Flurries of snow drifted through the bitter cold winds that moved across the snowy terrain. She stalked behind another soldier. She covered his mouth with her hand just as she thrust her hidden blade into his back. The sound of his straggled cry was drowned out by the howls of the winds. She removed the blade from his flesh and carefully walked over his body when he collapsed in the snow. She continued her ambush on the convoy of soldiers, stealthy dispatching them one by one as she moved up their ranks. Eventually, the last solider was killed and the convoy was no more.

Now that the threat of the soldiers was gone, she could feel the bone chilling cold from the bitter wind. Her body shivered as she went to the back of the wagon. With frozen hands, she yanked on the caged doors. The lock rattled in protest as the Natives held captive inside tried to free themselves from their wagon prison. She left the wagon, searching for something to break the lock. She could barely see through the swirling snow as the winds threatened to knock her off her feet and carry her across the terrain. She found and axe near one of the slain solider and went back to the wagon. She swung the heavy weapon over her head in attempt to break the lock.

A crunching of snow behind her made her instinctively move. She dropped the axe and barely managed to dodge the weapon that thrust at her from behind. She cried out as she clutched her side from where a weapon pierced her flesh. She press her hand against the wound as warm liquid pooled into her hand. A group of soldier circled her as her attacker made an attempt for her once more. As she dodged the solider, she took her pistol from the holster on her side and shot him at close range. As the solider took his last gasps of life and fell into a heap at her feet, she unsheathed her sword and readied it towards the group of soldiers.

The gash on her side pulsed gushes of blood as she fought the soldiers. The warm liquid cooled quickly and made her clothes stick to her skin. Despite the wound and glaring pain her side, she managed to cut down some of the soldiers. Strength was leaving her body as blood flooded down her side. She was losing too much blood. The wound was severe as she bled profusely.

While she was distracted by the pain from the gash at her side, a solider from behind knocked her into the snow. He pressed his boot over her hand that covered the bleeding wound and watched as she cried out and struggled to move away from him. She needed to move quickly. The remaining soldiers attempted to surround her. She squinted as she looked into the face of the man that held her down with his boot. The grin on his face and sadistic glint in his eyes made it easy to tell his ill intentions with her.

Overcome with anger and disgust, some strength returned to her as she drew her hidden blade and thrust it into the leg of the solider that pinned her down. She quickly rolled away from him and stood to her feet. With a hand pressed against the wound on her side, she picked up her sword from the snow and waited for the soldiers to charge. They would not take her by force and she would not be defeated here. The soldiers, realizing the extent of her strength and skill, wisely distanced themselves from her and aimed their muskets.

"Surrender now or be shot down where you stand!"

Her vision was beginning to blur as she felt herself sway in the gusts of snowy winds. To lose consciousness now would be detrimental to not only her life, but her womanhood as well. Despite her weapon, clothes and skills in the end, she was still a woman. A woman and an esteemed lady. She took a single step. It pained her greatly to move. She looked down at her hand. It was covered in dark crimson. Droplets of blood fell from her hand down onto the white snow. Without realizing, her sword slipped from her frozen fingers.

Honestly! Why would a lady of her stature give up her title, inheritance, and wealth to risk her life travelling such a long distance in such a godforsaken winter! No matter where she was she would always fail in the end. Maybe marrying him wasn't such a bad proposal.

With tears in her eyes, she slowly lifted her arms in surrender. A numb cold spread throughout her entire body. She felt as light as the wind. If she would close her eyes, she felt as if she would drift away and be weightless like the wind. Her eyelids felt heavy. She reached her limit. Her legs folded under her as she collapsed. Gunfire ringing in the distance was the last thing she heard as she closed her eyes.

