A/N: Thank you so much for the overwhelming response for the previous chapter! Hope you enjoy this one! And a Happy New Year to everyone!

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I wandered through the narrow corridor. The walls were grey; the builders hadn't bothered to paint over the concrete. The floor was covered in a shabby faded carpet. On either side of me, white doors lined the corridor.

It was refreshingly quiet in the rundown building that the terrorists had decided to make their makeshift home. Or 'warriors', as Jesse preferred to call themselves. My muffled footsteps on the thin carpet were the only sounds I could hear.

Jesse had warned me to not venture outside his room, but since today he and his men had left for the day, I considered it safe enough to come out. I was trying to look for a distraction to take my mind away from the thought of what the warriors were doing at the moment. Most probably bombing some peaceful neighbourhood and taking more innocent people's lives.

I ignored the tightening of my throat and continued exploring. But, somehow, my thoughts always returned to the same line again. I couldn't believe that as I was standing here, completely unharmed, under the shelter of a group of terrorists, the same men were most probably at the moment tearing down the place that I had grown up to call home. The thought almost made me puke with guilt and wonder yet again as to why I had been kept alive.

My eyes flickered to some curtains a few feet ahead of me. Walking fast, I reached them and cautiously pulled them open. I gasped softly. The sight of a deserted, pristine beach greeted my gaze. Slowly, I unhinged the rusted, old-fashioned lock of the window and pushed it open.

A gust of salty air rushed inside, raking cool fingers through my hair. I breathed deeply, the fresh air making me feel better at once. The water was a dark cerulean in the distance but gradually became lighter and lighter until it finally changed into white breakers crashing onto the sand. The sea glittered under the sun, like a fairy and flown by and sprinkled fairy dust onto it. Seagulls perched on the rocks dotting the coast, their cries in harmony with the rhythmic washing of waves onto the beach.

Such natural, soothing sounds were luscious to my ears after two days of Jesse's terse orders and the harsh, abusing voices of the rest of the men outside his room.

The cliffs in the distance were tall and rugged. They stood their place, as stoic as ever, even as the water crashed heavily onto them. Just like Jesse, I thought absently, leaning my elbows on the windowsill.

My thoughts drifting to Jesse, I laughed humourlessly. Ever since I'd started reading those torrid romance novels I so loved, I'd dreamt of a handsome stranger coming and whisking me away from my sleepy old hometown.

And now, I thought derisively. My wish has come true. A handsome stranger has indeed come and whisked me away from my boring town. Teaches you right, Simon. Be careful what you wish for.

As my thoughts floated dangerously close to self-pity, I tore my eyes from the lovely scene before me. It wouldn't do, the whole wallowing in my own misery method. If I wanted to get myself out safely, I'd have to actually do something about it.

Leaning further out of the window, I stared at the ground immediately below my head. I was in the third floor, I realized, as I saw the two floors of windows below. The ground was about thirty feet or so below me. It was too dangerous, I decided. It would be of no use if I dropped down and broke my bones and got caught anyway.

Withdrawing from the window, I closed it and hid it away behind the curtains again. Treading down the corridor, I came to a flight of stairs. Coming down to the second floor, I cautiously glanced across the corridor which was exactly the same as the one I had just left. It was deserted. I wondered exactly how many men there were as my eyes flicked over the numerous doors lining the corridor.

Licking my lips, I decided to push my luck and venture down to the first floor. I knew very well that if any of the men caught me, I was a dead woman. If he was kind enough, he would report me to Jesse who would most probably just throttle me with one squeeze of my neck with one of his huge hands for disobeying him. So, either way, if I was caught, I was in deep trouble.

Tiptoeing down the last flight of stairs, I was confronted with a wide square area. The floor over here was not carpeted. It was made of unpolished wooden planks nailed side by side untidily. At one side of the square, a wooden desk and chair sat. At the other end, was a wooden sofa with threadbare cushions placed messily across it. The place gave out an aura of an abandoned seaside inn.

A little thrilled chill ran down my spine. It was just like in those pirate books I'd read. I could just imagine the building as a seaside tavern or inn with loud dirty pirates swaggering in and gulping down rum while scantily dress whores sat on their laps…

Breaking out of my daydream, I quietly hopped to the door. Reaching out, I grasped the rusted doorknob and turned it. It was locked.

Temporarily forgetting that I wasn't supposed to make any noise, I kicked the door in frustration.

"Ow!" I cried as I stubbed my toe. My feet were covered only in the clothe bedroom slippers I'd been wearing when I'd been captured.

"Yes?" a voice called softly from behind me.

I froze, my eyes widening. Oh, shit, I thought. Then something registered in my mind. The voice had been distinctly feminine. Bemused, I slowly turned around, my hands in the air just like people do when the police tell them to put their hands in the air.

A beautiful woman stood in front of me, a small vegetable knife in her hand. I eyes widened even more at its sight. She followed my gaze and looked back at me.

