Authors note: You may want to skip this one if you are squeamish and do not care to read about the assault of a woman.

Chapter 4

Her stomach turned in knots as she sat on the stone floor of the jail with her knees pulled up to her chest. Kye had never been in this position before and had no idea on how to get out of it. She'd made a huge mess of things and wasn't sure if she'd ever see home again. The man who had captured her was infuriating. He'd offered a brush for her hair and it remained where he had left it. Every so often Kye would steal a glance at his stilled form.

He sat in a similar manner as she; but like a statue, silent and unmoving with his eyes closed. The only evidence of life was the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed and the muscle in his jaw as it clenched and unclenched. He no longer reeked of drink and his hair was slightly damp from a bath. This time when he cracked an eyelid to look at Kye she did not turn away.

"You're too young to be out scouting in an alliance city." The man turned to face her cell and crossed his legs.

Kye's eyes narrowed at his near perfect Thalassian. It took a double check of his ears to make sure he was not half-elf. No, he'd be far fairer and softer lines of the face in addition to elongated ears. Conflicting emotions passed over Kye as she tried to decide whether or not to speak. Finally, fear won out in favor for survival. For the time being she chose to ignore the jab at her age.

"Who taught you the blood elf tongue?" she inquired more out of curiosity than anything else.

"My father."

"He is not of my kind," she stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

"No. He was not."

There was a sad edge to his voice and Kye decided it was best to leave well enough alone. This man was clearly broken, but still managed to give off a sense of calm confidence and she found it troublesome. The outlook was grim at best and it made her sick.

"I'm going to be executed." Her voice cracked and she chastised her lack of control. Scrubbing her hands over her face she swallowed hard and looked back at him. The stare from his blue eyes was a deep and unnerving one that cut through her.

"My name is Bran." He turned his head to the side and his eyes narrowed. "Why did you come to Stormwind?"

"It was requested of me." Kye did not know why she was laying it all out. She had hopes that instead of damning her, the truth would aid her. If released she swore to herself that she would go back to apprentice classes and never skip out on another lesson again.

"By whom?"

"Does it matter?"

"To me it does. If you cooperate I can lobby for your release under the condition that your intentions were innoxious." His hands slowly gripped the bars of her cell and she bravely covered one with her own.

"Then I am to die and you can not help me, Bran." Kye let her hand drop and she turned to face the wall. The last of her strength gave way and allowed the desperation to flow freely. Between gulps of air she heard him sigh and return to his original resting position.

After awhile the crying subsided and gave way to weariness. Hours passed and her captor was relieved of watching her by another soldier she had not seen before. They spoke in the common human language and Kye was left to circle her fate in her mind.

The scarred man from before stopped in to spit into her cell and taunt her. His behavior was halted by the guard standing watch and words were tossed in angry tones by the two. Kye wondered if he was the executioner, eager to have her head.

Small meals were placed just inside the door of her large cage and Kye picked at them over the course of the day. When the sun began slanting to the ceiling and Kye was lying on her side and attempting sleep, Bran returned. He was dressed a bit more casually than before but better groomed. The smell of wood smoke clung to him and it permeated her nose sweetly. After he propped his feet upon the small table the guards had used to take meals and play cards Kye truly drifted off.

Hours later whispers woke her and she dared to open one eye. Bran was speaking with the lithe hunter who's shadow was a Gilnean tracking canine. Their conversation was strained and the hunter was speaking quickly and in hushed tones as he repeatedly looked over his shoulder at the door.

Bran's eyes flicked to hers and he dismissed the hunter, taking his place on the floor with a knife and a wooden figure in his hand. Kye sat up and readied herself for more talk.

"My friend there believes things are not going so well for you. There are talks of forcing your cooperation." The words fell from his mouth calmly and it made Kye tremble.

"I'm a terrible hunter and a worse rogue," Kye babbled uneasily. It was time to tell her story and hopefully save whatever life she had left. Her father was going to be furious and she would lose all reputation within Silvermoon. Assuming she even made it back, that is. "My mentor gave me an out. If I could secure a device in a room of interest here then I would be set free and not held to any more lessons."

His breath whooshed from between his lips as Bran leaned back against the wall and looked into nothing. "This... this is not good. What kind of device?"

