In the tent, just moments earlier, they had both heard the commotion: the shouts, the screams, people running about. When Crowe ducked out of the tent, Maya had instantly thrown her bowl of porridge down and tried
desperately to untie the thong securing her ankles. In the confusion, she hoped that she might be able to escape. Just as she seemed to make progress with her restraints, Crowe rushed back in.“We be’n raided!” he fairly shouted, “Gimme y’er han’s!”
Maya pulled back, but Crowe roughly grabbed her wrists. She struggled to get free. He slapped her hard, stunning her. Desperate now, he tied her wrists with a long leather thong and cut the one around her ankles. He led her out of the tent, pulling her by the thong around her wrists. He ran and she was forced to stumble behind. The young man didn’t want to lose his new prize. They had almost made it to the perimeter of the camp, when a big bearded man grabbed Crowe.
“Where ya’ goin’, boy? Drop that bitch down an’ fall inta line!”
Crowe tried to force his way past, but the Raider leader grabbed his shirt, pulled a big knife and put its point under the younger man’s chin.
“Do watta say, or I’ll finish ya’ here!”
The young Raider relented. Unexpectedly, he turned and hit Maya hard in the solar plexus, knocking to her knees. As Crowe ran to fall into the line of Raiders that was forming nearby, he shouted back to her, “Try ta run off an’ I’ll kill ya’!”
Someone shoved a lance into his hands. Maya, desperate to escape, tried to get up, but the wind had been knocked out of her; she was still stunned from the first blow as well. Everything swirled around her in total confusion. She fell to the ground on her face. She sensed, dimly, people running to and fro past her, some leaping right over her.
Gasping, she finally took a few deep breaths and then raised her head up. She looked about; Crowe was nowhere to be seen. She raised herself to her knees and then stood up. Her legs were still wobbly and she could barely breathe. Her ears were ringing. Chaos reigned all about her. She turned in a circle, looking for the most promising direction to escape. Toward the nearest edge of the encampment, through dust and smoke, she finally made out the men in uniform with lances raised. She had no idea who they were. Then a bugle sounded and, as one, the soldiers lowered their lances with a shout. She ran…
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