The Way It Should Be

by Yogo

John is a little less than impressed when he is forced into an offworld fishing trip with Rodney, Ronan and Carson...only to find this trip leads them to becoming hostages of a village full of warrior women on the brink of war...complete, please R and R!

8. The Man in Red

Chapter 8 –

The Man in Red.

'Well, I think you made the right choice.' He smiled, rubbing his hands and rolling his shoulders. They ached so much, he almost felt sorry about leaving his friend behind. Almost. But the idea of a hot meal and a gallon of water was too tempting at this moment in time to even dwell on a moment's guilt.

Teyla rolled her eyes and walked swiftly out of the village, hating herself every step of the way.

'I am more valuable in a fix, not to mention the fact that I'm valuable everywhere and a really nice guy, plus I'm one of your team mates so-'

'Rodney!' Teyla snapped, rounding on him. 'I will return for Carson later. There was a reason that I chose you and it is nothing to do with favouritism.' She explained tersely, marching down the path and leaving McKay to gape for a moment.

'Aha! But!' He jogged after her. 'It is something to do with the fact that my scientific knowledge is invaluable, yes?' He chirped.

'It is true that the reason concerns your knowledge, Rodney, but it is also true that I believe Carson has stronger arms than you.' Teyla admitted.

Rodney glared at her. 'Carson does not have stronger arms than me! I work out – with weights – oh yes – Sheppard has in fact been training me to…lift heavy items with my manly arms, and let me tell you that I can bench press an impressive amount-' He boasted.

'How much?' Teyla asked. McKay paused.

'How much what?' He frowned, looking at her with a suspicious eye.

'How much weight can you lift?' She pushed, an evil smile on her face.

McKay shrugged. 'A lot.'

Teyla nodded and picked up the pace, a look of utter disbelief on her face.

'Okay, so not as much as Sheppard or Ronan – or Radik – but I'm working on it! And Carson doesn't even push weights!' Rodney complained.

'Rodney.' Teyla breathed, pausing. 'I am most agitated at the moment and require for you to be silent so that I may work out a way to save Carson.' She raised an eyebrow at him and he nodded reluctantly. 'Now there is a plan of sorts in place, and it requires your help.'

Rodney nodded with a smile, pointing at himself. 'Invaluable.'

Teyla glared.

John crept. He was good at that, plus the hefty uniform let him get away with literally just walking through the village with as much swagger as he liked. Which is exactly what he was doing.

He had followed a large group of the uniformed men inside the stone complex and into a courtyard. They gathered at a pedestal in the centre where Gredak stood, laughing with two of his men standing in front of the crowd. John hated that guy. He didn't know him; he just knew that he hated him, which in his books was good enough. His gut was rarely ever wrong, and right now it was bellowing at him to shoot Gredak, empty a clip and reload. Of course, his stomach could also be complaining of starvation, he had only managed to grab a poxy apple on his way back to the planet with Boe.

He joined them, all of them laughing and joking. One tall man with a deep booming voice slapped Sheppard on the back and made him stumble.

'Lucky men, those! I can't remember the last time I was chosen for the Kredan! Maybe today will be my day once more!' He chuckled.

John nodded, smiling. 'Right.' He looked to the front, figuring out that this was some sort of selection process for the Kredan. The men who would get lucky. 'Just two?'

'Two down and two to go. There are four women due this year.' He smiled, nudging him in the ribs. 'Maybe you'll get chosen, eh? You're a young one; they prefer those that are young.' He stood tall slapping his hands on his breastplate. 'Personally I thought they would have been more open to a man with experience than a younger face, but then it is known that women are a mystery.'

John laughed slightly. 'You're not wrong.' The man gave a large appreciative laugh.

'Shame about Coran though, mh? He had been chosen for his performance in Golan's force, a fine hunter, and a poor choice he made. Now he must sit in a cell waiting for morning and his position as chosen one is passed to the next best warrior.' The man craned his neck to get a look at the large crowd. 'There are many here today from different sects. It seems the Sergeants have brought their teams together to make sure they get their chance!' He smiled widely. 'I see Golan's men, Kitaka's, even Mezdin's! Interesting.' He nudged John in the ribs again and pointed to a man a little further on who wore a beautifully crafted helmet which covered his cheeks and nose, but left his eyes for all to see. His uniform was a deep red with some sort of thin sheet of armour. He was not cheering with the rest of them. John noticed that there were others like him, but they were few. 'Furion sect.' He whispered, grinning. 'Fierce warriors – and rarely home for more than three days in a year! I'll bet you haven't seen many of them, boy!' He bellowed.

