Ecowyn

“You took her from yourself when you compelled her after being told not to,” Alastor told Rhys in a reasonable voice. “You made a choice. She is no longer yours, I told you what would happen.”

“None other will have her!” Rhys grated, stepping closer.

“I’m going to a coven,” I spoke up quickly. “They told me I could go to a coven and learn, and even ask not to be sent to the one with that mean woman. They would find a good fit for me and my gift. I told them that is what I wished, to be sent away from here. From you.”

“I was being good to you! I was learning, and trying!”

“You still compelled her to allow you liberties!” Gwideon spoke as though he were heartbroken. “You KNEW it could harm her, break her mind and yet you did it anyway, just to get your way!”

“YOU do not get to speak to me!” Rhys hissed. “You took her and hid her from me and she is MINE!”

“I protected her from you! It breaks my heart that I HAD to, brother! She is such a frail and sweet and tender hearted little thing and you managed to break her spirit the very first night! How can you not see how wrong it is?” Gwideon asked as Fastion and Gerard came hurrying up. Eliphas came from another hall, and they all circled around Rhys.

“I am taking her to the grand hall,” Alastor spoke gently. “Please, Rhys… do not make me take you in hand.”

“I love her!”

“You covet her. You want to own her, there is a difference! If you loved her, you would have patience and be kind to her and not force her mind to bend it as you wish it! You would woo her and not force yourself on her! You would allow her to be who she is without clouding her mind!” Gwideon snarled, finally angry. “You do not treat people this way! We are here to save people, brother! Not destroy them for our own amusement!”

“Enough!” Alastor growled. “Stand aside, Rhys. I am taking her to the other elders for a consult.”

“She is MINE, why was I not alerted to stand with her?”

“She is no longer yours,” Alastor shook his head. “Step aside, Rhys.”

Gritting his teeth in anguished fury, he stepped back to the wall, giving them enough room to pass.

I looked at him when I got close, though I had told myself not to, to just walk. The look he was giving me was pure anguish now and my heart broke. Tugging to a stop, I pulled away from Alastor and stepped closer to Rhys.

Gwideon caught my shoulders and pulled me back, putting an arm around the front of my shoulders. “Stop compelling her! Your claim is about to be severed!”

“It can’t be,” Rhys hissed. “Not until she is in the coven and the link is severed at the door!”

“Or another claims her with the blessing of the elders,” Gwideon countered.

“You love me!” Rhys told me, his voice intense.

I looked up at him and tried to go to him, tried to pull away. “I love him! I need him! Please, let me go!”

“Take him,” Alastor snarled.

“Please!” I cried, trying to pull away from Gwideon. “Don’t hurt him! I LOVE him!”

Eliphas, Gerard and Fastion tackled Rhys to the ground and Rhys fought wildly. All the animals began roaring and snarling and slavering.

“Don’t hurt anyone!” I begged, sagging and sobbing, trying to clear my head now that Rhys had lost his hold on me.

Gwideon followed me down to the floor, his arm still across my shoulders as he held me tightly against his chest. “Have no fear, Wyn,” he told me softly. “He won’t be harmed, just held in a cell until your bond is severed. See? It’s already over. Try to bring your animals to heel for me now, try to calm them. Try to calm yourself so they don’t feel like you’re being threatened. There you go, very good, Wyn. You’re getting this down already! Smart little Wyn! You’re so strong and clever. Come on now, he’s gone, let’s get up. There you go. Come now, Wyn, let’s go answer a few questions so we can get you tucked back in your room to rest,” he spoke soothingly, leading me down the hall to the large archway as the others dragged Rhys away.

I tried not to look, tried to hold back my tears, but I couldn’t. They fell freely and I felt as though I were betraying him somehow.

“He is still trying to compel you now that he can no longer fight. Resist him, Wyn. You can if you try, you’re so strong! Look there at Henrietta, the way she watches you as if she senses your distress. Try and calm her, reach out to her with your mind and tell her you’re alright. Send your thoughts to her and focus hard on it, don’t let him in. See there? His touch on your mind is dwindling. Come now,” he whispered, setting me in a lone chair in the center of the room, facing two dozen people in silver, most of them women.

Almost as soon as I sat down, my body went rigid and I sucked in a breath. “Attack! Dozens! They come! So many! SO MANY! Hundreds! Striggae! They come in the day to avoid us! They come from the place of light and noise and smell! There is death there! SO much death! It was masked, clouded, hidden from our noses! They come!”

The image hit me then, so many women, all in black. Several covens. As soon as the vision slipped away, I began sagging. “Hundreds,” I whispered as I fell off the chair.

Arms caught me and lifted me, then blackness took over.

I woke in the same room, the huge room with all of the chairs and small tables gathered around a single chair in a semicircle. I was against the back wall on a low chaise lounge, covered with a blanket, a hand stroking my hair. The room was otherwise empty it seemed, but then I saw Alastor pacing into view, deep in thought.

“What time is it?” I asked softly.

Gwideon jumped up and looked down at me worriedly. “You’re awake! I was getting so worried! It’s nighttime, Wyn! You slept all day.”

“What happened?”

“You gave us plenty of warning, we were able to gather up and bolster defenses. The animals helped as well, all of them! So many from all over. There were some Striggae that no mark was found on until they looked at their ankles. Snakebites, venom. Heels ripped open, throats ripped open, gorged by horns and hooves, slashes from paws. Even the horses trampled them! The birds distracted them, swooping in and pecking, making it hard to see the animals to strike. It was chaos and we picked off who we could from the parapets with arrows. Some made it close and tried to strike at us, but our shields were held strong with so many Enchantresses here! We had enough warning to be ready long before they arrived. You, your gift, it saved us! All of us.”

