Blindfolded and gagged

Simone was blindfolded and tied by hands and feet. The gag in her mouth tasted bitter and left a numbing sensation in her throat. It was unpleasant. 

"He's gonna be mad," A voice said somewhere behind her. She was disoriented and couldn't place exactly where it was coming from. She wasn't in her tent anymore. Of that, she was entirely certain. Who would have taken her, and why?

The possibilities were frightening, even in her muddy-headed state. She wanted to cry out, plea for help, but she wasn't sure where she was, who she was with, or how long the effects of whatever drug she was given would last. 

Her hands brushed something behind her back, and she flinched. Slender fingers grabbed at hers. Victoria?

Simone grasped the hands in return and received a comforting squeeze. The girl was awake, and hopefully more clear headed than herself, although the fog seemed to be slowly lifting. 

Simone could likely make some noise around the gag, but until she had more information, it seemed fruitless to try. 

"The women are waking up back there." A deep male voice rumbled. 

"I thought they'd stay out longer. Oh, well. Just make sure the gags are tight. We don't want any noise." Another replied. 

"As if anyone will hear them anyway." The first chuckled. 

"If they're waking up, the men they were with are probably getting up, too. Maybe even woke up before them. We don't want 'em to come looking before we drop off the cargo and move along." 

Simone held still, and heard a slight squeak beside her. The hand she grasped was ripped away. Victoria!

The woman froze, determined not to do anything to make her captors angry. What was happening? Where was her friend? 

A dull thought broke through the fog. Waking up. They said the men were waking up, meaning that Kyler, Walter, and Shayn hadn't been killed. She took a deep, calming breath. She hadn't even realized that the fear was knotted up so intensely inside her until it was dissipating. 

But if the men came looking for her and Victoria, they might be hurt! 

Had she been hurt? As subtly as she could, she tried to feel every muscle from her head to her toes, taking stock of all the little aches and pains. Nothing seemed alarming at present. 

A thump next to her, and then she was yanked roughly from her resting place lying on her side and pulled against a man's body. Without her hands free to brace herself, she was lying helplessly against his chest. The cloth binding her mouth was tightened, causing her to gag and nearly to retch upon her captor. 

He chuckled darkly and leaned closer still, pulling her tight against himself and sniffing lecherously at her hair. His hot, fetid breath made her flinch as his hands lingered on her shoulders in a way that turned her stomach. She felt his hands tense in anticipation of some further act. 

"Later. Not now." The apparent leader rebuked him. 

She was dropped down in the same position, panting in relief for the temporary reprieve from this attention. The surface beneath her was hard, and wooden. Was she in a cart? It didn't seem to be moving. 

She wriggled slightly and bumped into another person. Victoria's frantic fingers found hers again, clinging for some manner of comfort. The girls held to each other tightly. 

"Why didn't we take all their stuff again?" One of the voices grumbled. 

"Cause they have to deal with it. No horse to draw their wagon? They won't want to leave it behind, so they'll have to split up or haul it with them. Either way they won't be able to do anything." 

"I bet they leave that cripple behind," Came a sneer, and Victoria tensed. 

Simone tried to swallow, but the gag made it difficult, as did the strange numbness in her mouth. These men, whoever they were, had been watching the little group. Who knew how long? Why hadn't they noticed? Could they have done anything to prevent it? 

Simone had no experience in this realm. The only journeys she had ever taken were along well-traveled roads where she had stayed at safe inns with no real fear of being accosted in any way. 

She'd never dreamed that out here, beyond where almost anyone dwelled, there would be danger from bandits. 

"Maybe," The original voice said sharply, "We should wait quietly for the trade to be completed." 

"I still say he won't like us changing things up. You know them critters hate change." 

"Do I? Why would I know that? I don't care what they like or what they hate, so long as our agreement continues. He doesn't have to like me one bit to give me his herb mixtures, and all he wants is half of the take." The strong voice seemed to be the leader of the little group.

"But you never give 'em half." The second voice said with a chuckle. 

Simone heard a scuffle, and wondered if the underling had been shoved for his big mouth. 

The men fell quiet, and there was a rustling sound, almost like small footsteps. 

"Hush, he's here." The leader's voice growled. 

Victoria shifted, and Simone heard a soft scraping. Catching on, she turned her head against the rough wood underneath her and pressed her face to it, trying to find enough purchase to pull her blindfold either up or down. 

"What did you bring me?" A peculiar voice laced the air. Victoria's movement stopped entirely, and she squeezed Simone's hand tightly enough to hurt. 

The older woman stopped moving, curious as to what about the voice had caused the girl to have such a strong reaction. 

"Some gold, a couple of weird tools, and horses." The leader answered nonchalantly. 

"That's all?" The voice sharpened. 

"Food, of course, and your half of the valuables they carried." The man continued. 

"There's something else in your cart," The voice came closer, and Simone heard Victoria's breath catch. Her hand trembled. 

"They're not for you. I don't think you have any use for women." The man's voice held an inexplicable tinge of amusement. 

"Use? You idiot!" The newer voice rose in volume, but kept its monotone quality. "If you take people's possessions, they will move on. If you take their wives, they will hunt for you." 

"They ain't married. The women slept in a separate tent," The man defended himself.

"Even so, you have endangered our secrecy. You race is peculiar about your women. They are not counted as lost easily."

Simone puzzled over the words, but Victoria did not react to them. Maybe she hadn't heard? 

"I don't care, it's my problem not yours. They haven't seen you or know you. Take your share of the things, and give us the herbs to knock the next people out." The leader of the men seemed irritated. 

"I'm not sure I want to do business with those who act carelessly." The strange voice responded evenly. "The women will, I'm sure, see your faces. What if they escape, and you are captured? And you decide to try to turn me in? I think it is in my best interests to cut ties. It was about time for me to move on anyway, this area has become unsafe." 

"Ugh! Don't smile at me. Your smiles are so creepy. Who even taught you how to smile?" The man seemed inexplicably disturbed. "Fine, have it your way, but I'm not giving you a bit of this load unless you come through with more herbs." 

"I'm afraid that won't be acceptable." The voice remained flat. "Leave my half of the things and you may go." 

"Very generous, but I'll be taking everything." The man laughed. 

"If you press me on this, then I will be the one to take everything, return the women to their group, and collect a reward for ridding the world of such a vile bandit." 

"HA!" The man roared with laughter, but suddenly seemed to choke on it instead. The sound was unnerving, especially since Simone couldn't see what was happening. 

"F-fine! Fine. I'll unload half of everything." The man sputtered. "Just stop it." 

No one spoke for a time as the leader and his–two?--men unloaded things from around the women. Victoria remained absolutely still, and Simone followed her example. She had a sneaking suspicion the younger woman somehow had more information about the situation than she did herself. 

During her brief struggle with the blindfold, Simone had managed to let in a bit of sunlight at the edges. 

The shifting of things around her was unnerving, and she could only catch the tiniest glimpses of what was happening. She dared not move her head for a better view, since it might tip off her captors that she could see, even a little. 

"That seems about half… but since you pointed out the possibility of turning us in as kidnappers, we're going to leave you one of the women. You won't be able to report us without implicating yourself." The smirk in the man's voice was clear. 

"I don't want one," The newer voice, though still monotone, held just a hint of distaste. 

"Too bad," The leader's voice came closer and Victoria gripped Simone's hand tightly just before the younger girl was ripped away with a cry. "Here you are. Kill her if you wish, or let her go so she can tell all about your scheme. It doesn't matter to me, I'll be long clear of this forsaken place."