But don't you come here and say I didn't warn you,

About the way your world can alter,

And oh how you try to command it all still,

Every single time it all shifts one way or the other,

and the Lion's roar has me seeking out and searching for you.

Chapter 4

Carolyn began to protest as they immediately grabbed her arms and started pulling. When protesting didn't work she began to fight; kicking and screaming until the first soldier, tiring of it, grabbed her hair forcing her to keep up or be drug along behind him. Riddick who had heard the woman's screams from the other end of the settlement started in that direction. Vaako, who had been just outside, entered the building as the soldier dropped her at his feet.

Carolyn kicked out at him. "Keep your fucking hands off of me!"

"Who else is here?" Vaako calmly asked.

"What?" Carolyn asked putting a confused look on her face.

"I asked who else was here."

"No one. No one else is here. It's just me." She answered while rubbing her head, sitting up on her knees.

"You expect me to believe that a lone woman lives here by herself?"

"I don't care what you believe. Just leave!" Carolyn said hotly.

"How is it you came to be here?"

"My ship crashed. During our escape I was attacked and left for dead."

Riddick chose that moment to walk in. "Well, well, well, Vaako. What have you found?"

"A lone breeder, My Lord. What would you like us to do with her?"

Riddick slid his goggles up to his forehead as Carolyn hung her head, hair hiding her face, body shaking with endless emotion at hearing that voice again. Circling her once, before coming to a stop in front of her, Riddick reached a hand down to lift the woman's face up, pushing her hair aside. Carolyn's face stared up at him with a sneer.

"Mmmmm," Riddick purred, "What a strong survival instinct. I do so admire that in a woman."

"I would hope so since you were the one who left me for dead." Carolyn bit out.

Vaako who was silently watching the exchange stepped to the side motioning all but one of the soldiers outside leaving just the two of them and the Lord Marshall alone with the woman.

Riddick circled the room looking around, taking in the two bedrooms with mussed beds and the two sets of dishes in the kitchen. The Orrery was setting on a coffee table in front of a couch, the room decorated with an assortment of Paris' treasures. "I guess in the end you didn't die for any of us, did you."

"What are you doing back here, Riddick?" She asked trying to keep her breathing steady as she watched him wander the room making silent observations.

"Oh, just passing through with a few friends."

"Yeah? I've met a few. Not impressed." She said with a scowl.

"Now Carolyn, that's not very nice."

"I really don't care what you think of me or my manners, Riddick. Just take your friends and go."

"I have a better idea," he said spinning around to face her. "Why don't you come with me?"

She leaned forward on her knees towards him. "I'd rather piss glass."

"Now Carolyn, is that anyway to speak to the Lord Marshall of the Necromongers?

"Who?" Carolyn asked with a snort. "Cause you just look like another asshole to me."

Riddick frowned, narrowing his eyes and looked over at Vaako. "Take her to the ship," he ordered.

"No!" Carolyn yelled starting to scramble backwards. "I'm not going anywhere with you!" She continued shouting as the soldier came towards her. "Riddick, You Bastard!" She screamed as an arm was grabbed.

The entire room went suddenly still as a noise Riddick hadn't heard in years emanated from the room in which she was found. Something small rushed past his legs attaching itself to Carolyn who jerked loose from the soldier falling back to her knees, wrapping her arms around it protectively.

Wrapping her arms around her son's body, Carolyn looked up at Riddick as a tear ran down her cheek, her eyes pleading with him. "Please, Riddick. Just take your men and leave me. You've done it once, you can do it again."

Vaako approached Riddick from the side. "Lord Marshall, you know we don't keep children. The woman is acceptable but the child must be disposed of." His words causing Carolyn to bare her teeth even as she pulled the child closer into her body, Riddick noticed.

"Well, there's an exception to every rule, now isn't there Vaako." He said quietly as he watched Carolyn watching him.

Nodding to the guard he resumed the retrieval of their prisoner as Carolyn fought like a wild woman.