“He is right, Ecowyn,” Alastor told me, stepping close to lay a hand on my head. “You’ve been feverish and the healers could not help you. Danica said you were healing as an animal does, your body temperature rising higher than usual. How do you feel?”

“Tired. I could sleep for another day. I need to eat and… use the privy first. Where is Rhys?”

“He was released to help fight, then returned to his cell of his own accord. He is asking that he be given another chance to show contrition and take care of you as he should.”

“No,” I whispered quickly. “You said I could have the bond severed. I want that!”

“As you will, Wyn, but it will tire you even more. Do you wish to wait until…”

“No! Now, please.”

“Very well, see to your ablutions and I will gather who I need to. Gwideon, stay with her.”

By the time he returned with two men in silver and ten women, I was done and back on the chaise lounge, trying not to fall asleep.

Gwideon helped me sit up and held my shoulders as I slumped weakly. “I will stay close,” he whispered. “Until you wake, I will be here, you have my word.”

“Thank you,” I whispered back sleepily.

“We will begin,” one of the women announced loudly, making me look up.

I wasn’t sure what happened, I could see or feel nothing as they all joined hands in a semicircle around me. The three men were evenly split among the women and I felt sleep begin to roll me as something was pulled from me.

Next I woke, I was in the blue room again and it was mostly dark. A single orb was dimly lit near the door. As I shifted and sat up, there was movement next to me and Gwideon sat up quickly. I noted immediately that he was above the blankets and not in them with me.

“Wyn! Are you well? How do you feel? Do you need anything?”

“I’m still tired… where are my animals?”

“Most left once the threat was gone. A few have stayed, Bob for one, and Ray. The rest left. Most all of the animals left, all of them from outside too.”

“How long was I out?”

“About three days? The Enchantresses are still here, waiting for you to wake… Wyn… I’m sorry.”

“Why? Were they unable to sever the bond?”

“They were, but he kept reforming it, even from his cell.”

“Can they do nothing? Knock him out?”

“They did… they did and made it so he couldn’t bond you again.”

“How? Magic?”

“No…”

I looked at him then, understanding. “You bonded me, didn’t you?”

“I did,” he whispered, his face red as he looked away. “Perhaps… think of it as me finding you in the first place and claiming you.”

“And if I wish to go to a coven?”

“Then I will go with you, because Rhys will never forgive me.”

“What if I choose to stay?”

“Rhys will be sent to another Fortress to help secure it. So many new Venators are being raised right now, they will need seasoned men to teach them.”

“I wish to learn to use my gift.”

“Several of the Enchantresses have offered to stay here to train you if you choose to stay. They want you bound to them as well, though you are a halfling and could never become a full sister.”

“What’s the difference? Between a halfling and full sister?”

“A halfling has a single gift, one thing they can do. Enchantresses can learn a great many things, most not simple tricks like halflings have. They can heal and make portals and barriers. A great many things. You thought… your gift is powerful, something even they cannot learn. It isn’t simple and small like cooking or weaving fabric. It’s… incredibly powerful and you are incredibly strong.”

“I pass out every time I use it!”

“Because you aren’t trained at all! And you use so much power! You’ve never stretched those muscles, so overusing them will tire you out until you get used to it. Wyn?”

“Yes?”

“Are you angry at me?”

“Not angry… I simply wish that I had a choice. Can… we go back to my village? I wish to bury my papa and the others if possible.”

“Wyn…,” he sighed, slumping. “There may be nothing at all left… But I will go and look. Or send Eliphas. If there are bodies at all, I will take you and we will find him. If not? We will burn it all and send them on the old way. Give them a warrior’s sendoff because I know they all died fighting.”

“Thank you,” I whispered, feeling numb again. When tears began falling and I started feeling hopeless again, he pulled me close and hugged me. I noticed then that I was wearing a brown nightgown. A FULL nightgown with long sleeves and a hem that reached my ankles. “Thank you,” I whispered again, letting my head fall to his shoulder.

“Of course. Cera knew what you wished after she met you and she was happy to oblige you when I told her you would need new clothes. You have dresses as well, and more gowns. And you may stay down here as you like, or I have a room across from mine if you’d rather. Or… you may stay with me if you’d prefer that as well.”

“The room across from yours sounds fine,” I told him, blushing.

He smiled slightly. “Your things are already waiting for you there.”

I found myself smiling slightly as well as he hugged me and put his chin on my head. “Can we go now? I find I dislike knowing how far below ground we are and… so far from the land and the animals.”

“Of course we can! And I will send for some food as well. Do you need help?”

“Just an arm to lean on if you don’t mind,” I told him, my face red. I could hardly stand, my muscles were so sore and cramping as I hobbled to the door.

I made it as far as the first set of stairs, then wilted in defeat and Gwideon had to pick me up and carry me. He didn’t seem to mind at all, in fact he seemed pleased over it as he gave me comforting smiles.

When we finally made it to the room across from his, I looked around in pleasant surprise. The room was also done lavishly in soft, plush textures. It was a beautiful fall tone in dark and light oranges, yellows and reds. “It’s lovely!” I told him happily, looking around in delight.

“I’m glad you like it! I will lay out a dress for you, unless you find you’d rather lay back down? I can get you a book to read and you can just rest.”

“I cannot read,” I told him, still looking around.

“Well we can remedy that soon enough, clever girl that you are. Would you like to rest or would you like to dress?”

“I would like to dress, please. Try and walk a bit more, perhaps down to the kitchen where I may talk to Jenny a bit. Her smiles and talk always make me happy and her food is wonderful.”

