Chapter Seven: It Is Over

Dagonet looked in horror at the wreck of a woman that lay before him. Only a few days had passed since she stood before the knights, tall and proud, and now she was a shadow of that woman.

Adara was curled up in the corner, and her head dropped even as she saw Dagonet, for she did not have the strength to keep it up. Her hair was matted and dirty, and dried blood crusted on her lips and face. Dagonet strode across to her, a bubble of anger welling up inside him.

Adara was fighting for consciousness. She knew she should be afraid, she knew she should be fighting to get out of the open door behind the grim-faced knight, but she could not find the strength in her bruised body to do so.

Something about the knight filled her with hope, and she knew not why. He was probably just coming to try and get information out of her where the Romans failed, but a faint memory of a soothing look when she had lain half-conscious on the blood-stained ground floated around in her mind, giving her faith.

Adara was vaguely aware of being lifted in strong arms, and she whimpered slightly at the pain in her chest. Her failing mind remembered a Roman foot crashing into that chest, and the sharp cracking of ribs. But that was over now, and slowly a dark mist crept in front of her eyes. Adara wondered if this was the end, and her exhausted brain no longer cared, she was simply grateful that she was not dying alone.

Dagonet lifted the Woad woman up gently, marvelling at how light she was. He heard her cry out slightly as he picked her up, but then her eyes darkened, and her head fell forwards onto his chest. He could feel her ragged breathing, and held her protectively as he carried her out of the dark cell.

The first thing Adara was aware of when she woke was the warmth. To her it had felt if she would never be warm again, when she lay on the cold stone floor of the cell, with the damp penetrating into her bones.

She struggled to open her eyes, blinking even at the dim light of a candle in the room. She could see Dagonet sitting in front of her through her blurred vision, and although his face wore its normal grim expression, there was a flicker of a smile in her eyes.

Adara struggled to sit up, but cried out softly as pain suddenly flooded through her body, and she submitted when Dagonet pushed her gently down onto the soft blankets.

"How do you feel?" he asked, looking at her worriedly.

Adara smiled weakly. "Better. Warmer."

Dagonet really smiled this time, and Adara was amazed at how much it transformed the harsh face.

"Why am I here?" Adara asked, frowning slightly as possibilities raced through her mind.

"We know who the spy was," Dagonet informed her, and saw her face drop in horror.

"I didn't speak did I?" she asked wildly. "I never said anything, I didn't betray him!" she tried to sit up again, her face flooding with dismay.

"Ssh!" Dagonet said. "No, you didn't betray anyone. He escaped."

A wild look of hope filled Adara's eyes. "Escaped?" she breathed, and Dagonet could not help but think how beautiful she looked when she was filled with passion.

"It's over," he told her. "You are safe now. It's over."

Adara sunk back onto the blankets, breathing heavily, filled with relief. "Over?" she asked, trying to comprehend the situation.

"It is over."

Well guys what do you think? Please review, any suggestions would be really great – I don't have all that much of a clue where this is going!