by D.E. Dunlop
“I’ve never been in the swamp.” He replied with the voice of a very frightened child.
“Okay, maybe we haven’t been in the swamp per se, but we have been around it quite a lot. Don’t you think we would have seen one of those terrible beasts? Seriously! You’re letting fairytales run away with your imagination.”
“Don’t let him take advantage of you like this, Rudy.” Janice said. “There are monsters in there. I’ve seen them. Abhorrent ferocious beasts. Some of them breathe fire and spit strong acid.” She thought, perhaps, she could turn the two against each other by making Rudy think Troy would hang him out to dry. “If you’re in there with perilous beasts, who’s to say Troy, here, is going to wait for you to come out? Maybe he’ll even snuff the torches himself before you get a chance to escape. Not only would you be trapped in the swamp, but you would also have the King and his Royal Guard trapped in there with you. And Troy would be off Scot-free with all the ransom.”
“That’s quite enough, young lady. Unless you want Rudy to decide what we should do with you, I suggest you stifle.” Troy threatened with his face next to hers. He was close enough she could feel the warmth and thought she would be pricked by the rough stubble that had been growing there a few days.
“She’s right, Troy. I’m not goin’ in that swamp.” Rudy remonstrated.
“Better hope I can fix this.” Troy whispered in her ear before standing up to reassure Rudy. “Rudy, my buddy, when have I ever lead you astray? Haven’t I always had your back?”
“Yeah, you’re right, Troy. You’ve been there for me even when everyone else left me. Well, except for that time you sent me in to the corral to steal the cow that was really a bull.” Rudy said with his brow furrowed.
Troy put his arm over Rudy’s shoulder and chuckled lightly. “You have to admit, that was pretty funny.”
Rudy looked at him angrily. “I could’ve been killed.” He pouted.
“But you weren’t. You were fine.”
“That bull knocked me right out of the pen.” He recalled as he rubbed the back of his neck.
“But you’re okay.”
“I guess. But, what about the time we were stealin’ the boat and you left me on the dock for the owner to catch me?”
“Rudy, Rudy, Rudy. I explained that before. Two of us would have made the boat too heavy and too slow. Going by myself allowed me to escape and come back for you when they least expected it. Didn’t I come back before they beat you too badly?” Troy patted Rudy’s chest with his other arm still around his shoulders.
“Yeah, I guess. They were gonna hang me, but you got me out right before they threw the rope over the branch.”
“See? I’m watching out for you.” Troy said in a comforting voice while giving Janice a look that said, “You’re so lucky I changed his mind.” He raised his brow and then gave her a wry grin. “Rudy, my boy, how’s about a nice trout for dinner?” He suggested.
“Oh, that would be good.” Rudy answered.
“Why don’t you mind the toy and I’ll go fishing?” He offered. He patted Rudy’s back and headed off with a line and hook.
Janice watched him go with worried eyes. As he passed close she pleaded with him quietly. “You can’t leave me with him.”
“Oh, yes, I can, and I am.” He replied with a satisfied smile and departed.
Janice turned her head back toward Rudy. He was gazing at her with greedy eyes and she shrank back into her bonds with fear.
“Get a hold of yourself, Janice.” She told herself. “You’re a trained soldier, a Platoon Sergeant for that matter. This guy’s just a common thug. Find an edge, some leverage.” She quickly regained control of her heart rate and racing thoughts. She stepped back from the situation and cleared her head. Rudy’s words passed through her mind.
“I’ve never kissed a girl before.” She remembered. She looked around and examined her situation; a camp fire with cooking gear, her armour and weaponry only a few metres away. She tested the ropes again. This time she felt them give, just a little in her upper arm area. “If only I could get a few of these untied.” She thought. She looked at Rudy who had actually managed to pry his eyes away from her and was poking at the fire. “Oh, Rudy.” She called with a soft tender voice. “Rudy, dear.” She repeated and he turned around. “Could you untie these ropes, just a little? They’re hurting me.” She said with an almost pout.