“It is, isn’t it? And she is a very pleasant woman. Here now, this light brown will look very fetching on you. The nice thing about brown is, there are so many tones and variations. White can only be white. Here you are,” he smiled, laying it out on the bed near me.

I wasn’t sure why I did it, I was feeling incredibly bold and I felt comfortable and safe with him. Turning, I moved my hair for him to untie my gown.

He stepped up and did it quickly, but didn’t lay a hand on me. He stepped back as if to leave, but I pulled my gown off and he hesitated, watching me in surprise as I turned and set the gown on the bed. I pulled the dress close and pulled it on, then turned again so he could do up the buttons. He did them up slowly, trying very hard not to touch me and I smiled. He truly was a gentleman.

He hesitated again after he finished, then put his hands on my arms just below my shoulders. “You surprise me, Wyn,” he told me softly.

“I find I surprise even myself,” I answered, unable to look up as I blushed.

“Let’s get you fed.”

He led me all the way to the stairs, but once my knee gave out on the first step, he picked me up again. This time he held me incredibly close to him, angling me so my head was on his shoulder. Reaching up, I slipped my hands around his neck and he gave me that pleased smile that lit his face up.

Jenny was incredibly pleased to see both of us, talking up a storm about all the hubbub over the last week and how many she had been cooking for. I was soothing in it’s own way to be in close proximity to the two most pleasant people in the entire fortress, hearing them joke and laugh and trying to make me smile.

Bob came wandering in and leapt up into the seat next to me, purring as he put his paws up on the table. Jenny laughed and got him a cut of meat.

“He’s a greedy boy, he is!” Jenny chuckled. “Comes round for a bite four’n five times a day! Told’m he’d be gettin fat’n lazy, but he don’t seem ta care none!”

I smiled as Bob butted his head under my chin, still rumbling a deep purr. In that moment, I almost felt good. Safe, comfortable, around good people, as happy as I could be. When Gwideon put an arm around me, placing his hand on my opposite shoulder, it felt natural and good, not forced at all.

After a long while sitting in there and talking to Jenny while I ate slowly, I finally turned to Gwideon. “I think I do need some rest now,” I told him sleepily.

“Of course, Wyn,” he smiled, helping me off the stool. “Tomorrow, perhaps you can meet with the elders and answer their questions, yes?”

“That sounds fine,” I told him, taking his arm in both of my hands. I smiled back at Jenny and Bob hopped down to follow me. With a yawn at the doorway, Bob stretched and curled up next to the door to nap, like he was guarding my door.

Gwideon led me in and pulled the blankets back, then tucked me in. “Shall I wake you for dinner or let you sleep through?”

“Wake me, please,” I told him muzzily. “I need to get back on a normal schedule.”

“As you wish then, I’ll be back before dinner unless you wake sooner. Sleep will, Wyn,” he grinned, then left quietly.

I turned with a sigh and closed my eyes, blinking sleepily.

White in my vision made me open my eyes again and try to focus.

Rhys.

Rhys had stepped out from behind the privy screen, his look furious and his hand on his sword.

I knew in that moment that Gwideon was right. He would kill me rather than let another have me. If he couldn’t have me then no one would.

If I wanted to live, I would have to lie better than I ever had in my life.

“Rhys?” I asked sleepily, though I was wide awake with adrenaline now. “Is it really you or am I dreaming? I must be,” I mumbled, closing my eyes. “They told me you left. Or were leaving? I miss you so much, Rhys. He tries to be nice to me, but he isn’t you. They said I could break the bind when I got to the coven… the coven. I don’t want to go, I wanted to go with you. They said it was just what you did to me that makes me say that… but they don’t know. I felt an affection for you the very night you saved me. When you had me on your horse and were taking care of me as you did… You were so beautiful and magnificent! I adored you so. I did not like some of what you did to me, but they just didn’t understand… I still loved you. No matter what you did. I cared for you before whatever it was you did… I’m so tired, Rhys. I know you’re gone and far from here but I wish so badly you could be here to hold me. I miss your arms so much! Please come back, Rhys… I miss you. Take me with you… I don’t want to go to a coven, I just want this bond to be dissolved and to find you again… They won’t let me. I should have a choice!” I sighed then, then pretended to fall off to sleep.

The bed moved and I could feel him crawling closer. “I am here, Little One,” he murmured, pulling me close. “I’ve missed you too. I’ll not let them take you from me again.”

“Rhys…,” I whispered, sliding my hand up his chest and holding on to his shirt.

Surprisingly, the adrenaline quickly waned and I relaxed in his arms, falling asleep with no trouble at all.

I woke with a start when he shifted some time later and clutched at him as I remembered. “Rhys?!? RHYS! You’re here! How are you here? I dreamed you were here… it wasn’t a dream? Am I dreaming?”

“You aren’t dreaming,” he told me, looking down at me with his confused scowl. “They are waiting on your decision before they send me away or I stay.”

“I have been so tired… slept so much. Every time I asked for you they told me it was you compelling me and twisting my mind. I’ve been so confused and out of it with everything happening and the animals speaking through me. No matter how often I asked, they told me no. I felt you bringing me back, pulling at me again and again, until they blocked it from happening again. When I found out how… Rhys, they bonded me to another! They said they would undo it right away, it was just to keep you from binding me again, but they don’t understand!”

“Hush, Little One,” he whispered, then almost smiled. “You still talk too much.”

“Have you been holding me? The whole time I slept?”

“Yes. He will return soon to wake you for dinner. You musn’t tell him I am here, or he will try and take you from me again.”

“Can we run away, Rhys? You and I?”

