Adelaide twirled in her new dress and giggled with glee. It was made with a combination of furs and leather with some feathers entwined with leather fringe. The sleeves of her dress set nicely between her neck and her arms giving her plenty of motion for dancing or any other activity. Her skirt extended a little lower than mid-thigh and her brown leather boots toped at the bottom of her kneecaps. She ran feathers and flowers through her hair as an extra decoration. "Mommy, mommy, mommy!"

Avery smiled and spoke cheerfully, "Aye little one?"

Adelaide gasped and embraced Avery tenderly, "Thank ye mommy! I love it." Adelaide skipped over to the mirror and began playing with her dress.

Avery mused for a few moments. 'Twas always the simple things that made Adelaide most jovial. Perhaps 'tis due to her innocent and naïve nature but who am I to ruin such happiness? What can I do to ensure that she lives a long and joyous life? Preserve her innocence I suppose however; she cannot live like this for all the ages o' time. Men are cruel and unfeeling: predators, surely they would hurt her. She will have to be taught how to defend herself soon… very soon.

"Mama?"

"Aye?"

"How do I look?" Adelaide turned slowly displaying her outfit.

"As pretty as e'er. No fairy could e'er dream o' looking as precious as ye." Avery poked Adelaide's noise and smiled. She then reached for Adelaide's sides and began to tickle her.

"Mommy! Stop it!" She ruptured with laughter and fell into Avery's embrace.

"I love ye, mine little one." Avery held tight for a moment and caressed a lock of Adelaide's hair. "Forget that not." She paused for a moment taking in the simple joy of Adelaide's presence, "Run along now I ha' to change."

Adelaide scurried out of the room quickly and paused in the hallway. She stuck her head through the doorway and smiled. "I love ye tae mommy." She then turned around and went on her way.

Avery began rummaging through old dresses until she fell upon one she had come to truly love over the years. It was an light brown color of leather that extended to her ankles. The sleeves were like Adelaide's a strip of cloth that set in between the neck and arm resting nicely on the shoulder; however, there was a slit that extended the entire way down both sides of the dress which is laced with leather but reveals the entire side of one's body. Avery did not understand why that irked her; in the past she had little issue with wearing a dress that reviled a little amount of skin. Most females will be wearing much worse, shorter skirts and mid-drift tops. Then again Avery did hold herself to a higher esteem and never allowed herself to be degraded; but she dismissed the thought for the moment and proceeded to change.

She laced up both sides starting at mid-chest and making her way downward, pulling tightly to reveal less skin, to upper mid-thigh allowing her to possess a good range of motion. She slid on her boots and was about to make her way out the door when she remembered her hair. She went to her vanity table, found a brush and began brushing her long golden hair. She noted that her bangs where a bit longer than she desired. She snatched up her seizers and parted he bangs so they framed her face. She cut the strains and layered them accordingly closest to the part just under her eyes, and then further out, to her cheekbone then just below her noise then to her chin and lastly mid-neck. She noted that her bangs were a lighter color than her hair almost white. She ignored it and began making small intricate braids throughout her hair entwining them with some feathers. She moved her fingers quickly and was done within little time.

"Not all men are cruel and unfeeling. Not all men are predators."

Avery turned around quickly raising her dagger only to be greeted by Vindicator. "Go away, please…"

"Oh but dear lady, surely ye don't mean that. Or ha' ye forgotten me already."

For the first time Avery was deathly afraid of him. She bolted out of the room with alarming speed. She needed to get away from him she needed to be safe. The cold, numbing sensation that often came with him began to tear open flesh from the fresh scars in her heart. She opened the front door franticly and found Vexxas on the other side alert as if something was terribly wrong.

"My dear lady, Avery." An older gentleman grabbed a hold of Avery's shoulder unaware of her fear. "Ye look more loosome than the braes en spring! And aye, a green and bonny a lass I ha' e'er laid eyes on. Look tae her good lad. She's a' yers." He patted Vexxas's shoulder as he passed by and greeted others.

"Are ye alright m'lady?" His eyes were filled with a knowledgeable concern and a genuine worry.

He seemed to know but what did he know? Avery's thoughts swam through her head. He looked as if he was alarmed before I had opened the door. What does he know? "I… I am all right. Just a bit startled." Avery assembled her composure quickly. She decided it was safest if she quickly changed the subject, "Let's go. Tonight has not even yet begun."