"If you weren't his daughter you'd belong to me. I'd buy you a home and visit you at night." His words trailed of as traced the back of his hand on her face. She avoided his touch and tried to move away from him. She felt his hand creeping up her skirt and wrap around her thighs. As she fought him off, he became aggressive. He squeezed her cheeks with his free hand, forcing her lips open as he plunged his tongue in her mouth. No matter how much she fought, he continued to kiss her. She tightly shut her eyes as she waited for him to release her.

Slowly, she opened her eyes and found herself nose to nose with him. His dark blue eyes only inches from hers. The look in his eyes frightened her. He didn't move or speak. He only stared. She tried to wriggle away from him and pushed him away. He did not move but settled himself closer to her. "I feel that this is the night, little bird."

She shot up, expecting to face dark blue eyes. She cried out and grabbed at the stabbing pain at her side. Her wrists felt restricted and when she looked she found they were bound together with rope. Her heart thumped widely and a thin sheen of sweat covered her light brown skin. There was a small pit fire near her. The smell of burning wood and succulent aroma of meat hung in the air. She recognized the boots near the fire as her own. Looking around, she figured she was in a small hut of some sort. The walls the covered with supplies and tools she'd never seen before.

Looking down at her clothes, she noticed she was wearing spare garments from her bag. She was dressed in her white button shirt and black pants. The pain at her side quickly reminded her of the wound she received when she was stabbed by a solider. With her wrists bound, she could only feel over her shirt on what she assumed was a bandage snug around her stomach. She was so groggy it was hard for her to recall what happened before she blacked out. The last thing she remembered was standing defeated with the barrel of several muskets pointed directly at her. She was sure that her life ended.

Too groggy to piece together information, her next objective was to thank her rescuer and continue her journey north. She didn't know how long she slept or how much time had passed. The fur bed she was resting on was slightly lifted off the floor. She looked at her boots but made little attempt to reach for them. One of her greatest weakness was a warm bed. She'd been journeying for so long in the bitter cold that she'd almost forgotten what sleeping in someplace comfortable felt like. She wanted to explore her surroundings but her body protested and did not want to leave the warmth of the thick fur blankets. Just as she was preparing to snuggle deeper into soft fur bliss, the door of the hut opened.

She looked as a figure stepped out from the darkness outside into the bright flickering light of the fire. A wolf pelt adorned the head of the man and draped down his broad, muscular shoulders. The native man was tall as he slightly bent to enter the hut. Dark fur was draped over his left shoulder and his other arm was bare other than the braces that covered his forearms. The man kept his dark eyes pinned on her as he placed the large satchel he was carrying on a nearby table. He turned his back towards her and removed his hooded wolf pelt. He placed it on a wooden stand. He remained silent as he took a place across from her on the other side of the fire.

He silently tended to the meat roasting over the flame. He carefully picked up the speared meat and stood to pass it to her.

She was slightly taken off guard by this sudden gesture as she was distracted at ogling the Native. She'd never seen a man so physically massive. The aura this man gave off was as luring as a moth attracted to a flame. He was magnetic and yet she still felt wary in his presence. She could tell he was a dangerous man.

With her wrists bound, she took the food. She burned herself when she took a bite but she was so hungry she gently blew and continued to eat. She tried to be as ladylike as possible but she didn't know the last time she had a decent meal. As she chewed, she glanced at the Native man. The flickering flames reflected in the dark eyes of the Native man. His thick brows were lightly furrowed as he stared at the fire, deep in thought. She was uncomfortable to be in such awkward silence but assumed it would be impossible for them to communicate. After she finished eating, she would ask for her things and slip away as quickly as possible.

The native man sighed, breaking the silence between them. She looked at him, curious as to what he was thinking.

"You are not safe here."

"I'm not safe here?" She questioned as she looked around the hut for any signs of danger. She listened for any disturbances but only heard the gentle crackling of the cozy fire. She listened to the echoes from howls in the distance. She wondered where those wolves were on this dark, cold night. She eyed the wolf pelt that once adorned the head of her assumed rescuer. She turned her gaze towards the Native man. He was staring at the fire. She studied his dark eyes that reflected the dancing flames.

