Authors Note:

Some History

I am basing this story off some research done into the Tribes that were around in 400 to 450 AD. There isn't much known about Thrungii for this time period which is why I used them as Jane's tribe. All that was known was that they were conquered by the Huns around 430. Some say they were absorbed into the Huns once conquered. I say, who cares I am sure some got away. They didn't reappear till the 7th century so I am going to have free reign for the 5th century.

The Chatti were eventually part of the Ripuri Franks who assisted the Romans in the battle in 451. For the purpose of this story, I am going to assume that the Chatti were still an individual tribe and not absorbed into the larger Frankish tribe till the early 6th century.

Also I am taking some guesses and liberty into my knowledge of fealty during the early periods. It was simply an oath of service to a man of property from a man without property. The Chatti were known for iron working and carrying tools in war, so instead of being a plumber, Frank is a blacksmith. I am also assuming that not all who took oaths of fealty were mean, just good businessmen.

By this time the Greeks were part of the Roman Empire. All knowledge of medicine in the story is going to be based off of Greek knowledge.

I'm saying all this to say...I dunno if this is correct so don't be mean to me regarding historical accuracy.

Oh and why is there no information on what Maura's dad's name is? He is just Mr. Isles for all I know.

I have an outline and I know where things are going, however I have some room for adjustments and ideas. Give them to me if you like. Maura wont appear for a little bit. Prob not till Chapter Four. I want to give the girls time to grow up, to develop their own personalities apart from each other. You know...the personalities we all know and love.

On to the story:

Chapter Three

431 A.D.

Along the Weser River, Europe.

Jane sat at the back of the lodge, her father having gone out to get supplies and trade for the past several days, as they had been doing for the past 8 months, as she awaited his return. She hadn't seen another child since their leaving from home, and wondered if she ever would. Her mother had tried explaining the situation, but it still didn't make sense as to why they could never return.

She ran her hand down the side of her left arm, a habit she had developed when nervous, or when cold as it would ache. The injury was still highly visible, and instead of fading as she grew, it grew with her, a constant reminder of the night she had lost all she knew. She couldn't carry things with it no matter how she tried. It was useless. Mother had told her that the injury went deeper under the skin than they thought, injuring something called a moos…mus…muscle, that just wouldn't get better.

"Why is my baby girl looking so down," she heard a voice behind her.

"Papa!" she screamed. "When did you get back?" she ran up to the man, jumping into his arms, hoping that she could get some time before Little Franco, or Frankie as they called him, made his way over. It seemed that every time she got some alone time with papa, the baby needed something that swayed his attention. Frankie was over one winter old already.

"Not long my little one. But I did bring you something from the traders that I visited." She squealed in his arms clapping almost as he took her out to the large open area in front of their lodge. Her papa rarely brought anything that wasn't necessary. They couldn't afford it since they didn't have any land to farm and were constantly moving toward where the sun set. They were lucky to find this small patch of land once they were out of the mountain area. So far it seemed that they weren't going to be bother by any other tribes, especially the Huns. She still didn't understand what happened, but father had promised to tell her when she was older.

She smiled as he set her down in front of the large fire pit and pulled out a small doll from the sack he had laying on the ground.

"Papa! She is pretty," Jane said as she reached out with her right hand to grab the doll. Franco pulled the doll back a little, causing the two small eyebrows to frown up at him.

"With your other hand Janie," he said holding the little doll back out. Neither heard Angela come out from he lodge watching the scenario unfold.

"But Papa, it don't work." Jane reached out her right hand again, to which the doll was pulled back once more

"Just try little one." Franco squatted down till him was eye level with his daughter. He could see tears beginning to well in her eyes as she looked at the doll. She hesitantly raised her left arm, and her face began to twinge in pain as the muscles that hadn't been used were stretched for the first time in months. Franco himself tried to hold back he tears as whimpers were released from her lips as her arm came level with the doll. Jane snatched the doll quickly from her Papa's hand and transferred it into the right hand before turning and running back to her sleeping pallet in the home, tears streaming down her face.

Franco exhaled as he stood up. It was the first time his baby girl hadn't said thank you for a gift. Over the course of the last few months as they moved across the mountains into the plains west of the Wesser, she had stopped smiling and laughing. No longer the carefree child she had once been, her cheerful moments were rare, usually involving something Frankie did, or spit up.

"Why did you do that?" his wife's voice came from behind him, hers also choked with tears. "She has been through enough already, there is no need to torture her."

Franco walked over to sack, pulling out some little shirts that were obviously for Jane and Frankie, and other clothes for Angela and himself. He began laying them out on the logs where they usually sat. Angela looked on suspiciously. This was far more than he usually traded for, in fact it was far more than the worth of the wood pieces he had.

"Franco…what is all this. You didn't make enough wooden pieces to trade for all this." Angela knew he husband was a fine woodsmen and blacksmith. His father Thomas had been the best blacksmith in their village, and although Franco had taken up woodworking, he still had the gift. "Franco, answer me!"

"I spoke to a doctor in one of the nearby tribes when I went for trading," Franco put his hands on the logs nearby, using them to stand himself up. "We cant keep doing this Angela."

"Doing what?" Angela could feel that something had happened. Something major. Franco had always been a proud man. A man of honor and would do anything for his family. "What did you do?"

"He said his sister was a medicine woman, a healer, she lives over in the Greek lands..."

"The Greek lands, with the Romans? What good…"

"Angela listen. We cannot help her!" Frano screamed. "We cannot help her. Every day her arm gets worse and worse. Pretty soon she won't be able to use it at all. We need someone who knows these things. He said he would send for information from his sister. We could take Jane over to see him and he would look at her."

"Wodenaz will protect our daughter…"

"He has not protected us Angela. So I had to do what I had to do," he said turning back to the log, picking up the clothes that had been separated into the piles. "We will leave in the morning and take Jane and Frankie to the village. The trek shouldn't take more than a fortnight."

"What was his price for helping us?" Angela whispered, afraid of the answer. She had seen the fabric of the clothes that Franco had been separating. They were not of the usual caliber, but far better.

"I will swear fealty…"

"NO!" Angela cried immediately, turning Franco around to face her. "No, you will not become some mans serf…"

"Angela, he seemed agreeable. He has a need for someone who knows how to work iron…."

"I don't care. You know nothing of this man. We know nothing of these people. They are not of our tribe."

"We don't have a tribe Angela!" He yelled. " The Huns took our home, most of our belongings. Our family, our friends are gone. We have been moving for months," Franco walked over to the other side of the clearing, pulling his sword from its place. "My father gave me this. He made it himself. One of the finest weapons ever crafted. He told me to use it to protect my family. To protect you and any children we brought into this world."

"Franco…"

"I failed Angela. I failed to protect you all. My daughter was hurt because I was not there. We have no home because I didn't see…or pay attention to the warnings. The Huns had been heading to our region for months, and I failed to protect us. So I am going to make it right. The Chatti are only a few days away from here. I have arranged to take the Oath to a man known as Radulf Isles. He has an estate. Large land and will help us get the needed help for Jane."

Angela nodded, being silent for the first time. She had no words. She knew this wasn't easy for Franco, but she wouldn't argue this time.

"I will begin packing our things then," she said quietly. She walked over to where her husband stood. Reaching up she ran her hands over his shoulders. "You did protect us. If you hadn't some when you had, Jane would have been hurt worse. We are alive because of you. You did protect us."

Neither looked back to see the little girl standing by the lodge opening with tears in her eyes.

A/N: I work all day, so while I will try to update regularly...no guarantees My workload is light right now...but I have no idea how it will be going forward. Read and Review