The Bramble and the Eel

“Savage girl, tell me your name, if you have one.”

“I am Mosha. Mosha Bramble.”

“I’d say that name suits you perfectly.”

“And what is my lord’s name?”

“John Eel of Darkbay.”

“I’ve never been there, never heard of any Eel. I’m only passing through this forest, I promise.”

“I’m sure you do promise, though it’s your intention I intend to make clear. Remove your shawl.”

“Why would I do that, my lord? Do you intend to see if I’m a virgin? I can’t promise you that.”

“Stupid girl. Remove your garment this instant. If you’ve stolen something or are concealing something for someone else, I must know.

“The very notion someone commanding of respect like myself would want to breed with a lowly forest girl is disgusting.”

“I’m sure my lord wants for nothing in Darkbay but time on the road surely drives a man into strange embraces if he feels he needs them.”

“If you do not take off your clothing, right now, I will hit you again. Do you hear me Mosha, savage of the forest?”

“I do, my lord. I will undress as you command.”

“Good. Your people are capable of learning, then.”

The wild girl took off her shawl, neither promptly nor apprehensively, only as long as it took. Her arms were bared, and to my surprise, they were quite attractive in their muscularity, even with the fine spread of hair over them. She wore a short top without sleeves or a midriff, revealing a toned stomach as well.

She stood before me, impudent as all her kind, unbothered to be uncovered in the company of a man. I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of unnerving me, and certainly not seducing me with such alluring presentation of flesh. I strode to an inch before her face and pat down her sides.

No weapons or stolen goods did hands find, but soft breasts, plump and firm beneath her final layer of privacy. Surprise won her over for a moment, the foolish girl. I ignored her discomfort and continued down her trousers, the pelts not thick enough to obscure anything concealed under them.

She watched my hands with contained annoyance until I was finished with my frisk. Just for good measure, I turned her around and brought her to me, reaching a hand down her pants to squeeze both of her meaty cheeks. She gasped and began to fight me but thought better of it before committing to thrashing her way out of her own pants to get away from me.

“There, there, Miss Bramble. You’ve nothing to hide. See? It’s all over now.”

No longer finding the encounter amusing, the girl pulled up her pants and stared at me with fire in her eyes. Like any other woman, she shared a hatred for those who forced themselves upon them, and I could not blame her. I replaced my gloves and grasped the hilt of my sword in an attempt to make them forget the feel of her bosom.

“I see, and I felt, m’lord. Am I free to be on my way?”

“Tsk, tsk. I have ensured you are no danger to me as I lead you back to the castle.”

“The castle? What for?”

“Questioning.”

Mosha being a barbarian was suspect enough to throw her in a castle dungeon for awhile. What was odd to me, though, was her appearance, as well as her manner. She was of a darker complexion than any savage I had ever seen, and she spoke like someone of a village. Likely a captive raised as their own since she was a baby.

“What else is there to learn about me? You already know what my tits and ass feel like.”

I started toward her, the smirk on my face angering her, driving her to smash her fists against my armor over and over as I secured her hands with a knot of rope.

“What else do you need to know!”

Her struggles were as futile as her protests. I made sure the line was tight but not obstructing her blood flow. I tied the other end of the rope to a ring on my belt, and to the poor girl’s dismay, I was not swayed by her tugging on the bonds. The helplessness infuriated her, I could tell. Her helplessness was my control, however, and it would remain that way.

“Your ragged kin have been causing all sorts of problems across the realm as of late. The latest decree gives knights the right to detain anyone suspected of bandit activity.”

I tugged her leash and we started down the path, despite her tripping and squealing. Curiously enough, I was both disappointed and relieved that she could not resist me. She was quite easier to deal with than most other prisoners. It took her less than a mile to figure out how far the rope extended and how closely she had to follow to maintain slack on the rope.

First she was incessant in her complaints and objections. Then deathly silent, surely staring daggers at the back of my head. When she realized neither approach worked, the tension thawed along the rope and the sound of the nature around us rose over the silence between us.

Autumn had set in nicely in this part of the kingdom. The wood around us sported a colorful style of reds and oranges in their leaves. We were on a little known path cleared for messenger riders cut through the forest hardly two trees in width. It led straight to the castle, and finding Mosha on it only made me all the more suspicious of her. The forest people were known to disregard the season as they are masters of the outdoors. But few are known to leave their forests and take the roads of civilized men.

“My lord. Sire. Master. Please, reconsider this.”

“Master? You are not mine forever, girl.”

“I don’t intend to be. I didn’t intend to cross paths with you ever again my lord!”

“Your kind using paths worries me, Miss Bramble. And I am very glad I did cross you, who knows what you were going to do had you reached the castle or the town or who knows where you were headed.”

“Like I told you before, I am nothing but a traveler through the forest. I am from the Glade.”

I had heard of the Glade. Nothing like this forest but people and bandits same as us. I had no knowledge of what a typical Resident of the Glade looked like so I could only take her claim lightly.

“Is that why you are dark unlike the savages of this region? Do the barbarians look like you where you’re from?”

“We look like ourselves. Everyone’s different.”

“Of course they are but I’ve never known of a wild one like you around here before. Someone at the castle will know of the Glade and confirm your story if it’s true.”

“My lord! This isn’t necessary. I beg you, release me.”

I faced her, I wanted to know what kind of liar she was. I had seen many different faces and liars, I had grown quite proficient at seeing through the tells and fronts. Some couldn’t look at you while others stared. My favorites were the ones who look like they’re telling the truth.

Mosha looked like she was telling the truth, through all the fear. That was my least favorite kind of liar: one I could believe.

“I assure you, my dirty lady, it is necessary. Not much harm should come to you, and you’ll likely be released within a month. If you tell the truth, that is.”

“There is no truth to tell! My lord, I have nothing to hide. Beneath my clothes or within my heart.”

“Your saying things like that just makes me doubt that, unfortunately.”

She said nothing but her eyes told me everything. She hated me for this. She was afraid, thus confirming she was one of the forest people. She knew what could happen to her as a prisoner of the kingdom, an enemy of the realm by association with the trees. She believed there was something in me she could use to get free, and this I was puzzled by. I had never before allowed a prisoner go free and I didn’t intend to then.

“You do me injustice, my lord. You deliver me to people that would harm me more than you have. I can forgive you, but I will not forget what they do to me if I live.”

“You have no need to worry for your life. And besides, the King’s knights are honorable men. I apologize if my search made you feel uncomfortable but I cannot put my life at risk even with a woman.

“In fact, most savage women I’ve had the misfortune to arrest have been quite vicious. You have my thanks for using your words and not your teeth, my dear.”

She was silent. Truly silent this time, without intention but from her own hurting heart.