Robin took one look at both Will and Cadiana and knew instantly that neither of them had been target practicing. This worried Robin a little. He had come to be very fond of Cadiana she was funny, smart and capable. He had known Will for years; escaping a dungeon with him; an angry man capable of carnage of which Robin had never seen before, and never would again.

What concerned Robin was the fact that Will wasn't a careful man; reckless in fights, reckless with women. He didn't want Will making a harlot of Cadiana just because she was willing. Robin tried to tell himself that these weren't valid concerns, but he knew better.

"What?" Will asked, drawing nearer to where Robin was sitting. Cadiana trailed behind him, her eyes portraying her anxiety. "Much said you needed us."

Robin nodded gravely, for the news he had was not good. "Particularly Cadiana." Robin saw a muscle in Will's jaw twitch slightly, but he ignored it. "Cadiana, we stopped a man coming through here while you were with Will," He pause here, to let them know that he knew what they had been doing. Neither moved in the slightest, their faces expressionless, and internally, Robin was proud of them. "He said he was looking for you."

"Who is 'e?" Cadiana asked, her eyes narrowing in concentration.

Robin frowned. This was the really disturbing part. "He said his name was Alec, Cadiana."

Her soft brown eyes widened in shock. "Alec? Are you sure?"

Robin nodded silently, even though the question was unessecary.

Those previously soft eyes became cold; hard. "Where is 'e?" Danielle asked, malice in her voice.

"Back on the road. Didn't want to lead him here." Robin said, getting, beginning to lead her to where the man had been left, being watched over by Nasir. Robin wasn't worried that the man would overpower Nasir; the Saracen being the best fighter of the entire band.



Cadiana followed Robin almost listlessly. She had no idea who would be impersonating Alec. Alec was dead; she knew because she watched him die. She was so immersed in her thoughts that when Robin came to a stop, she almost ran right into him.

Cadiana stepped around the man she had come to respect as leader, and her mouth dropped open.

"Close your mouth lass." The man being guarded by Nasir told her from his position against a tree.

Will sucked his breath through clenched teeth behind Danielle; she had forgotten that he had was there.

"What are you doing 'ere?" Cadiana asked, having recovered from her initial shock. Her voice sounded chilled, even to her own ears.

"C'mon lassie." The man said, beckoning to her. "Let's go somewhere else to talk."

"No, Tyron." Will said from behind her, his voice as dangerous as hers had been cold. "Anything you 'ave to say to 'er, you can say where there are people to protect 'er."

Cadiana glanced back at Will, glad he was there.

Tyron pressed a hand against his chest; a gesture of innocence. "Ah Will, do you really think I'd hurt my own wife? Your opinion of me must be rather low."

"Actually I do think you'd 'urt 'er." Will said, stepping up beside Cadiana, his arm brushing hers. "I think that if you got the chance, you'd kill 'er."

Nasir shifted his grip of the hilt of his sword, now quite worried. He wasn't quite sure yet who this 'Tyron' was-other than Cadiana's husband, of course-but if Will thought he'd harm Cadiana, then Nasir was automatically prejudiced against the smaller man. Will was even more protective of Danielle than Nasir was, and he considered that to be quite a lot.

"I'm not your wife." Cadiana said, in a defeated voice that Nasir didn't like the sound of.

"Oh sure you are lass." Tyron said, his long blonde hair shining as he flipped it over his shoulder in a predatory manner. "As you may recall, your father married you to me seven years ago. I remember that day well. Or rather, I remember that night well." He leered at her, and Will took a step forward, but Cadiana put a hand on his shoulder.

As the Saracen watched her, her eyes blazed with a fury Nasir had not seen there before.

"If you also recall," Cadiana said in a tight voice, her hand still on Will's shoulder, restraining him, "That same night, I almost cut some important male parts of yours off with a carving knife."

Robin laughed. "Oh, she has you there." To his perverse pleasure, Tyron flushed a deep red.

"You bitch." He said in a low voice, his hand raising.

Before Robin could react in the slightest, Nasir had a shining silver blade at the man's throat. Yet again, Robin was amazed by the former assassin's speed.

"Watch your mouth." Nasir said simply, a man of few words. Then he simply stood there, motionless, sword still against Tyron's throat.

"Ah, but we're all friends here," Tyron said, raising both his hands up, palm out, a gesture of surrender. "No need for violence."

"We are most certainly not friends Tyron of Leabrooke." Cadiana said, in a low voice. "What do you want?"

"Other than you, my dear?" Tyron asked crudely. Nasir's blade suddenly pressed a bit harder. "Just kidding. Christ Jesus, can you not take a joke? I just wanted to see you Cadiana."

"Bullshit." Will said, practically spitting the words at the blue-eyed man. "You've never wanted to just *see* her."

"Temper, temper William." Tyron chided. "But then, I suppose you're entitled, after what happened to poor Elena."

Bad move, Robin thought. A low growl came from deep in Will's throat, and nothing but Cadiana's hand on his shoulder restrained him from lunging at the man. Robin knew that if Cadiana let him go, Will would probably kill the man where he stood.

Will was honest to God seeing red, his sight clouding over in his anger. How dare this bastard show up here? How dare he come after Danielle? He heard Cadiana start talking, her cool voice calming him some.

"Tyron, the more people you offend, the closer you are to death." Cadiana said, sounding remarkably monotone. "Both Robin and Nasir would probably kill you, simply for calling me a bitch. And you know for sure that if I let Will go, he would rip you apart with his bare hands."

"Yes, well, when it comes to brute strength, and pure rage, I'm afraid I'm at the shallow end of the gene pool." Tyron said, acting sadly, and Will felt adrenaline rush through his body, along with a simple fury.

"You have a brother?" He heard Robin ask, through the haze of red.

"But of course he does." Tyron said. "I'm simply shocked that he's never mentioned me."

"I'm not shocked." Cadiana shrugged. "Why should you be? He hates you. I hate you."

God, this woman knows me too well, Will thought. That might not be a good thing.

"Well, all right then." Tyron dismissed this with a flick of his hand. "Anyway, I came to find you, because I figured that it was just about time for my very own whore to come home, and have a couple of children."



This time when he tried to pull away, Cady let Will go. The look on Tyron's face when Will hit him was absolutely priceless. He obviously didn't expect Cady to let him go. The next few seconds flew by, and then Will was sitting on Tyron's chest, a dagger to his throat.

"Don't talk to her like that." He growled, so low that Cadiana had to strain to hear him.

"Oh, oh dear brother." Tyron said in a mocking voice. "Have you fallen in love with the lass?"

Cadiana decided this was her cue. She kicked Tyron in the side as hard as she could, and pulled Will off him. "It's okay Will. He's leaving now anyway."

"Oh, dear, no I'm not." Tyron said, getting to his feet, and brushing himself off. "You must have my children dear, or we won't have a family anymore. Or would you rather have dear William's child?"

Cadiana's eyes darkened with rage. "Any day." She answered. "Leave."

"No." He declared. "You must come with me."

"Nasir?" Cady said, turning to the Saracen. "Make 'im leave?"

The man nodded once. "As you wish."

With that, Cadiana grabbed Will's arm, and dragged him away, back to the clearing. "Calm down." She ordered him. "He's gone now."

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Thanks to JessieRose, Doc, and MW(no, I haven't.. :-P), my lovely, wonderful, brilliant reviewers.. :)

Abbie