“You’re just trying to trick me again.” He answered.
“Just the ropes around my middle? I won’t be able to run if my hands and feet stay tied.” She persisted.
“I don’t know. Troy said you have to be tied tight.”
“He doesn’t have to know.” She persuaded.
Rudy scratched his head and rubbed the back of his neck. The decision was obviously causing turmoil within him.
“I’ll let you kiss me.” She offered whilst chills ran down her spine at the thought.
His eyes lit up, but he was still hesitant to even step close to her.
“You’re just gonna trick me and Troy will be mad. He’ll slap my face.” He argued.
“I’ll kiss you back.” She said with her skin still crawling and her heart jumped right into her throat when he stepped closer.
“You promise?” He asked. She nodded. She couldn’t bear the idea.
“You better not tell Troy.” He ordered.
Rudy puckered a dirty, greasy, slobbery pucker and moved in on the target with his eyes closed.
“Hold on, you didn’t untie the ropes.” She said.
“He opened his eyes and rolled them as he turned to untie all but the ropes around her hands and feet.
“Oh, that feels so much better. Okay, now, we have to be on our knees facing each other.” She said while wiggling herself into the described position.
“What for?” He asked.
“Well…” She searched for a reason. Her blood raced through her veins and her thoughts raced through her mind. “Everyone knows that your first kiss is best when you’re kneeling together.” She stammered, hoping he would buy it. Rudy cooperated and kneeled in front of her. His foul breath nearly made her vomit. Her breath nearly escaped her. “It’s a good thing I’m already on my knees.” She thought to herself. She brought her face up beside his and whispered in his ear. “Now, close your eyes and open your mouth just a little. No peeking.”
Satisfied that he was not looking, Janice clenched her teeth and eyes and slammed her forehead into Rudy’s temple.
When Rudy gained consciousness Troy was sitting on the stump looking at him with a look of obvious displeasure. Janice, her armour and her horse were gone and the sun was low in the west. In one hand Troy held the ropes that had once held Janice. In the other hand he held a large mug of water. He splashed the water on Rudy and held the ropes in a threatening fist while he proceeded to interrogate.
“How did this happen?”
“She tricked me.” Rudy pouted while rubbing water from his face with his sleeve.
“Just how did she trick you? She was tied up!”
Rudy didn’t speak for shame.
“She bribed you with a kiss. I’m such a fool! I never should have left you alone with her.”
“We could catch her again.” Rudy suggested.
“The sun’s almost set. We’ll have to wait until morning.” Troy groaned.
“Start a fire so I can cook these fish.” Troy demanded and he cuffed Rudy as he walked by.
Troy was still grouchy the next morning when they headed out. He complained about Rudy’s lack of capabilities. He tore a strip up one side of him and one down the other side. They hunted for Janice for most of the day. Her tracks were hard to follow most of the time and Troy continued to mumble about stupidity and starting all over and the like. It was about halfway through the afternoon when Troy stopped them. They both cocked their heads to listen to an odd sound or rather a so
und out of place.
“What is that?” Rudy whispered.
“Sounds like a tree creaking in the wind.” Troy whispered back.
“There’s no wind.” Rudy stated.
“Why do you think we stopped?” Troy whispered with a roll of his eyes.
They carefully and painstakingly crept from the path. They peeked into a slight clearing and were quite surprised to find Janice hanging by her ankle from a rope in a tree.
Rudy went to step into the clearing, but Troy stopped him and motioned for him to be quiet. Rudy made gestures that begged, “What?”
Troy pulled him close by the sleeve and whispered in his ear. “I didn’t set that trap.”
They crouched back into the underbrush far enough to see, but not be seen. Not long after five men came into the clearing from the other side. They all laughed heartily at the sight of Janice hanging upside-down from the tree.