“I cannot run from what I am, but I can take you with me when I leave here. Take over another fortress with the new Venators.”

“How soon?”

“Soon, Little One,” he whispered, then leaned close and kissed my head.

“Should I beg off dinner? Stay here with you and we can… explore a bit?”

He gave me a ghost of a smile. “I think you will need your energy for that, but have no fears. I have learned a few things since last time and I wish to see you brought to fruition. Hear you as you call out my name when it happens.”

I blushed, but managed a shy smile as I looked up at him.

Leaning in, he kissed me gently, then eased out of bed and stood. “He will be here soon. Remember, say nothing, Little One.”

“I wish I could just tell them! Tell them to leave us in peace. That I wish it to be you who I am bonded to.”

“Soon,” he whispered. “Now is not the right time, I will tell you when!”

I sighed as I sat up, looking heartbroken. Getting up, I managed to make it to the dresser on my own and sat down to brush my hair.

When Gwideon came in, he grinned at me. “You’re up! How do you feel?”

“Still a bit sore and tired, but more rested. Can we hurry and eat? I’d like to lay back down as soon as possible.”

“Of course! Here, take my arm.”

I took his arm, but only lightly. I stayed quiet all the way down the stairs and into the dining hall. As I sat down, I actually felt a pang of guilt. How DID I feel about Rhys? He terrified me, but he had also saved me. He wanted so desperately to be loved and to love. He’d never had that before and he didn’t know how to go about it. Did I feel for him? I cared about him and didn’t want to see him hurt, but I didn’t feel as though I loved him. Mostly I felt incredibly afraid of him. He WOULD kill me rather than let another have me.

Clearing my throat, I finally looked up, blushing. “Rhys is in my room. He’s been there all afternoon… I was afraid… I think he was there to kill me. He’d rather see me dead than in the hands of another, so I lied to him. Told him I was in love with him and wanted to run away with him.”

The men all looked at each other in shock, then Gwideon stood up, furious.

“No, brother!” Alastor called quickly. “You are too close to this, let your brothers handle him. Fastion… gather any brothers who remain here to take with you. I think he will go down fighting before he lets her slip away again.”

“You won’t hurt him?!?” I cried, horrified.

“Not if he comes peacefully,” Gerard told me softly.

“Take some of the enchantresses! Can’t they bind him?!? Make it so he cannot fight? No one has to be harmed at all!”

“We can ask, but they usually stay out of internal disputes,” Alastor told me.

“It isn’t so much a dispute, is it? It would be to save my life! His life! Please ask them!”

They all left, all of them but Gwideon. He knelt and took both of my hands in his. “I should not have left you alone! I should have stayed to watch over you, but I wished to give you space and peace so you could rest!”

“Don’t be sorry, Gwideon. Had you stayed, he likely would have tried to kill you, or me, or both of us. It was easier to pretend without you there. I’m so tired of all of this,” I sighed sadly. “All of this fighting and demanding and taking and unhappiness. All of this war with creatures from nightmares. I’m so very tired, Gwideon.”

“Have no fears, Wyn. It is almost over and there will be peace again. In fact it is so incredibly boring here usually, we will have plenty of time, you and I, to come to know each other. I mean! If you choose to stay, that is! Stay and not go to train at a coven. You don’t have to make that choice until tomorrow, you don’t even have to think of it,” he breathed, blushing.

I looked down and sighed again, feeling pressure in that moment to comfort him. Tell him what he wished to hear even if I did not mean it.

Standing, I went to the large foyer and paced. Gwideon came in and sat in one of the chairs on the wall, watching me silently, sadly.

Bob paced with me, circling with me. Ray shifted on his perch on the chandelier, also watching me.

Finally, Alastor came down. “He is in a cell again and will stay until he is moved to the far east Fortress in Mjennic. Are you well, Ecowyn? You look upset.”

“I’m alright. How soon can we have this Summit of yours? I wish for things to… become normal. To not be afraid of what comes next. I want it to be over.”

“As you wish, Ecowyn. I shall send for them and we can begin now. Gwideon? Will you take her to the meeting hall? I will send for the others.”

Gwideon stood quickly and came to me, putting an arm around me and leading me down the long hall. Sitting in the chair in the center of the room, he hesitated, then moved another chair close and sat next to me. Gently, he took my hand in both of his, reassuring me. My initial reaction was that he was pressuring me, but it felt good. It felt good to be reassured and I knew he wasn’t pressuring me on purpose. He was only trying to help me, be kind and reassure me. Everything would be alright, even if I left. He was trying very hard.

Bob paced, seeming grumpy and irritated and I watched him a moment, him giving me impatient looks. Finally, I thought I understood. “Gwideon? Would you mind getting a chair for the other side of me? For Bob?”

Gwideon laughed, then realized I was serious and got up to bring a chair over. Immediately Bob hopped up into it and curled up, his head up and alert.

“That is… remarkable! That you knew what he wanted. Wyn? May I ask something of you?”

“Of course.”

“If you decide to go to the coven… would you consider taking me with you? Or even returning her to me once you have completed your training?”

“I would consider it,” I whispered, a little pleased that he would be that patient and wait so long for me if I told him not to break the bond. “May I ask you something? Do you have a name shorter than Gwideon? A nickname?”

He chuckled slightly, his cheeks going pink. “Perhaps… and perhaps I do not wish to tell you for fear you may laugh at me.”

“Why would I laugh?”

“It was what my mother called me and I have told no one else.”

“Not even Bonilla?”

“She never asked.”

“If you do not wish to tell me, I’ll not press it.”