She smiled gently. "Don't worry. It's only for the vegetables," she said, her accent like Jesse's. It was one which I couldn't exactly place.

I blinked. "Umm…right," I croaked, putting my hands down. I shuffled my feet uncomfortably, still not putting my guard down.

She looked at me curiously. "Why did you put your hands like that?" she asked.

I blushed. I must've looked like a freak. "Um, it was just instinctive. You know, when you're caught by the police or something you put your hands like that to show you don't have any weapons…" My voice trailed off.

She blinked and looked at me contemplatively, like a scientist studying a new specimen of butterfly. I just stood poker straight.

"You're the one Jesse brought as his companion, aren't you?" she asked, raising one slender eyebrow.

I had to snort at that one. "More like prisoner," I muttered.

She raised the other eyebrow and asked, "And why would you think that?"

I furrowed my forehead. Why did I think I was a prisoner? Wasn't that sort of obvious? "Err…because I am one?" I replied uncertainly.

She snorted gently. I was annoyed to see that it was a lot more lady-like sound than my snort.

"What is your name?" she asked kindly, her lips still quirked in a half-smirk.

"Susannah," I huffed, folding my hands across my chest. I wasn't going to tell these people my nickname. That was only for family and friends.

"Susannah, why don't you come into the kitchen? We can talk while I cook," she said, walking into the room she'd come from.

I followed her cautiously. She smiled and allowed me to look around the room before entering. I came to stand next to her as she chopped carrots on a wooden board set atop a wooden table. I was seriously beginning to think that we'd travelled back in time or something.

She was silent for a while, concentrating on the vegetables. I took that time to observe her. She looked to be in her late twenties or early thirties. Her figure was not exactly slender but not fat either. She had a very defined hourglass figure, I decided. Her waist was narrow enough but it flared out very generously at the hips. Her hair was rich and black, just like Jesse's. It was tied at the nape of her neck, a few strands coming out. We were around the same height.

Finally, she looked up at me and opened her mouth to speak. "My name is Helene. I am the warriors' cook," she introduced.

"Well, then let me say that you're the best cook I've ever met. Next to my stepfather, of course," I said. It was true. I had always heard that army food was very bad but I could say confidently that these men were one well-fed bunch of warriors.

She beamed, her lovely doe-eyes sparkling with pleasure. "Well then, I will have to meet your stepfather," she replied.

I managed to give her a half-smile. "Yeah…if he's still alive…" I murmured. My eyes stung with tears. I forced them back.

Her smile faltered. She looked back at the vegetables. She finished with the carrots and started with the potatoes.

"Susannah," she soon started softly. "You know, they are not doing this on purpose. They don't like doing it any more than you would."

I gave a short humourless laugh and looked at the grey road outside the window. "Oh yeah? Then why don't you tell me why they're doing it?" I asked Helene.

She sighed. "I…I don't exactly know. I just know that some of your people stole something that is precious to us. It could be the ruin of us if it is given to your government and its source is announced. We like staying in anonymity," she said.

I snorted. "Yeah, and what your men are doing right now is a great way to stay anonymous. Very discrete," I said nastily.

She rolled her eyes and shook her head at me. Silence ensued as she worked on the vegetables and I stared out the window.

"Where exactly are you from?" I broke in. I couldn't hold my curiosity any longer. "Are we in your country now? Or are we still in—"

"Yes, we are still in your country," she said. She shook her head at me. "I thought you figured it out already."

I frowned. "Yeah, I did. Just wanted to make sure…"

"Our country is an island in the middle of the ocean. It's in uncharted territory. None of your people have ever been there. Not in the modern era anyway," she said matter-of-factly.

I raised my eyebrows. "I didn't know there was any uncharted territory left. I thought our world atlas was efficient enough," I said.

She smiled smugly. "No, no. Your atlas does not include our island. See, that is one of the reasons why we are taking great care to terminate these thieves who have found out about us and stolen our precious object," she said.

"By killing innocent people?" I asked sardonically.

She pursed her lips in mock reproof. "Susannah, I don't know about their attack strategies. And I think they think that if we kill enough civilians, the thieves will eventually have to come out of hiding."

I stared at her. She talked about killing so casually that is was scary. She must've read my expression correctly, because she then sobered up and said earnestly, "Susannah, please don't think of us as ruthless killers. We don't kill if it is not necessary. It's just that what they stole, it's of very great importance. It will affect the whole country if it is given to your government."

I looked away. I heard her sigh and she started chopping again. I bit my lip. Something about what Helene had told me was nagging me. "Helene," I began. She looked up expectantly. "What did you mean when you said that Jesse brought me here as a companion?"

She smiled, glad that the grim subject we'd been discussing was over. "Well," she started, putting down her knife and wiping her hands on her apron. "In our country, when we come of age – that is eighteen-years-old – we start searching for companions. Companions are something like what your people call 'husband and wife'. Understand?" she asked, waggling her eyebrows at me.

Oh, God. If this was heading the way I thought it was heading…I would go and bang my head on the wall. I gave her a short nod.

