Distinctly Defiant

Chapter 18 ~ Revelation

 Chapter 18 ~ Revelation

The three horses that her captors had owned had come in handy. The three of them had each taken a horse and then back tracked over to where they had tied up Shadow and Tobias’ horse. The two horses were fine and seemed almost happy to see them. They tied up one of the captor’s horses to each of their horses and then continued their journey back to the inn.

By the time they got back to town the sun was proudly displayed high in the sky and the streets of the town were already busy with its morning rush. Her stomach rumbled demandingly as she thought of breakfast.

Neither of the brothers had thought to bring some sort of food along to give her when they rescued her. However Tobias had a handkerchief in his pocket which he had offered up to help clean the dried blood on her face.

Everett had been livid when he had figured out that one of her captors had punched her. The archer had been long gone by then but Everett had tied the other two up around a tree. The gist of what he had told them, minus then colourful language was either they escape first or the people he’d send after them would arrive first. Either way he didn’t care, he didn’t intend on seeing them ever again.

They dropped off all five horses at the stable and then headed back to the inn. They didn’t stop at hers and Everett’s room, instead they continued on and Tobias knocked on a door further down the hall.

When it opened Vivienne saw Miles. And while Miles glanced over his brothers to see that they weren’t hurt his gaze fell on her and stayed there. She cleared her throat uncomfortably and Tobias clapped his brother on the shoulder to signal him to stop.

The twins stepped aside allowing Vivienne through. On the single bed in the room Bridgette sat crossed legged with her back towards the door. But Marie sat up from her position of lying down, drawing Bridgette’s attention.

Upon seeing Vivienne Bridgette jumped up and ran over, pulling Vivienne into a hug. “I’m so glad that you’re okay. We were so worried,” she cried. Marie made no move to get off the bed but no one made any comment on it.

Miles groaned. “Thank god you’re back,” he complained. “I don’t know how much more I could handle. They were driving me crazy.”

Tobias chuckled. “They don’t seem that bad,” he said as he smiled at Bridgette and was the next recipient of one of her hugs.

Both girls seemed different. They were wearing clean clothes, were clean themselves. Their stomachs were noticeably bulging from a huge meal. They seemed content, as much as they could be considering Susan was dead.

“You try being stuck in a room with them,” Miles muttered. “You’ll change your mind.”

Everett rolled his eyes as he stepped closer to Vivienne, wrapping an arm around her waist as if to reassure himself that she was still there. She leaned into him almost without knowing she was doing so.

Tobias shrugged. “Well if you’re so sick of being cooped up inside then how about we all go outside into the market?” he suggested. “We can walk around? Get something to eat? Relax and then figure out what our next steps are?”

Bridgette hesitated. “What about Marie?” she said, in an almost whisper. She glanced at her friend who had now settled down on the bed, hugging the pillow, eyes closed.

Miles shrugged. “What about her? She’ll be more than safe here without anyone to look after her.” He didn’t seem concerned about anything other than getting out of the room.

Bridgette crossed her arms. “I am not doing that. I refuse to.”

Tobias stepped closer to her and Bridgette stepped behind him. “She doesn’t have to leave if she doesn’t want to.” And to Bridgette he said, “I can stay behind with you.”