'No. I haven't.' John watched the man in red. A plan forming.

And as if a higher power had heard his thoughts, the man gave the crowd a disgusted look and walked away. John cheered with the tall man for only a second longer before slipping away and following him.

Gredak held up his hands and the crowd fell silent almost immediately.

'Brothers! The Kredan approaches!'

The crowd cheered. Gredak smiled and nodded for them to shush.

'Here we have two of the finest warriors to fight in our army, Herris of Faldon and Gregan of Demenya.' The men nodded to the crowd as they whooped their respect. 'But only two for the four women awaiting. My brothers, I call for a choosing ceremony-'

The crowd erupted again. Gredak smiled widely.

'I have need for only two, and the ceremony is as it has always been! Each man who volunteers will fight for the right to partake in the Kredan.' He shouted, gearing them up for a fight. 'And as you know, as every year we do this, the fighting is fierce and terrible. Every man here knows why.' He smiled slyly. 'For those who will fight, step to the right of the courtyard, and those who wish to watch their brothers beaten, step to the left.' The men cheered, the majority flocking to the left, a mere seven striding to the right. Gredak smiled, stepping down from the pedestal and approaching the left of the courtyard.

'Good.' He smiled, walking down the line and stopping at the end, frowning. 'You! Name and sect.'

The man smiled. 'Bond…John Bond.' He paused. 'Furion sect.'

Well, he wanted to be noticed, and the looks he was getting now – he felt noticed. The Furion's armour was far more comfortable than the standard army gear, and the man hadn't put up that much of a fight. John had no idea where the Kredan took place and what the usual procedure was. Playing this game was his best bet of getting to Boe. He just hoped his fighting skills were up to the challenge.

Gredak nodded with a smile. 'I did not know that the Furion sect was interested in the Kredan, they always seem so – celibate.'

John thought quickly. 'Well, my interest was piqued. I'm not afraid of anything my men encounter, and yet I haven't met with a woman. I treat it as a new venture.' He smiled.

Gredak nodded approvingly. 'I have heard of the Furion fighting skill, and seen it in battle. I look forward to your chance.' He nodded and John bowed his head respectfully, suddenly believing this to be a bad idea. 'Follow! And let the blood run for a woman's touch…'

The men cheered, following Gredak, the two chosen and the seven volunteers to the compound in front of the building. The crowds lined the walls and the volunteers stood to one side. From what John could see, it was a training arena. The ground was sand with a large white box in the centre. One of the walls was lined with numerous weapons, many he didn't have a name for. Gredak raised his hands for silence and the men stopped their chatting.

'Today, you will face a worthy opponent.' He said to the volunteers, his hand going to the door on the far side as a man was brought out and thrust to his knees. 'Dex.' Ronan glared up at them with malice while John stared.

'I can't bloody believe it!' Carson wailed. 'She chose that whiny, pathetic, fraidy-cat…donkey! Over me!'

Adina nodded. 'Yes. I was also surprised that she made the choice. And so quickly.'

'Well, thank you your highness for making me feel better, I'm sure that comments like that will succeed in making me even louder with anger, confusion and bloody astonishment!' He snapped. 'I mean, bugger it! I'm stumped! How could she leave me here?' He paused, scowling. 'And choose Rodney?'

Adina grinned at him. The man was most amusing, even with a pole strapped to his arms.

'I mean, I'm a Doctor! A good person and bloody better friend that Rodney ever was! He'd sell out his own mother for a bloody iced cupcake that little pastry snuffling bastard! The amounts of times I've nabbed the last cinnamon bun and had Rodney sneak it from my plate when I wasn't looking…' He muttered.

Adina had no idea what he was saying but she laughed. He glared reproachfully at her.

'This isn't funny, missy! I'm sore and I'm starving, and apparently, I'm staying for a little longer – and I have absolutely no problem treading on your hospitality. And that's all it's going to be! I'm not staying for more than a day! Knowing Teyla, she's got the cavalry geared up and ready to break me out!' He insisted.

Adina admired his hope and courage, and admitted to herself that it was a shame their people could never be friends. But that was the way it had to be. She leant forward.

'You are a good Shaman?' She asked.

Carson blinked. 'Excuse me?'

