When my eyes blurred open, I was, as expected, tied up against a wall.

Great. Wonderful. Amazing. Well, at least I can see Karen next to me, and she's still asleep. Small blessings.

Well, time to take stock. Ropes, thick. That's bad. Wall, also thick. People nearby? I strained my ears, but for now, nobody. Now... Where the heck are we?

From the looks of it, just a normal house. There's a window, and since I can see a roof, I'm reasonably sure we're high enough that it would be dangerous to run out the window. At least there's no trees, or dark forests, or, well, darkness of any sort, so it hasn't been that long, and we're not out of town. Which begs another question...

...This is a nice town, right in the core of the Folstaff Dukedom. Hell, the manor's not even ten miles away, even if we were on the edge of town. No slums. Good guardsfolk, so crime is low, even if you can't ever really stamp out crime...

Who would do this?

Not having any ideas for the moment, I lay back, and waited. I didn't feel injured, Karen didn't look injured, so that's not the goal. I've got time to-

"Hhhnnnn? Wha- WHA?!? WHAT'S HAPPENING, HOW DARE YOU, I'M THE DAUGHTER OF EARL MELDREW-FOTHERSBY, I'LL EAT YOU ALIVE, I'LL HAVE YOU FOR BREAKFAST, I'LL... OWWWW! Lettie?!?"

I can hear footsteps coming up the stairs. My shin kick was too late to stop her from yelling out, but hopefully they didn't catch the actual words. Still, I hissed quietly. "Don't tell them that, Karen, it's very unlikely they care, and it might make it worse!"

The way she's looking at me is angry and aggrieved, face reddening. Oh, of all the times for her to be aggressive and pigheaded... I was actually relieved a little when she jumped as the door slammed open, and two people walked in.

Actually, sauntered would probably be the better word. An older man, swaggering and grinning, black hair short and spikey, and a girl maybe about Liz's age, catlike, head tilted with a curious smile that didn't reach her eyes.

"Oh, our spoiled little chicks have awoken, huh?" The man's voice was rich and pleasant, the content anything but. He leaned down, looking Karen right in the eye, and, to her credit, Karen was glaring right back at him. She even tried to kick his boot, but he deftly slid it out the way and laughed.

"Well, you've got spirit, the both of you! Don't worry, we won't hurt you. After all, what kind of idiot hurts hostages, eh?" He looks at his companion, and she chuckles. Twirling a little, she gives us a smug look, pirouettes once more...

...And shatters a nearby chair with a swift, brutal roundhouse kick. We both jump at that, and she laughs a little. Softly, she speaks.

"Of course, if you were to try and run away, I'd have to slap you down. He's told me to play nice, but..." She grins cheekily.

Wait. There's something wrong here. By the swagger, the big guy is the boss... So why did he pale a bit when she said that?

"I-I... TRY YOUR BEST, I'LL KICK YOUR ASS, YOU SCUM!!"

God bless you, Karen. Your body's belying your words, but you tried, an-

Next thing I know, the world's flipping round, and the air leaves me lungs with a whoosh, as Karen yells, and the girl's face looks down at me contemptuously. Looking elsewhere (at Karen? Kinda hard to think right now), she snarls.

"Just because I can't hurt you, doesn't mean I can't throw you around a bit. Play nice, and you'll get out of this with nothing but a headache. Piss the boss off again, and you'll wish I was hurting you."

Okay, that was scary. A-grade intimidation game. And she means it too. Looking up as best I can, Karen's stammering, trying hard to look angry... But this girl's got her scared.

And I would be, if this didn't feel... Off, somehow. The door's still open, but I can't hear anyone else. It can't have been that long since we were knocked out, but they're confident. Why?

The world moves again, but this time, I see the girl effortlessly lift me with one hand, before placing me back next to Karen. Karen's got her eyes on the girl, but I've got my eyes elsewhere.

He's afraid. He's no more the boss than I'm the Queen. But he's the mouthpiece, that's for sure, since he's the one who speaks next.

"Now, stay safe, my little chicks. If your families co-operate, you'll be out of here within the day... And we'll be a little bit richer. If not? Well, we'll take the price in the public embarassment they'll get from finding you hanging in your underwear from a lamppost, trussed up all neat and tidy."

"Youuuu bastard..." I snarl. That's not the worst case scenario, but they know their stuff. If we were sold off, or killed, or injured, they'd be hunted down like dogs... But public humiliation? That's devious. There's no way our families wouldn't pay under a threat like that.

They swagger out, and close the door behind them, and as Karen desperately struggles with the ropes, I close my eyes.

Think.

Think.

Think!