The knight was flung to his knees as Bill forced him into the center of the campsite. "Sorry, mate," Bill apologized as he picked the knight back up and placed him on his feet. "Don't know me strength sometimes."
"Bill!" The short bald man screamed. "We don't apologize to the prisoners!"
"Bill looked back down at the knight in shame before thumping the man back to his knees. "Better?"
"It's like I'm working with amateurs here," the bald man sighed. "Flynt! Search him! Gather his valuables."
The lanky blonde man examined the knight over from head-to-toe as he searched for anything of value. "He doesn't have any," Flynt called back to his leader as he took a step back.
"What?" the bald man screamed. "Of course, he does! Check his pockets!"
Flynt patted the knight down once more before jamming each of his hands into the prisoner's pockets. "Nothing!"
"What kind of knight doesn't have valuables?" The bald man muttered as he hobbled back over to his pot. "Check that damn ass of his!"
Flynt turned and watched as his brunette comrade struggled to pull the strong-willed beast into the camp. "Sir, it's missing a leg."
"You're about to too if you don't get over there and search that bloody beast! Grab the fricking armor! Armor always brings in a pretty penny." The bald man turned his attention to Rico sitting in front of the tent with his hat concealing his face. "Where the hell do you think you're doing? Get off your ass and help those blubbering idiots!"
Rico jumped to his feet and ran over to help his comrades pull the beast into the camp. They pulled the animal to a neighboring tree and tied the beast's reigns with a very poor knot before unloading the knight's gear from the creature's back.
"It's junk," Flynt called out.
"Yeah, boss," Rico confirmed as he pulled out the dinged-up breastplate. "This stuff is useless."
The bald man sighed heavily as he tapped his spoon on the pot. "Rico! Get the girl. Flynt, finish this stew." The bald man shoved his spoon into Flynt's chest as he made his way over to his prisoner. "A knight with no possessions. What kind of knight are you?
"The retired kind," the knight smugly replied.
"Is that so," the bald man snickered as he picked up the knight's rusty spaulder. "The retired kind walks around with this?"
"Aye," the night replied. "I'm actually in the market to sell if you folk are willing to buy."
"To buy?" the bald man howled with laughter. "You are trying to sell this garbage to us?"
"Aye. If the price is right."
"If the price is right?" The bald man chuckled as he walked leisurely back over to the knight, leaning his face in close to the knight. "You see, mate, we aren't the kind of folk that tend to do the buying. No, mate. We take what we desire."
"Got her!" Rico exclaimed cheerfully as he shoved a rattled bound and gagged young woman to the ground.
The bald man sighed profoundly; his musky breath filled the man's nostrils. "Can't you see I'm busy here!" The man screamed as he lifted himself back up.
"But, what do you want me to do with her?"
"Sit the girl by the fire and get her ready to eat!"
"Eat?" Rico asked puzzled.
"Yes, Eat!" The bald man screamed as he picked the woman from the ground and hurled her towards the fire.
"But," Rico stammered as he looked at his captain in confusion. "Why?"
"Because, Rico," the bald man heaved in anger. "She is being held for ransom, Rico! To receive the money, Rico, the girl has to be alive! In order for her to stay alive, Rico, she has to be fed! Do you understand, RICO?" The bald man heaved heavily in anger as he stared his subordinate down.
"So…We remove her gag?"
"Argh!" The bald man screamed as he pulled a long silver dagger from behind his back and jammed it deep into Rico's chest. "Yes, Rico! You remove her fricken gag, you miserable, stupid, bloody imbecile!" The enraged man screamed as he pulled and stabbed his blade into the bandit's chest with each word.
Startled by his captain's outburst, Bill jumped back, shaking the ground violently from the hulking man's weight. The minor earthquake startled the knight's ass; triggering a wave of flashbacks from the beast's time working at the mines. The beast screamed out a blood-curdling cry as it kicked its only rear leg back, knocking the brunette bandit unconscious. Flynt rushed to his comrade's side as the creature continued to kick and jump about in freight.