'You heal efficiently?'

'Well I wouldn't have gotten the job if I were mediocre, love.' He snarled.

She nodded to her guard. The woman walked over to him and Carson winced, expecting a clonk on the head, instead his arms fell to his side and the pole fell to the ground. Carson shouted in pain at the sudden release, the blood rushing through his arms.

Adina stood and walked to the back of her throne, producing a blue bag. Carson knew it was his.

'This is yours. We can make no sense of it.' She plonked it in front of him.

'They're my medical supplies.' He breathed, just thinking that he could use with a strong painkiller.

'Your services are needed, Beckett.' She walked to her private quarters. 'She will need you in half an hour. They should be done by then.' She left the room.

Carson looked up, frowning. 'Who should be done with what?' He stood, rolling his arms and dragging his bag to the throne. He plonked himself down on it and the guards gaped. He gave them an irritated look.

'It's not like she's using it at the moment.'

Rodney closed his eyes, breathing through the impatience.

'If we could just reprogram the system Rodney, it might work but not if we-' Radik began.

'Thank you, Zalenka, but reprogramming the whole system would take too long, and from what I can see, we don't have an eternity to make this work. Of course, I could be wrong, I mean how am I supposed to read my watch or program anything with an empty stomach and sleep depravation making me see double and feel dizzy?' He snapped.

Radik sighed frustratedly and threw the man a power bar.

'Thank you.' Rodney said ungratefully, slipping the wrapper open and shoving the bar into his mouth. Radik glared.

Teyla shook her head, closing her eyes and willing away the tired ness. She sat, unable to help; her presence was only for moral support.

Elizabeth walked into the Jumper Bay, arms folded and eyes searching the scientists. 'How's it going?' She asked, frowning at the machine in the centre of the Jumper. She glanced at Teyla who gave her an eyebrow.

'Slowly.' Mckay said loudly. 'Since the Daedulus won't be here for another fortnight, we've had to start from scratch, and let me tell you, building one of these things is not easy.' He said, his face full of concentration. 'Especially with Radik throwing ridiculous ideas at me.'

'It was not ridiculous Rodney, it was perfectly valid. We're having problems extending the field-' He argued.

'I know what's wrong and I am fixing it, so hush up and get to work.' Rodney snapped. Radik glared at his back before tapping hard on an Ancient pad.

Elizabeth frowned at him but knew that he was just trying to get it done, and interruptions weren't helping. 'What can I do?'

'Not talk.' Rodney said harshly, and then paused, turning to her with a slightly childish innocence. 'And get me a sandwich?'

Elizabeth glared and Rodney smiled sheepishly.

He could feel the volunteers unease as they stood next to him, and he didn't blame them. Kneeling, Ronan was pretty intimidating, standing was enough to make the bravest man wet himself and weep like a baby before creating a man shaped hole through the most solid metal door as he ran for the hills. And what was worse is that they didn't know the half of it. They had never seen him fight before – he had. Luckily, Ronan was on his side. John breathed for a moment. This might just work.

'He is to replace Coran and join the Dryads. He is a formidable warrior, and so, I believe that the man who can fight him for the longest shall win the right to be chosen. If you can defeat him, I shall buy you a pint of the finest mead.' The men laughed loudly, the volunteers even more so through their nerves. John raised his eyebrows at them. The fact that these guys hadn't backed out yet was sign enough that they were brave. Or desperate for a little love…

All John had to do now was let Ronan know it was him without the Dryads realising that he wasn't one of their own. And before Ronan ripped him to shreds, as the look in his eyes promised just that.

'The rules are thus – no kills. Apart form that, any weapon may be chosen and any method of winning enforced.' Gredak smiled.

John wondered if Ronan knew that no killing was a rule. The hatred on his face looked murderous in itself.

Gredak turned to the volunteers. 'One man at a time, starting with the Furion.' He looked at John who stared wide eyed. Of course, he had to knock out the guy with the pretty red uniform. 'Choose your weapon, Bond.' Gredak opened an arm to the wall lined with lovely killing equipment.

John looked at them and then looked at Ronan, trying to catch his eye whilst making it look like he was sizing him up. Ronan didn't look at him. John hated that the man was so stubborn. He turned his attention back to the wall and headed almost immediately for the staff, plucking it from the wall, feeling its weight and then smashing it across his knee. It broke into two pieces, giving him fairly even shafts. He spun them in his hands. There were no other weapons like it on the wall. He hoped Ronan would notice them as the kind of weapons they used in training on Atlantis.

