The men chuckled nastily at Michael's suggestion, though the whisper of steel leaving scabbard silenced them. They'd gotten lucky with the mage, who hadn't been prepared and had barely fought back, but this they hadn't been counting on. Looks were exchanged again, and the mounted fellow narrowed his eyes, raising the point of his sword. Neither of them wanted to make the first move, but the man with the dagger circled out, intending to flank Michael. Or more accurately, stab him in the back if he could. Wielding only a dagger, he wasn't well-suited for a melee against a man with a sword and shield.
"You're in no position to give orders," the mounted gentleman said, "Mind your fucking business."
While the hostility on the muddy road continued to escalate, Anna was making progress. Her wrists were bloody and raw now, but the blood was acting as a lubricant of sorts. With their focus on the elf, they weren't super concerned about her. Anna grit her teeth against the pain and slipped one wrist free, and then the other, and both her hands flew to her collar.
The key was on her captors belt. Slowly, eyes wide, she reached for them.
"Maybe he needs a lesson," the man on the ground said, always moving, trying to keep to the elf's back, "For being such a rude bastard."
"Maybe," the mounted man smirked, "Maybe he-"
"Oi, what's she doing?"
There was a sudden rattle of keys and the ugly iron collar hit the mud with a wet sucking sound. The man on the ground got it in the face first, his head flying back like he'd been punched, and he splayed on his back, dazed. Next was the man twisted around in the saddle, and Anna unhorsed him without a lick of magic, just tossing him out while he was off balance.
"Come on!" she crowed at the elf. Despite her injuries, she was grinning madly, and she wrenched the horses reins while the two men floundered in the mud, "Let's go!"
He'd helped her, and while it might've been for the reward money, there was also a chance he hadn't seen any posters, and further away from town seemed like the way to go. She urged the horse onwards at a full gallop, mud flying, and didn't stop until she was sure there was no way the two men would even be able to hope to catch up. Anna turned her horse so she was facing him and fixed him with an appraising look.
"I have my gratitude, stranger," Anna said, "I was in a bit of a bind."