Ok, this is where it gets really quite nasty. But I think it might be ok, so review. Please? And I don't think I put this for the other chapters but all characters and everything else belong to Sherryl Jordan, except the two nameless guy who are mine (aren't they just your favourite characters??? :) ) So thanks for all the reviews, bla bla bla, etc etc.
Also, thoughts are in ' ' and hand speech is in italics. And just a quick note-I know that they're not actually speaking, but I did put some things like she whispered etc. So I do know about that, but it seemed to work.
All right, I'll shut up and let you read.

Marnie scrabbled desperately with her nails at the thick rope that bound her wrists. They had been going for at least an hour now, nearly two, and she was cramped and cold. Just as she thought she could stand it no longer on the miserable cart, it came to a jolting stop and she felt herself being lifted again. A tide of anger rose up inside her, and she lashed out with her feet. All this achieved only another harsh blow to her head, but at least she had the satisfaction of hearing a pained groan and muttered curses from her victim.

Presently she was dumped on the cold snow with her hands still tied behind her. The sack was pulled from her head, and she gulped at the frozen air whilst blinking against the painfully bright light. The stifling sack had frightened her more than she's realised. It was a few moments before she came to her senses and was able to study her surroundings.

She was in a wood of evergreen trees, the ground covered in snow that melted under her body and seeped through the back of her dress. Before her stood three men, one still clutching his stomach where, presumably, he had been kicked. Marnie did not know this man, or the one beside him, but the other…

The other was Pierce Isherwood.

His face was carefully expressionless, and his eyes were cold and blank. With apparently no feelings or emotions at all he looked at her, lying on the cold ground, and allowed his lips to curve. His eyes, though, his eyes stayed blank and showed no sign of humour. He motioned at his two men to go back to the cart, which they did in silence without even glancing at her pleading face.

"Well, Marnie," Pierce said conversationally, "we meet again. I must admit, it was more difficult to find you than I'd expected."

"Pierce-"

"Shut up," was Marnie's reply, and an expensive boot was driven painfully into her side.

"You shouldn't have done it, you know," continued Pierce casually, gazing at her with his dark eyes. "Burned down the cottage. It was mine! Mine!" He slammed his foot into her again, this time in her stomach. She curled up, retching and sobbing, trying to breathe through the haze of pain and wretchedness that surrounded her.

Suddenly calm again, Pierce watched her. "I thought they were ignorant, those villagers in Torcurra. But their ignorance was useful, a convenient way of me getting what I wanted. But they were right all along." Pierce bent close to her ear and whispered conspiratorially, "You are a witch."

Marnie went wild with anger and despair. "How dare you?! You ought to be locked up, you, you bastard! Get away from me!" She spat at him, writhing, pulling against her bonds, shivering with fury.

Calmly, he drew a knife and pressed the blade against her cheek. The cold metal stilled her, but her eyes blazed up at him, accusing him silently.

"Be very careful, widow," he said softly, dangerously, "else someone might just hurt you." Quickly he changed his grip on the handle and sliced deeply down her face, from her right eyebrow to her jaw. It was a deep cut, and blood rushed from it, tasting metallic in her mouth, but Marnie uttered not a sound. She stared up at him, hating him, loathing his entire being, knowing she was helpless.

And then he stood and looked at the slowly sinking sun. He looked at Marnie's body, at the blood sliding like crimson tears into the snow, and a look of malice crossed his face. Marnie saw it, saw his eyes roving over her slight frame, and knew what he would do. Real tears of fear mingled gently with the crimson ones. He slid his knife down her dress, material ripping, tearing like her heart. It was like those nights with Isaac again, only worse, because she'd known something different with Raven. She thought of Raven as Pierce crushed her, and screamed with grief and despair and loss.

Pierce stood, looking at the shivering woman in the trampled snow, and smiled.

"You'll die here, Marnie," he told her. "You'll die, because of the cold. And you'll be alone." He stooped, and cut the rope from her wrists. "I'll give you back your hands, though, seeing as you were so kind as to…satisfy me." He stood, and then turned away from her, walked away without a care in the world.

Marnie lay and sobbed. She cried for her mother, who she hadn't seen since that night that they had fought about Raven, she cried for her brothers and sisters, especially Nathy and Sheilah, for her beloved father, who loved her but no longer had any words to tell her so, and for Father Brannan, and Raven. Thinking of him made her hurt more, made her cold and sweaty, and her heart ached. They belonged together, he could not survive without her, nor she without him. Yet she was dying; she felt it, felt life draining from her body, and she cursed God and his unjust world.

Later, still lying in the snow, she felt a warmth trickle into her soul, but it was not the familiar, earthly warmth of life. She watched the stars as they appeared. It was a clear, beautiful night. 'I wish Raven were here to see it,' Marnie thought. 'I wish I could dance with him again.'

But she couldn't, and as she found her age-old faith inside her and prayed in the dark, blood still fell thickly down from her face, staining the pure snow.

Raven stopped running where the tracks turned off the road. Out of breath, he studied the tracks, and then followed them. It had been long since Pierce and his men had left, but no more snow had fallen and their footprints still faintly remained.

Raven saw a dark shape on the ground. Wailing uncontrollably, he ran to it, stumbling as he saw the snow stained red by her face. Then Marnie stirred a little, and tears of love and relief fell unnoticed down Raven's face. He knelt by her, taking her head gently in his hands and kissing her cold, blue lips. Marnie's eyes flickered open, and she smiled, seeing him.

I knew you'd come, she signed.

I knew you'd know, he teased her gently, but his expression was grave and he knew she was fatally cold.

Come, he said, and tugged her hands. She gasped with pain and Raven saw that her wrists were rubbed raw and shiny. Tears coursed down his face again, and he asked, What did they do to you?

It doesn't matter, she said, None of it matters now. A rattling cough shook her whole body, and Raven watched helplessly as she struggled to breathe.

You matter, he said. Get up. I'll help you.

Marnie smiled ruefully. I can't, Raven. I just can't.

He looked at her, pleading silently with her, but her gaze was firm and unrelenting.

Remember dancing at the stones? she asked him. Remember that night when we danced in the moonlight?

He smiled through his tears. Yes. We were moon-good beautiful. Marnie, get up and we can dance again. We can do anything.

She shook her head. I'm dying, Raven.

No. His hand movement was final, deliberate. No, he said more softly. No, don't say that. Don't die. Don't leave me here alone. The look in his eyes was heart-wrenching, and Marnie wept quietly.

I'm sorry, Raven. I have to. I can't stay here.

But I love you, he said desperately. I love you.

I know, she said, and they wept together by starlight, wept for their losses and for their love.

Are you afraid? Raven asked. His hands were shaking.

I'm soft-afraid, she told him. I don't want to leave you here.

I'll come with you, he promised her, taking her hands in his.

You can't. Tears shimmered on Marnie's face.

Why?

It's not your time yet. You have to live, grow old…

Not without you, he said fiercely.

I'm sorry, Raven, she wept, grief-stricken, lost.

Do you hurt? he asked her after a while.

Not when you're with me, she answered.

Then I will stay with you forever, he said, but you have to stay with me too.

I wish I could, she said, meaning it.

I can't live when you're not here, Raven signed softly. You take good care of me.

I will take care of you still. Watch the sun rise each day, Raven, and I will be there watching with you. Swear to me, she whispered, swear you'll never give up.

He sobbed, anguish on his usually serene face, and told her, I swear.

Marnie felt weak, her soul forsaking her body, and said I love you. Her eyes closed, and she was gone. But Raven sat and held her body for the rest of the long night, and cried for the cruel loneliness that had found him once more.