Cedwyn pulled at the front of her dress, lifting it to give her legs more room for movement as she ran through the bracken, into the nearby woodland.
Her breathing was heavy and her chest felt like it was burning as she tried to increase her pace, adrenalin and fear pumping through her body. Her head turned, just a fraction, to see if she could see her pursuers and how close they were.
There were two hooded men with angry looking faces, both carrying axes and focused on catching her.
Just moments ago, Cedwyn had been happily enjoying the fine early summer morning. The sky was clear, the sun warm and the aroma of flowers drifted in the air.
She had been sitting upon her cart, packed full of wares from her bakery, making her weekly trip into Bree Town, from Hamglen, to restock a market stall and deliver some orders to customers based there.
But about halfway between Hamglen and Bree, trouble had started.
Cedwyn had spotted what she thought was a bundle of scruffy rags in the centre of the road, but as she neared them, she realised there was a figure inhabiting them, lying still.
Thinking that the individual may be hurt, or had passed out drunk in the road, a concerned Cedwyn pulled on her horse's reins and stopped the cart.
“Hello!” she called out, hoping for a response.
The figure in the scruffy cloak and clothes, seemed to move and Cedwyn saw a man's dirt covered face stare up at her. He shifted on his elbows and opened his mouth to try and say something, but no words came forth.
Concerned, Cedwyn climbed down from her cart, carefully approaching the man.
“Are you hurt, Sir?” she enquired.
The man nodded slowly and seemed to gesture to his side, perhaps indicating a wound or feeling pain there.
“I better get you out of the road and see what can be done,” smiled Cedwyn in her usual friendly manner.
As she got nearer to the man, she crouched trying to see if she could see any blood or wound of any sort.
“Were you attacked...what happened?”
Cedwyn frowned, she couldn't see any visible wound, so wondered if the man was badly bruised under his rags.
Suddenly the figure exploded forward, one of his hands grabbing Cedwyn's right wrist as she crouched beside him.
Cedwyn let out a surprised gasp, her eyes wide she tried to pull her hand free of the man's grip.
“Got 'er, Lads!” the man suddenly called out.
Some chuckles came from off to Cedwyn's right, beyond the roadside verge and she heard male voices, but all she focused on was trying to pull free of the man's strong hand.
“No! Get off!” She yelled.
The man grinned as he tried to grab her other wrist with his free hand, but Cedwyn managed to keep her arm moving and difficult to catch. With gritted teeth, she curled her left hand into a fist and drove it into the side of the man's jaw.
He swore at Cedwyn, but that small distraction allowed her time to twist against the man's grip on her right arm and she broke free, almost falling back onto her bottom.
She glanced right as two men, the ones she had heard chuckling, tore from the bushes by the side of the road and began to hasten their pace towards her. Cedwyn heard one mumble something about “a waste” and “fun” but she didn't concentrate on what was being said. She knew she was now in danger and needed to escape. Pushing herself up from her crouch, she bolted to the other side of the road towards some woodland.
The man on the road yelled to the other men about not letting her escape and they to began their pursuit.
Now, she had made it off the roadside, into the undergrowth and reached the woodland. Seeing a close group of trees, Cedwyn headed for them, hoping to put them between her and the axe men. Low bushes and shrubs tore into the hem of her raised dress, scratching her lower legs as she ran towards a close grouping of trees.
Another look behind revealed the nearest of her attackers was close, his axe raised in both hands above his head.
With a deft movement, Cedwyn dodged behind the nearest thick tree trunk, just as the man gave a shout and his axe swung downwards cutting through the space she had been occupying a heartbeat before.
His rough bearded face scowling, he seemed to pause for breath as he lifted his axe again.
The other axeman was close behind him.
“There is food on the cart, some coins too...take them if you must,” Cedwyn panted as she moved around the group of tree trunks, keeping them between her and the men.
“Yeah,” laughed the bearded man. “We might take that, but it is yer blood we want, wench!”
The second axeman also let out a menacing laugh.
Cedwyn knew there were some ruins close by that might provide better cover and perhaps somewhere to hide, so she darted from the group of trees and headed in the correct direction.
Her chest heaving and sweat running down her brow, Cedwyn crashed through bushes, nettles and other flora as she made an almost breathless shout of “Help!” to whoever may have been in the vicinity to offer aid.
Making another quick glance over her shoulder, she noticed the bearded man was still keeping up, his axe raised. The other man had slowed down, perhaps confident his ally would catch her soon.
In a desperate attempt to fell the bearded axeman, Cedwyn dropped to the ground, pulling her limbs in tight, hoping that the man wouldn't stop in time and would trip right over her..perhaps dropping his axe.
But luck wasn't with her and the axeman managed to slow himself just in time.
His boot kicked out into Cedwyn's side and one of his hands reached down, grabbing a handful of Cedwyn's long red hair. He tugged it sharply, yanking her up from the floor, his face a sneer.
Cedwyn hissed an offensive word at the man, in Rohirric, then attempted to knee her assailant in the groin.
But the thug saw the knee coming and slammed the end of his axe shaft down against it causing Cedwyn to let out a cry of pain and stumble. The man spat at Cedwyn, released her hair and then slapped her around the face.
Cedwyn winced, but fixed the man with her green eyes, a look of defiance now upon her face.
The brigand tried to slap Cedwyn again, but this time she raised a forearm blocking the attack.
“I am not being paid to stand around.” grunted the thug as he raised his axe, preparing a blow for Cedwyn's collarbone area.
With what residual energy she had left, Cedwyn thought of some of the combat training she had done with Caithryth and Blodflaed of the Black Steel and watched the man's movement carefully, anticipating where the axe would strike. As the axe blade came down, she twisted her upper body, leaning away and sidestepped at the same time. The axe blow missed and hit the floor.
“Keep still, bit..” the thug hissed, but his words faded, as he looked beyond Cedwyn at something behind her.
Cedwyn's knee was throbbing with pain, she felt weak and breathless, her vision beginning to blur. She fell back into the plants and soil, convinced this would be the end. That the axe would be raised again to deal the killing blow.
Looking up into the tree canopy of the woods, Cedwyn heard the bearded man curse and other male voices call out sharply. The barking of dogs also filled the air. She could make out what sounded like lots of footsteps in the undergrowth and then everything went black....
