"Run!" Alya had yelled suddenly and Edwina turned to see her travelling companion slip from her saddle. She hesitated, not sure if she was willing to leave the elf to whatever fate awaited her. It was only a few moments, but it was long enough for one of the bandits to grab her steed's bridle. She had gone for the short sword that hung from her hip, but the brigands had two much of a jump on her and she barely had it out of the sheath before she was being pulled to the ground.

--

"He speaks the truth," Straw chimed in, but taking a small step backwards and away from the elf with her bow trained on Hugh. "If it wasn't for us happening upon you, the brigands over there might have been slitting both your throats right this second," he said, intentionally leaving out the part about how the woman still on the ground might have suffered no worse than a stolen purse had it not been for their intervention. As it was, her eyes were closed after the magical healing, but her color looked much healthier and her breathing was deep and steady.