"The hell?" The bald man screamed as he dropped his blood-soaked dagger and turned to witness the commotion. "Flynt! Tame that beast!"
The ass screamed once more as Flynt rushed towards it, triggering another PTSD influenced panic attack. The beast charged forward, snapping its tethered binds and trampling Flynt as it barreled towards the bald man. The bald man screamed as he dove to the side, barely missing the rampaging beast's attack.
"Bill!" the man screamed as the beast flew into the woods. "Make sure that filthy mutt doesn't come back!" the man picked himself up and dusted himself off as he surveyed the wreckage. "And get rid of that corpse. I don't want it anywhere near here when it starts stink…" Blood spurted from the man's chest as a glint of silver poked through his shirt. The man looked down in shock as life began to fade from his body. The blade slid back as the man's lifeless corpse slumped forward, revealing the determined face of the frazzled feminine prisoner.
"Finally," the woman sighed as she slit her remaining bonds with the blood-stained blade. "I didn't think he'd ever shut up."
"Wow," Bill gasped as he watched the woman free herself.
"You!" The woman cried as she pointed the blade at the half-giant. "Are there any others? Speak hastily before I do you in like I did your master."
"Umm," the hulking man stuttered as he backed himself into a tree. "I-I-I don't think so."
"You don't think so? Well, think harder! You have any more friends hiding in the woods? Any other bandits know we are here?"
"N-N-No Ma'am," Bill stuttered.
"No?" The woman smirked with a twinkle in her eye. "Then beat it!" The woman screamed as she waved her blade about. The man took three steps into the woods before turning back with a look of confusion. "Boo!" The woman cried as she lunged at the hulking fella. The man whimpered in fear as he ran off into the woods, shaking the earth with each step. "Half-giants," the woman chuckled as she wiped the bloody blade with her ragged dress. "Harmless, really. Just big 'ol gullible babies." The woman tucked the clean blade in the wrap of her dress before confronting the knight. "I take it you are here for the reward my state is offering in my return? I'll admit, that was a rather unorthodox way of rescue, but that donkey did a surprisingly good job. In either sense, my family will be more than happy to pay you once we arrive in Floringdale. If we leave in the morning, we should reach there in about three days' time.
"I'm not here for a reward," the knight replied as he picked himself up from his knees.
"A knight working for charity? How noble."
"No, not a knight," the knight answered. "And I'm not here on behalf of charity."
"Then what are you here for," the woman asked as she surveyed the young man carefully.
"Merely passing through," the knight replied without batting an eye.
The woman pulled her hair away from her face as she continued studying the man. "You are a rather small fellow."
"Yeah, yeah. I'm tiny," the knight mumbled as he began searching through the bandit's belongings.
"Well, can I at least know the name of my savior?" The woman asked as she forced her way in front of the knight.
The knight, not wanting to come across as an uncultured barbarian, obliged. "George, or Matt, or Mike," he replied as the young man pushed his way past the woman and continued to search. "But I'm not your savior."
"No, that ass of yours is," the woman chuckled before making her way back in front of the knight. "Princess Jasmine Ravenwood of Floringdale. Or, Jaz," she introduced herself as she extended her hand. The knight pushed it away and began sifting through the bald man's pockets. The woman turned her attention to the unconscious brunette bandit. "Shouldn't we tie him up or something?"
"Nope," the knight answered as he pulled a pouch of gold from the bald man's pocket.
"Why not?" The woman curiously asked.
"No need," the knight replied as he pulled a burgundy cloak from its resting place atop a tree branch. "Here," our hero called out as he tossed the pouch and cloak behind him to the girl. "You'll need these more than I will."
"What?" Jas asked as she caught the items.
"Cover those golden locks, princess. There are more bandits a lot more hostile than this sorry group in these woods. There's a tavern about a night's walk South. Continue past and over the hill and you will find a small town. That gold should be enough to get you a ride home." The knight pulled the brunette bandit's sword from beneath the man's unconscious body and strapped it to his back before making his way back into the woods.
"Wait, you're just leaving?" the woman asked as the knight walked away.
