dismissively waved a hand. "At least you'll fetch a good price. We'll be eatin' like kings for weeks after this one, boys!" With this last statement, he turned to face his comrades, and they cheered in response. Sebastian tried to hide his trembling. Ransom it was, then. Praise the gods he would at least live. Still, he found himself wondering how long it would take for his father to send whatever amount of money they requested... and for a brief moment, he wondered if the accursed old man even would. They'd never really gotten along. But no - he wouldn't allow his son's throat to be slit by bandits. At the very least, it would be an insult to his pride, something Sebastian's father never took kindly to.
With a shaky sigh, Sebastian leaned back into the tree. Now he just had to wait.