It was nary noon yet and already the day saw many men pass through her tent. The air thick with the stench of horse, blood, and sweat, among other things. Wiping her own from her brow she gathered the necessary remedies to help the next unfortunate soul she laid eyes on, her last charge barely managing to keep his arm. The jousts would always see a need for her skills and Vivian was more than eager to prove herself a woman of worth and respect in this unforgiving world of men.

Strips of cloth and a basin of warm water was all that was currently needed and the arduous task of removing the armor was set upon. Piece by heavy piece, it came off slowly revealing the man underneath, bruised and unconscious. The last was the helmet, black and worn from the many battles it had most likely seen, carefully removed. It's form was unchanged, no signs of damage save the touch of time marred it. Glancing at the man on the table, he too showed no real signs of any outward injury. A mess of curly black hair slick with sweat clung to his face, full brows and lips. At least he was handsome to look at. Dutifully each inch was accessed, head to toe, until running a hand over his shoulder elicited a groan.

"And so we have found the culprit" she whispered peeling back the shirt, revealing bruised and welted skin. A lance to the shoulder had the potential to leave a man maimed, though the wound was great, it was nothing that wouldn't heal with time and a bit of care. The shame of being unhorsed though was a lasting torment.

Weaving his large hand within hers she rotated the arm, extending and rolling to verify he still had full range of motion. The only injury it seems would be a big ugly bruise and wounded pride, both would heal. Gently cleaning the abrasion, she begin to wrap the arm when he began to come to.

"Stay still!" Firmly pressing a hand to his chest to prevent his rise. Green eyes burned into her own full of silent anger and rage. "You'll do more lasting damage with these sudden movements then a lance ever could"

"Take heed of how you speak to those above your station and remove your hand from me silly girl, I have no time for these games." He made another motion to come off the table only to meet her force once again pushing him back down. The concern was replaced with the look of a woman quickly losing patience. Kneeling to eye level with him, her voice had now one of quiet restraint.

"Maybe you should take your own advice and take heed of how you speak to those who are helping you and listen to them if you want to keep the full use of your arm...your grace. I don't perceive to lecture you on jousting, don't come into my territory thinking you have any knowledge of the human body beyond how best to destroy it" Once again moving to bandage the arm she could feel his gaze boring into her, the incredulous look, Vivian doubted he had ever been put in his place before and by a woman no less, moving the loose tendrils of her brunette braid back from her view she continued the arduous task.

"You are either a very brave or very stupid girl to speak to me that way" a slight hint of amusement lingered.

"Take your pick your grace, just do it silently if it's at all possible for you to do so" a grin pricked the corner of his mouth, making sure to tighten that last loop of bandage she leaned towards his face, tucking the end around his neck to anchor the knot. Taking the opportunity to lean into her, deeply inhaling the scent of her hair.

"What's your name girl"

"Vivian your grace"

"Well…..do you even endeavor to learn the name of the man sitting before you?"

"I don't need to know your name Your Grace, you're just one of many I'll fix and send away, and given your most disagreeable manner, it won't be a moment too soon."

Pain radiated from her arm as his free hand suddenly snaked around it, gripping tightly enough to begin cutting the circulation to the rest. The grin that had only moments appeared had faded into a most devious scowl, green eyes met green in a battle for dominance.

"Vivian know I could have you taken to the square and whipped for your impudence"

"Let go, you're hurting me!" Exclaiming through gritted teeth, she tried prying the fingers from her tender flesh. The grip only tightened, leaning up from the table to bring her face to face with the devil himself.

"or would you rather I put you over my knees right here?" Strong legs wrapped around hers, pulling her body forward and trapping her against him. The grip on her arm subsided only to the feeling of her dress bring lifted and the warmth of a hand moving up the back of her thigh.

"Let..me..go" struggling against him seemed only to further encourage his assault.

"any woman of notice would move heaven and earth to be where you are right now, you should be grateful a man like me would even presume to sink so low..." boasting as he moved a wayward strand of hair from her sweat stained face "...as a filthy peasant girl." Leaning close he mockingly sniffed the air between them as to drive his hateful sentiments home.

"How sad is it Your Grace that you have to force yourself on common women, is there no other women of note that you could harass for affection?" She begrudgingly blurted out "or is it only us lowly women who even give you the time of day"

He raised his hand and before she even knew what happened she could taste the metallic tang of blood from where he had backhanded her in the mouth.

Loosening held breath she touched a hand to her mouth, drawing back blood covered fingers, a split lip from the large signet ring on his hand.

"Consider it a lesson hard learned, you may earn some semblance of respect for your profession but you are still just a woman and before me you will know your place as such"

"My place?" She began to laugh, as if a strange force had seized her body. "I know my place you motherless dog, maybe the defeat from today has made you forget yours!"

Breaking free of his legs she took him by the ankles and with all the strength her body could muster, flipped him backwards off the table, his infirmity making it easier than she previously anticipated. He reached out to grab anything to prevent his fall, the sleeve of her garment the casualty.

"The flat of your back, you're familiar with this aren't you Your Grace?"

"Whore i'll have you in the stocks for this" he said trying to pick himself off the ground, the mud and injured arm only served to hinder his bearings.

"I'll be long gone before then, enjoy the view from the muck and shit you bastard. If there is any lesson to be had today it would be better learned yourself. You mistook a kind nature for weak, if we ever meet again, you will learn I am neither."