John walked over, making a wide circle between him and Ronan. The Satedan glared at him as the guards moved away. Ronan stood gingerly, his leg apparently hurt from previous beatings. John frowned as he started walking back and forth, his eyes never leaving him. How could he not see that it was Sheppard?

Suddenly Ronan stopped pacing and squinted, his eyes going from the shafts to the man's eyes under the helmet.

Afraid that he would accidentally give him away, Sheppard spoke.

'So are we gonna get this thing started, or what?'

Ronan raised an eyebrow and folded his arms, giving John an unimpressed look. He sighed and let his arms hang loosely, signalling for him to attack, almost bored of the battle already. 'Come on.'

John was put off momentarily. What? He wasn't worthy to fight him or something? Okay, so he couldn't kick Teyla's butt unless he was infected by a Wraith Bug, but he was learning. Plus he usually had a big ass gun, so hand to hand was rarely ever needed. Apart from today. John breathed, feeling slightly apprehensive. Then moved forward. He needed to make this look good – for Boe's sake.

Gredak watched with anticipation as the man in red glided forward with a grace of a warrior. Ronan watched.

John feinted left and Ronan fell for it, giving John the chance to dodge right and thrust the shafts into his abdomen, coming round to thwack his chest, then his head. He backed off as Ronan stumbled. The Satedan would never have let him get that far and John knew it, but the point was to make it look fast. Gredak knew Ronan was an amazing fighter, and so the objective was to kick his ass quickly without really pulling any fabulous moves but making it look otherwise, or else Gredak would suspect Ronan of holding back.

Ronan made it look like he had been dealt a truly painful blow, making him slower. He growled throwing a fist into the air as he stood; John deflected it and elbowed him in the ribs and face before kicking his stomach. Okay, so that was from his military training, but Gredak said that any means of winning was fine.

Ronan glared at Sheppard and not at the man he was pretending to be. Sheppard gave him a sheepish grin and knew that he was in trouble. Ronan straightened and advanced, Sheppard stepped back from the onslaught of blows, deflecting them, only just able to keep up with him. Ronan brought down a hard blow, exposing his shoulder, as Sheppard ducked he slid under his arm and brought the shafts down on his back whilst bringing his right leg into Ronan's face. The Satedan grunted and spun too quickly for Sheppard as he was turning for the next attack, hitting him square in the face. John fell to the ground.

Ronan stood over him smiling with cheek. John glared up at him in pain, giving him the "what the hell was that" look. Ronan shrugged slightly. John muttered under his breath as he used his hands to flip onto his feet, his shafts too far for him to recover. It had come to hand to hand. John scowled at him. This should be interesting.

'Ow.' Sheppard growled at him under his breath. Ronan pointed at his bloodied face.

'No kidding.' He said, unimpressed.

'Let's just finish this, okay?' John said, his helmet obscuring his mouth. He raised his fists.

Ronan's eyes obliged, but he did not raise his hands. John came forward jabbing hard and fast. Ronan ducked, stepping back quickly before bringing his own hands to play, deflecting the blows and placing a backhand on Sheppard's cheek. The Colonel spun and gave Ronan a back hand of his own before spinning again and executing a perfect roundhouse kick. Ronan flew back, hitting the ground. Losing no time, John jumped on him and turned him onto his front while he was dazed, grabbing his arm and thrusting it up behind his back. Ronan shouted.

'Sorry, buddy.' Sheppard struggled to say.

'You will be.' Ronan growled, elbowing him in the face. John fell to the floor by him and Ronan pinned him with his arms held above his head.

'What happened to the letting me win part?' John said testily.

Ronan grinned. 'You kicked me.'

'Oh.' John said and head butted him ferociously before bringing his now free hands clasped together to punch his abdomen. Winded and dizzy, Ronan lost his concentration and John used both legs to kick him back onto the ground. Ronan rolled for a moment trying to breathe while John stood over him, hoping that was it.

He smiled down. Ronan glared up at him and snarled, snapping his leg out to kick him in the crotch. The crowd made noises of pain for Sheppard as he dropped to his knees, clutching the tender area, his face showing the agony and anger. Ronan laughed once before trying to breathe again.

