A/N: I'm sorry. This just wouldn't leave my mind. I have a feeling this plot bunny has been done before, a lot. And I have a feeling I won't be getting a lot of reads or reviews, but it was something I needed to do. It has been poking my brain and causing chaos. I am okay with not much publicity. But I will continue this story through the end. So, if you do like it, don't be afraid. It isn't going to just stop in the middle of a fight scene. I can promise you that. I am in love with this story already and I have two chapters done in two hours. So, I do hope you read it and enjoy it.

If it is complete garbage, please don't hesitate to tell me. I put my big girl undies on and I can take it. If you have any criticism, please tell me. I thrive off of suggestions. And if it does suck, can take the hint and I will rethink my concept and try to make it better. I want to grow as a writer. I want to have perfection. It keeps me sane.

So, Happy reading!

Henny, that lucky Penny!

Lost One

A lone figure, a girl, stumbled along the dirt and trees. Her pale features were concentrated and stiff. Behind her, she could hear shouting and a brief look of fright passed through her eyes. It passed as soon it was there, replaced with determination. She would not be caught again. She would not suffer at the hands of others again. She would rather die than be caught by the Roman dogs.

Her stumbling became more noticable the more she rambled through the forest floor. Why were they so far from their fort? Why were they after her, again? She didn't know the answers to her questions. She just knew to keep moving and not stop. She couldn't stop. She had to find the one she lost. She had to find the one who was taken away from her eight years ago. Her parents may have lost hope and accepted his loss, but this girl would not. She believed him to be alive and to be safe. She needed to see for herself.

The shouts became closer. She could hear the thunger of horse hooves. She wished that her own horse had not been killed the night the first group of Roman bastards had captured her and tried to take to her to Gods knows where. She fought and struggled until the one who had bound her lost his grip and she was able to escape. They were surprised at her strength and agility. She was no Roman woman who had been pampered her whole life. She was a Sarmatian tribeswoman who knew the weight of a blade and the twang of a bow.

Her breathing became ragged the more she tried to run. Her legs felt weak and unstable. Her lungs were burning and sweat was running in waves down her back and chest. She knew she wouldn't last long if she continued. But she had to continue. Maybe if she could find a hole or crevice to hide her exhausted body. She could rest and regain her strength. She needed to rest. Her mind knew that she was vulnerable in her current state. But she needed to keep moving.

Her eyes were blinded by beads of sweat as the rolled into them. A faulty swipe to try and clear the moisture and she missed the root jutting out of the soft ground. It caught her ankle and she tumbled foreward, despertately trying to catch her hands on anything that would keep her upright. All she felt was the soft earth on her palms and the leaves coushining her fall. Her tired legs wouldn't obey the commands of her mind. The girl was breathing heavily.

"I've got her over here!" a familiar language filtered into her ears. She didn't speak fluent Latin, but she had been running from Romans long enough to pick up their tongue. Her heart was hammering in her ribcage.

"Tie her up and we will bring her to the Wall!" another voice approached.

The small girl scrambled to bring her heavy body up, but she couldn't get a foot underneath herself. Her legs felt like softened leather and couldn't hold her frame. She desperately needed to get away from the voices.

"Hurry before she escapes!" the second voice commanded.

The girl hadn't heard the hoof beats to signal the arrival of the Romans. She felt rough hands grasp her forarms and then was being lifted as if she weighed nothing. Her sweat soaked black hair was like a curtain in a window. Her vision was blocked as she was forcibly brought up against unforgiving bark. Her cheek felt the sting of breaking flesh as the wood dug into her face. Robes were being tied around her wrists tightly and securely. Fear made her eyes go wide as felt thick arms wrap around her waist and lift her into the air.

"We can sling her across the back of my horse and bring her to the commander." the first voice rumbled in Latin. The lithe girl didn't like that idea.

She began to kick her legs and move her shoulders side to side to wiggle out of the vice-like hold on her body. She grunted and growled to force her body to do her bidding. A grunt of pain could be heard from the Roman who had her in his grasp as her heel made contact with his knee. The Roman faltered a step.

"Subdue her!" she could feel the growl rumble in his chest that was pressed against her back.

Before the girl could think, a fist plowed through her jaw and her world turned black.

The Roman had to support her limp body fully and preffered it that way. Her struggling had been fierce and powerful.

Who was this girl?

The Romans took in her appearance. Her hair was black as night. Her skin was lightly tanned. The skin on her face was stretched over her cheekbones as a sign of tough traveling. She was dressed in furs and leather. She had scabbers for daggers and a quiver empty of arrows. It had seemed like she was a run away. Not an ounce of fat could be found on her thin frame. Her boots were soft and caked with dirt from so much walking. Her skirts of animal skins were stained with mud and water. Petite hands were dirty from wild living and you could barely make out small, black tattoos between the top two knuckles.

Where did she come from?

The first Roman, Korbin, held his horse steady as the second, Teritus, flopped her unconcious form across the saddle. Korbin mounted his steed and arranged the girl so he could sit comfortably and then fastened her down to prepare her for the journey to Hadrian's Wall. After Teritus mounted his horse, the pair set off.

What were they going to do with the girl?