“Well, well, well. What have we here? I thought there’d be good hunting in these here woods, but I didn’t think it would be this good.” One of them said.
Janice struggled to reach the rope, but her chain mail and shoulder armour made it difficult to bend that far.
One of the other men picked up a stick and poked it at her.
“She’s a cutie, too.” He said. Janice managed to get a hold of the stick and rip it out of his hands. “And feisty.” He added.
A third man stepped in, picked up her sword and reached it out to her.
“Want this?” He teased and kept it just out of range.
While the first three men teased and prodded their prey the other two went to cut her free.
“Make sure you don’t…drop her.” The first said as the rope went slack and she fell.
It was at this point that the trappers discovered they were not prepared to cut this young woman free. When she fell she resembled a falling cat. One minute she was upside-down and the next she was righted with her arms and legs flying in every direction. The three tormentors hit the ground in the same instant she did. Troy and Rudy saw their chance to reclaim their prize and rushed in. The five hunters were caught completely off guard so the fight only lasted a couple of minutes and ended with most of them badly beaten and Janice racing through the forest with her previous captors close on her heels. The need to escape was accompanied by disorientation and Troy was quick to realize the game was directed, once again, at the swamp. He signalled Rudy to follow close on the other side so they could hedge her in when she hit the mire.
Janice landed in the swamp with her adrenaline raging. She displayed such a demeanour as to warn her pursuers she was much more advanced than they in battle. They were smart enough, however, not to engage her directly. They succeeded in a series of fakes and managed to throw a rope around her.
“Now, sweetheart, I advise you not to try that again.” Troy said when they had finally drug her back to camp. “Besides, we’re just going to keep catching you and each time we have to fight you down you’re more likely to get hurt.”
The following day they set about the plan to ransom her. They trekked, fearfully, into the heart of the swamp. All eyes were round and darted at each and every eerie and foreign sound. They gasped and seized at every shadowy movement in the murky surroundings. They secured and lit pitch torches about fifty metres apart. At that distance they were barely a flicker in the thick, moist air. The distance and such poor visibility would allow Rudy to escape without being seen and the snuffed light would not be noticed unless it was being watched. When Troy felt they were at the centre, or close to it, he lit one more torch took Janice another fifty metres and tied her to an upturned root that somewhat resembled an “X”. Rudy placed her against the inside of the root and secured her arms and legs. She snarled and hissed while he removed her chain mail and shoulder armour. They hadn’t bothered to remove these the day before because they felt it created unnecessary risk of her escaping again. He ran the palm of his hand from the underside of her arm down, slowly, to her hip.
“She’s so soft under all that steel.” He said.
“Rudy, get it together. We’ve gotta job to do and I need to know you will be paying attention.”
“I’m the one stayin’ in here with you.” Rudy said to Janice as she snapped her teeth at him.
“Rudy.” Troy called. “Pay attention. If you go screwin’ around and let her get away again, so help me, I’ll turn you in to Gerald myself as the kidnapper. Now, let’s go.”
Janice watched as her captors faded into the mist and shadow. She was surprised to wish they weren’t going; not that she thought she would miss them, she certainly would not; rather the unknown is far more fearsome than known. No one knew what lurked in this dreadful place and she was sure she did not want to find out. She felt her heart and breath rate increasing. Each sound grew progressively louder, or were they only in her head? She would wonder many times over the many lonely hours of darkness. The blackness was so true she could have had her eyes closed. There were many times she did; as a snake wound its way from her shoulder to her ankle or various unseen bugs skirted over her face and hands. Her trembling was complete and thorough. No matter how hard she tried to stop or focus on something else she could not. Never had she felt such overwhelming fear. How much time had passed she had no hope to tell. Time is habitually contrary to one’s desire. It goes fast when the want is slow and slow when the want is fast. Lack of light, activity and the presence of great fear only encourage its rebellious nature.