"A goblin listening device. I tossed it in a drain pipe when I fled."

"What did they plan to do with the intel they received from it?"

"I don't know. I swear, I don't know. If I did, I would tell you now." Her heart was pounding as she spilled her secrets to Bran and a knot formed in her stomach. Hope was a dangerous thing to have. It could eat a person up inside yet she clung to it nevertheless.

"I believe you." He turned his gaze on her and part of her wanted to die when she saw the sadness he held for her. "I will tell no one of this. For what it is worth, you have a shit mentor."

A snort left Kye and in the next second she was crying, leaning her forehead against the bars in relief. She wasn't out of the woods yet but she could almost see the light of freedom. Warmth caressed her hair and she looked up to see his outstretched hand.

"Don't cry. This was a game. A game among friends where they dared you to travel from one side of the city to the other. That is all." He nodded as he spoke and his eyes urged her to agree.

"Yes, yes, oh gods yes. It was just some stupid child game."

"Don't make me regret this."

"I wont. I swear it. Please." She didn't know whether to be happy or become ill at her brush with looming death. Why was this human helping her? She was the enemy, was she not? No matter, she would never come back to this gods-forsaken land ever again if she could help it.

Bran stood and dusted his clothes off. Kye jumped when his voice boomed through the room and a guard appeared within seconds, saluting Bran. After brief and sharp words that Kye could only guess were orders the guard disappeared. He turned back to Kye in the cell.

"They are sending word to have your release signed. I have to be present to testify that your actions were harmless and then I will escort you out and to neutral territory."

Kye was to her feet in seconds. "Thank you! Thank you! I don't know how I can repay you."

"You can do so by taking my words seriously about never returning." Bran's lips were pressed in a line and his jaw rigid. Kye only nodded and looked to the floor.

The hunter returned once more, sleep in his eyes and without his animal. He yawned, stretching his arms over his head before taking a seat on the lone chair. He pulled a worn hat down on his face and crossed his arms over his chest.

Bran sidled up to her cell. "Rorick is going to watch you while I go and deal with the formalities. You wouldn't believe the amount of paperwork I have to do," he joked. "Breathe easy blood elf. You have dodged a major bullet this day."

"Kye."

"Excuse me?" Bran cocked a brow at the sudden change of topic.

"My name is Kye. You told me yours. I feel it should be returned considering the circumstances." Kye bit her lower lip and watched his expression soften.

"Your name suits you Kye." He turned on his heel and strode from the room.

She slid to the floor of her cell and smiled. Someone had been watching over her today. She would make sure she lived up to her freedom once it was secured. Sparing a glance at the hunter, she took note of his limp arm dangling from the chair he now slept in. The hunter had never slept while on watch. His chest was barely moving with his shallow breaths.

A devious chuckle sounded from the doorway and Kye found the scarred man from before leaning against the frame, picking his nails with a knife. Turning back to the sleeping hunter she called out and attempted to stick her arm through the bars to try and shake him. He sat just out of reach and the brute knocked her arms so hard, she worried a bone had been fractured.

Out of his pocket came a key, the very one to her cell. He inserted it into the lock and entered, closing the door behind him. The look in his eyes was dark and his smirk only made uglier by the puckered scars on his face. As his hands untied the leather straps on his breeches, Kye's eyes widened in horror.

Something in her stilled then. Kye refused to be a helpless victim. With no weapons, she could only hope to deter him with her fists and teeth long enough for Bran to return or the hunter to wake. It was unclear to her as to if the hunter was poisoned or only drugged.

A hand shot forward and wrapped itself in her hair quicker than she could react. Kicking with her legs, the man brought her against him and down to the dirty floor of the cell. Kye screamed and spit in his face which only made her attacker more furious. His fist connected with her temple and she swore he had struck her with a stone. White spots appeared before her eyes and a wave of unconsciousness threatened to overtake her.

Fighting with her hands, Kye clawed at his face blindly and was met with laughter. He had her leather breeches down at her thighs and she could feel his greasy prick pressing against the soft flesh of her lower abdomen. Tears streamed down her face and over the throbbing knot she now sported on the left side.

A roar from the doorway stilled her attackers advances. She watched him roll his eyes and growl before jumping to his feet and whirl around to face the source of the sound.