Robert Adams (ed) - Barbarians 02 # with Martin H. Greenberg & Pamela Crippen Adams (ed) raw by Unknown Author

Author:Unknown Author
Language: eng
Format: epub

Fredeya was remarkably fast on her feet, but even though Barigrange was fully twenty-five years older than she, he caught her before she had traveled more than a hundred feet and brought her down with a tackle that would have done credit to his great-great-grandfather Jongrange, who was said to have been a college football player—whatever that was. She struggled and yelped, but he held her with ease, pulled her to her feet, and led her reluctantly back in the direction they had been traveling.

“Now, tell me what this is all about,” he said, drawing her along as he began moving farther into the woods. “At first you were collaborating beautifully, as though everything were arranged between you and Jemcourt, and all at once you start talking about this Patron Lafay and giving me trouble.”

“I don’t know this Jemcourt,” she answered, and held up her hand to exhibit a ring with an ornately carved red precious stone inset. “This is my betrothal ring from Patron Lafay of Newfound Ressort, which he gave me secretly because my uncle has promised me to Patron Charlen. I thought you were helping me escape to Lafay. But if you’re taking me to some stranger in Dixieland, I’d rather go back to my uncle and try to persuade him to change his mind. I will get away from you sooner or later, you know. You can’t stay awake all the way to Hafflax, even if Lala Nikhol’s men don’t catch us—which they probably will. After all, most of them are on horseback.”

“And don’t I wish I was!” said Barigrange wistfully. “But you have to sleep too, my pet, and I’ve had experience at this sort of thing before. Besides, we’re going to be together for a long time on this jaunt through the woods and I think we’re going to be good friends before this is over. Very good friends indeed. I fancy you a great deal, young dossie. You remind me of someone.”

“You also fancy yourself quite a charmer, don’t you?” she retorted with some scorn. “Well, you’re stronger than I am and I suppose I can’t prevent you raping me, but that’ll make me cooperate with you no better, freebooter Barigrange.”

“Rape?” Barigrange raised an eyebrow. “The word is not in my vocabulary, my dear. No, it’s just that I’ve had experience with these things before. We’ll see.”

Necessarily he remained more watchful as they proceeded on their way, but she made no further effort to flee and seemed resigned to her fate for the rest of the day. They munched on nuts and berries they found on the trees and bushes as they walked together through the woods. As evening drew on, Barigrange would have liked to hunt for a decent meal for them, but could not take the risk, considering the nearness still of Nikhol’s searchers and the risk of Fredeya escaping. So they supped on emergency supplies from his pack, dried beef and a kind of unleavened bread.

Barigrange bound her hands and

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