THE TARNISHED KNIGHT

A bright yellow sun was shining in the sky as a light summer breeze blew across the green rolling hills and through a copse of slender maples and birch trees tucked beneath the smoldering brow of a rocky cliff.  Although many birds were flitting about the hills and through the shady glens, none could be heard here amongst the bushes and trees; they had all flown away; only the sound of rustling leaves, the occasional snapping twig and whispering men hiding within the shadows were distinguishable.  A slightly rutted dirt road cut a path across the hills before winding through the trees growing within the verdant thicket.  Four men, hidden beneath the mottled tree tops and amidst the bushes, were anxiously waiting for an approaching coach, which was being pulled by a handsome team of grey horses.

A man wearing a dirty red bandana tied across his face, only his cruel eyes showing beneath his thick, black brows and tricorne hat exclaimed, “They’re almost ‘ere!   I can ‘ear the ‘orse’s ‘ooves startin’ to come ‘round the bend. 

Let’s go lads!” he hollered.  Brandishing a sharp sword in one hand and a loaded musket in the other, he strode into the middle of the road, followed by his band of armed cronies. Lifting his weapons high above his head, showing the driver of the coach he meant business, he yelled, “Pull up the ‘orses or I’ll put a ball of lead ‘tween your eyes!”.

As the coachman hollered whoa to the team of horses and began pulling back on the reins and applying the break, his two passengers, a young woman and her maid inside the small, ornate coach, were wondering what was going on; why were they stopping in the middle of nowhere.  As the four big wheels were rolling to a halt, a cloud of dust whirling and swirling about the coach, one of the highwaymen took hold of the reins to control the team of horses.

As the leader of the surly band of highway men, kept his musket trained on the coach driver he ordered, “Throw down your weapons and keep your ‘ands where I can see ‘em! 

While the worried coachman was doing as he was commanded, the highwayman, motioning to the top of the coach with his sword, said to one of his fellow robbers, “Up you go lad.  Toss down the luggage and the big chest that’s lashed to the roof!  Make certain the coachman isn’t armed too – we don’t need no ‘ero’s.”  And, pointing again with his sword to the last of his men he said, “Get the passengers out of there – we’ll see if they’ve got any valuables on them.”

When the two very frightened women, holding each other’s hands, had climbed out of the coach and were standing next to it, the leader’s cohort sneered, “Looky what we ‘ave here – one ol’ crone and one tasty bit o’ fluff.” 

Making rude smacking and licking sounds with his tongue while looking up and down the younger woman’s body, undressing her as he did so with his eyes and about to do more, when noticing what the ruffian was up to, the leader screamed at him, “Not yet you big gob – first, take their jewels and whatever else is worth anything; then we’ll have our pleasure with them directly!”

Reluctantly and grumbling under his wrinkled, greasy, soiled bandana, the churlish robber climbed inside the coach and began searching through it.

So engrossed were the highway men in looting the coach and robbing the frightened and whimpering female passengers, they failed to hear the approaching hoof beats; a horse and rider, the bright sun at their backs, were rapidly bearing down on them.

FACEBOOK COMMENTS:

Ruth M:  I finally found your new website ( impressive) by going to your face book page ....I was wondering why you hadn't written more stories after the adventurous trip back east. Didn't imagine for a second that you could keep all those tall tales stuffed up inside!

Len Sherman:  I guess you've been reading my tales and am glad that you're enjoying them. Hey - I'm always looking for new "followers" on the Blog (there's a place to sign up) and I just hooked up the email thingy so people can get a message as soon as I post a story, so if that interests you - sign on up.