As she went sprawling onto her hands and knees, Petra realized that running was not an option now. Her pursuer ( #1) had caught her by the left ankle. She rolled on her back, (twisting free) quickly drawing her right foot up to her chest, then gave a hard kick striking her pursuer in his mouth with her heel (gobsmacked).
Like a cornered cat, she sprang to her feet, crouching poised with her pin (still in her left hand) ready to strike. She had been taught some self defense, most of which designed to help her make a hasty retreat. The stunned men shook off their surprise and came t'wards her. She realized she had to make her stand, on the mound.
Tucking back the fingers of her right hand, she also bashed the man (#1) in the nose with the heel of her palm. Seeing red stain his face, she turned to see the other three men who had gotten their wits about them.
Her thoughts became action as each man climbed a separate sets of stone steps. "Next" she thought, then "pounce" and she did, at the closest man (#2). Seeing her intentions, he jerked back, falling off balance to the floor of the clearing, landing hard on the flat on his back. Had he not moved, the scratch Petra left on his cheekbone (with her pin) would have been much deeper.
The next man (#3) came from behind, and at her left and she swept around in a circular motion sticking the pin into his raised left hand, "AWWWW" he howled , she employed the same heel to nose maneuver, and another red stain.
The next man (#4) lunged at her waist, she managed to side step his grasp, but the thong which held her water bladder across her chest was caught in the curve of his elbow. She felt tethered to this brute. She tried to pull the thong over her head as she clawed at his face, ( barely making contact) next she punched him in the throat, but the thong caught in her hair. Again red stain and as he stumbled forward, holding his throat coughing, the others recovered all standing on the mound. The last man, while falling (#4) pulled Petra down on her side. Those "precious moments of action", were well spent, but now every drop of energy seemed to have been drained out of her. The three men who were upright came at her. She began to thrash and kick like a lamb caught in a thicket, while the pone man hollered and tried to set himself free of her. After much shouting and minor injuries the men had her pinioned, the man in the buckskin (#1) reached t'ward her with a knife. She wailed again, so high and shrill (the men's faces grimaced) but none turned her loose. She felt the thong loosen across her body, though it was still caught in her hair. "Hush woman !" she opened her eyes, ( surprised she had closed them). He was cutting her loose and now took her by the hair, "I SAID HUSH !!!" pulling her head aside for what she could only assume would be some horrible fate, she waited but the blade never touched her. The man (#1) pulled the thong and water bladder free, tossing it aside. His fellow (#4) rolled free of her "Wild cat !" he shouted and murmured a curse while cupping his hand over his nose and shielding his nethers. He re-positioned to in support of the others pinning her left leg down at the knee and shin with his greeves.
The men bound her at the wrist and ankles with a length between, then stood back taking in the sight and a few deep breaths. Petra shrieked all the louder, until the boss man (#1) (or so this lanky buckskin cad man seemed) took a cloth and went to bind her mouth. Petra clapped her mouth shut, and clenched her jaws tight. "Ah, there we go, hush and I won't gag you, be good and we might loosen the ropes." They stepped off the mound all four of them. "Silence at last", she thought as her ears rang. Petra realized how much noise she had been making and wondered if the sound traveled far enough for anyone else had heard her. The men whispered into each others ears, with many gestures. Then the four approached her.
" Now miss, since you have done us each some damage; we shall leave you bound for the moment. Listen, ( he flashed his teeth) NO BITING ! " he said (#1) pointing as he looked her in the mouth. Next shifting his stare t'wards two of the men, motioning. Two of the men went, back up on the mound they took her under the arms (one on each side) lifting her up, going over to the steps placing her feet one step below her bent hind quarters. She did think for a moment about doing a bit of chewing on these two while they were carrying her, but the boss man still had the cloth in his hand and she might better reserve her only defense for later.
The man who had been tethered to her (#4) was sent off into the wood. The boss man drew closer now, while the others to held her by her shoulders. He had her water and said "You've hurt yourself..."pointing ,then plucking the under skirt with two fingers, she flinched a bit) he lifted it exposing the right knee and nothing more. He began speaking quieter and in a calming manner: " .... it wouldn't be right to leave you bound and bleeding, so just let me minister to these wounds." She looked rather dumb founded from his face to her knee. In the heat of it all she hadn't realized she'd been hurt. Pointing again "...And your hand." he said as he rinsed her knee. She had a substantial gash about mid knee ( from falling on the steps), her right hand was scuffed as well. He motioned to one of the men at her shoulders, he poured water on the cloth and pressed it to her knee. "Here man hold this". The man with the scratch on his cheek acquiesced, eyeing Petra with caution.
"And if you behave I'll cut this length and tend to your hand,... you will won't you ?" He nodded,willing her to give her assent. She mimicked him and he cut the rope the that connected her ankles and wrists. He took her by her left wrist and said "Now let's just turn..." he tried to rinse her hand but the angle of her manacled wrists didn't allow real cleansing. "Ah, miss this is not working, I shall untie your wrists but, do behave". His men looked on dubiously as he untied the rope and began rinsing the grit from her hand. He drew her arm out away from her body and began picking her palm clean of debris, "...ah hold tight this is going to hurt". Before she knew it, he had pulled a thin shard from just below her ring finger, it bled freely, so he drew her hand further away and rinsed it again. Just then she heard the man return from the wood with green foliage and purple blossoms. (She was grateful for the distraction, when the blood hit the floor of the mound she had remembered some ugly shadow from the distant past. ) She knew the foliage well and felt encourage at the sight of it. " If they know enough to stanch these wounds then...",
Her thoughts were interrupted again as the boss man took the foliage and instructed her to "Open your mouth..." demonstrating , before he finished speaking she dropped her jaw and he placed the alfalfa in her mouth. As she began to chew a slight smile swept across his mouth and faded away. She chewed and swallowed. Again he said " Open" he had produced another offering: yarrow with pale pink blossoms, to which she complied, she stopped short of swallowing and dropped her mouth open. "I have told you not to bite , I will remind you... "( she rolled her eyes ). He pulled the masticated herb from her mouth and had the man who brought the alfalfa give her a drink. ( She rinsed her mouth and spat it out) This forth man bristled a bit. " Come now, let her drink, she must need it", the boss man instructed, and it went on like this until she was well quenched, her hand and knee tinctured ( with the yarrow and some honey ). She was shocked to see the honey brought out from some un-noticed pouch on one of the men. Then she had both her knee and hand wrapped.
Before long the faggot of willow was re- bundled into another man's coat. " Now miss I'm going to untie you, put your skirt on then lets talk." The boss man reached for the rope at her, ankles
she stretched her legs to accommodate. Now her ankles were loosed, standing he handed off the skirt and said "Miss, I restore your dignity, now let's take you home." In a moment or so, she was fully clothed, and two of the men were carrying Petra, ( lead by the boss man in buckskin) back to where she first stopped before entered the clearing . The man with the pin stuck hand followed behind with her basket dangling from his elbow.
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