*All rights to the character Jasper belong to Stephanie Meyer and her association with Twilight; as well as the reference to Eowyn, belonging to LOTR but not the character herself

Feeling the familiar anxious anticipation in the air as I grew closer to the settlement, I rolled up my sleeves in expectancy of working through the night once again. Not that looking forward to these things pleased me but lives needed saving and who was I to say no to such a burden? I was raised better than that, they raised me to be a more honorable woman than that and I grinned. Someday there would be no more need of mended wounds from war, no more 11th hour confessions or letters to family they would never see again… Someday.

"What are you smiling at?" An unfamiliar voice echoed around me. I froze in step, I couldn't tell in which direction it was coming from but that same chilling twinge up my spine told me danger lurked near. My senses heightened as I took another hesitant step forward; I could see the fire lights from camp just ahead but was sure that if a woman cried out for help it would not be heard. I shivered again.

Feeling trapped I began to take in the woods, an escape perhaps or a weapon to ward off this lurking evil. "Not this way" is all I could think, I didn't want to die this way.

The vulgar man grabbed me by the back of my hair as he crept up on me and placed a blade directly under my jaw, his rancid breath in my face as he looked at me; As I fought off the nausea, he smirked like I should be pleased with him. I didn't scream out and he almost looked indignant, like he had done this before and gotten what he wanted from the unfortunates before me.

"Not going to scream? I can fix that…" He took the sword at my neck and sliced, just enough to break my skin and the heat rose in my face, blood pumping through my ears. The cold steel made me wince, but I would never give him the satisfaction. If he was going to kill me, then I would not make this easy.

"You think you're showing strength? You are as ignorant as you are beautiful; I am not a gentleman nor am I a Knight, I will show you no mercy . You will beg for your life before I am through with you and it will not be given, you will not be missed nor found after this day." He snickered with pleasure at himself and I felt true fear sear through me for the first time. He meant every word and the brutality of my demise would not be quick.

Grabbing the smaller blade from his armor, holding tightly to my hair and neck, he slashed at my clothing, tearing my dress near my bicep. With a heavy hand he also cut into my skin and blood laced itself into my gown. Biting at my lip, as much as I wanted to, I did not scream. I could feel his anger rise as he tore another fragment off of my dress, slicing another incision down my forearm. The pain intensified as he kept cutting until the white top I wore was crimson, wet my own blood and tears pooling down my face.

In animistic terror I tried to fight away from his grip, it only tightened. Never in my life had I been struck by a man, never once had a groomed lady even had to think about such things. The feeling was almost unexplainable as pressure quickly built up in my cheek. A stinging heat crept around my nose and eye, ears were ringing; I felt the warm metallic liquid drip down the back of my throat and as my hand skimmed across my lip I saw the blood. He had his arm around my throat faster than I could anticipate and although I had let out a scream inadvertently during the attack, this did not stop him. I wrestled to get free as his grip tightened. I felt myself going weak and my life seemed a haze of memories and torment, glad that I would not have to endure what came next in these types of brutal attacks.

I heard another shriek echo out as I felt myself blacking out, my head hitting the wet mossy path. A soothing pain waved over me and I was gone. Death was peaceful compared to the life I had lived thus far….I was thankful.

JASPERS POV

I crept over the small incline, taking cover near a downed spruce log; I saw Steele with a lady in his arms, the same woman who had run into me not a few hours ago. Even with his arm around her neck, choking the life from her body, but she did not cry out for aid. Fighting till her last moment, kicking and grabbing at his armor, this gave me the advantage I needed. Distraction.

From behind him I jabbed, intentionally missing his head, allowing my blade to pierce through his right shoulder causing him to shriek and drop the young woman. With disbelief across his face, he turned to me. With disgust and recognition crossing over his face his disbelief turned to rage as he grabbed his sword up in his left hand, swinging wildly at me. Turning momentarily to see if the woman he attacked still lay on the ground helpless. His fatal move.

As a groomed military man for my entire life, I learned one thing above all: Never turn your back on your enemy. Obviously he had not been privy to this fact and he found my cold steel blade in his chest for a second time as a consequence, staring in surprise as I had struck a fatal blow right through the heart. standing over him Steele gasped for air, his gaping wound continued to spill blood through his clutching hands and I hovered above him, heel to his throat, smirking at my victory. Never had I taken such hateful revenge on another man, many lives had I taken, but never with this much villainy.

"You will not live another day to lay harm on another soul; not a man nor woman. To hell you go and good riddance to you, Lieutenant." There would be no tears for this wretched human, he was not worth the soil his blood stained. He drew in his last breath and expired before me.

Sheathing my sword, I turned to the young woman lay bleeding into the Earth, shredded and barely breathing. I knelt down to her side, picking her up from the coarse ground she fell to. Brushing away the foliage from her face, I could see her true beauty and admired her bravery in the face of a terrible nightmare. I also took notice to the cuts across the other side of her cheek, like she had been struck by a chainmail hand and fury rose up in me once more. If I could have killed the Lieutenant again, take belief I would have but his one death would have to suffice as her sacrifice and heroism took their toll of her. I had medical supplies in my tent and knew she needed to be mended quickly before her frail body gave out.

She lay limp in my arms as I walked back up the gradient to my quarters, not making a sound even as I situated her into my cot and ran warm iodine across her wounds. Wild thoughts inaudibly passed while I stitched; I hoped she might wake, even if it benefited only me. I selfishly wished for fleeting companionship. Besides Jerad, I had never known an equal, I felt as though this may be another chance to make right all the wrongs I had done. The mistakes that cost me the people I held most dear. Even after all the transgressions that lay in my path, I still held hope.