Feeling an impatience and a mass amount of pain, John wanted this to be over. 'Eye for an eye.' He said though clenched teeth, dropping onto his but and spinning round, both legs kicking at Ronan's crotch as he lay on the ground. The Satedan snapped up with a look of pain and surprise in his face.

John stood shakily and made his way to the front where Ronan breathed methodically through the agony. John glared down at him and gave him a sharp knee to the face, Ronan fell back, practically unconscious.

The crowd cheered as John turned, tired and in pain. He smiled weakly, feeling a sense of satisfaction. What had started as an impressively quick and skilled fight had turned into something of a bar brawl, but Gredak was clapping along with the rest, so John assumed that all was well.

'Well done, your reputation is intact and well deserved!' He patted John on the back. God he wished he wouldn't – no human contact until the swelling went down, or until he had a shower. 'Take a seat, chosen one, and we will wait for Dex to recover for his next opponent.'

John tenderly sat on a cold stone bench, thanking whatever force which made the stone as cold as ice to nurse his – areas - back to health.

John watched as Ronan stood, glaring at him. The next opponent walked on and grabbed a chain from the wall, advancing with confidence. Ronan grabbed his neck and threw him against the wall. He slid to the ground and did not wake.

John sighed. That would be him when they got back to Atlantis.

Carson was nodding off by the time Adina returned. She saw him on her throne, head resting against the back, gently snoring. She smiled and looked to the guards with a hint of reproach. They seemed nervous for a moment until she smiled at them, walking over to her throne. Adina leant down, her lips brushing his ear.

'Beckett.' She whispered. 'You are sitting in my throne.'

Carson stirred but did not wake. Adina nudged him gently, he still did not wake. 'Beckett, awaken.' She said louder.

Carson made a noise of annoyance and his head turned to the other side. Adina stood upright and grabbed the spear from her guard, thrusting the point at Carson's neck. Carson's eyes flew open and he sat straight in her throne, hands gripping the handles. He smiled nervously.

'Hello.' He breathed. 'How lovely to see you again. I just shut my eyes for a moment.' He paused, a hand raised and pointing at the throne he sat on. 'Shall I vacate your chair?'

Adina cocked her head with an intrigued eyebrow and lowered her spear. 'A man that can only be woken by the tip of a spear. Interesting.' She handed the shaft back to the guard and walked to the door. 'She will see you now.'

Carson jumped to his feet and grabbed his kit, worrying about the person he was supposed to see and why it had taken so long for them to come and fetch him. He entered her room and immediately stopped.

Boe was on her knees at the foot of a long wooden bed, hunched over, filthy and bleeding. She had been whipped mercilessly and he wondered how that was so because he hadn't heard her screaming and he had been in the next room. Carson dropped to his knees by her side.

He glared at Adina before he touched her, a look of true loathing. She had waltzed in and out of this room knowing full well what was taking place inside of it.

'The first part of her punishment is over.' Adina stated, hands behind her back. 'Treat her so that she may partake in the Kredan in a few hours time.' Adina commanded.

'There's no way this girl can lie on her back, not in this state.' Carson snapped, gently stripping away some of the cloth from her wounds.

'There are many positions in which a man may gain pleasure.' Adina said coldly. Carson scowled at her, his anger making his hands shake.

'I want this girl to have privacy while I treat her.' He stated. 'That means you get to leave.' He said firmly, an air of menace to his voice and in his eyes.

Adina gave one nod to the guard and they both left, Carson turned to Boe. He took her chin gently with his hand and pulled it toward him. She winced.

Carson looked at her face and saw that she had not only been whipped, but she had been brutally beaten. Her blue eyes focused on him slowly. There was a large cut on her nose and fore head, her lip was split, the rest was general bruising and scrapes. She realised who was holding her chin and smiled weakly.

'I did not scream.' She whispered. 'I promised myself that I would not.' A tear fell from her eye and made a clear path through the filth on her cheek, her face steadily scrunched up as the emotion of her beating finally came to the surface.

Carson let out a long breath and took her into his arms as she sobbed, holding her head and letting her weak body rest against his.

'We'll get you out of here, love. I promise.' Carson assured her, hating these people beyond anything he had known, and wanting nothing but happiness for this girl.

'Done. I think.' Rodney glanced back at Zalenka who shrugged.

Elizabeth nodded. 'You're sure?'

'No, not really, but we don't have time to go through it again, there's still things we need to do on the other side and we're already kinda late.' Rodney urged.