"Yup," the knight replied without looking back. "You'll want to too. That bandit will be waking up soon."
"Wait!" Jaz called out as she rushed to catch up with the knight. "Won't you help me?"
"Trust me, darling, you don't want my help. Besides, it looks like you can take care of yourself."
"Wait," Jaz forced her way in front of the knight to block his path. "Take me to the town. You said yourself, it's not that far from here. I don't know these woods like you do."
The knight sighed as he looked into the woman's big pleading blue eyes. "I could use a drink," he mumbled.
"The tavern! Take me to the tavern. I can make it the rest of the way. Please!"
The knight sighed as he turned back towards the road. "Fine. But only to the tavern."
Jaz and the knight headed back through the woods and out onto the road. They had travelled for a ways in silence before the young princess grew bored.
"So, if you're not a knight, why do you have a suit of armor?" She asked as a means to break the silence.
"Retired," the knight replied coldly as he continued pushing on.
"Why," the princess asked once more as she followed closely behind.
"Not for me," the knight answered to dodge the question.
"Not for you?" Jaz pried.
"Look," the knight snapped as he stopped and faced his prying companion. "Do you want to play 20 questions or do you want to go home?"
"Well fine," Jaz scoffed as she pushed the knight aside and took the lead. "I was just making small talk. You know, back where I come from, knights possess better manners. Whether they are active or…"
"Shush," the knight hushed as he stopped to listen to the surrounding woods.
Jaz stopped walking as her eyes filled with rage. "You did not just shush me!" Jaz cried as she turned back around and stomped over to the knight. "I will not be shushed!"
With an annoyed look, the knight covered the enraged princess' mouth with his hand and placed a finger to his lips. The woman's face turned red as she tried to pry the knight's hand away; screaming a string of muffled insults. The knight remained unmoved; his focus locked on the dark abyss hidden in the trees.
Ba-Thunk! Ba-Thunk! Ba-Thunk! The noise reverberated against the trees with a minor rumble with each light thump. The knight lowered his hand as Jaz's face turned pale.
"What was that?" She whispered.
"Shush," the knight hushed as he waited for the following thump. He waited patiently but another thump never came. The knight stared out at the horizon before nudging the princess forward. "Dawn is coming," he replied softly. "Let's hurry."
"But what was it?" Jaz asked once more in a tone a bit louder. The knight disregarded the question and continued to lead. "I bet it was that half-breed giant," the princess exclaimed loudly with a huff. "What was his name? Bill! That's it! Hello Bill!"
The knight stopped mid-step and turned to confront the obnoxious woman. "Shush!" The young man exclaimed as he turned back towards his path.
"Would you stop shushing me!" Jaz screamed as she pulled the knight back to face her. "I am of royal descent and I demand your respect!"
"If you do not shut up, we will be dead!" The annoyed knight exclaimed. "Do you understand?"
"Now who is being loud," Jaz mocked. "We aren't going to die. That's just Bill! Hello Bill!"
"That's not…" Another rumble interrupted the frustrated knight.
"Bill!" The princess cried. "His name is Bill!"
Two more resounding thumps rumbled as they made their way closer to the travelers. "Shh!" the knight hushed again as he searched through the woods for the source.
Ba-Thunk!
"There you go with the shushing again!"
Ba-Thunk!
"Shh!" the knight desperately pleaded.
Ba-Thunk! Ba-Thunk!
"Stop shushing me!" The princess screamed at the top of her lungs.
Ba-Thunk! Ba-Thunk! Ba-Thunk!
"Would you shut up! It's not…" The princess screamed as the knight was lifted high into the air. "Bill!" the knight finished as he was hoisted higher than the treetops.
The princess screamed again as she dove to the side as a hulking greyish blue foot slammed down where the woman formerly stood; shaking the Earth violently. The Earth shook once more as another foot slammed into the ground a quarter-mile away. The princess watched in terror as the original foot lifted with another Earth-shaking step. The pair of feet continued stomped further into the forest; taking the princess' only guide with it.