Taala had not experienced anything as peculiar since the day the Orc climbed over the wall at Eaworth and Cook had panicked and thrown a pot of stew over it.
She was unsure how long the Men of the Woods had held her captive, but she was prepared for them with crudely made weapons and assorted traps. Once that was done, there was little else to do but reflect. She dare not eat the food nor drink the water they'd supplied, for the poisoner might have infected it. Opportunely, a leak in the roof provided a much needed source of drinking water when it rained.
Her mood had become reticent. Eventually the silence in the adjoining room was disturbed by voices. Taala took up a position to the left of the door with a board she had ripped from the floor spiked with nails, ready to bash the brains out of the first to enter the room.
She heard much debate about her from within the other room, they'd been easily fooled into thinking she slept, for she had carefully sculpted the hay on the floor to look like a body beneath the blanket. Her ears almost bled as a horn was blasted, but she held herself firm and in secret until eventually the key turned in the lock and the door opened.
What followed next, Taala could not comprehend. She aimed a mighty swing, but the board served only to pass above the head of her jailor and break in two against the door frame, she had expected a man and not the hobbit who ambled through the door holding up a dress of all things and muttering something about dyes.
Many would claim what followed to be far fetched! Taala aimed another deft blow at the hobbit, and in a trice, there was chaos, and he lay upon his back, his large hairy feet in the air blinking at the sight of Taala who still wore not a stitch. Magpie laughed heartily, when Taala herself slipped upon the dye and turned into a rainbow of colours. Amidst the mayhem, Muchel had arrived, beckoned by the sound of the horn they'd blasted earlier.
Her captors made attempt to make sport of her and conceal the reason why she had been taken. The hobbit, whom she recognized as the Fryer Tukko told her that Scarlock had arranged it. All three spoke at once and their stories weaved and conflicted, they made mention that the poisoner had wished her away, they even told her that her own father Captain Hardoleth had ordered this because he held hatred for her.
Taala had held such anger toward these men, not least because they had given her a dress, now dripping with dye, thinking it was a wondrous thing, but because they had no concept of the angst they had caused or the danger they may be in, it was all just a merry old game to them. All in all, by the time they allowed her to walk free, Taala was at a loss as to what their purpose really was fair or foul, nor did she care. It would seem, as each proudly stated their name, 'Tukko', 'Martie Magpie', and 'Much' - the - 'Much' and proposed that she should tell it exactly as it happened, that they meant to send a message to all. However, in her starved, beaten and tired state, Taala did not quite know what or to whom the message was directed. They had certainly attempted to glean information as to the whereabouts of her father, but she had stood fast and given them nothing.
Day's later Taala reflected further, still unsure what to make of it all, and whether to hunt and kill those responsible. Hardoleth was away, so no orders had been given to The Bloody Dawn regarding the fate of the Men of the Woods. Taala herself had given much thought to these men in the days since they took her. She had never quite understood, why they were hunted by The Town Watch in the first place? They were not evil men, cut-throats or robbers so far as she knew, they had but one purpose it would seem and that was to be merry! She could not say the same for the poisoner. She was oh so cunning and treacherous, and if the Merry Men were to be believed, she was cavorting with her father and now had his protection.
But above all that, these men of mirth, these free spirits had taught her a valuable lesson. Most of her life she had feared being confined, chained, imprisoned. Nay, it was not rope, bonds, brick walls nor bars that took one's liberty from them, freedom was a state of mind. It was true, that Taala would never wish to be tethered or caged again but these men had taught her the true concept of freedom, and for that she would not take revenge against them of her own free will and hoped dearly that The Bloody Dawn would not either...
Taala smiled, one thing she would not forgive is that damned dress they bade her wear!
