I'm so sorry it's taken me this long to add a chapter! LIFE gets in the way sometimes! Hopefully this will put me back on a more regular schedule for uploading! Thanks for sticking with me :) This story is so absolutely special to me, especially now! Please let me know what you think! I need all the positive reinforcement I can get right now! THANKS!

Decision Time

Rowena observed the flurry of activity going on around her as if she were on the outside looking in, still wondering how she had ended up here, in a brothel. Perhaps she was dreaming. Her head was fuzzy from the wine she'd been given and she couldn't seem to concentrate on anything. But everywhere she looked girls were dressing or fixing their hair, giggling and whispering, sneaking glances at her. And then there were the girls that were helping her dress, who could barely contain their excitement or their questions. She smiled warmly at them, they were no different than she was, after all. As their hands worked in her hair, it gave her the same relaxing feeling as when her Grace or her Aunt braided her hair. But they talked so fast and all at once that she could barely keep up with them.

"Are you truly a virgin, miss?" one of them asked. She had lovely red hair and pale skin, and looked all of fourteen.

Rowena felt herself blushing, but realized there was nothing to be shy about here. "Yes," she replied.

"And who is the man?" immediately asked another, behind her.

Rowena glanced at the lady of the house, who gave her a very small shake of the head and a warning look.

"I don't know," Rowena said, trying her best to sound disappointed.

The girl braiding her hair clucked her tongue in a sympathetic way, and came around to face her. "Sometimes that's best, love," she said in a serious voice. "If you know it's some fat ugly bastard, you'll only cry about it for hours beforehand."

Rowena tried not to look as horrified as she felt, but then they all laughed and she realized they were teasing her. She laughed in relief and felt better, and more accepted by the group of girls surrounding her. And then she wondered what they would think of her once she was gone.

Suddenly, the lady of the house stood and clapped her hands. "Enough!" she said. "Don't be fillin' her head with your nonsense! Get out, all of ya!"

The girls scattered as she waved her hands at them. The one who'd been braiding Rowena's hair patted her hand and smiled sweetly at her. "Don't' worry," she whispered, "You'll be fine!"

"Thank you," said Rowena, almost in the form of a question, not exactly sure what to say. And then the girl was gone, along with the rest of them, leaving Rowena alone with Alia.

"Come and put this on," Alia commanded, and held out a long sheer gown. "No man could resist a girl in this dress."

But Rowena knew they were not talking about any ordinary man. What if he was still angry with her after their last encounter?

0000000000000000000000000000 0000000000000000000000000000 000000

Rowena had reached the stables and was tending to her horse by the time she heard another horse enter the yard. She had considered handing her horse off to one of the stable boys so that she could disappear into the house, but she wasn't in the mood to hide. She didn't turn around when she heard Bronn walk in behind her.

"I'm sure I could find a place for you to stay in the Keep where I could keep a closer eye on you," he threatened angrily, "since you won't stay here or do as you're told."

"No." Rowena replied boldly. "And you will never get my uncle to agree to that."

"I'm trying to help you, child," he said, and she could tell he was truly running out of patience with her.

"I'm not a child and I don't want your help." She muttered, turning back to her horse. Inside, she wanted nothing more than to run to him and feel his arms around her, but she was far too stubborn to back down.

"Well then," he said, now pacing behind her. "When and if you need my help, you can come and find me." It was a tone of voice she'd heard him use, but it had never been directed at her, and it made her cringe. She didn't move as he walked out, and then she heard his horse leaving the yard. Her hands were shaking now as she fumbled with buckles on the saddle, and she fought back tears.

When she was finally alone in her room, Rowena realized how terrified she was at the thought of not seeing him again. And then there was the memory of him kissing her, which she could not stop thinking about.

After that, she had not seen or heard from him for days. She knew the city was in danger, each day the streets grew more restless, more dangerous, as a fight for the city and for the crown became inevitable. Finally, Rowena couldn't stand it any longer. She went to her Aunt, too afraid to approach her uncle, and begged her to let her go and find Bronn.

Her Aunt Rosamond looked tired, and only shook her head and smiled.

"I told your uncle this would happen," she said. "He didn't believe me."

"You told him what would happen?" Rowena asked, puzzled by this strange response.

"That you would want to go after him if he went away," Rosamond replied, now looking absently out the window, as if her mind was far far away.

Rowena was now at a complete loss. Had they known all along? Bronn had made several comments that she hadn't quite understood, but she knew he'd made some sort of agreement with her uncle, and that it somehow involved her.

"I don't understand, Aunt Rosamond," she spoke hesitantly, not sure if her aunt was upset or angry, but she was becoming worried herself.

"It's the agreement your uncle made," she said, shaking her head again. "We must allow you to go to him."

She shrugged her shoulders, still seeming to be somewhere else, and got up and went to call Grace. The two women exchanged a few words, Grace gave Rowena a concerned look, nodded to Rosamond, and then disappeared towards the back door of the house.

Then she turned back to Rowena and smiled at her. But her eyes also were filled with concern. "Are you sure this is what you want to do?" she asked.

"I must see him before he goes to battle." Rowena replied. "He was so angry with me when he left. What if something happens? What if he doesn't come back?"

She was fighting back tears now, but she knew that she had to appear steady and brave to stand any chance of leaving the stables.

"You realize that if you go to him," Rosamond spoke slowly and deliberately, "You may not be able to come back here?"

"What do you mean?" Rowena gasped in shock. What was her aunt saying?

"If you go to him now," Rosamond continued, "it will be his decision where you stay. Do you understand?"

Realization was beginning to dawn on Rowena. He had all but told her he wanted her all along, but she had never thought past just wanting to be with him. To have him hold her in his arms, to kiss him. To be his, to keep? What would that mean? She wasn't even sure. Just thinking about it both frightened and excited her, just as he had from the beginning.

"I understand, Aunt Rosamond," she said, wiping away a single tear that had escaped from her eye. "I must see him."

Her aunt nodded as if she had already known the answer, and took Rowena's hand in hers. "Come then," she said softly, "There isn't much time."