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Thornden turned again to the prisoner as the others disappeared behind the leaves and branches. He considered for a moment what he ought to do. He had nothing to bind the man with.
“Léof, run back to the horses quick as you can and get a rein or a rope. We’ll use that to bind his hands. No,” he said suddenly, changing his mind. “There are many creeping vines here, small enough to be twisted easily. Gather as much as you can in one long strand and we’ll settle for that, until the others get back.
Léof did as he was told, and began pulling at a long trailer. It’s thin, shallow roots, came up easily and as he gathered the vine in as neat a coil as he could, he walked forward slowly, tugging gently as not to snap it.
The outlaw stood rigidly and uncomfortable, waiting with a sour look to be tied up with a vine. Thornden kept his eyes and attention on him, his sword drawn and held ready at his side.
In the end, Léof came back with a fair length of about fifteen feet. “Do what you can with it,” Thornden told him. He would have bound the man himself, but he figured it would be best if the sword remained in his hand. Léof was just a boy, and had never fought nor killed before, as far as Thornden knew, and he might hesitate with a weapon in his hand should the outlaw attempt to do anything.
So Léof took the vine and set to work, doing his best to bind the man’s hands securely behind his back. When he finished, Thornden examined it. The job was as well done as possible, and though Thornden did not like being without rope to do the business, he was prepared to be satisfied with that for now.
He commanded the man to sit down with his back to a tree and he put Léof over him to guard him. He then turned and went to Rilef’s side. He knew of nothing he could to help ease their pain and he thought of no words to comfort them. So he waited in silence, watching them and looking for Eodwine’s return.
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