She continued. "Well, since Jesse is twenty and he doesn't have a companion yet, he's chosen you as his companion. Companions are bonded for life. We don't have that outrageous 'divorce' thing that you allow over here," she said, wrinkling her nose.

Now my jaw was fully hanging open. After two seconds of staring at her, I managed to croak, "So you mean to say that…I am Jesse's wife and he is my…husband??"

She beamed. "You catch on fast. Yes, that's exactly what I meant."

I stomped to the wall and banged my head against it lightly.

"Susannah!" I head her cry, alarmed. Her hands were on my shoulder in a second, bring me away from the wall. "What is wrong?" she asked, her eyes wide.

"How the hell could he decide that I should be his wife? He doesn't even know me!" I half-shouted.

She blinked and furrowed her eyebrows. "Well, he find you very beautiful, that's why," she answered in an isn't-that-obvious tone.

I could do nothing but stare.

--

Back in Jesse room, I turned on the TV and slumped on the bed. The television had been found somewhere in the storage room of the building and Jesse had had it connected. Even though the signal in this place wasn't all that good, it was something, at least.

It was the one thing for which I was grateful to Jesse. It allowed me to keep track of what was going on outside. Although, of course, he would never know that. That I was grateful to him, I mean.

Staring unseeingly at the little box, I shook my head disbelievingly at the turn my life had just taken. I was sixteen-years-old, my town, which had been my home since birth, was in wrecks because of a certain group of terrorists, I had no idea what had happened to my family, and now I found out that I was to be the wife of the young captain of the attackers.

I was broken from my thoughts by the sound of the door opening. Assuming it was Jesse, I didn't move from my place. However, when the intruder appeared before me, I jumped up.

It wasn't Jesse. Far from it, in fact. The man was short where Jesse was tall. He was stout, Jesse was lean and muscular. In short, this man was ugly and Jesse…wasn't.

I kicked myself inside. Jesse had told me to lock the door. I must've forgotten.

"Who are you?" I asked suspiciously.

He grinned, revealing a line of tobacco-blackened teeth. "Who am I? You don't need to know that, pretty. I'll just get it done with it seconds and I'll be gone before Jesse comes in," he said, his little black eyes glinting as they roamed over my figure.

I self-consciously wrapped my arms around myself. "Excuse me? Get what done with?"

His grin widened. I wrinkled my nose at the globs of fat that hung off his cheeks. "Hehe. You're an innocent little thing, aren't you? I'll show you what," he said, coming closer slowly.

I breathed in sharply. I quickly scanned the area within reach of my arms for anything to attack this psycho with. My search came up with nothing.

"…Jesse won't even notice. But he does have good taste, I'll give him that. Pretty little wench, you are…" the man was rambling on.

I didn't listen to him, focussing on the little bit of space between him and the wall. If I could just slip by fast enough…

Suddenly his pudgy but strong arms were around me in an iron-hold. It surprised me so much that I fell back onto the ground with him on top. All the air in my lungs was knocked out of me. Gasping for breath, I banged his bald head as hard as I could with my fists.

All of a sudden, however, the weight over me was gone. I lay still, waiting for my breath to come back. I heard a few banging sounds and some curses and shouting and then everything was quiet.

Jesse pulled me up, cradling me in his powerful arms. I stood up, wide-eyed.

"Are you alright, Susannah?" he asked roughly, scanning my body for any signs of injuries.

I gulped and nodded, not trusting myself to speak. I had never truly appreciated Jesse warnings until now. When he had told me that it was dangerous to keep the door unlocked or venture out of the room, I just thought he was being melodramatic. But now…

He lay me down on the bed and sat next to me. I stared up at him wordlessly, a new kind of respect for him suddenly developing in me. His face was drawn and there was a little frown between his eyebrows.

"Didn't I tell you to keep that door locked?" he asked angrily.

I turned my gaze down, looking at my fingers knotting together.

"I asked you a question, Susannah," he growled.

Forcing my self to look up at him, I said, "I'm sorry, Jesse. I should've listened to you, I guess."

He narrowed his eyes. "I guess? I guess?" he roared. "Do you even know what would've happened to you if I hadn't come when I did?"

I pursed my lips, starting to get a little annoyed. "Yeah, I know. You don't need to teach me, Jesse," I retorted.

He scowled menacingly. I stared up at him defiantly. He growled something under his breath and got up and went into the bathroom.

I curled up onto my side and slowly drifted off into an uneasy sleep. I kept opening my eyes a little to see if anybody was coming inside.

Surprisingly, I could only fall into a deep sleep later in the night when I heard Jesse switch the lights off and felt his reassuring weight press down the mattress next to me.

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A/N: Anonymous reviews -

nicole: Wow! Awesome stuff, your reviews. Thank you so much!

deaths-guardian: Thanks so much for the review! I'm glad you liked it!

hrny: Yes, the fluff will come in later maybe. They've got to like each other first, don't they? Hehe. :D

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