Fwoer had been walking a few paces behind his older brother, Duenne, when he was grabbed by the collar and roughly shoved behind a bush.
"Ooof! That hurts! Let go! Owww!" Fwoer shook his body viciously, trying to deflect his attacker. He even flailed his arms about, hoping he might by some miracle be able to knock his attacker in the face. But he was an awfully small boy, only ten summers old, and he was weak.
“Quiet!” The attacker had a raspy voice. Fwoer swiveled his head to take a look at him, which would have been easier to do if his upper body wasn't wrapped tight by one huge arm. Fwoer's attacker was very tall and had a large stomach which protruded absurdly from the center of his otherwise proportional and muscular frame. The man was cloaked in roomy garments of thick black canvas, as if to hide his stomach, but they just made it so Fwoer couldn’t really see much more of his body; the stomach remained clearly outlined.
“Why,” the attacker grunted, “were you traveling the Queen’s PRIVATE road?”
“Well, Sir, I didn't know that it was her road, exactly. You see, I can explain. I was here because I had to get to...ummm...I’m sorry, mister." Fweor stammered, hoping to be interrupted. In truth, he couldn't explain. He was most certainly on the road illegally.
"Call me Gieo. Since you find it so utterly amusing to trod other people’s roads, you'll have no problem with a trip to the Queen for sentencing." Gieo stared right into his prisoner’s face.
"Gieo? In my travels, I encountered another person along this here PRIVATE road. I think I know where he is. Wouldn't the Queen be proud if you could bring two vagabonds?" Fwoer stared intently back at Gieo.
"Well…I’d have to, you see, I'd need to, well, I would be expected to…handcuff you!" Gieo was self-satisfied. A real policeman indeed. The Queen wasn't wrong about him, no way, surely she knew what she was doing. He was made for law enforcement. He loosened his grip on the boy and reached for the handcuffs in his pocket.
“But of course. Let us be on our way, then. The other vagabond, Duenne, may be gone by now. He moves fast. We ought to run.” And, just like that, Fwoer took off as quickly as he could. Gieo tried to follow him, but Fwoer moved considerably faster- his birth gift had been speed. Gieo’s was brute strength, perhaps useful in a fight with a bear, but completely worthless against a gazelle.
Fwoer finally slowed down once he could hear his brother calling his name.
"Calm down, Duenne. I’m over here." He quickly nestled himself in a briar bush so it would appear that he had fallen.
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