There were no houses around the area, as they all three knew, but there was somewhere the boys were taking her. She began to feel better, a bit warmer for being rolled up in dry blankets they gave her, and the heat of the horse she was on... and the back of the guy in front of her. Also having her pocket knife held tight made her feel safe. Then, ten minutes after leaving the woods, they reached a tiny cottage, like the ones they used to build for the tools, and Georgia pulled the reins.

"This is it,madam, welcome to our mansion. Don't feel overwhelmed for its looking, we're modest", Georgia laughed.

Pangled laughed too, as he entered and greeted someone.

"Does anybody else live... here?" Lux asked, trying no to sound rude.

"Well, there's not a hundred of us, but yes, we're trying to make a home of it." Georgia smiled, helping her carrying her things inside.

"Just one thing" he softly grabbed her arm before she got in, "Please don't make questions, none of us want to speak a lot lately. If you want I can explain to you tomorrow, but just about me. I beg you, keep quiet tonight and everybody will be nice to you."

"OK, no problem, I just want to sleep".

But she actually craved for a plentiful, hot meal in that minute. When she got in the tiny hut it smelled fine, like boiling potatoes and some vegetables, but all those faces staring at her scared her a bit.

"Goodnight gentlemen", she articulated awkwardly. "I hope I don't disturb your meal".

One of the four men inside, a extremely thin one, stood up and offered her a stool.

"Forgive my fellas, they don't know how to behave with a lady. Now we'll lie the table and sit like the gentlemen you suppose we are".

"It's fine, thank you very much", she replied

Georgia took the preys he had hunted that evening, cleaned them fast and put them in the boiling pot while keeping an eye on the man.

"My name is Budger, by the way. Long story."

'Fine, so you're all deserters or criminals. I suddenly feel blessed', she screamed internally.

The dinner went fine, and most of the 7 people inside filled their stomachs, or drank so much that they didn't give a damn about it. They all talked and laughed and it was much more comfortable than Lux thought it would be... because nobody mentioned their lives, at all. They spoke about the weather, the cold, the inches or feet of snow they had seen that winter, without mentioning where. And of course, very quietly. Lux didn't need any explanations, she was used to share meals and working hours with rude men, and even at home, surrounded by her family, she had learned to be discrete and not messing in other people's business.

The only one who kept absolute silence was Georgia. He only smiled sometimes, sitting beside her without grazing her body, but always tense and ready to protect her, or so she felt like. When the meal was finished, and the pot clean as the day it was forged, Georgia got up and picked an old sort of guitar, fixed and rearranged a hundred times, and started tuning it and playing at the same time. He looked at her childishly, as asking for a petition.

She replied gladly "Play anything you like, I've only know some lullabies from my mom and some gross songs drunk men sing", and she laughed.

He started with a tune he had been working on lately, as he told her, and all of them liked and enjoyed it for a bit, forgetting all the misery that surrounded the scene... Until Georgia suddenly stopped and put the guitar away, and everyone went to sleep. That was how abruptly ended all.

Lux picked her things and looked for any place to sleep, any point on the floor with not many men around, and Pangle saw her as he had seen many defenseless animals, and also women those days. He pointed at a door at the corner, and guided her inside. It was a coarse bedroom with a surprisingly soft bed, and male clothes that Georgia, who had gone earlier, was diligently taking away.

"So this is the royal suite, that we take in turns every night, but as you're staying just for tonight, we've decided you can take it so you know what luxury means", he said, joking as he always did.

He touched his hat (he had not taken it off, and it was starting to annoy her), and said goodnight.

She sat on the bed and looked at the door.

'I won't sleep here, I can't', she thought, nervous.

She felt thankful for having a warm place for the night and the supper had been nice, but she just couldn't bear staying for longer. Where had all those men come from? She had heard of deserters escaping and hiding, but she thought the Guard would have trapped them all quickly, anybody could find that place easily. Also, Were they other kind of outlaws? Had they come together? They didn't even seem friends with each other, like they just met and protected themselves in the group for a short time...

And she realized she had trusted Georgia like a teenager, for no reason... stupid girl... she held back her tears by touching her knife inside her pocket, as a talisman. She knew how to use it, for sure. She indeed had used it. She also had something to hide. And she knew her sister didn't want her back anyway. That's why she had packed such a big luggage. She didn't want to go back, although she had no choice...

Someone knocked on the door, and she pulled the knife out of its leather case. "Who is there?"

"It's me, the butler"

She laughed, that guy was actually fun. She opened the door and regret it for a moment. Georgia had a big rake in his hands and handed it to her. Then he got inside to show her how to use it.

"Look, you can lock the door easily putting one end here, where you have a hook... and the other end on that one on the other part of the wall. See?"

"Thank you very much, I need it."

"Of course you do. I don't want to scare you but... I don't trust these guys at all. I've only known them for some weeks, and... Well, I've said too much already. Sleep tight and careful with the creepers."

"Same for you".

"Right".

"Right".

Georgia whispered with a smirk "I don't know if you have noticed, but I won't leave unless you tell me to", and he started playing with her braid.

She opened her eyes wide and went blank. Despite trying to be firm and polite at the same time, she just managed to mutter

"Leave".

He shrugged his shoulders.

"Fine, I was expecting that anyway".

He left the room and she locked the door, biting her tongue so hard it bled a bit.