Rebellious Angel

Chapter 21

"She overheard you speaking of Defoe, she went to find him," Gavin breathed.
Gods teeth she just does not understand danger.

They looked at one another. He belted out orders that they all stay behind in case she returns.

He gave Haroun one last glance.

"I pray I get to her before any harm comes to her. Or, she does something reckless," his lips thinned trying to calm his anxious horse.

Turning his steed he kicked him into a gallop out the gates, in search for his stubborn, impulsive wife.

********

After some time the small village came into view.

She brought her horse to a slow gallop as she entered the clearing of cottages and buildings. She jumped off her horse and walked it to the stables close to the building with loud music and laughter. She braced herself and stood at the entrance wiping the sweat from her palms on her breeches. She fixed her cloak around her shoulder and checked her hood. The door swung open and she dodged out of the way of a man being tossed to the ground along with his sword, cloak and gloves.

"Like I said, no more coin, no more Ale, ye bastard," the burly man that tossed him out, scowled.

Her heart slammed in her chest as two more men followed and tossed next to him.

She took advantage of the ruckus and chaos to sneak in unnoticed. She was met with the dark orange glow and rank smell of the tavern. Men sat around shouting, singing and drinking. Women walked around serving them. Her eyes and ears caught the rowdy laughter and slaps on their rumps as they passed them only to get a snicker and giggle from the woman. Swallowing hard she looked somewhere to sit in the crowded place.

She walked slowly between the throng of burly men that pushed and shoved at one another over the pretty girl sitting on their friends lap.

"I says I saw her first ye old goat," one argued.

"Old goat ye mum is," the other retorted before slamming his fist into the other mans face.

A scuffle between them began and she was shoved on the side and pushed into another man. Falling back she fell into the lap of the man and came face to face with a scowling scarred face. Her breath lodged in her throat as she watched the bearded mans scowl lighten into a wicked smile as her hood fell and her hair fell around her face.

He licked his lips and his grin got wider with yellow teeth some missing.

Bile rose in her stomach as he spoke and his rancid breath brushed her face.

"Well look wot we ave here."

Softly she placed her hand on her dagger. She could not afford to show any fear. His strong hands curled around her waist as she began to stand. Quickly with a thud he sat her on the table and stood looking over her shoulder with a hearty laugh.

"Smitty looks wot fell into me lap," he gave a laugh that shivered up her spine.

A sharp pain came to her head as her hair was pulled to snap her head back to look into the face of the man behind her.

She was met with another battle scared face that was dirty and held a long unkept beard.

He reaked worse then the man before her, so much she wanted to wretch.

He came around to face her beside the other man. At this point she noticed that the tavern grew quiet. All eyes were on her.

The man to her left licked his lips and the other began pawing at her. Quickly she unsheathed her dagger and pointed it at them, backing away from him over the table.