Elizabeth looked at them. The team comprised of Rodney, Zalenka, Teyla, Lorne and two other soldiers, all of whom were dressed to party. Their uniform carried all the necessities to wage a war. Really, all they needed was a small mistake and a war would break out all on its own. She turned back to Rodney with a resolve.

'Go.' She ordered. Lorne turned in his chair and brought the Jumper to life.

'Going.' He stated. Elizabeth walked off the ramp and back into the control room, ordering for the Gate to be dialled.

John yawned widely. They had been walking for a fair while, and the darkness had crept up on them. The stars shone brightly along side the two moons, giving them plenty of light to see the path. It would not be long until they reached the place of the Kredan, not long until he had to figure out what he was going to do in order to get to Boe.

Boe yelped in pain.

'Sorry lass, but I am working with the basics here.' Carson apologised, Boe nodded, wishing that he would just finish.

Carson had washed her face and put stitches in her nastier gashes. She had been reluctant to sew up her wounds but Carson convinced her that it was the typical practice on his world. He had cleansed her back as best he could; using surgical spirit had been the truly painful part. Tears had rolled down her cheeks at the burning agony; even his pain killing medicine had not stopped that. He was just finishing the last stitch to her back on one of the more horrendous gashes.

Boe had lain on her front on the bed, her head resting on his jacket as he healed her.

'There, almost done.' He reached into his bag and pulled out a long sheet of white material which he promptly and carefully attached to her back with a sturdy micro pore. 'Alright, now if I can just find…ah!' He crossed the room to where he saw a revealing 'v' neck top and short hide skirt. 'Let's get you into something clean. I'm sure her royal bitchiness won't mind.' He smiled mischievously.

She grinned weakly at his attempts to lighten her spirit, but she had seen the window and knew that darkness had fallen. The Kredan approached, and her mind spun.

Carson helped her into the clothes, or turned his back while she stepped into them. Her shyness at being seen by a man without her clothes on was even more so that the Kredan was only a little while away.

'Thank you, Carson. You truly are a skilled healer.' She took his hands and kissed them. Carson blushed.

'Oh it's nothing; I sort things out like this everyday.' He beamed at her, then paused. 'Now I have no idea where Sheppard is, but I know he's not off world, he'll be here; doing everything he can to help you.' Carson looked to the door. 'He's just a little late is all.'

Boe nodded. 'He is here, he came with Teyla. I do not know where he went or what he does, but I believe that it is possible he has gone for Ronan.'

'Mh, I thought that too.' He smiled. 'That just means that you'll have two large heroes to come save you, and two battle ready brutes are better than one-'

The door flew open and Adina strode in with four guards. Carson stood in front of Boe protectively.

'It is time. Is she ready?' Adina asked.

'No.' Carson stated. 'She still has some healing to do. I can't let her go until I'm satisfied that her wounds are not life threatening, you could have beaten her to death.'

'Then she would have been saved the displeasure of the Kredan.' Adina snapped, nodding for two of the guards to retrieve her. Carson stood his ground. Boe grabbed his arm as he tried to fend them off, but only succeeded in being knocked to the ground with the butt of a spear. Boe was dragged to the door.

'Carson!' She screamed, seeing the steady blow flow from his head. Adina looked at him for a moment before following her.

Carson got shakily to his feet and followed them outside. There were tall fire torches lit around the square and a group of Dryads stood in the centre, waiting. Carson wandered over to them, not overly sure of his feet.

Adina, a few guards and the four women turning twenty one, stood before them. Adina spoke.

'These are the women who have their twenty first year of living this summer, I ask that you take these girls and bring me women at Dawn.'

Gredak nodded.

Carson stumbled forward, seeing Boe still struggling against the guards.

'No!' He yelled, and punched one of the women squarely in the face. 'My Mother's gonna kill me.' He complained, ducking the other woman's blow and sticking his foot out to trip her up. Carson only saw the flutter of a red uniform and felt the ausum impact of a male fist, then felt the man's body push him to the ground, hands brushing his legs as they came up to his neck.

'Well done Furion.' Gredak patted the man in red on the back and turned his head to Adina.

'Why was he not tied to a stake as we had agreed?' Gredak snapped at her.

She glared at him coldly. 'He is a great shaman of medicine, I required his expertise.' She glanced at Boe. Gredak's face broke into a smile, a haunting expression in the light of the flames.

