6th August, 1809: Chaos breeds vagabonds

Two of the bandits took the reins of the horses and led led them quickly away, a couple of others disappeared in another direction. Finally else Atracador approached his hostages, carelessly extending a hand for Estefania to help her up.

"We are leaving. Come on, Lady Spitfire. If all ends well, in another two hours, you will be in the arms of your English lord."

Estefania gave the offered hand a firmer grip than needed, though she applied much less weight on it than would have been required to help her getting up. She straightened and released the hand, answering simply. "If all ends well you'll be in chains..."She paused and relented. "..but without my horses might do just as well."

The man laughed.

"A gentleman would probably wish to please a lady, but I am none. I hope it does not end well, then, and if it means I can keep the horses and you instead of the money, I will not think I made a bad bargain. I have ask far too little for you!"

"I've yet to see a gentleman that would willingly turn himself in for a lady." Estefania answered with mock politeness. "Such men only exist in books." She tilted her head.

To his complaint that he might have asked too little, she showed none of that fake humility and humbleness that so many women might but rather answered quite confidently:"I'm stunned that you realise this only now.."

She rested one hand at her hip and smirked. "But now, be a man and keep your word."

Was it just a play of the light or did the bandit really look offended for a moment at Estefania's dig at gentlemen? He quickly covered it with another wild laugh.

"Oh, if you want to know how much of a man I can be, you only have to continue on this road, my beautiful little snake. Remember, I promised to let you go as soon as I have the money - never not to twist your neck if the pleasure of some peace and quiet outweights the pleasure of your stimulating company!"

"I shall let you know that many have tried to twist my neck, or snap it, but lo and behold.. I remain alive before you." She answered and gave him a mock bow, so proper and so exaggerated that it was clear it was not one of utter propriety. Some of her previous attitude returned.

"Or have you forgotten that our encounter was not had in a pretty little palace... but in these lands, dangerous and harbouring the likes of men...?" She went no further there, as if expecting him to figure out himself what she could have said. She did begin her pace and walk only when the rest of the party would, showing that she was not weak or in dire need of assistance , else she might faint due to the frailness of her kind.

"My dear, Lady Luck has a way to guard her own until one day she turns her back on them ..."

Having looked around to make sure that everybody supposed to go with them was coming along and that two reliable men were behind Estefania's companion and his guard, he fell in step next to her.

"You are wasted in a pretty little palace. You are the kind of woman men dream about out here. But while I think your death would be glorious and heroic, and sung about and remembered, you would be just as dead, and your broken body on the ground just as cold."

"You think me the kind of woman that will do heroic deeds and die of them? What have I done to you, to have you obtain suddenly such a high opinion of me?" She teased and walked with the pace that equaled his, though her strides were somewhat more elegant.

"Taunting a lion in his den is certainly either heroic or absurdly foolish. And I still remember enough of my manners not to call a lady foolish - most of the time."

He stopped her with a hand at her arm for a moment and navigated a particularily narrow spot of the mule track in front of her alone, then held out his hand to secure her against a rather nasty fall, should she loose her footing.

It seemed they were taking the most arduous and confusing route possible from the bandits' lair to the meeting point.

"First a vagabond, and now a gentleman, may I learn later that in all truth you are a prince in hiding from the French?" Estefania asked as she was offered the hand but seeing that she could safely navigate the narrow spot, this time did not take it. The security though of it being there was enough to ensure that she would not fall if gravel gave under her foot.

"Are we to walk twice as long there than we have done, coming here?" She inquired and smirked. "Which would be a cunning plan, have us turn in circles a couple of times, perhaps two or three times go in the opposite direction to where we intend and then.. perhaps taking the most confusing path again just to ensure that we may not remember where we have come from." She hesitated. "But..how do you manage not to get lost yourself after such a sharade?"

"A thorough knowledge of the terrain, a superb sense of direction, and an iron will not to let you stumble onto us unawares."

He waited until she was safely across, then pulled his hand back and herded her along the path again.

"I don't want you to lead the British army to us. Or your other friends, for that matter."

He studied her carefully.

"What will you do after your lord pays?", he asked, hones curiosity in his voice.