"Carolyn!" Riddick shouted, his voice booming in the small area getting everyone's attention. "No one's going to hurt the child. You have my word."

She jerked herself free of the soldier once again and he watched as she picked the child up in her arms, wrapping its legs and arms around her, having yet to see its face as it was burrowed into her neck. "I need something from the bedroom before we leave. Please." She said her chest heaving as she stroked the child's back.

"Everything you need will be provided," Vaako answered taking the woman by the arm himself dragging her towards the door.

"Stop!" Carolyn cried out turning towards Riddick who had been simply observing. "You don't understand." She said running a hand over the child's head taking in a shuddering breath. "He can't go outside without his goggles. The light hurts his eyes."

Vaako watched as the Lord Marshall turned almost as white as one of his many Necro soldiers.

Riddick stepped up to Carolyn looking down at her. "Show me." He said as his nostrils flared out in his anger.

Carolyn leaned her head towards the boy, as Riddick now knew, and whispered something into his ear. He watched as very slowly the child lifted and turned his head towards Riddick, who found himself looking into his own eyes.

Flashing a look of disbelief between the child and Carolyn, Riddick reached around taking his cloak from his shoulder plates. Twirling it around her, he stepped up and taking his hand gently tilted the child's head back down to her shoulder covering him with the cloth before fastening it around Carolyn's neck.

"We don't have far to go. He's fine under there if he keeps his eyes closed."

"Are you sure?" She asked in a whisper.

He simply nodded, not yet having moved.

"I have a pair of shoes by the door. May I slip them on? The sand gets hot."

Again with a simple nod Riddick took a step to the side unblocking her way so she could move to the door. Pushing her feet into the shoes he heard her murmuring to the child.

"It's time to go," he said to Vaako who stepped out of the building to spread the word as Riddick stepped up to Carolyn. "The ship is out past the Coring Room. On the landing strip"

Carolyn gave him a baleful look before heading out the door leaving him in her emotion filled wake.

She kept to the shaded areas next to the buildings while soothing her son's occasional whimpers as she cursed Riddick under her breath. Who in hell did he think he was coming into her home and demanding that she go with him after he had left her there to begin with! She hadn't even had a chance to properly speak to her son having no idea what he was feeling or even thinking after the events of the night. He had never been exposed to violence in any form. Carolyn closed her eyes blinking out tears of frustration. Rounding the corner of the Coring Room, Carolyn saw the ship that they were headed towards suddenly dragging her feet.

Stopping dead in her tracks she slowly turned to look back at the settlement that had been her home, which was her son's birthplace. The place that he was connected to. Riddick and Vaako who had been trailing along behind her stopped and watched as she knelt upon the ground speaking to the child helping him place his feet on the ground next to her knees. Riddick waved Vaako ahead to the ship while staying rooted to his spot. Once Vaako was on board Carolyn said something to the child and then asked him a question as he was still under his cloak.

Riddick waited a moment before coming to stand beside them listening to Carolyn tell the child, "Hang on to that feeling, baby. Remember it forever, because I don't know when we'll be back."

He could see the boy nod his head at what Carolyn was telling him. "Carolyn, we need to go. The longer we're out here, the worse it is for his vision."

Gathering the child back into her arms Carolyn hissed at him. "Well I guess you should have thought about that before dragging us with you."

Pursing his lips Riddick held out his arm towards the ship. Huffing, Carolyn stalked towards it coming to a stop on the deck plate not knowing where to go. "Keep going," Riddick said. "There's a seat near the front."

Moving past all the soldiers who were standing at attention Carolyn spied the chair and sank down on it as she yanked the cloak off from around her neck using it to mop the sweat off of Collins face. "You can open your eyes now, baby." She said quietly watching as he did so, meeting her eyes. "Are you all right?"

He nodded his head as she brushed his damp curls off of his forehead. "Who are these people, Mama? Why do they want to take us from our home?"

Unable to answer him Carolyn kissed his forehead and gathered him to her.