Meat, ale, fire, and festivities were everywhere. The town was enveloped with the sounds of music and laughter. The smell of cooking meat marinated in honey mead filled the air, as did the merriments of all around. Avery and Vexxas sat around a large fire and were served bull steaks, speared and fire cooked vegetables, and honey mead.

The atmosphere was memorizing never before had Vexxas felt such enjoyment and pleasure just by sitting amongst these people. He had heard tales of ravenous barbarians who were merciless and would come in the night to kidnap misbehaving children. Their reputation was very inaccurate. They were lively and happy enveloped in a culture of their own that few could ever come to fully understand. The dances were intricate the people friendly and the music lively.

"Attention all o' ye!" A man stood tall in the midst of the crowd. "Tonight is the night of Adonnonie. We ha' come to remember the auld and ancient ones. Those wha shed their blood to ensure our freedom. My Lady Avery. Wouldst ye be willing to grace us with yer voice and sing of Ellennie?"

She smiled and rose gracefully. The moonlight and fire reflected off of her golden locks as she began to sing the tail of Ellennie so smoothly that Vexxas was almost entranced by her graceful voice. He noted not the words she was singing only that they rolled off of her lips with noble passion. He had not noticed that she had stopped until she smiled at him by this time he realized his mouth was gaping so he quickly drew it shut. She laughed and her voice caressed his ears. How he longed to be with her to hold her in his arms again tenderly as he did earlier that day.

An older lady sat beside Avery and began to stir up a conversation, "Oh that young lad o' yers ha' taken quite a liken to ye sae he has."

"And how would ye ken that?"

"I may be auld but I am not blind. A boy wha blinks o'ten while starin' at a young maiden finds her lovely and loosome. And he ha' had been blinkin'."

"Mem…?"

"Aye?"

"Ye truly think sae?"

"Me ken sae. He couldn't ha' made it any more clear that he found ye bonny than if he ha' painted a banner and flew it across the land." Avery smiled and peered over her shoulder to see him gazing at her intently as if studding every movement she made. "Let me tell ye somethin', Avery. I remember whan ye were with Vindicator. Aye, everyone ken that ye cared for him but did ye actually love him?" Avery tried to protest, "Before ye answer consider what is love? In a' my years though not as many as yers but I aged faster I have found that love is one thing. 'Tis sacrifice. Remember love is boundless. It effaces a' notion of time, memory o' a beginning, fear of an end and a promise o' joy for ones existence. I'll say nothin' more. Enjoy yerself sweetheart."

Avery smiled and considered the entirety of what old lady had to say. She was right wasn't she? Avery's thoughts confused her. Am I paying loyalty to a dead man? What do I actually feel" What do I want to feel. Safe. She looked around for Vexxas. Though she barely knew him she felt safe when she was with him. He was comforting and had put her aching heart at ease. She wandered though the crowds of people eating, laughing, drinking, and dancing and saw Nikki sitting atop of a brae.

"A word my lady?" Nikki's thoughts pushed into her mind. She complied for she had lost hope of finding Vexxas as her heart began to tear and her chest became heavy with grief.

Avery sat beside Nikki and stroked his long hair. "What did ye call me for?"

"My apologies my lady. My behavior earlier today was strictly out of line. I saw for only a brief moment a part o' you I believed to be long gone. Ye were happy, my lady, and you enjoyed his presence even though ye, yerself had not come to notice."

Nikki's apology confused Avery. "Then why let me not enjoy the moment?"

"Ye would ha' ne'er known that ye could ha' cared for someone again. On normal occasion ye would ha' been tryen to hide a smile and laugh along wi' me after words. My Lady, look at me." Avery gazed up into Nikki's dark brown eyes, "Vindicator will ne'er come back no matter how many times ye see him. Ye owe him no loyalty. Perhaps 'tis time you let him go. I know o' a particular young gentleman who is trustworthy, charming, and right before your eyes." Nikki rose and walked away leaving Avery to her own thoughts.

She heard laughter and saw Vexxas standing not far off from her. She felt a deep longing for him to be near, and despised each moment that she would have to be content with him being out of reach. Something about him made her happy not how it was with Vindicator when he was still alive but something different and far more special.