“If you are curious and wish to sate your curiosity, perhaps a trade is in order?”

“A trade? What trade?”

“A kiss, perhaps. Small. You don’t have to if you don’t want to, just a… fun little trade.”

I blushed, then gave him a nod. “We shall see. Tell me the name and if it’s as silly as you seem to think, you may kiss me. If it’s not, then I will think you contrived this simply to ask for a kiss.”

He smiled again, then leaned back. “Very well, Wyn. She used to call me Giddy.”

“Oh!” I tried to school my expression and not giggle. “Very well then, you’ve earned your kiss.”

“And in so saying, you tell me you think it a silly name!” he teased.

“It is a bit,” I conceded, blushing.

“So it was a kiss well earned,” he smiled, leaning in close.

Taking my face in both of his hands, he leaned in and pressed his lips to mine lightly, then lingered a moment, our lips barely brushing as he opened his eyes and looked at me.

“I felt so incredibly bad,” he whispered. “I was so incredibly jealous of Rhys when he brought you in. So incredibly sweet and gentle a soul, your gift so suited to who I am… I tried hard to be a good brother, to tell him the secrets of wooing you… but my heart was so incredibly heavy when I looked at you. It was like seeing a key being forced into a lock it did not belong in and knowing that I was the right key. Having to stand back and watch, because you were his and I could do nothing. The day you left, he was upset he had been forbidden to go… but when I went to him and told him I would track you for him, help save you, the agreed quickly and I hardly waited before leaving to find you. I was so afraid for you… my little Wyn,” he whispered, turning his fingers to stroke my cheek with his knuckles. “If you say you wish to go alone and not bring me or wait for me, I will let you go… but I will pine after you and wish that you had looked twice at me. Hold on to hope that you may someday change your mind and return to…”

“Everyone is on their way,” Alastor interrupted, striding in. A few others followed after him and Gwideon sat up quickly as my face heated to my ears.

“Girl, you’re called Ecowyn?” one of the women spoke up.

“Yes.”

“Yes, Mistress.”

“Umm… alright,” I answered, a bit put off. Alastor had not required an honorific.

“We can ask questions once everyone arrives,” Alastor spoke up.

“Must that creature be present?” the same woman demanded.

“Would you like to try and move him?” I asked her with a polite smile.

Gwideon chortled and her mouth pursed together in annoyance.

“Let us not get off on the wrong foot,” the other woman smiled, joy in her features. “Do not worry over her, child, she dislikes being woken from her sleep. You are a lovely little thing, aren’t you? So fresh and sweet! One can feel your gentle nature just being close to you. It is well you have bonded with Venatorbrunus Gwideon, he is so like you in nature. And in gift I suppose, both of you so at home in nature. Annaline! It is so good to see you again, come and sit by me! It’s good to see you as well, Sallora. The others will be along presently, I am sure! Alastor, could your servants be induced to bring refreshments do you suppose?”

“Of course, Carmilla, it is already being seen to,” Alastor nodded at the vibrant woman.

“Pardon,” I spoke up, addressing her. “I’ve not seen your coloring before, nor have I heard your accent?”

“I am from Mjennic, child. It is east of here, but also south. It gets much hotter there and we have all adapted to our climate, yes?”

“You are lovely,” I told her honestly, still staring. “What’s Mjennic like?”

“At the moment it is overrun with Vamphyr and Striggae! Both fortresses there are at double staff and we are always busy! Otherwise it is a nice place. A very large island with beautiful sandy beaches, lush trees and a forest very different from here. It is a jungle, so we call it there. The animals are different as well. We have cats with stripes, much larger than that one there! Another kind of cat that is all black, their eyes a glowing yellow and they move with such grace! There are little creatures who live in the trees who look almost like people covered in hair and much smaller! They are funny little things and can easily be tamed, they are so smart! The birds are all so colorful and beautiful,” she told me as the others filed in one and two at a time. “You would like it there, I think. There are many animals you have never seen before!”

“Already trying to sway the halfling to you?” another woman asked. “Don’t let her fool you! The Mjennic covens must live within the fortresses there. It is much less hospitable and much less open to our gifts,” another woman laughed, a lush woman with blonde locks and curves that drew the eye. “You should consider Mareshomese! Much less dangerous than Mjennic and much less cold than Miovia! We also have animals you’ll not find here.”

“As does Miovia!” another woman spoke up. “We have bears that are pure white and so much larger than the bears here! White foxes and hares, so pure and beautiful.”

“And frozen,” one of the men added, smirking.

“Enough, now,” the first woman spoke up. “We’re all here now. Alastor?”

“Very well,” Alastor nodded, standing. “I call this summit to open. Ecowyn… I’m sorry, I do not know your surname?”

“Ollanden,” Gwideon spoke up. “At least for the moment.”

“Very well. Ecowyn Ollanden, we would…”

“Coblenn,” I corrected quickly, blushing. “Ecowyn Coblenn. My papa… he was the cobbler as was his father and his father.”

“I see. Ecowyn Coblenn, we would like to ask you some questions and… decide your fate this night. Your gift is manifesting at a rapid and dangerous rate. Dangerous to you and perhaps others around you. You must be trained as you are more powerful than most halflings, and even some full Enchantresses. It is imperative that you have training. Your choices are going to a coven of your choice, staying here with Gwideon Ollanden as his companion and training here, or staying here with Rhys Barristow as his companion and being trained here. If you choose to stay with Gwideon, Rhys will be sent to another Fortress in Mjennic to help reestablish and train the new Venator. Do you have a choice made, or would you like to hear more of each choice? More about the covens with which you will have to choose from?”

