Thank you all for giving this a shot. I'm really surprised about it.

Yes, in this chapter Maura's gonna be introduced, maybe not as you like but I somehow like it, but it's just the beginning.

And thank you for your reviews. And yes, it's a short chapter.

Enjoy.

T73.

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Bear isn't easy to worry and he knows exactly where to find Jane the next morning. He walks into the stable and has to smile as he stops at Amyntas' box and see the owner and the horse lying close to each other, fast asleep. He's the only one who knows the entire story of the woman he calls her sister and sometimes he thinks that the horse holds the souls of Jane's family that she lost in the age of twelve. He also knows that watching beloved ones being slaughtered by savages changes a girl in such a age. He's quite surprised that the dark-haired woman made it for ten years almost all alone. He knows that he's living the life he was supposed to, and he thinks that Jane's parents didn't want her to have such a life like she has now. Bear smiles as the a memory crosses his mind. Jane was glaring at a poor tailor who was showing her a sort of linen dress. She glared at him and said: Really? Do I look like a doll? Give me a damn black leather pants and a white linen shirt.

The poor man had looked puzzled at her and stammered his replied, But men are supposed to wear that.

Back then her eyes went huge. So? Now you know what I want. Get it done and I'll pay you handsomely for it. I come back in three days.

The tailor was about to protest but the stern look made him to think better of it. Three days later, the woman got what she wanted, like she always did.

It never bothered him that Jane was different in all ways. One night, Jane had too much beer and told him that she likes women more than man. He had just shrugged and told her that he has seen much worse things in the world than two women being with each other. That night settled their unconditional friendship.

Bear smiles at the memories and shakes his head, eyeing the sleeping couple. He never has seen a horse trusting a human being enough to lay down with them and placing its head in the human's lap, but that's exactly what Amyntas has done and Bear believes that that horse can see the true nature of a human's soul. Most people only sees a livestock in horses, Jane sees something beyond that. He thinks that she's somehow like them, able to see the true intentions of a human, that's why he trusts her. He was skeptical as they crossed ways for the first time, but with years it disappeared and he knows that each of them would give their lives for each other.

"It's time to wake up, Jane." He says with a normal voice and smiles as Amyntas lifts his head. "You are really unique, aren't you?" His words are directed at Amyntas.

"Yes, I am." Jane says sleepily with a smile before she cracks her eyes open. Amyntas gets up immediately and shakes his entire body.

He chuckles buts stays. "I did not mean you, but I know."

She starts to smirk and stretch her arms over her head. "Go away.

Bear laughs throaty and walks to her, helping Jane up to her feet. "We have to be at the town hall, Jane."

She rubs the sleep from her eyes and sighs. "It doesn't hurt them if they have to wait. They have nothing else to do."

Bear grabs her at the elbow and starts to drag her out of the stable. "But it hurts us. We want to get this done."

Jane makes a face and blinks against the blinding sun. "Okay, okay. My … Give me a second to wake up."

"No," he replies with a smile that grows bigger as soon as he hears a loud groan.

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Three days later Jane, and her men are standing in front of a quiet imposing mansion and rolls her eyes as Bear ruffles the fur of a dog. "Stop playing with the mutt."

Caden scoffs and drops his chin to his chest. Neither of them aren't really sure when the dog started to follow them but it seems like Bear and the dog connected instantly.

Bear ignores all of them. "I don't play with Eirik." He mumbles and growls back at the dog that somewhat looks like a wolf. "I train his hunting instincts. You always play with Amyntas."

"I don't play with him either." She shoots back.

"You always run around with him on a field if you get the chance."

"I train his … flight instincts."

Bear straightens up and smiles broadly at her. "You're playing."

Jane furls her eyebrows tightly and gives him a push. "Shut up."

Eirik barks and Amyntas paws the ground like he's agreeing.

The others laugh amused but it dies down as soon as they hear a female voice yelling that someone has to let go of her. All of them walks around the imposing carriage and sees a young woman with a disgruntled face that is literally dragged towards them by a man they would a Gentleman at Arms, somehow.

Jane steps forward with a dead serious face and eyes each of them. "What's going on?"

The man ignores her and drags the blond woman pass her.

Jane grabs firmly his arm and forces him to look directly at her. "I asked what is going on."

The man eyes her from head to toe and doesn't hide his abomination. "I don't talk to someone like you. I don't know who you think you are."

She forces his hand away from the young woman and can feel that her friends stepping up behind her, or more precisely she can say so because his eyes are going pass her head. "I am the one who makes sure that she arrives at her father's in one piece. I ask you one last time. What is going on?"

He sighs and nods in the blonde's direction. "She refuses to leave."

Jane nods slowly and crosses her arms over her chest. "Maybe she wouldn't refusing if you don't drag her out of the house."

"I don't want to come with you." The blonde snaps.

Jane turns to her and smiles feigned at her. "Well, good thing you don't have a say in it." She turns back at the armored man. "And you can leave, we'll take it from here."

The man bows his head and disappears in no time.

Jane takes a deep breath and nods at Arabian man. "This is Baako."

Baako smiles and nods.

"That's Caden."

Caden doesn't move but glares at the blonde.

"Aegeus."

Aegeus bows a little and smiles.

Aegeus caresses the neck of his brown horse and nods once.

"Alastair."

The man snorts and clenches his jaw tightly.

"Macario."

Macario bows his head and smiles friendly.

Jane now eyes the roof of the carriage that's loaded with luggage, patting her friend's back. "And that's Bear. You have to be Maura."

The woman steps up to the brunette indignantly. "I am. And what is your name?"

Jane scratches the back of her neck with out looking at the blonde, tilting her head to the side. "My name? Jane. That luggage's yours?"

Maura follows the brunette's gaze and lifts her chin up. "It is."

Jane still scratches the beg of her neck and looks with an amused smile at Alastair. "Alastair."

"Do it with pleasure," he says and climbs up on the roof in no time. He starts to unload most of the luggage again with no care and the others chuckle.

"How dare you?" Maura asks scandalized and steps up to Jane. "This is my private property."

Jane turns to the woman and almost forgets why she is here as she looks into hazel eyes, but she recovers fast, knocking on the carriage. "And I'm sure that's more than fungible. That carriage is slowing us down already." She opens the door and smiles a little. "Please, would you? So we can leave by now."

"I'm not going to leave." Maura huffs and turns her back at Jane.

The brunette groans and looks at her confident. "Bear!"

"I am -" Maura starts and squeals as soon as she's lifted of the ground and carried towards the said carriage and forces her into it, slamming the door shut while Maura's cursing.

Jane gets with on Amyntas' back and laughs heartily, almost devilish before s gives the group the sign to depart with Maura yelling on top of her lungs.