Kidnapping  for an  interview

​

Strange news reached me the other day when I opened the mailbox of the Gorean Moons Gazette office

The sender was a Thomas Chadwick who asked me for an interview on behalf of a Lady Sina. Unfortunately the lady could not travel herself due to health reasons and they promised to take care of my complete safety.

So I set out around noon and sailed down the River Vosk to the mouth of the River Laurius and then up that river a bit to the Northern Forest.
There was a tavern hidden in the woods, Land's End, that served as a meeting point.
I knew this taverna because the owner is a subscriber to Gorean Moons Gazette and I know him personally. I didn't have a bad feeling going there either.
Unfortunately, my security guard became very seasick on the way and had to stay on the ship. As I had been assured of safety, I walked the path to the forest alone, as I said, I know the owner.
 

When I reached the forest, I tore the veil from my mouth, there is no veil requirement here and I first breathed in the cool evening air and held my face in the evening wind for a moment to cool down. A soft sigh escapes my throat and I enjoy the moment before I continue. Arrived in the tavern I look around for this lady.The tavern is deserted, so I decided to sit down at a table outside the tavern and wait

My hand is still shaking as I write this because the experiences that followed were not pleasant.

But I'll start the story from the beginning.

Well, I met this Lady Sina, a lady in a red robe and a strange hat, her face was veiled.
She claims she's injured and that's why she's wearing the veil, but afterwards I knew better because it was probably just a cover.
Her story was very mysterious and I would almost say full of fantasy and lies because I was caught in a trap.

As I was distracted in writing the words she was describing, I was grabbed from behind, a strong arm, a man's arm, wrapped around my neck and choked me into unconsciousness.
It was only on a swaying ship that I came to, tied with a hood over my head that was more like a sack, knotted at the neck.
My throat hurt from the choke attack and my voice was barely audible as I tried to call for help.
Someone tie a rope to my hands and pull me with them.
It was cold and I felt snow falling on my bound hands, so I must be somewhere north.

As we trudged through the snow for a while, they suddenly stopped and I heard a man's voice say, "You bring me the prize," and a woman's voice answered with a throaty laugh.
Damn, I recognized that voice, it was Lady Sina's.
The male voice sounded somehow muffled and difficult to place.

But what...I'm the price...um...hey...why?
I didn't understand what that meant and before I could think any further I was being pulled further. Forced to walk. Suddenly it seemed to be going downhill and cool, musty but dry air rushed through the tiny holes in the sack over my head .
Tiny holes just there to give me some air to breathe.

I had to sit down on a pillow, the command to do so came from the woman, who also navigated me with her hand on the pillow and pressed me down. My handcuffs were untied and I rubbed my sore wrists and then tried to untie the sack from my head but the knot was difficult to untie so I gave up after a while as I suddenly sensed more people around.
There was another male voice, speaking in some sort of warning. Someone then untied the knot and took my hood off. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, somewhat lightened only by a small fire, I made out an artificial cave and two men hooded over their heads, but these had slits for vision and an opening for the mouth.

I was very scared and shaking all over, but tried to be as calm as possible when I asked why I was here.
Oh the answer surprises me then.
It's an interview, I'm supposed to write a report in the Gazette about an association called Dark Fleet.
A merger of several pirate crews.
And the threats that if you didn't like my report, that I would be found in small pieces all over Gor, didn't make the situation any better either.
So I wrote down the words of the men on a scroll and hoped that I could read it later, because the fingers were shaking and the writing was very strange and almost illegible.
The men even offered me a deal that, in exchange for protection, I would continue reporting on their looting and "deals."
But everything these men said was always accompanied by a subtle threat. They demanded trust from me.
Ha.............trust pirates? Pirates, they murdered my family... my people... pirates I hate more than anything on Gor... pirates should I trust????
So I demanded a proof of confidence from these men. I didn't know where I got the courage from, but I had a list of names in my hand that one of the men had given me and on this list were all the crews that had joined the Dark Fleet had.

And one name in particular caught my eye..........the name of the man who had choked and deeply insulted me at the En'Kara Fair for no reason.

I looked at the men, but I didn't take my eyes off the woman who had sat there in silence until now and listened to everything.

I tapped the man's name on the list:
" This guy insulted and choked me for no reason at the En'Kara Fair. His wife is arrogant and blind and called me a liar when I told her about it. Bring me their heads and show that I can trust you , trust should never be one-sided, right???"
I bit back the grin, because the situation was very serious and I was just playing with my life.

OH...........there was no restraint...they promised me after I wrote the report...only it was another ruse, just a lie and a fall?? Or would the men actually sacrifice one of them?
Is it visible?

I had no choice but to write this damn report and hope that the report would find people's goodwill.

They tied my hands again, threw this sack over my head and took me to the ship. One of the hooded men instructed a sailor to take me near Venna, then untie me and put the sack over my head.
At some point I was able to leave the ship as a free woman and the way to Venna was only a short walk.
But every step was heavy and my knees still shook.
Exhausted I collapsed on my bed at home and cried in a very restless light sleep and the next morning I sat down at my desk early in the morning and wrote this damn report.
After that I traveled once more into the northern woods and hung the finished report on the door of the Land's End Tavern, hoping that the men would approve and I could publish it.