'The traitor – I admire you more and more Adina.' He nodded at her.

Adina gave him a look of pure loathing. 'You have seen our women and I have seen your men. They will be brought to the House shortly after they are dressed.'

Gredak nodded again, bowing. He walked down the path, his men in tow. Adina watched them go, the man in red glancing back to the village.

John had regretted punching Carson, but it had been the only way to stop him from ruining things and getting himself killed. He walked close to Gredak who was talking to another warrior.

'Tell me Herris, of which of those would you most like to bed tonight?' Gredak laughed.

'The blonde at the end sire, her eyes were drawn to me.' He smiled widely. Gredak gave another appreciative laugh and patted his shoulder. Herris paused. 'I cannot imagine to which Brother the traitor will be given.'

'Yes, he will have to fight to bed her, and then endure the screams of her agony as he has her.' Gredak smiled cruelly. Herris nodded, smiling also.

Men like that made John want to hurt something. A shame he would never get that chance to show Gredak how he truly felt. A shame that Ronan couldn't show Gredak how he truly felt, John would be satisfied to sit and watch.

John quickened his pace and spoke, knowing that he could give everything away if he were not careful. 'Give the traitor to me.'

Gredak looked back at him with a slight surprise. 'Why would you want one so foul?' He asked.

'You said that she'd put up a fight, I'm in the mood for a feisty woman.' He said simply, looking into the Forest.

Gredak elbowed the man next to him and laughed. 'Spoken like a true Furion! You shall have this evil wench, John! And may her anger please you.'

It took all of John's strength not to break his neck for calling Boe a whore.

John looked to his right and saw they had been walking beside a large Lake, and across from it was truly a large and ancient wooden house, filled with light and curvy moving figures. He raised his eyebrows as them men behind him whispered excitedly. As they approached the house, two women walked down, one of coco skin. She smiled and spoke.

'The Kredan will take place shortly, first you must wait in the court yard.' She offered an arm and Gredak led the way, having been through this so many times.

Boe screamed in anguish, fighting them with all her might and main. Her back was in agony and still she struggled against them, her hair flying wildly as they forced her clothes off and pushed the dress over her head. A long white dress which seeped up the newly released blood.

John waited in the courtyard with the rest of the men milling about impatiently. He pondered these people's existence for a moment, to have to fight in order to have sex. And for women to have it only once, and for that one time to be the only time to have children, unless you were the leader. It was unimaginable.

A scream tore throughout the night and he knew it belonged to Boe. The women had been brought to the House. Gredak and Herris chuckled, staring at John, their eyes wishing him luck.

A woman walked into the courtyard and signalled for them to follow. Gredak and two of the Dryad guards remained behind. 'We will meet here at dawn.' He stated.

The four men were led up a flight of stairs, asked to whom they would be joined and then taken to the appropriate rooms one by one.

Boe could hear them walking in the corridor of this mad house. He would come, who ever he was, and she would fight him. But how? These men were so much bigger than she! The window was too small to climb out of and the door had been locked. There was a single bed in the room with a single candle, she marched over and blew it out. Moonight filtered in through the small window, and she stood by the door waiting for it to open.

The woman with coco skin led the last man in red uniform to the room on the end, pausing before unlocking the door. 'Boe is troubled and frightened, she has been gravely wounded. Adina does not worry for her, but she is my sister. Please be gentle.' She implored.

John nodded with as much sincerity as his eyes could muster. 'I will.'

The woman unlocked the door and opened it wide. Boe thrust her self out, banging into John's chest in her attempt to escape. He held her fast and grabbed her arms as they tried to claw at him, he struggled to push her back into the room, and as soon as they had cleared the door, the woman locked them in. John glared back with Boe screaming at him.

'Thanks!' He yelled. He turned his attention to the desperate woman in his arms. 'Boe! Stop!'

'No! You will not have me!' She growled, not only hating this man for not being Coran, but hating him because he had attacked Carson. The man in the red uniform.

'I'm not here to have you; I'm here to help you!' John insisted. Boe paused, stepping back, his voice familiar to her. John took the helmet off and revealed his handsome face, his brown eyes studying her broken one in the moonlight.

Her blue eyes filled with tears as she looked at him, her heart pounding against her chest. 'John.' She breathed.

She ran to him, throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him urgently on the mouth. John was startled at first before his hands found the small of her back and her neck, pulling Boe into a bruising kiss.