R&R!

We traveled on until sunset, both of us quiet; dwelling in our own thoughts

We traveled on until sunset, both of us quiet; dwelling in our own thoughts. When I started to nod off, held onto the horse by the saddle, Tristen looked over at me, and pulled his horse next to mine.

'I think we should probably stop for the night. Are you okay with that?'

I just nodded and walked beside Tristen as he led us a little ways into the privacy of the woods, with the path still just in view. He dismounted Apollo and came over to help me down off his horse. He held my waist and helped to lift me down out of the saddle; but once my feet were on the ground he left his hands around me for a moment longer than was needed. He was watching my face, but let me go before I had time to do anything but look up at him. He was at least five inches taller than me, and his shoulders broad in contrast to my thin, feminine ones. The muscles that covered his arms and chest showed through his shirt, and I couldn't help but notice as he grabbed his horse and began to tie him to a tree, next to Apollo.

But shaking my head, I cleared away the thoughts that were creeping in. Yes, he was handsome, there was no denying that, but I had to think of other things. I still didn't know what I was going to do once I left his company, or even when I was going to go my separate way.

Turning away, I bent over and grabbed the sleeping rolls that Tristen had dropped onto the ground. After laying them out next to the fire that Tristen had started, I took my shoes off and set them beside my roll, and crawled between the chilly fabric. I laid my heads on my crooked arm, and just lay there staring into the fire. I heard more than saw Tristen crawl into his bed, and I was comforted, despite my better judgment, just to know that he was near. However, my ears picked up every movement that he made and any odd sounds from the woods around us. Years of preparing for people to jump me and listening in dark corridors had trained my ears to hear everything that could pose a threat. However the steady breathing of the man across from me calmed my fears, and let me know that someone was there who could protect me.

As my eyes were finally starting to droop, and my breathing slowed, Tristen's voice carried through the darkness.

'Desirae? Are you still awake?'

'Yea. I am.' I whispered back, barely audible.

'I've been thinking all day, and I want to propose another option to you. I know that you are probably very eager to get away from everything that reminds you of your old life. But you don't know much about this world. It's not anything like the sheltered one that you have been living.' When I made a sound of protest, he cut me off. 'It may not seem like it Des, but you have. The world is not what you think. You saw evidence of that this morning.'

'Anyway,' he paused, then rushed ahead. 'I was thinking that maybe you'd want to stay on with me. I mean, not as a slave, or anything like that, but maybe you could just be my travel companion. I travel a lot, and then you'd have someone to protect you. Not that you need protecting, for the most part.' I could hear the mixed thoughts that were running through his mind, and also the anxiety in his voice. He was afraid that I was going to get upset with him! I had to keep myself from laughing out loud. He sounded so nervous, and I found it amusing that he should be afraid of me. Ha. As if I could do anything to him if I tried.

The thoughts ran quickly through my head, jumbling together and confusing each other. Security. Companion. Protect. Dependant. Stay. I weighed the pros and cons quickly as Tristen lay tense on the other side of the fire waiting for my answer. If I took him up on the offer, then I was guaranteed at least a small level of security and shelter. I wouldn't have to worry quite so much about where I was going, and how I was going to eat every night, never mind where I was going to stable Apollo.

On the other hand, I wouldn't be completely free. I'd have to go where Tristen wanted to, and I knew that creatures of the night were not always trustworthy. Eventually he would lose his sense of judgment, and that could be dangerous, if not deadly, for me. I'd still be dependant on someone else for my life.

Tristen let out a breathe when I began to speak, as though he had been holding it all the while I was thinking. 'Could you guarantee me that if I wanted to go, you would let me? Not hold me against my will?'

'Yes.'

I took a sigh, and realized that I had already made up my mind. It was my best option at this point, and why not take hold of the little bit of stability that was being handed to me?

'Okay. As long as were are under the agreement that I am still free to do whatever I please, and I'm not in any way subject to you, I'll stay. But,' I paused, listening to the breathing that was again coming from the other side of the fire, 'If you do anything that in any way violates me, then I'm leaving. I won't be abused again.'

'No, I wouldn't expect you to.' He paused. 'Thank you.'

'For what?'

'Trusting me.' He rolled over to put his back to the fire and me, and I knew that was the end of our conversation. I turned my own back to him, and drifted off to sleep, thoughts and expectations about my new future running through my head.

Shoving, pushing, tugging. A little girl being pushed backwards, through a trap door in the floor. Darkness, noises from above, damp earthen walls. A woman's scream came from behind the girl as she was pushed further down the passage by the falling woman. Fear, sweat, heat. Noises from above, smashing pottery, and crashing furniture, filled the dark corridor. The girl stumbled on, feeling her way. Reaching the end of the tunnel, she struggled with the heavy wooden door. She couldn't hear her mother any more, and she didn't know if her father had gotten through the floor. Pushing, struggling, the door opening. The little girl stumbled out of the door into a small opening between trees, and she looked back to see men rushing in and out of the small cabin, torches lighting the scene. Suddenly, grabbed from behind, a hand over her small mouth; kicking, biting. A blur of terror and fear…

I woke to find that indeed, some of the feelings had not been just a dream. I had been grabbed from behind in my sleep, and a heavy hand was pressed over my mouth. I flailed, trying to free myself, but the sleeping roll prohibited the movement of my legs, and my arms were grabbed and pinned painfully behind my back.

I eyes rolled around, scanning desperately for Tristen. Where was he? I shook my head from side to side, desperate to loose the hand, and to find my companion.

A chuckle came from somewhere behind me, and in the light of the fire I could see another struggling figure, this one on his feet, being dragged around into my line of view. Tristen! He was being held by a burly man, and although the struggle he was putting up was more than any normal man could have handled, he looked like a small child trying to get away from his father. His eyes looked into mine, and I could see his confusion, then anger, as he looked over my head.

'Well, well. What a happy little reunion. All together again.'

I heard a person moving gracefully around behind me, and I turned my head to the side, following the footsteps, trying to find our captor.

I felt as though all the air had been knocked out of my stomach, and my head began to pound with fear when I saw who was walking towards the fire.

Adrian stood between me and Tristen, looking back and forth, his eyes finally resting on me. A smile lit up his face, and he looked like a child who got a puppy for his birthday.

'Did you really think you could get away from me that easily?'