There was a sadness in his eyes that one could easily overlook if intimated by his cold glare and menacing stature. His face was as hard as a stone and she could tell that this was a man that barely smiled. His dark brown hair was tied back and a braid fell down on one side of his face. She noticed his square jaws and muscles in his neck that slightly flexed whenever he moved. He sat with his arms propped up on his knees. Her eyes trailed down to look at the strongest looking pair of arms she'd seen in her entire life. Wanting to see more, her eyes moved to his strong shoulders and she found herself curiously peeking even lower to his stomach…

A howl in the distance distracted her and she looked into the dark eyes of the Native man. His brows were furrowed as he watched her. She looked down at her tied wrists, embarrassed that she'd been caught staring at him. She wanted to apologize but looking at her bound wrists reminded her of her situation. She scolded herself for being so distracted.

"How did I get here?" She shook her head and quickly changed her question. The look in his eyes made her cautious. She thought she offended him by staring. "Untie me and I will leave."

"You cannot leave." He snapped. His harsh tone stunned her and she went silent. She returned his cold gaze. Her green orbs searched his dark eyes. There was a looming threat in his gaze but somehow she could tell the burning anger in his eyes was not directed towards her. "You will stay here for now." She opened her mouth in protest. She didn't take well to being ordered, especially by a stranger.

With her mouth slightly parted, she gawked at him. He was not bothered by her gaze as he went to stoke the fire. She slept for nearly two days straight and he had plenty of chances to stare at her. Whenever he returned to his hut after some women in the village tended to her, he caught glimpses of her being half-awake before she was coaxed into drinking a medicine that would make her sleep again. He remembered the times she would whimper and moan in her sleep. During those moments, he gently stroked her face until she settled down and went back to sleep. He was sure she wouldn't remember those moments. The medicine she was given was quite efficient.

He nodded to the skewered meat in her hands, "Eat."

"I'm not hungry," she lied. "I am grateful of the care I received but I must leave soon."

"You wish to leave at his dark hour? In your condition you will not make it far." He grumbled, annoyed at her reasoning. He worked hard to get her to safety and now she wanted to leave in a hurry. If she were to take off in the dead of the night all the care she received would go to waste. "Eat."

"I don't want to eat." She had somewhere to be and she wanted to reach her destination quickly. "Where are my things? My weapons?"

"Your weapons are safe." He was indifferent to her questions. "Eat."

"I am grateful for your care, sir, but I am not hungry." She was losing patience as she spoke. Her wrists were tied, she wasn't sure how far he carried her from her destination, and he did not give her the answers she wanted to hear. "If you could please untie me then I will leave this place. You say I am in danger so there's no need for me to linger any longer."

He looked at her. His dark eyes studied her carefully. She was not aware of her situation and he was never one to explain himself or have his actions questioned. He expected her to listen, as most people did whenever he gave an order. He only caught a glimpse of her fight with the soldiers and he was correct to assume that she could decently wield a blade and protect herself. He had some confidence in her skills but, he also knew the skill of his brothers that looked at her as a threat. If she dared to step a foot outside the presence of his protection, there would be no mercy for her if she encountered them.

He stood and walked towards her. He was not a man of many words. She looked as he approached her. With his dagger in his hand he went down on one knee. She was nervous about being unarmed around such a dangerous looking man. She reeled back as he reached for her. He glared at her, saying something foreign to her as he took her bound hands and cut the rope binding her wrists. She looked even more beautiful up close. Her skin was the color of rich honey. Her lips were full and her dark braided hair fell around her face and down her back. He suddenly wanted to see her hair unraveled. He took the meat from her hands and placed it over the fire. He returned to her, holding his hand out for her.

"I will not harm you."