'What the hell was that' she questioned herself running to her horse. She had no time to gather her payment from the merchant, her previous actions all but sealed her fate of ever working here again, yet another exodus. 'I have to learn to control my temper better, but he was being such an ass, and now once again I'm having to run.'

Weaving through people a voice called out. Looking to it's owner she spotted a thin set man waving, approaching her. A herald.

"Is my master fully mended m'lady?"

"Y-your master?" The cluelessness must have been evident. His brows furrowed at her studder. 'get a grip on yourself Vivian we're wasting crucial time'

"Count Adhemar of Anjou, he was taken to your tent not long ago"

"Pardon good sir I was momentarily confused, your master is very well and on the mend. He's resting at the moment and would do well without any interruptions"

"Very well m'lady" reaching in his robes he withdrew a small pouch, reaching out in offering, the dampened clinking of coins could be heard. "please take this for your troubles, I know my master can be troublesome in his ire."

Taking the coin without hesitation, a small part of her felt guilt at deceiving the poor man, no doubt he will be the recipient of the Counts wrath at the lost purse, but this could be well enough for a full belly for the next few nights if properly rationed. At what cost though?

"What is your name Herald?"

"Germaine m'lady"

"Well Germaine as much as I would greatly appreciate this" waving the bag, a quick toss saw it back to its master" I can't take it, it wouldn't be right or proper of me after what transpired."

"GERMAINE!"

Looking back towards the tent she witnessed Count Adhemar crawling on hand and knees, covered in filth and glaring directly at her. That gaze again, this time wielded deadly intent, all for her. There was no time left, she had greatly underestimated his recovery, then again the sheer fury that he was exuding was enough to work through the pain if it meant gaining the upper hand against her again. Germaine quickly looked back to her, mouth agape, mumbling, struggling for words.

"You seem a far greater man than that beast ever could be, good luck Germaine, forgive me for involving you in this" with the last word she bunched up the hems of her dress and took off towards the stables.

"GERMAINE!"

There was no looking back this time. A fool could see how it played out, Germaine would run to help his master, the Count would rally a posse to find her, and into the stocks she would go, or even worse made to face the lash. No doubt the Count at the helm, his taste for degradation would be quickly be sated. She had to reach Icarus in time.

--

One thing became very clear to Count Adhemar the moment he hit the ground. He would find her and he would exact every single punishment his mind could conceive to reward her for her disobedience. He would relish hearing her screams, to watch the look of pain etch across her face. He wouldn't kill her, as deranged some thought he was, he made it a rule he would never take the life of a woman or child. Not to say that she wouldn't be begging him for the end afterwards.

Humiliation at being bested by a woman was a wound without healing. If he'd only been at his full strength, that bastard Thatcher. This was all his doing. First the joust, then Jocelyn, now this. Adhemar didn't think that his pride could handle any more unfavorable news today. What was even worse about the matter was his Herald having to tend to him in that state, his shame laid out for all to see.

The rustle of the tent flaps signaled Germaine was back from town.

"What have you learned?" Adhemar asked never looking up from the papers he studied. Patiently waiting for Germaine to speak of what information he managed to pry out of the townspeople, coin never had trouble loosening lips to find what he needed to know.

"The girl Vivian, no other identifying name, proficient in medicine, arrived in town only 3 months back. Very skilled, even better than the old town practitioners, though they say differently."

"Well they would, wouldn't they. Any knowledge of where she may be heading, any family or acquaintances to speak of?"

"None my lord, she was at best a vagrant plying her skills wherever she could, no one close to her and the only such lead was being seen heading west, but that's a enormous field to scout."

Germaine continued to prattle as Adhemar thoughts drifted back to the girl. Vivian. The forcefulness of her hand holding him down, the small hitch in her breath as he trailed a hand up her thigh. Who knows how far it would have went had she been a willing participant, she was pretty enough to bed, pale green eyes, fair skin, brown hair cascading down the back in a large plait. Wondering how it would look unbraided, covering her bare body. He groaned at the thought, a sudden heat warming his lower stomach. A quick conquest to be had, nothing more, nothing less as it was with them all. With his recent defeat at the hands of Thatcher he desperately needed a victory.

She would pay for her trespasses against him, be it her blood or body, but not by force. Before this was over she would be on her knees before him begging for even a scrap of his attention. As all those of her kind should be.

"Germaine" interrupting the herald "make ready the horses, gather 4 of our most trusted men and prepare to depart within the next hour."

"Yes m'lord" the herald turned to leave but paused in his tracks "what of Sir Thatcher?"

"Sir Thatcher" he huffed mockingly. "That business is far from over, but we have more pressing matters at hand, make haste Germaine lest the quarry advance too far ahead" waving the papers in his grip. Germaine moved to leave once again at his dismissal.

"What did she say to you Germaine, before she escaped?"

A brief sense of apprehension washed over the Herald.

'You seem a far greater man than that beast ever could be, good luck Germaine, forgive me for involving you in this'

"She referred to you as a beast m'lord, and she was sorry to have involved me" quietly he took his leave and disappeared from the tent, abandoning the Count to his thoughts.

"a beast am I?" He whispered eliciting a quiet chuckle, dropping the parchment to the table, he took a seat, crossing a leg over his lap all the while pulling a tattered cloth from his pocket. The sleeve he managed to rip from her shoulder during the fall, bringing it to his nose inhaling the scent.

Mint. The smell sending a cool burn down his throat.

"Then a beast I shall be"