"You're leaving tomorrow then?" Gilan asked as he shouldered a bag of grain and carried it to where Blaze was waiting. He laid the heavy bag over his saddle and checked to be sure it wouldn't slip off the other side and land in the dirt. Satisfied it wasn't going anywhere, the Ranger gave Blaze a reassuring pat on the neck. He had the feeling his trusty steed wasn't very excited about being used as a simple pack animal but Fell needed the help getting the supplies back to the House, and his own horse was already heavily laden.

"That's the plan," Fell said as he paid his tab for the supplies and nodded a thanks to the round little man who worked the stall. Gilan had been heading down to the House when he ran into Fell working his way through town, stopping at vendors left and right and purchasing various items. He'd bought grain, rice, several bags of flour, a large amount of coffee beans, and a small pouch filled with fine tea leaves. A large parcel Fell had picked up from a blacksmith was also tied to Timber's saddle, and Gilan wondered at what it might be.

"This isn't all for the trip to Redmont is it?" Gilan asked with a raised brow. He didn't expect Halt and Fell would need much time to handle the Cult members who'd popped up around the fief, but Fell had bought enough supplies to last weeks.

"Most of this will stay at the House. Usually Strider or I one is around to pick up anything we need to keep the Shadows fed and looked after between missions. I thought it best to stock up since both of us will be gone." They led their horses through the rest of the small town, making small talk as they went. Though it was still early in the day the number of people thinned as they neared the edge of town, the vendors becoming few and further between. They were on the very outskirts when they heard a scream from an alleyway ahead. Gilan immediately dropped Blaze's reins and shot a look at Fell, who nodded and led his own horse to the front porch of a nearby vendor where he tethered his horse before following the Ranger.

By the time Fell had caught up the screaming had died off into a tear-stricken whimpering, and as he rounded the corner of a building and followed Gilan into an alleyway he found the source of the commotion. A rather beefy looking brute of a man was standing over what looked to be a serving girl in a stained smock. Her raven dark hair was wild around her face, and there was a red mark on her cheek where the man had struck her.

"Useless wench!" The man shouted as he took another step towards her. As the woman scrambled away from the angry man Gilan stepped forward and put himself squarely between them. The man was nearly a full head taller than the lanky Ranger, but Gilan leveled his gaze at him without a hint of hesitation.

"Out of my way, this is between me and the useless serving girl. Spilling drinks all over my customers and running them off," the man said as he loomed over Gilan.

Fell had to commend Gilan for how calm he remained. If Fell had been first to arrive, he would already have drawn his knives and given the man in front of him something to think about. Gilan only stared up at the man with steely eyes and spoke with a deadly calm.

"Fell, be a gentleman and help the lady, I'll handle... this," Gilan gestured vaguely at the man in front of him.

Fell hid a smile and offered his hand to the raven-haired woman. She stared at it apprehensively, then gently placed it in Fell's. He pulled her to her feet and steered her out of the alleyway and back towards where he had tethered his horse Timber.

"W-who was that? Is he going to be okay? You have to help him, Collin will make him regret sticking up for me," the woman stammered as they walked. She tossed a fearful look over one shoulder at the alleyway where Gilan had yet to emerge.

"Gilan will be fine," Fell said. Although I can't say the same about Collin. "Is Collin your boss?" Fell asked.

The woman nodded emphatically. "I started working for him to make extra coin between shifts at the castle, but he always does this," she said. "He's happy for the better part of the week, but when it comes time to pay me he makes up some excuse not to. Last week it was that I was too slow serving the regulars, and the week before that I was flirting with the patrons too much. This week he swears I've been clumsy, but I only spilled one tankard, and it wasn't on purpose."

"He takes your wages for things like that?" Fell asked quietly.

"Every week," the woman said as she burst into tears. "I work... I work so hard, I really t-try."

People walking by were beginning to stare at the woman and Fell, no doubt noticing the bright red mark on her face. Fell nodded awkwardly at passerby and gently put an arm around the woman. He quietly hushed her and felt her lean into him as she cried. Beneath the tears, Fell could see that the woman was likely only a year or so younger than himself, and that she was beautiful. A moment later Gilan emerged from the alley alone, shaking his right hand as though it hurt. Fell guessed it was no doubt sore from colliding with Collin's face.

"Taken care of?" Fell asked.

"Absolutely," Gilan said, "He was surprisingly reasonable. He generously paid your wages for this week and the following, although I think it's wise you find a new place of work." The Ranger held out a small coin purse to the woman, who took it with a stunned look of surprise.

"T-thank you," she said. "I should be going then, I don't want to burden you anymore, not when you've already helped me so much." She stood and wavered on her feet, swaying until Gilan caught her by the elbow.

"Perhaps we could see you home," Gilan suggested.

"I suppose so, it's only back that way," she pointed to the far end of the town and wavered again. Many of the town's boarding houses were located close to the castle and a long walk away from where they now stood.

"Or you could come to the House with us to rest," Fell suggested. "It's a shorter walk, and we'll see you back to your home after a strong cup of coffee."

She nodded and swayed again, and Gilan gently placed a supporting arm around her and began to lead the way to the House. "Fell, grab Blaze will you?"

"Sure," Fell said with a roll of his eyes the Ranger couldn't see. I'll lead the horses while you escort the pretty woman. Fell untied Timber and slowly took hold of Blaze's reins before following Gilan. He'd seen what Ranger horses did when anyone but their own Ranger attempted to mount them and didn't know whether or not Blaze would let himself be led by anyone other than Gilan. Blaze simply eyed him curiously, the picture of a perfectly docile pack horse. Fell led her forward a few paces, and when she didn't rear and rip his arm out of its socket, he picked up the pace to catch up to Gilan and the serving girl.

"That's Fell, and I'm Gilan," he heard the Ranger say. "What did you say your name was?"

Gilan still had his arm around her, and she turned a shy smile to him as she spoke. "I'm Leena."

Please read and review and let me know what you think so far! The story should really start picking up after this! :)