A/N: Thank you all for your reviews, it means so much to me.

This chapter is going to be a sort of interlude, before the real fun begins.

Lucy walked alone through the fort later that night. The tavern had been closed and the chaos of the evening had died down to nothing more than the embers that still burnt in the hearths.

Lucy found Arrow later that night in the barn. The tavern had been closed and the chaos of the evening had died down to nothing more than the embers that still burnt in the hearths, she had come to check up on Hera, where she had not only been greeted by the soft wickers and scent of warm hay. But also, by a pup sitting near Hera's stall. His gaze fixed on something on the haystacks. Lucy made her way slowly over to the dog, to save whatever poor creature he had fixed his gaze on. Who would no doubt become a possible midnight snack for the pup, when she realized that he was not alone. She could hear a smooth male baritone voice speaking in a melodic but foreign language. Although she could not understand what was being said, she found herself entranced none the less. She slowly moved closer to the sound and was surprised to find it was Dagonet who was talking to Arrow.

She felt herself being carried further away by the smooth voice and jumped a little when he spoke to her bringing her back to the here and now.

"I came to heck on the horses and found him curled up by his mare's stall."

She nodded in thanks "Yes he is disorientated in this new place. Nothing is as he knows it. So, when he could not find me, he found Hera. It was the only other living being that he finds familiar." Then after a small after thought she added "What were you saying to him."

"I was talking to him about his mistress." He said with a small twinkle in his eye.

"It sounded so beautiful." She whispered and for a moment the twinkle brightened, before just as quickly was gone, replaced by a somber shadow.

"Why?"

"Well it just sounded so calm and melodical." She continued, clearly misunderstanding what he meant.

"No, why do you insist on journeying with us? You are young and have your whole life to live. Yet you choose death."

"You don't know it will be all that bad." Lucy said bleakly, she was beginning to see the truth of their world. They were warriors, killers, defenders of the Empire. Though not by choice. Their innocence had been taken and replaced by this.

"Are you really willing to take that chance to find out?" he asked as he smoothly stood up and moved to stand before her, cupping her cheek with a calloused hand in a bold move.

Lucy found herself frozen, unable to move, held in place by his captivating gentle eyes.

"Have you ever seen battle?" She knew that he did not mean the day that he found her in the river, and so shook her head, a cue which he took to continue. "No, I did not think so. You are so young and innocent. So, I will tell you." At that he dropped his hand from her cheek and moved away from her, over to where he had his saddle and weapons, already prepared for tomorrow.

"Riding into the north as we will tomorrow, means riding across landscapes and through forests. Always wondering, always watched." He began his tale as he absent mindedly ran his fingers over the engraved handle of his battle axe. "You know that they are watching." He continued, "And you feel yourself tense, so much that you wonder if your own muscles will break your very bones. Then when you least expect it you see it."

"See what?" she asked, already knowing what he would say but too captivated not to ask.

"You see the formation of the attack as it comes charging at you. You see it coming like a slow-moving wave, and yet you are powerless to stop it before it covers you in a blanket of violence and chaos." Turning back to her he asked again, "so I ask you Lucy, when the fear takes you, and the blood, and the screams, and the horror of battle take hold. You know of what I speak, you have seen it before. Do you think that you will be able to stand and fight?" By now she had tears in her eyes as she shook her head. "No, you would run and you would be right to do so."

"Why?" Her voice trembled and cracked. There had been warning and foreboding. But there was also something else…concern? No that was not quiet right. It was not concern for himself. He knew that his fate was sealed. Rather it was concern for her. For the potential loss of life that had just begun.

"Because I don't want any harm to befall you."

She smiled touched by his words. "I know, I am scared, and I know it will be dangerous. But I also know that I have to ride north with you tomorrow." She said meeting his gaze straight on. "Please don't ask me why I must come, but I can feel it in my bones that I must, that in the north I will find the answers that I seek."

This was something that he seemed to understand. And perhaps deep down, he also knew it himself. Either way, he would not stand in her way. He had tried to warn her, and that was all that he could do. Yet he knew that whatever happened he would be by her side. Come life or death he would protect her. So with a sigh he nodded.

"I know. I just ask that when we ride tomorrow, that you stay close by my side. I will feel better knowing that you are close to us."

"Thank you Dagonet. I promise I will try to stay close." At this he merely nodded.

"Then go and get some rest, you will need it for tomorrow. I will see to Hera. I anyway also have to attend to Balor."

"I can help you. You need to rest too." But at this he merely shook his head.

"I am used to it, you are not." Lucy could follow that logic and knew that she had won a battle this night, with getting him to agree to let her ride tomorrow. It would not do to squander that win by then falling off of her horse during exhaustion. Anyway, she also needed to find arrangements for the young pup.

So, with a reluctant nod she bade him good night and left to find her quarters and prepare for the adventures that would wait for her tomorrow.