This took a little longer because I didn't quite know what was going to happen. I had intended to update every day as I've got time at the moment, but I don't think I can keep up the creativity - I need some thinking time! Anyway, enjoy the chapter, people, and please review.

It didn't happen. If we managed to escape - and I say 'we' as I did not intend to stay in the camp without him - we would have either ended up trekking through the countryside, or hiding in a small village with no prospects except either starvation or discovery. An added problem, in fact the main problem, was getting Erik out of his cage. We experimented, seeing if we could break the door off its hinges, if we could remove a few of the bars so he could squeeze out, if we could pick the lock, all of which attempts failed. The only way, we decided, was to unlock the door to which Vrack had the only key.

"Do you think I could get him to give me the key?" I asked Erik, late one night as we sat together, the bars of his cage in between us.

"Why would he ever give it to you, or anybody for that matter?"

I thought for a moment. "If he was drunk, perhaps, or if I tried to, well, you know…"

"No!" Erik jumped to his feet. "No, don't say it, don't even think it! You're mine, you belong to me!"

I was paralysed by the force with which he spoke. I was afraid of him then, and yet thrilled by his words. He threw himself on his knees in front of me, all self-possession gone. He grabbed my arms and pulled me towards him, and held me with the bars between us. He held me so tightly it was almost painful.

"Never forget it, Arielle, never. You are mine."

"Yes," I breathed, in his crushing embrace. "Yes."

What a promise to make, at thirteen.

------

Winter turned into spring, and I had my fourteenth birthday. It was one of my most memorable, perhaps even the most memorable. It was the first time that my visions had failed me; a great tragedy befell me, and I had no warning. I pray that Elina will forgive me, I had no intention to tell what she entrusted to me alone, but it has a great bearing on my story.

The day before my birthday I awoke to find Elina sitting on the end of my little bed in our caravan, weeping. It was unusual for her to even be in our caravan, as she was usually with Vrack, and also - it occurs to me now - in that I had never seen her cry.

"Aunt Elina? Has something bad happened?"

"No, child, nothing that hasn't happened before."

Then she almost swooped on me, and held me close to her as if she were my mother.

"Poor thing," she crooned to me through her tears, stroking my hair, "poor female thing. Never fall in love, child, never. It brings only sorrow."

"Aunt Elina", I said, pulling myself out of her arms. "Has something happened to Vrack"
Perhaps I was wicked, but I desperately hoped it had.

"No, no. I am with child again, Arielle."

I was not shocked, as I knew this was not the first time for Elina, but her distress was new to me.

"I have rid myself of five children - five! - because he wanted me to. I can't do it anymore, I can't go on like this. I hear them in the night, they call to me and curse me. They call me a murderer, they call me a whore...I always wanted children, I tried to love you like a daughter Arielle but you were not, and I wanted to see my own little ones grow up…"

I had no idea how to soothe her. I tried to put my arms around her, but she brushed me off and left without a backward glance. The next morning, the morning of my birthday, they found her. When the older women went to a nearby stream to get water, they found her laying under a tree on the bank. She had cut her wrists and bled to death.

I did not see her. Her body was buried on the outskirts of the camp, and that night there were no shows. Vrack, of all people, said the death-words over her. I felt more than I would have expected. She had been my protector of sorts, and I did not know who I could turn to now. At funeral, there was no one to comfort me. I was alone in the world, except for Erik.

Vrack came and spoke to me after we had buried Elina.

"Arielle, poor dear girl, you must be so sad. Would you like to come and eat with me? We can talk about it, if you like."

I wanted to howl and scream and rage at him. How dare he not be on his knees begging Heaven for forgiveness? How dare he not be tearing out his hair with pain and remorse?

"No. No I want to be by myself." I quickened my pace, reached my caravan, and locked the door.

The silence was deafening, and for the rest of the night was broken only by the sobs of a frightened girl, who has just been forced to grow up