I looked around at all of them arrayed around me, then at Gwideon. He tried hard for a neutral expression, but he still looked hopeful. I thought about home and papa and my village, and of Rhys and his volatile manner. It all seemed like so much pressure, but I also knew in my mind what my choice was.

Sitting up, I cleared my throat and blushed as I spoke, “I think my preference is to stay here with someone to train me. May I have my choice of who stays? Or rather, who does not stay? I don’t want that woman,” I told Alastor, pointing at the sour woman who had spoken first. “Or the woman who was so vile the other day.”

Alastor chuckled and ducked his head as the woman drew up in affront. “We will make note of who you wish and do not wish and I’m sure arrangements can be made. And what of the other?”

“I would like for Rhys to be sent away,” I told him, my face turning even more red.

“Very well, it will be done,” Alastor nodded, giving Gwideon a tight smile.

I took a deep breath and spoke again. “Once Rhys is gone and can no longer bond me, I wish to be released from all bonds.”

Alastor froze, his eyes flickering to Gwideon, then back to me. Finally, he gave a nod, “It will be as you say. We will prepare you a room in your own wing and…”

“I would like to keep the room I am in now,” I told him quickly. “I like it, and… I have a wish to come to know certain persons in close proximity to that room.”

“Ahh. That is fine then, we will let you keep those accommodations. Are there any who dispute these requests?”

“I want to know who will be staying,” pinch face demanded.

“It can be none of us, so do not have a care for that,” Carmilla spoke up. “It would have to be one of the brown, one who is closely suited to her needs. That leaves only four and one she has already said no to. That leaves three. Hannora, Elonda, or Vinassa.”

“Hannora is not suited to teach, she has very little patience and likes to do her own thing too well. The child would be neglected.”

“Vinassa would not bring her nose out of her garden long enough to even look at the girl!”

“That leaves Elonda.”

“She is ill equipped as well! Always with her herbs and remedies and chatter about mixing and matching and experimenting!”

“Well then who would you suggest?”

“Lauron.”

“Lauron is yellow!”

“And she is patient and clever and pleasant!”

“Her affinity is stone!”

“Does it really matter how close their affinities are? She must be taught and guided and no affinity is like her own, so it will just be the basics and then flying blind anyway! They don’t HAVE to be brown just to teach the very basics! Or even more, after! Any of us can feel our way through it and help her. And it’s not as if it will be hard, she’s already managed a great deal with it being forced out of her like it was!”

“And she passes out almost every time it uses her! She needs to use it, not the other way round!”

“May I meet these people?” I asked quickly. “Perhaps decide for myself from those who WISH to stay? I’d not want anyone who was forced to stay and who might resent me.”

“Not everyone who would volunteer is suitable to train you,” pinch face told me sourly.

“Still, I do very much prefer to decide for myself.”

“We can bring in those willing and at least see if her choice is acceptable.”

“This is a complete farce! We are letting a FOUNDLING dictate to us what she will allow and what she pleases!”

“We are accommodating the girl who just helped to keep most the rest of alive to pick up and start over! And it isn’t accommodating, this is unprecedented! She is bonded and it’s his and her choice on whether she be allowed to leave and neither of them want her to leave.”

“She isn’t staying bonded to him, she asked to be released! If she is unbonded, she is ours!”

“She’s right. Unbonded, she is ours and must come to a coven to train. Even bonded I would vote she be required to come to a coven.”

“Forcing her to come will not…”

I stood up with a sigh and turned to walk out. “You can all argue and when you are done, I will see those who wish to stay and choose one among them!” I yelled as I left.

I heard Alastor laughing as I hurried down the hall.

Gwideon quickly caught up to me, trying to hide a smirk. “That was marvelous,” he grinned. “You know, elders aren’t usually spoken to like that.”

“I have no patience for their bickering. I’m tired and ready to move on. I want to go see my village and bury my father.”

“The town too, up the road? It was also attacked. All of those Striggae and Vamphyr feeding on the people while the Striggae hid their presence. It will take a long while to clean it all up.”

I sighed, then realized he was leading me up to my room. When he opened my door for me, then stepped back with an open smile, I hesitated there at the door as he stepped across the hall to his own door.

“Gwideon?”

“Yes?”

“Would you like to know what papa called me when I was little?”

“Of course!”

“I will trade you,” I told him, blushing furiously and looking down.

“Oh?” he asked, stepping closer and stopping right in front of me. “What would you like to trade for this knowledge?”

“I was thinking perhaps a kiss?”

“That sounds very reasonable, even if it isn’t silly enough. So let’s hear it then.”

“He called me Squeak. He said as a babe I hardly cried at all, I would just squeak at him when I wanted something. He called me that up until I considered myself a young woman and asked him to stop. He only laughed then and told me 8 was not old enough to be a young woman. He did stop, though, and called me Wyn instead.”

“That’s a bit adorable,” he smiled fondly. “May I call you Squeak?”

“Not if you wish me to answer,” I told him, smiling myself and looking down.

“Well then, now I owe you a kiss, don’t I?”

“That was the deal.”

Taking a knee in front of me, he pulled me close with one arm in the small of my back, the other sliding into my hair. His lips on mine this time were not gentle, they were passionate. He was passionate, pulling me close and holding me against him as his lips parted mine and he kissed me more deeply. Moving me, he pressed me to the wall, holding my face in both hands now as we kissed, my hands in his hair.

“Ahem,” Usiah interrupted.

I jerked, but Gwideon only looked down at me with his head pressed to mine, his eyes wide with wonder.

“They have the Enchantresses willing to stay ready for you, Miss.”

“Wyn,” I breathed. “Umm… you can call me Wyn. Umm… We’ll be right there.”