For Rudy the experience was somewhat similar with the exception of his motivation. He had a choice; however he didn’t realize that himself, whether he should flee the swamp or stay. There was of course a trail of torches that were eager to lead him home or, at least, anywhere other than the place he feared most. The thing that kept him there was, of course, Troy’s threat to turn him over to Gerald for kidnapping the princess. The princess, of course, was another thing keeping him in the swamp. He was hiding approximately four hundred metres away and he spent most of his time staring in her direction. He couldn’t get her out of his mind, not that he felt pity for her or even feared for her welfare, but that moment when she almost kissed him. Gerald wouldn’t be there for hours, possibly not even until the next day. He wouldn’t untie her this time, he thought.
“No. I won’t go near her.” He said. “Troy will have my head. I’m stayin’ right here.” But he couldn’t tear his gaze from her direction.
The third thing keeping him in the swamp was the King. Not knowing how much time had passed: he could inadvertently run right into Gerald and that would be the end of his days. The passing of time was agonizing.
Eventually, and to Rudy’s surprise and delight, Troy came slopping along the trail.
“What are you doin’ here?” He asked. Unbeknownst to Rudy, Troy had been gone for nearly a day and a half. The fear and adrenaline coursing through his veins had kept him from closing his eyes for more than a few minutes the whole time. The density of the mist and trees hid the sinking and rising sun completely.
“Gerald’s dead.” Troy answered.
“You killed the King?” Rudy gasped.
“No, you dork! The Sitts overthrew Bayfield and Gerald was killed in the attack. No one knows or even cares that their princess is missing.” He paused thoughtfully a moment while gazing down the trail into the heart of the darkness. “Well, I’m sure someone knows and cares, but I don’t know where to find them and I doubt very much that person will have any access to the ransom I want.” He added.
“What’ll we do with her how, then?” Rudy complained.
Troy grinned an evil grin in the haunting light of the torch.
“What do you think we should do with her?”
Rudy stared blankly for a moment and then he matched his friend’s evil grin. They both began to chuckle as they headed toward the centre of the swamp.
They stopped in their tracks when a whit
e light appeared where they were headed. Its brilliance was encompassing and far more fearsome than the dark.
“On second thought, let’s leave her to her fate.” Troy blurted out cowardly and they turned tail and ran. The light expanded forcefully like a gust of wind, blowing out the torches and leaving the villains, once and for all, in the darkness of the Minesing Swamp.
That, of course, my dear, is when I, going against the very code of conduct for my office, stepped in and saved the day.
“I don’t understand, not that I don’t appreciate it, because I do, but why did you intervene? It’s, as you say, against the code of conduct and in the grand scheme of things, I’m not anyone of any great importance. I’m not a queen or, really even in line to be one. I have two sisters ahead of me for that rite.”
There comes a time when one can no longer sit idle watching. You have to say enough is enough and do something about it. Another thing is that I was appalled at the audacity of those two thugs to try such a stunt as that right on my front step.
The other thing is your attitude.
“My attitude?”
Yes. It is precisely what I am in need of, especially now that I have become involved.
*********
The mid autumn sky hung heavy and wet amidst the barren trees. The forest echoed an eerie silence while Ren’s breath plumed about his head with no particular place to go. He scanned the forest slowly, plotting his course. For the moment the past few months escaped to the back of his mind. The dull grey sky was not helping him discern direction.
He jerked his head around at the sound of a branch cracking beneath a thick layer of soggy leaves.
A Sittyan soldier stood staring at him from a few metres away. His attire gave away the fact that he held a high rank, probably even a prince.
“Can I help you?” Ren asked indignantly, choosing not to let on that he knew who he was and what he wanted.
“You can tell me where my stones are.” The man replied flatly.
“Your mommy didn’t tell you that when you were a boy?” Ren asked, being his usual smart mouth self.
“Where are they, boy?” He repeated, raising his voice slightly.
“Who are you and what are you talking about?” Ren continued with his charade.
