A/N: Hey there! I was SO happy with the number of people that favourited/followed that I couldn't help but post this first chapter! EEeeep! Much love people!

I have a feeling this fic is also going to be very much research-driven like my other one (considering I couldn't help myself and have already done a huge amount of background literary searches :P) lol.

I'm especially grateful to DancinThroughLife, KilalaInara, drivenunder, and ShayleeZala - you guys made my day(s)! This chapters all yours :)

Reviews please if you have time! I love them! Most importantly - ENJOY!

I.

The still water erupted as Rynelle burst into the air, gasping for breath. Choking and coughing, she pushed herself into shallower water and just lay there, half-in-half-out of the water.

As soon as she had jumped from the cliff and landed in the river, the current had dragged her down and spun her around and around until she was dizzy. Then, it had thrown her against rocks and unseen branches in the water, which left innumerable cuts and bruises on her pale skin and tore through her clothes.

As she gently touched a stinging gash on her forehead, Rynelle counted her blessings that she was still alive. Then again, was it better to drown or to face the nightmare that was at her heels? She could only pray that Gower and his dogs thought she had drowned.

On shaky legs, she pulled herself out of the river, the hard, sharp stones along the bank digging into her feet. Somehow in her wild flight she had lost her shoes, and the water had left her blonde, already windblown hair in a tangled mess of wet tendrils, interspersed with leaves and twigs.

Rynelle stumbled into the woods, and began to walk, knowing nothing other than that she had to get away from the water, they could still find her there. Soon, the cut on her forehead began to throb painfully and blood dripped into her eyes, obscuring her vision. Rynelle had no idea where she had gone, how far she had gone or how long she had been walking. Utterly exhausted, she fell, unable to take another step, collapsing at the base of a large tree and drifted into the relief of unconsciousness.

• • •

Rynelle woke to the smell of herbs and a crackling fire. Dimly she realised she was in a small room and tried to sit up, wincing when she disturbed the injuries she had accumulated in her cliff fall. 'Luigh síos cailín! Cad a cheapann tú atá tú ag déanamh?' A voice spoke up from behind her.

Rynelle fumbled about in fear, trying to get out of the bed and instead tangling herself further in her sheets until a firm hand pushed her back. 'Stop ag bogadh cailín! Feicfidh tú ghlanadh ar shiul leis an obair atá déanta agam díreach.'

Weakly, Rynelle pushed herself back into the mattress as far as she could. All her life she had heard tales of the viciousness of the Woads, however, the old woman standing before her didn't really seem much of a threat. Her clothes were neat and fairly clean, her hands wrinkled and worn, and her long greying hair was tied back in a loose plait. Then again, you never could really judge on appearances, Rynelle mused bleakly, she had fallen for that type of thing before, and the Woad woman's eyes were sharp, black and intelligent, not missing anything.

'Ná bí ag cailín eagla. Is gá dom chun breathnú ar do díobhálacha. Gach go thrashing thart!' the woman grumbled, moving towards her and causing Rynelle to shrink back into the pillows. Close up Rynelle could see the faded blue-ink tattoos on her hands and arms as the old woman reached out to her, and quickly she squeezed her eyes shut.

The hands that checked her cuts and bruises was surprisingly gentle and tentatively Rynelle opened one eye to see what the Woad woman was doing to her. The old woman stared at the bandages and poultices her hands were changing, her gaze flickering up for a moment to catch the younger woman's eyes, 'Bí go fóill. Is é mo ainm Neamhain.'

Rynelle squirmed, wishing that she knew how to speak the language of the Woads to know what was being said. The old woman sighed dramatically when she realised the younger woman did not understand, and she placed a hand on her own chest 'I am Neamhain.' she said with difficulty.

The words were guttural and heavily accented, but Rynelle vaguely recognised the woman was trying to convey her name. She cleared her throat awkwardly, suddenly unsure of herself and everything she knew. This Woad woman had apparently pulled her from the forest, tended to her injuries and still she could not offer up a name to this woman who had perhaps saved her life?

'I am Rynelle.' she croaked, suddenly realising how dry her throat was as she pointed to herself. Neamhain smiled at the younger woman, and reached for a nearby pitcher, pouring a cup which she handed to Rynelle.

When the older woman made drinking motions, Rynelle took a sip and to her relief found the cup to contain water. Gratefully she gulped down the whole cup, and Neamhain nodded, 'Dea-, good.' she said gruffly to the younger woman, her hands gentle as they pushed her back into the pillows, 'Codladh anois.'

Gladly, Rynelle let sleep wash over her and relaxed back into her pillow, watching as Neamhain moved off to poke the embers of the fire. As her eyes closed, she prayed that the nightmares that had plagued her for years would disappear now that finally, she was free.

• • •

Rynelle looked around the room she awoke in with some trepidation, she should have known she would not suddenly have been free from the darkness that shrouded her. She had been 15 the first time she had set foot in it 3 years ago, and now, in her dream state, it was exactly the same as when she had first been brought there. A vase full of small and delicate native flowers stood on a small table in the corner of the room next to a bed. There was a window on the wall opposite to her and small trunk at the end of the bed in which she could put all her clothes.

Quickly she walked to the window and looked outside, soaking in the view of the surrounding countryside dotted with farms and woodlands. Unable to stop her younger self, Rynelle turned and smiled at her cousin. 'My Lord Gower, it is beautiful.' she murmured, her voice trembling with gratitude, 'Thankyou for your kindness, especially in the midst of the lot that has been mine of late.'

Rynelle was almost sick when she looked over at him, he was by no means ugly, quite attractive in fact with his dark hair and eyes, and square jaw. But she knew the monster that lay underneath the handsome, friendly and charming skin.

'That is no trouble at all my lovely cousin. I am only sorry that I could not stop all of the unfortunate events that have befallen you from happening.' Gower took her hand in his and kissed it, making the older Rynelle's skin crawl as he touched her skin 'I hope you will be happy here.'

Rynelle tried to scream her frustration, but no sound escaped her lips. She wanted nothing more than to jump at the man, to claw at his face with her nails until he bled. But that was not what had happened, her 15 year old self had stood there and blushed at his charm, and she had fallen right into his trap.

The scene changed, the dark smoke of her dreams wrapping around her and placing her back in that room, sometime later, years later. He was there again, at night presumably from the dark that surrounded her. Rynelle's heart almost stopped. Not those nightmares she pleaded with herself but she could not stop it.

Desperately she tried to escape the scene that was unfolding before her, but Rynelle had not tried to escape any of those nights, and she could not escape now. She simply trembled. 'Hello my dear cousin.' Gower leered.

Luigh síos cailín! Cad a cheapann tú atá tú ag déanamh?: Lie down girl! What do you think you're doing?

Stop ag bogadh cailín! Feicfidh tú ghlanadh ar shiul leis an obair atá déanta agam díreach: Stop moving girl! You'll undo all the work I have just done

Ná bí ag cailín eagla. Is gá dom chun breathnú ar do díobhálacha. Gach go thrashing thart!: Do not be scared girl. I need to look at your injuries. All that thrashing around!

Bí go fóill. Is é mo ainm Neamhain: Be still. My name is Neamhain.

A/N: OK peeps, it was a bit short, but that was the absolute LAST chapter to be posted before I have finished Tell Me What You See because I'd really rather not give anything away :P (After all this is kind of a sequel)