Gwideon swallowed hard as he held my face in his hands. “It… it seems to me that in order for you to be able to stay, guaranteed, is to just stay bonded for now. Still sleep across the hall and all, but, you know… just for convenience.”

“Just for convenience,” I agreed breathlessly, holding on to his wrists as I looked up at him.

We stayed there another moment until Usiah cleared his throat again.

I blushed and looked down as Gwideon stood and took hold of my hand as he did. Walking me back to the large room, we both moved slowly, our hands gripping each other.

Once we got closer, I moved closer to him as well and took his large hand in both of mine as I looked over all the women in the room, whispering and talking.

“There are quite a few, aren’t there?” Gwideon asked softly.

I nodded, then turned to Bob and knelt down. “Go to all of them. Tell me who not to choose, who you sense is not right for me.”

Bob immediately set off to circle around the women.

I stood and looked them over. “If he butts you with his head, please leave,” I told them.

“You are letting an ANIMAL choose for you?” pinch face shrieked in horror.

“They are good judges of people,” Gwideon spoke up.

I looked up at Ray. “Who would you choose?”

He hopped off his perch and swooped down, circling above all of them. Finally, he swooped in and tagged the head of a woman, then another and another. At that point, Bob had sent most of them off until only those three were left.

One in yellow, one in black and one in white.

“If you had to choose one?” I asked both of them.

They both chose the woman in black.

“Yallisine is BARELY a sister herself, she was only granted sisterhood last year!”

“Then she is freshly familiar with what needs doing,” I smiled at pinch face. “I choose Yallisine.”

Yallasine smiled and looked down, her hands still clasped in front of her.

“She has made her choice,” Alastor spoke up. “We can revisit this in a month’s time and make sure she is progressing well and perhaps reevaluate if we must. Yallasine, you will be given the accommodations of your choice, of course and shown every courtesy.”

“I vote that she be taken to a coven despite her wishes! She has no tether to this place now and…” pinch face began.

“I do!” I yelled loudly. “I’ve decided to keep my bond with Gwideon.”

“Only to keep us from taking you! It is no true bond!”

“I would testify that it is,” Usiah spoke up. “And you may hold my oath under test to see if it is false. I bore witness myself.”

“He compelled her then,” pinch face scowled.

“I’ve never compelled anyone in my life,” Gwideon grinned. “Never needed to.”

“It’s settled,” Alastor proclaimed loudly, giving pinch face a scowl. “Yassaline will stay and guide Gwideon’s companion. All of you may return to your beds and tomorrow, you may all begin leaving as you wish. Carmilla, I ask that you bring Rhys back with you and keep him very busy the next few years. He will be in a foul temper, but he is a good fighter and very driven when it comes to his duties. Close the portal to him, please.”

“Of course, Alastor,” the beautiful woman smiled. “Gladly. I will be leaving tomorrow first thing if you will let your people know to have him brought.”

Gwideon began leading me away as the leaders all began talking to each other as if I no longer existed. Yallasine looked like she wanted to speak to me, but she kept cutting her eyes at the leaders and she stayed back with the others who had volunteered to stay.

Once we reached the stairs, Gwideon took my hand again. “Did you wish to say goodbye to him, Wyn?” he asked gently.

“Do you think I should?” I asked softly, a little nervous.

“It’s up to you. I wanted to give you the option before we go to bed.”

“Perhaps I should,” I sighed. “I wish to thank him for saving me.”

“This way then, my sweet little love,” he told me, turning me the opposite direction as our rooms. The wing he led me to seemed dark, and more severe. The dark stone bare with no tapestries or paintings for relief. Once we got close, I could hear speaking.

Eliphas was in the room talking to Rhys, guarding him as he sat on the back wall. Eliphas stood when we came in and scowled down at me. “I wish he never saved you,” he snarled, then stepped out.

I felt crushed, but I stepped to the cell where Rhys was sitting on a stone bench. He was glaring at me coldly. “Come to gloat? You tore me from my brothers, made a fool of me, lied to me.”

“I wished to thank you for saving me, I…”

“I wish I hadn’t! I wish I’d never laid eyes on you! You’ve broken me, Ecowyn and for what? Some words the others told you? I saved you! I brought you into the fortress and took care of you, worried over you and stayed by your side through everything! Yet you toss me aside and break me for what? A few smiles and a pretty face? He’ll never love you, you know. He will never stop loving Bonilla, you will never be first in his heart. You were first in my heart, Ecowyn. The first EVER. I only wished a chance! A chance to show you I could change! Was I harming you the other day when I took you to bed? Or showing you bliss? Before HE interrupted. I wasn’t compelling you to allow it, only to open your heart to me. Allow me in and not fear me. I was never going to hurt you again! Yet you gave me no chance, did you?”

“You compelled me again in the hallway, pulled at me so hard I nearly lost myself completely!”

“I told you, Ecowyn… I love you. I cannot bear giving you up, letting another have you when my heart aches for you so.”

“I’m sorry, Rhys,” I whispered, stepping back. “I wish things could have been different.”

“Ecowyn! Do not leave yet! Give me this night. Stay and talk to me before I leave in the morning. Allow me to be close to you just until I must leave.”

“I don’t think that is wise,” I told him, stepping back again.

“It is not so much to ask, is it? For the man who saved you? Took care of you and loved you?”

“I fear your anger, Rhys. Your hate. You’re so angry at me now.”

“You gave yourself to another, of course I’m upset, but I only ask a few hours of your time.”

“Perhaps… half an hour… and I will stay over here.”

