Copper hair flickered in the howling winds. Ellivanne sat tall in her leather saddle. Her silver plate armour glittered in the blue flashes of lighting that illuminated the hills. Her sapphire eyes shone with determination, a lethal stare of a huntress zeroing in on her prize. She had them cornered. Clutching the hilt of her sword, she urged her small party forward.
The group had not uttered a word, yet trained ques signalled the formidable party forward. Ellivanne scanned the trees that lined the hills, grey smoke rising from a nearby camp. A small frightened scream, feminine whimpers made Ellivanne flinch.
“Please, Please don't hurt me, I have given you all I have”
Ellivanne dismounted, landing in the mud with a heavy thud. Nodding to her unit, she silently drew her swords from their sheaths. Rain Droplets dripping down the silver metal as she swung them, testing her grip as she marched forward towards the sounds of struggles.
Marching quickly, her eyes trained on the small formation of tents and the silhouettes of the men being very rough with the young woman. She motioned with hand to stay. Signalling to her fellow guardsmen to keep watch for others. She slid inside the tent, approached the back of the nearest bandit. He was a tall grizzly giant of a man, grey matted hair, with dirty rags on his body. He had the frightened young girl cornered in the edge of the tent, licking his cracked lips as he was fiddling with his makeshift rope belt to get his pants down.
“Come here and be a good woman and untie my belt and use those whining lips for something useful”
The man reeked of mead and vomit. As he bent over to try and grab the girl’s trembling arm. Ellivanne moved quickly, Sheathing one of her swords discreetly, she bent down and Slit his exposed tendon, as he bent over in pain, she grabs him by his hair, pulling the woman free and places the young girl behind her as she did so “Bloody hell who is this whore?”
Ellivanne smiled sweetly, Silently motioning sideways to the girl, who ran without needing any prompting. Pulling the greasy hairs sharply so that his throat was exposed, she raised her sword, the silver blade glistening in the light of the glowing fire embers. Slicing cleanly, she watched as the hay and dirt floor poured red as his blood coated the ground. Gurgles and sobbing suddenly silent, she kicks the body, dragging it outside where her guardsmen had dealt with the remaining thugs.
Ellivanne bent down and using rusty pliers she pried a tooth from each of the villains she had slain, adding it to a necklace she wore around her neck, neatly it glistened in the rain, various colours of yellow, white and black teeth, against the simple brown stained leather that tied the teeth together. She smiled, she would always hunt those who were so evil and vile to prey on the weak, for this has given her life a sense of purpose.
She Nodded to her head guard, signalling them to tie the deceased bandits naked to the foundations of the tents, and apples with the words carved into the green and red flesh of the fruits “ cowards!” “Thieves!” “Murderers!” in each mouth of the deceased.
The small group of survivors watched as Ellivanne mounted her white mare with her squadron of knights. Their hooves thundered, kicking up sleek wet mud in the downpour of rain as they disappeared into the black abyss of night.
