She could hear the faint roars of indignation from a distant ringing in her ears. Though she was at a distant she knew they had found the body of the man she killed. She gave a faint smile, they were surely surprised that a simple slave girl like her could kill such a great man like him. The funny thing was she didn't even know his name.

She ripped through the streets like a hound chasing a hare. Her heart was racing just as fast as her aching legs. The winds whistled, whispered and sang in an urgent unearthly tone in her ears. The cool air rushed through her lungs filling her with much more exhilaration and adrenaline

Then she heard them. The heavy crunch of feet against the rocky ground, the soft clinking of the metal sword jiggling within their scabbards and the angry exclamations of the soldiers. Was the man murdered really so important that they had to send soldiers after her?

But her mind quickly flashed towards all the tortures they will most likely put her through. Fear like cold water rippled through her body, filling her with more exhilaration. She willed her legs to go faster, her eyes fastening on her destination. The dense forest.

Soon enough she was encompassed by darkness and thick brown trunks, it was then that the paranoia set in. The footsteps and voices were all around her. Her head was spinning. She wanted to scream. She turned to her right and kept running. But wherever she went she could here the soft chink chink of the soldier's swords in their scabbards. She fancied she also saw the glint of a metal.

Suddenly she felt something wrap around her wrist and wrench her backwards. She could feel  her back slam against cold armor. A prickly beard scratched against her neck as a man whispered:

"Don't think you could get away that easily."

Her hands unconsciously tightened around the knife. There was still hope yet, for she still had the dagger. In one quick motion she jabbed it right into his thigh. His screams of agony filled her we immense pleasure, but she cut off that emotion. Since when did she enjoy other people's pain?

Serilda wrenched it away from his thigh and started forward to run. But there in the shadows of the woods were the glinting helmets of other soldiers. She sucked in a deep breath and stood her ground, dagger in hand ready to preserve her dignity even if it mean losing her life.

The man who she had stabbed, the one with prickly beard, laughed behind her. Then in a thundering voice her roared:

"Seize her! Let us have some fun!"

She didn't know what possessed her, but in no time she had killed the two men that dared to come near her. A sort of trepidation filled the eyes of the other soldiers around her.

"Fools!" cried the stabbed man "She is but a girl with a knife. Raise your swords if you must."

So the next two men drew their swords. I would have liked to say that she fought valiantly and won. That she showed those accursed men a lesson. But it didn't go like that, she fought valiantly indeed, but alas an untrained girl such as her could not battle against the warrior might of such soldiers. The dagger had fallen out of her hands. She was pinned up against a tree, head spinning from an almighty blow.

Through her blurry vision, she made out the man with the prickly beard. He moved closer to her until his body was firmly pressed against hers, he had a crooked smile. She squirmed in disgust, still struggling, to slip under from his body and away. But that resulted in the back of her dress tearing, she could feel the rough bark grazing her skin. He brought his face closer to hers, but she turned away eyes firmly closed.

"I didn't want to force this on you. But one gets what they deserve don't they?"

She didn't answer. She could not have, she was out of breath and losing consciousness fast. She prayed to the gods, that she may lose consciousness before anything happened.

His hands moved to the torn strap, caressing her shoulder then going lower. She felt his other hand going up her leg lifting the cloth of the skirt. But then it stopped, There was a loud thud. The weight of his body had gone. Then she heard the cries. She opened her eyes. She couldn't see very well but from the clash of swords and the screams of men she discerned some sort of battle had ensued. She was saved but the gods only know for how long. She tried to get up and run, instead she felt herself sink to her knees. Her blurry vision growing more blurry, the spinning of her head more violent, the pain around her body excruciating.

There was an eerie silence, she lifted her head to discern what she could. There stood two men in gleaming bronze armour, their red cloaked backs backs to her. They turned towards her and approached her. She was dumbstruck and remained motionless. 

One man knelt before her and took of his helmet. She made out his face his face with unusual clarity. The clear cut features with a hint of childishness and those bright green eyes full both childish curiosity and sternness. His hand reached for her shoulder. Indignant she pulled away trying to cry out. He brought a finger to his lips, begging her to be silent, but at the same time reassuring her. He meant no harm. He reached out his hand again, without performing any more atrocities he tied together the torn strap. He then undid the red cloak around his shoulders and draped it around her, for modesty's sake.

She looked at him, grateful. She tried to say something, but couldn't. Her head was spinning, every part of her body ached. Darkness encroached her perception.

~~~~~

Another chapter! Hooray!