Taala was no fool, but she would play the game and act like she was.
She suspected the man who approached her in the Inn to be one of the Woodsmen. She knew many people in Bree, had given out too many favors for folk not to impart their knowledge with her. Then there was the reaction from the man, days earlier when she had challenged the elf for shooting an arrow into Scarlock's leg. He had taken too keen an interest and much offense toward the elf.
She did not believe for one moment the name given to her, 'Robert Thornbush' was his real name or anything else that came out of his mouth. A shoemaker would surely have worn splendid shoes, not weather beaten rustic garb such as he wore. But she played along with his drinking game he suggested, and his ruse to lure her to the Scholars stairs, offering her a great prize for winning the game. After all, by then Deredan had arrived and taken a good look at Robert Thornbush and would remember him if she did not return.
When he suggested she leave her weapons outside as they walked through Bree, she knew for certain foul play was afoot, but it was a gamble she must take for it was a task she had been set. She refused to leave her weapons outside of course, the man held his act well. She had not entirely ruled out others being in the house she was led to, but the room seemed empty when she entered. A man rushed her from nowhere, Taala drew her swords, and heard the door being locked.
"Come Quietly, and no great harm shall come to you lass" they had said, a smug grin crossing their faces. "Which one of you will die first?" she had answered. The trio tarried words, and all she might gain from those words was that they were ordered to take her and would not give up a name.
Robert Thornbush took great delight in telling her that was not his real name. His accomplice, 'Much' referred to him as 'Magpie'. Taala did not have an opportunity to draw her bow, if she had it would have been a different outcome. She cut 'Much' several times, dropping him to his knees before 'Magpie' sliced her arm with his dagger and threw a rope about her. Taala cut the rope and sent him flat on his backside with a hefty kick, then stamped hard down on him between his legs. She relieved him of the key, but Magpie was quick, he pulled her legs from under her and she fell to the floor dropping her weapons. Taala crawled towards the door and fumbled with the key in the lock, as the men approached again with the rope, she drew her dagger from her gauntlet and faced them again. She fought like a wild cat, she could not allow them to tether her, anything but that. She stabbed one of them in the arm as his forehead connected with hers and all she knew then was blackness.
Taala slowly began to drift back into consciousness, she was lain upon a bed, almost instantly she was hit hard upon the head with a heavy object and her world turned black again.
Taala was all alone the next time she drifted back. Her head throbbed, she placed her fingers on her forehead, there was a large lump and it felt tender to the touch. She was naked, and her body was covered in dried blood. They had at least left her a blanket. She surveyed the room, small, empty and rustic without any windows. The door of course was locked, but oh how did Taala pound upon that door, her eyes ablaze but fearful, they could not have done anything more cruel to her than lock her up. She threw herself off every wall in the room screaming and cursing until her strength was drained once more. Taala drew the blanket about her and sat facing the door willing it to open. She should have killed them, but she had reason not to, but they'd be better off killing her for she would hunt them both and if she ever discovered who had ordered this they would pay dearly. Taala's panic at being caged closed down and a coldness descended upon her person, her mind plotting and calculating.
She had failed in her gamble, but more so she had given her father reason to be disappointed and angry. Now all she could do was wait for the woodsmen's next move or help to arrive, for they had left many clues behind...
