DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything by Anne Bishop, I wish it were all real, but hey ho here we go 

By the way, thank you to anyone reading this, this is my first fan fiction, hope it goes alright :D

And thank you if you left a review, it spurred me on to continue

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Chapter Two:

The sound of Elissa banging pots and pans together and muttering darkly gave Augustin a warm smile. He hadn't even told her the good news yet, and he so looked enjoyed winding her up. Being a Black Widow didn't make his sister any less of a great cook, and Augustin always looked forward to devouring anything she deigned to make for him.

"Lissa you should have been a hearth witch." He mumbled, biting into another nutcake she had made especially, setting with it a cup of hot coffee on her well worn table. However, she seemed more preoccupied with something else.

"I can't believe he didn't…didn't even send a note…" she muttered to herself, the bitter edge in her voice gave Augustin a little jolt. He knew getting his sister too riled could end up being very…unpleasant, but not many other people outside the family knew. So who ever it was who had upset her-

"What's happened?" Augustin asked, dreading the answer.

"Oh," Elissa replied, looking at him as if she had only just realised he was there "nothing, really…except, well…" she paused a moment, biting her lip and scowling, "You're male aren't you?"

Augustin was taken aback

"Last time I checked sweetheart, but I could have been mistaken" he gave her a shrewd look, "why?"

Elissa's eyes flashed dangerously and returned to the food she was preparing.

"It's only that I wanted to check whether it was all males that thought with what's dangling between their legs, or just those" she gave a carrot she was chopping an unfortunately savage cut that made Augustin wince "who want a knife between the ribs?"

Augustin looked at his sister, brotherly affection fighting down the anger he could feel rising as he asked "Who?" Being a patient and loving brother didn't stop him being a Warlord.

She hesitated, looking Augustin in the eye before saying, "You promise not to tell?"

Her imploring sincerity made Augustin agree, and wish he hadn't.

"You know Hale?" Augustin nodded, fearing the worst. He knew the circles Hale moved within, and didn't know if he completely agreed with his sister becoming involved with him. "We were engaged-"

"WHAT!" The explosion within Augustin was something he was entirely unprepared for,

"That pile of hell hound sh-"

"Augustin! I said were" Augustin wondered why she had sounded so panicked; it wasn't as if she hadn't heard him swear before. It was at that point he realised he was standing, he hadn't been standing before. Elissa had stopped him, he wasn't sure how, but somehow he had ended up halfway towards the door, nails cutting painfully into the skin of his palm, his fists curled tightly, Elissa's hand on his forearm bringing him back to reality.

"Were," he breathed, "were…Why were?"

Elissa finally released her sharp grip on him. She looked up to him, the look in her eyes making it clear that she knew he wouldn't like what she had to say next.

"He didn't…he didn't want me because…" she turned away from him, her voice trailing away and took a large mouthful of him coffee. She steadied herself, taking a large breath. "He didn't want me because of what I am." The words hung in the air. Augustin could see what she meant, and the emotional wounds that Hale had reopened through his refusal. He hadn't wanted Elissa because she was a Black Widow. A Black Widow in training, but still not a woman to be messed with. And this wasn't the first time a male had offered his hand in marriage, only to withdraw his offer. Before she'd been identified as a Black Widow, males had avoided her bed because she was different, in a way that scared them off. And now some little rag decided that because his sister was different in a way he didn't like-

"Augustin?" He realised he'd been quiet for a long time, and gave his sister a reassuring smile. And when he saw her face he decided not to disembowel Hale. Because she would be disappointed in him.

"Elissa" He walked over to her and clasped her in an embrace, "he obviously wasn't worth it." She nodded and broke the embrace, sniffing she said

"So, what was it you were so eager to talk about?"

Augustin grinned and told her the good news.

"Roxie? As in Roxie Roxie?" And she laughed in a way that warmed Augustin's heart, causing him to join in, grinning as it subsided.

--*--Little Terrielle

Her scream pierced the air. Such pain, such anguish. The whip hitting her skin making her feel as if she'd never feel anything other ever again.

They can't have me. They can't have me.

Another male came close to her face, breath reeking, "Now which would you rather," he wheezed across her face, barely audible above her heavy breathing "more of this? Or will you be a good girl now, and spread your legs for the gentl'man?" The chuckles of the males watching reached her ears. She couldn't speak. Blood, there was so much blood, her blood. Her eyes began to dim, the foul male's voice becoming muffled.

Soon she heard nothing. Saw nothing. Felt nothing.

--*--

Augustin had told Elissa his entire story, about meeting Lucivar Yaslana, about his deal with the Warlord Prince, and she was looking at him with a look of astonishment.

"You mean, before you can do anything with a girl you have to run her by him?" He nodded, adding "That's what he said. And I've agreed to it."

"You've gone soft in the head," Elissa grinned, "but I must say, I'd rather have him looking out for you than anyone else, can't hurt to have the Ebon-Gray putting off bitches."

It was true. Augustin's handsome face and Roxie's put-about version of his reputation had attracted a lot of unwanted attention.

Elissa looked at her brothers' face, his long eyelashes, light gold expressive eyes, dark hair, and felt sorry for him. If only he had a woman of his own to fuss over. Then perhaps I'd get some peace, she thought. No sooner had she thought this however, she remembered why she had wanted to see him in the first place.

"I'm glad you came over Augustin," she said, attempting to put on a serious face and address him, not as her brother, but as a Warlord, "I needed to talk to you."

His eyebrow arched at her formal tone, but he bit back the comment as he saw the look in her eyes.

"What is it?" She looked at him, as though assessing him somehow.

"I saw something in a web. Something to do with you."

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So there's part two  Review please, let me know what you think

Also any suggestions on names would be great, finding it hard to decided on female name for out heroine THANK YOU

Wayoming

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