She looked at his hand and looked into his dark eyes. After a moment of hesitation, she grabbed his hand and stood. Her legs shook and caved beneath her. The native man looked down at her and held her steady. He furrowed his brow, annoyed at her as she leaned on his chest for support. "You are still feeling the effects of the medicines and you have not eaten for two days. This is why I told you to eat." He scolded.

His chest was strong as he held her steady. She could feel the ripple of his muscles as her body pressed against his. She wanted to move away but his strong arms kept her close. She nearly melted in his large frame. Being so close to him reminded her of bad memories she had with another person. She moved away from him and wanted to lean against the wall. She grew faint from lack of nutrients as she pushed out bad memories from her thoughts.

"Are you all right?" There was concern in his eyes as he looked at her. Other than the medicine, something else bothered her. He remembered the way she tossed and cried in her sleep and grew concerned.

"No, I'm fine…" She lied as she leaned against him. Accepting her false assurance, he slowly made his way to an opening on the side of the hut. He peered through the crack first before he nodded for her to do the same. She looked through the small opening and saw a group of men resting around a large fire. Their weapons were readied in their hands and it seemed as if they were watching the hut. "Those men want to kill me?"

"Yes." He replied straightforwardly as he helped her back to the bed.

"But…why?"

"Most of the village sees you, and any outsider as a threat." He helped her down on the fur bed. He didn't want to her stand any longer than what she had to. "My people are kind to those in who need help or refuge but in the end their kindness always ends in destruction." She sat on the bed, understanding their worries. She'd heard many stories of Natives being driven off their homes by people who'd introduce themselves as friends. Chaos was rampant as outsiders moved into the frontier, claiming the Native's land as their own and forcefully clearing the people off lands that belonged to them. "Eat and rest. Things will become clear at first light."

She sat in the bed, seemingly in a daze. She felt groggy as if she could sleep for an entire day. He returned the meat to her, pressing her to eat. His eyes were a bit softer as he looked down at her. She took the succulent meat from his large hands and took a small bite. The food tasted like sand in her mouth. She chewed, trying to hide the worry that washed over her. The hunger in her belly left her as she realized her situation. More than ever she wanted to leave the village.

She quietly finished her food, trying to hide her uneasiness. As she ate, she watched as the Native man walked around the hut. He shifted through his supplied and pulled out a mat. He placed the mat a safe distance from the fire and lie down. He shifted for a moment, finding a comfortable position on his back before he went still. She had so much to say and yet the Native man was just going to sleep. He was not a man of many words.

After she finished the food, she snuggled deeper into the fur blankets. Her eyes were pinned on the fire as she rested comfortably on her side. Her mind drifted back to the strong warm body that held her moments before. Thoughts of him resting beside her instead of the hard ground crossed her mind. She managed to shake those thoughts from her mind as she gave into her grogginess and felt a sleepiness overtake her. She had so many questions and wanted to know so many things about where she was and about the Native sleeping a short distance from her.

"What is your name?" She asked in a quiet voice. The questioned slipped from her lips as her gaze went from the fire to the Native resting on the mat. Silence and the gentle crackling from the fire were her only reply. A bit embarrassed, she snuggled deeper into the fur.

"Ratonhnhaké:ton."

She watched as he slightly stirred on the mat, his large chest rising and falling as he breathed. She mouthed his name. She did not know how to say his name but it suited him so well. She mouthed his name again, loving the way it rolled off her tongue. Her gaze went to him again. She slightly bit her bottom lip as she looked at him, her mind drifting off in wonder. She wondered if he were married if he lived in this place alone. She wondered why he spoke English and why she was here, seemingly under his protection. Despite his large, intimidating stature and cold, distant gaze she was very curious to know more about this Native man called, Ratonhn…Ratonhnhaké:ton?

"You do not have a name?" A gruff retort came after another short while of silence. He turned towards her, his dark eyes meeting her gaze. She was staring at him again. Words were lost to her as he looked at her. She was silent as her gaze returned to the fire.

"Aveline. Aveline de Grandpré."

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