"And you would like me to believe, that your hideout is as permanent for you as a house is to a farmer? That in fact had I decided to ask the British to follow me in a week, you would all still be there, at home and nowhere else?" She was about to say more but his question caught her off guard and she turned silent for a few moments mulling over his question.

"Well..." She began, focusing on the terrain. The path they had taken was far from easy. "I do not know. Return to what I have done so far." She answered, though she wondered what the lord, should he even appear, and then more so, decide to pay, would want in return. She could not easily provide the generous sum.

"Are you thinking of lowering the sum to make it easier for me?" She needled at him.

Almost apologetically, as if he had read her thoughts, he answere:

"I can't. I never negotiate. But I can refuse the deal, if you have second thoughts. For your horses and a kiss, I will take you to whereever you want."

"You are not getting my horse... or any of them." She answered simply and glanced ahead to where the others were then back to him.

"And should he not come.. we are still getting our horses, remember that." She would not trade her Sombra for her freedom. That animal was far too precious to her and far too valuable. Such obedience and training required time and she could not afford to begin from scrap with another one, nor could she probably get one like Sombra easily.

"Why would you get your horses then?", the bandit asked, slightly confused. "The usual proceedings for hostages who are not exchanged for money is to die or produce the name of another buyer, if I am lenient. Not to reclaim her horses and ride into the sunset?"

"I would get the horses because I am special, of course. You said so yourself." She held her head high in a mock 'heroic' pose. "And you would truly not wish to hinder my eventual demise in a heroic struggle.. it would be a terrible shame." She folded her hands. "That.. and should you have decided to exchange me elsewhere,.. you might regret it."

"Probably because I would find no other takers for that offer!", the man muttered under his breath, his voice carefully calculated that only she would hear him. Aloud he said:

"Well, if both you and your horse stay here, you might as well ride it. I don't want our own horses frazzled by your temperament."

Estefania pretended not to hear his mutters. While he was probably right, she did not intend to flatter him by saying so.

"You mean to say, you do not want your horses to be turned in a much more orderly and trained steeds?." She answered lightly. "But of course, I would not want to better and improve your animals. Not, most certainly, without being given a payment in return."

"Food, as much safety as a well armed and trained group of outlaws can provide in this uncertain times, what clothes you need, and a fair share of our spoils", the robber answered succinctly.

"A rose every sunday if you will smile at me for it. Although I doubt that you can improve our horses much. But certainly your gentle care for them will improve their morales."

His good-natured leer indicated that it certainly would improve his.

"I'll have it made clear, that even if I had stayed here, which will not happen, come a few hours." At least if the Lord would even appear, if he did not, it was quite clear she would not be so fortunate. "..I would not become the maid to your little ragged group, nor your lost mamma, to cook and clean your den."

"I was rather hoping for groom and companion .... careful here. The rubble is rather loose. Though not loose enough to ditch me before I can get you."

With long practice he crossed over a long stretch of what probably during rain was a swift stream, but now was only a small brook in a very broad, stony bed. Once again he offered a steadying hand and occasionally turned his head to see how the others were faring.

"My, sir, am I seeing a nicer side of you there?" Estefania asked lightly and navigated the section that was unsteady carefully. This time she took it because a rock seemed to tilt at the worst possible moment, but the grab and squeeze was brief. Not a moment ago she was walking on her own, her back straight, her posture that of a proud woman.

"No, the lazy side of me. We did not bring mules and I have no intention to carry you the reminder of the way if you break a leg."

His arm under her hand was steady, and he made no comment either when she took it or just as suddenly let go again.

"And no intention to let you spoil the best source of decent water for the horses either, just in case you want to ascribe my reluctance to let you rot here to some higher motives as well."

"Your concern is heartwarming." Estefania answered and glanced back over her shoulder. She did wonder how many hours they would be walking until they reached their destination. Thinking of Emanuel, she hoped it would not be too long. He was weak on his feet and his injury would not enjoy all the jolting and the strain that his body had to take. She certainly did not wish him to fall to his death either.

"Enough to grant me that kiss?", he replied, matching her tone.

"We are halfway there, but the rest of the way will be easier going. Although I will make it a point of honour to find one last difficult crossing, so that I will have an excuse to take your hand again. Or shall I lift you into your saddle in front of your lord?"

The twinkle in his eyes confirmed that he was only teasing, but he seemed very well entertained by doing so.