Nasuada has come to drop the bass.

please overlook minor grammar errors

Tovi didn't hear the "Ho, there!", nor the thundering horses as they nearly missed her with their hooves. She didn't feel the chainmail painfully scraping her skin as the guards picked her up, or when the tied her arms behind her and threw her into a vacant and poorly pitched tent. They're silhouettes outside the tent remained there for as long as she was conscious, not that she would have left for that matter. It hadn't registered that it was already morning until she woke; gasping as if she there wasn't enough air for her left in the world.

Her eyes darted rabidly and she struggled against the rope until she had realized she was, in fact, restrained by the fibers. She managed to sit herself upright, clenching her teeth and groaning aloud as her pain settled in. Her wrist was being forced into a position it was not meant to bend, she was sore on her inner thigh, her arms, her breasts.

Everything ached, but she had killed the man who tried to rape her.

She had killed him.

Tovi began to retch on air at the thought, though nothing emerged, she continued to heave even after nausea had passed. She was tired and hungry, her mouth dry from even spittle. Tears formed and left a trail along the path of her nose, until they finally landed in the dirt before her as she was unable to wipe them off. A million and one thoughts raced through her mind, rebounding off of one side and slamming into the next until her mind was added to the list of aches.

What were they going to do to her?

Would she be executed?

Did Nana know where she was?

Who would tell Carn?

Those thoughts had hit her like any other physical blow. The Varden maintained order in their camps, if they had hanged a man for even killing an Urgal, why would they should they spare her any different fate? She wasn't any different than the next man- and even viewed lesser: as a woman. Tovi had little time left, she would die a fool if she wasn't going to admit it, and the only question left was how long she had.

The spirits must have heard her as a pair of guards forced open the tent. The gripped her forearms, forcibly lifting her up, and cut of her restraints. Wordlessly, they threw her a waterskin, her voice unable to crack any vocal form of her gratitude from lack of use. Her wrists and arms were red and raw from the rope, her left covered in blue and yellow tinges. She looked at her clothes, her trousers were not as torn as they could have been, only filthy. Her tunic on the other hand were stained with another's life-blood and turn by the hems, she could repair that much another time she though hopefully, if she was allowed "another time". Tovi let out a hysterical laugh under her breath, she was certain she was going mad if she thought she had time to think about appearances.

The guards handed her a chamber pot, but when she reached under her tunic to begin undoing the laces that held up her leggings, though when she had noticed the men did not seem even the tiniest courtesy and turn their backs, decided against it. She didn't resist as they retied the rope, though thankfully she had her wrists bound in front of her, rather than twisted at her back as they were for the previous night. She was anxious to learn what was to happen would she be sent elsewhere or remain in the makeshift cell? As if eavesdropping on her thoughts, the guard announced, "We are to take you to be received by Lady Nasuada, there you are to be subjected to whatever justice her Ladyship deems appropriate on behalf of the Varden for your crime—"

"-There has been a misunderstanding-", Tovi interrupted, struggling to not allow her panic to leak into her plea.

"—and you are to remain silent." He barked at her. They tied the rope to the back of the other guards' saddle, where she was to walk behind the horses; thankfully the distance did not go through the main camp.

She was led to a large, red-dyed cloth tent. She broke into a cold sweat but made a conscience effort to hold her head high, whatever it was that determined her fate she would face it as nothing less than her father's daughter. A dark-skinned woman, whom she could know as no one else but Lady Nasuada unmistakable with her air of command, sat on a high backed chair. She eyed Tovi with a chin resting on the back of her hand as a tall, long-nosed man conversed with her in hushed whispers from her side. Her face revealed naught.

The guards stopped at attention on either side of Tovi, "We have delivered her, Milady"

"As I have noticed," she didn't seem patient for such formalities, and with a wave of a hand, "You are dismissed." The guards bowed and deserted her, the air stiff as they clinked out of the tent in all their armor.

"What is your name?"

Tovi struggled to meet the leader of the Varden's intent gaze, "Tovi Morganasduaghter, I-if it pleases you."

"Oh, it does please me. Is this your dagger?" she inquired as a member of her personal guard took out the same dagger that had been plunged between another man's ribs only hours before daybreak earlier that day. Tovi struggled against another bout of dry-vomiting, but managed to confirm.

"I have heard the account from men who found you the previous night, but I wish to hear yours. Proceed as such."

"Of course, Milady." Tovi clenched and unclenched her fists and began on how she had returned from the tavern from, er, business ventures and how the drunk had followed her. She recalled how he had been under the influence of drink and held her at fault for something he never specified. She admitted to raise eyebrows to taking out her dagger before any moves were made, and could still feel the sting on her body where he had made the initial hit that had thrown her to the dust and dirt road, lifting her sleeves and hem in some cases to show proof of the assault. She trembled as she explained the details of his attempt to rape her, and finally how she had killed him.

"F-orgive me, it all happened so fast, and the next thing I knew—"

"Calm yourself." It wasn't a suggestion, but an order.

The tent flaps were thrown open as Tovi heard the shouts of guards and a woman shrieking. Her caretaker had rushed through the tent, cursing everyone and anything between the ground beneath her and the heavens above.

"How could you do this to her? She is only a babe, a child!, she screamed at a stone-faced Lady Nasuada, "He tried to hurt her!"

Guards had pulled her back as she sobbed, frantically eyeing the girl whose father she had served since the birth her family's first-born.

"No judgment has been passed, if you do not restrain yourself you will be removed."

Tovi let her hair drift over her face; she couldn't let Nana see her like this. "Nana, I beg of you. Please—"

"You think I swore an oath to your father to watch over you, just to w-watch you—watch you h-hang like another criminal?" She screamed, more at the one sitting on the high backed chair then at Tovi.

"I'll be fine, just please—go back to Oliver"

Nana darted her eyes between her and the Lady Nasuada before tearing off the holds of the guards and walked out of the tent with the dignity she had left, stifling a horrible sob in a handkerchief.

Tovi met the gaze once more of the hardened eyes of Lady Nasuada. "I will not allow you to hang."

Her breath hitched and her throat closed for a moment too many, she knew there had to be more to what was going to happen to her. Though knowing she wouldn't be swinging at the gallows by sundown was a form of comfort in her state, and as expected she continued.

"I compromise disputes every waking minute of my life, trying to hold the Varden together, and I will allow none to get in the way of that. Man, Woman, Dwarf, Elf, or Urgal: it matters not."

Tovi lowered her head to accept a sentence.

"Have you any experience with a sword for the Varden?" she suddenly asked, Tovi's head shot up and saw that Nasuada had cocked her own to the side, her face continually impassive regardless of her curious pose. The question startled her, "I-I was an archer on the Burning Plains, Milady." She stammered, puzzled where she could be heading with such a question, "I have a good hand with a sword and dagger as well, should Milady care to know."

Nasuada smiled grimly, "I don't think anyone in this tent would doubt your skill with a dagger," she added, eyeing the evidence.

"You should have more faith with the Varden, I understand under the stated circumstances it was defense. However, a man's life was still taken and I would believe it would be foolhardy to take the life of an able young woman of the Varden as well. However, it would also be to no one's benefit to simply flog you."

Tovi's forehead furrowed as she got more confused, what was going to happen then?

Nasuada continued, "No I believe you could be of use to our cause. At next daybreak you will be escorted to report at the tent of Captain Martland Redbeard, who I believe will be arriving with from his last assignment, promptly for instruction. Welcome to the ranks of the Varden's Army."

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