Quest of the Bounty Hunter: Kidnapped

Disantia

As the sun crept higher in the sky, Disantia and Elizabeth prepared for the final leg of their journey. If all went well, they should be in Meldest by nightfall.

Disantia was frightened, only because she wasn't sure she could make it stealthily onto a wagon with the state of her ankle.

Soon after they had prepared the waterskin, Disantia could hear a rumble from down the road, getting louder and louder as it grew closer.

"Elizabeth! Someone's coming!" Disantia hissed as Elizabeth sank to the ground behind the grasses.

"I know, are you ready? This might be our only chance." Elizabeth murmured tightly.

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be."

"Good."

Elizabeth grabbed her shoulder for leverage and threw the water skin just as the wagon was passing by. It seemed to fly in slow motion through the warm air.

True to her bounty hunting skills, Elizabeth's aim was spot on. The pouch landed directly in the path of the wagon's creaky, wooden wheels. The driver didn't see the waterskin until it was too late. The skin burst and red water exploded everywhere.

The man shouted in surprise and in the moment of confusion, Elizabeth dragged Disantia across the small stretch of field to the road. They scrambled into the back of the momentarily stopped wagon and pulled some empty grain sacks overtop of them. Disantia winced from the quick, rough movements and tucked her ankle against her other leg.

She could hear some cursing from the driver and tried to block it out and focus only on staying quiet so they wouldn't be noticed.

Immediately, Disantia became very aware of her situation. She was laying under an itchy, burlap bag in complete darkness and she was pressed up against Elizabeth, probably the closest in proximity she had ever been to her fellow bounty hunter. They were hitching a ride and hiding in the back of a wagon hopefully headed all the way to Meldest. If they were caught, they would, of course, be arrested.

The wagon had begun moving again, bumping and rumbling over the rough, rocky road. It hurt Disantia's sore muscles and ankle, but it was so much better than walking.

They lay in silence for about five minutes before Disantia spoke.

"Do you think he noticed us?"

Elizabeth let out an exasperated sigh, "If he had, we wouldn't be traveling along merrily."

"This isn't my idea of merrily," Disantia muttered dully.

"You're right. I could be stuck in a jail cell with you."

"At least we'd have more room."

Elizabeth sighed. "Well, we'll have to put up with each other for at least four more hours so we might as well try to get along."

"Fine. No more bickering." Disantia agreed as she shifted slightly under the scratchy sacks. She felt Elizabeth tense as their arms touched briefly and inched closer to the side of the wagon.

Fine, Disantia thought, if she doesn't want anything to do with me, I can make this the most boring ride ever.

Stubbornness was a quality both Disantia and Elizabeth possessed. And they were very good at it.

So they lay in silence for over an hour until the sun beating down on the heavy sacks lulled Disantia into a soft sleep.

It seemed like she had only closed her eyes for a moment when Disantia felt a hand on her shoulder, shaking her from unconsciousness.

"Disantia!" A voice hissed with urgency.

Disantia rubbed the sleepiness from eyes as reality came flooding back. She realized at once that the wagon was no longer moving, she was still laying on rough wood, and Elizabeth was trying to pull her off the wagon.

"Disantia! Quick! We're here. The man's going to check back here!" It was Elizabeth, the frantic voice. Sure enough, Disantia could hear footsteps coming from the front by the horses.

Disantia leaped into action and scrambled out, pushing the sacks off of her. She allowed Elizabeth to help her clumsily to the ground, favoring her non-injured ankle.

Elizabeth pulled her towards the shadows of a nearby alleyway as Disantia tried to grasp her surroundings. It was dark. Very dark.

They were in a town of sorts. Everything was dirty, dank and smelled of rotting fish. Yes, it was indeed the slums of the palace city in Meldest. They had made it.

Elizabeth continued to drag her through the night with only the light from the stars to guide them.

"We should stop by a tavern for the night. Collect ourselves and have a drink. Maybe we can find some information." Elizabeth said as they slowed to a stop before entering a busy street, filled with people even at such a late hour.

"I've heard of a good place around here. Tums Rum I think. Should be full of criminals who will sell their secrets." Disantia murmured quietly as they watched the peasants shuffling past.

"It's underground, isn't it?" Elisabeth asked as she pulled her hood over her head.

"Yeah, we have to go over the bridge and from there I can probably remember how to get there. I haven't been through here in years but once you know the way, you can't forget."

"Okay then, let's go." Elizabeth said as she melted out of the shadows and fell into step with the common people dragging themselves home for the night.

Elizabeth and Disantia pushed themselves through the sea of people, across the bridge and into the small, cramped town. The bustling streams of people thinned out as they all went their own paths through alleys and doorways.

It wasn't long before Disantia felt the sense of being watched. She could feel two eyes on her back as they hobbled around bends toward the Tum's Rum.

"Elizabeth..." Disantia started to whisper.

"I know." Elizabeth murmured back without breaking her stride or so much as a glancing over her shoulder or at Disantia.

"Let's lose them." Disantia said quietly as she took a sudden turn down a crumbling street.

They stalked frantically between disintegrating buildings, stepping in and out of the moonlight, until Elizabeth grabbed her shoulder and pulled her against a grate on the side of a house in the shadows. They stood side by side, backs to the metal links, as silent as a breeze through the desert. Disantia tried to calm her heartbeat as a cloaked figure crept past them.

Immediately, Elizabeth jumped at the figure and knocked their legs out from under them. They hit the ground with a thud and a yelp, cut short by Elizabeth's hand.

Disantia watched as Elizabeth pinned the small body to the cold cobblestones. She blinked in shock as the person's hood slipped off their head.

It was a girl.