[Sadbh]

Gillan felt her breath knocked from her. A strong hand clapped onto her arm and shook her. In the second that the sick feeling overtook her senses, she was shrouded in darkness. When her head had stopped spinning she felt the coarse weave of burlap against her cheek. What had happened... Now she remembered. She felt a rough arm hoist her over a shoulder. Corsairs, Rolan had said! They had been in the ships from the harbor. "Rolan!" She paniced as she felt a rope wound round her neck, at her elbows, and around her knees. With a kick towards her captor she felt the hemp rope press through the sack against her neck.

The man who had slung her over his shoulder gave a sadistic grunt. "Old corsair rope trick. Move your legs, choke yourself." His heavily accented voice was mirthless, filled with disgust. Gil trembled with fright. Another hateful comment followed the first. "'Don't suppose you're going to be very brave about this, girl." She heard Rolan give a muffled comment but she could not make out his words. Still, she was thankful for the knowledge of his saftey.

A jolting movement sent a shoulder jabbing into her ribs. The corsairs started running, parlying words in their own rolling speach. With each jogging step, Gil felt another jab in her side and another strangulation of her throat. Trying to hold her head above the back and greasy braid of the corsair to avoid the smothering of her calls she yelled for help.

"Halt!" The corsair yelled as Gil felt herself unshouldered and dropped onto the ground from several feet. "Keep quiet!." Gil shrieked against her will when she recieved a stinging slap through the cloth. When she was again draped painfully over the familiar should of the corsair, she had neither the heart, hope or voice to continue. The ropes tightened around her throat at every movement, and her throat was already too soar to yell.

[ February 20, 2003: Message edited by: Sadbh ]