“Without him,” Rhys told me quickly. “He must leave so as not to flaunt that he took you from me.”

I sighed, then sat in a far chair, nodding at Gwideon. He looked worried, but he left.

Moments later, Eliphas returned, glowering at me. He sat on the other side of the room, though and opened a book.

“Ecowyn,” Rhys called more softly. “My beautiful little one… seeing you in the light, it hit me like a blow. You are so stunning, your light shining so brightly. I knew I was lost to you the moment your eyes met mine in the portal room. Do not fault me for never having been with a woman… I didn’t know what to do, only what I knew should be done. I was wrong, I know that now. I didn’t realize it was something I had to wait for, I’ve always heard when a man and woman wed, they share a bed the first night to seal the pact. A companion is different, I discovered. We must get to know each other first and work our way up to it. I made a mistake… but please do not fault me for it and punish me. You’d be dead were it not for me! I saved you and you owe me your life! Give me another chance… a true chance. Not one where there was interference and jealousy meddling in it. I would see you happy, on my honor.”

“I fear you, Rhys,” I whispered. “I fear you will punish me again and… you are so very cold and rigid and demanding.”

“I’m willing to change. You can help me! I will learn to be warm and less demanding. Allow you to be as you are and not force you to change to my will. Ecowyn… I cannot live without you. I would not last a day in Mjennic, I would end myself knowing I would never lay eyes on you again.”

“That isn’t fair!”

“What isn’t fair is to have you stolen from me! For him to have made you distrust me and twist things and wheedle his way into your affections by giving you a false face! Bonilla killed herself to escape him, Ecowyn! He is more violent in the bedroom than ever I was! Hurting, demanding, binding with ropes and chains for days at a time for his pleasure! She was miserable with it! Ask Eliphas! Ask the others! They all know it to be true as well. He is not the soft hearted man you believe him to be!”

“You had a better chance when you weren’t lying to me,” I told him coldly. “I know he is not like that, my animals would have told me. They all like him and none like you.”

“The raven did, he trusted me.”

“He knew I wouldn’t let you hurt him!”

“I’m not lying, Ecowyn. Ask Eliphas.”

“He’s your friend, he would say whatever you wished him to say!”

“I’d not lie,” Eliphas snarled. “What he says is true! Bonilla ended herself, she could no longer take the way Gwideon treated her. She was miserable with it!”

I turned away, blushing.

“Ecowyn… give me three days to show you. Three days is not so long? And you can stay bonded to him if you wish, if it will make you feel safer. We will stay in your room, closeby where he will hear you if you call for him and know if you need help. I deserve a single chance, don’t I? Now that I know the right way of it and I’m willing to change?”

I was so confused and there was so much pressure. What was right and what was wrong? Was Gwideon truly a monster lurking below his smiles? They both said so, said Bonilla killed herself and neither of them seemed to be lying. I didn’t know what to do and I felt sick over it.

A single chance.

I looked at Rhys, then nodded slightly. “A day. A day is all, and we will go from there. But I will check to see if you are lying!”

Rhys stood, his face brightening hopefully. “I will show you, Ecowyn! I will show you! Prove that I can be a man you can love.”

I swallowed hard, feeling more sick now as Eliphas came and unlocked the cell.

Rhys immediately came to me and hugged me close, going to a knee to hold me to his chest and when he pulled back, there were real tears in his eyes. “I WILL show you, Ecowyn,” he whispered hoarsely. “Come, I wish to show you something!” he smiled happily, then lifted me up and carried me out of the room, hurrying down the hall.

He took me down the stairs and i thought he meant to take me to the large hall where the others were so they could tell me if Bonilla had killed herself.

Instead, he went into the map room and immediately began tracing a rune.

“What are you doing?” I asked worriedly.

“I’m going to show you! Take you down where the journals are kept and let you read it for yourself.”

“I cannot read.”

“Then I will read it aloud to you and when I teach you to read you can read it for yourself,” he told me as the light flashed and a tunnel opened.

The tunnel looked long, but once it closed behind us, it was suddenly short, the opening in front of us. When he stepped out, I looked around in confusion. It was another map room, but very different. Where were we? I didn’t have time to look around as he hurried out to the large foyer which was also different, then up the stairs four flights.

When we reached the fourth floor, I felt different. As though I had lost something of myself.

Looking around, this place no longer had the feel of the fortress, it was open and there were many windows and so much greenery. It was actually lovely.

He turned, going back out to the steps, and when he did, I felt that loss return to me, but it felt different. Like a hole filled with stone instead of soft dirt.

“I feel odd,” I told Rhys softly, blinking away dizziness as I took hold of his neck and laid my head down.

“Everything will be fine now, Little one,” he told me. Going down a single story, he took me down a long hall that seemed little used. Pushing into a room, he looked around, then took me to the bed and set me down. “You must be tired,” he whispered. “Lay down here and I will find us some food. Alright?”

I nodded, still confused.

He left, closing the door and locking it behind him and I lay there feeling like a fog was in my head obscuring my thoughts.

He returned moments later, giving me a tight smile as he brought a tray over.

“Sit up a bit, little one. Has the dizziness passed? It may last until you wake. Eat this for me, then I will let you sleep.

I took a bite, then looked up at him. “What’s wrong with me?”

“It takes a bit from you when a bond is severed and you are bonded again so quickly. You will be disoriented and dizzy, probably until morning.”

“You… bonded me?”

“Yes, Little one. I had to show you! I will never compel you again, ever. We are in Mjennic now, you and I. The others will arrive in the morning. I have until then to show you that I will change and be the man you need me to be. Now finish eating my little one so you can rest. I will stay close.”

I ate another bite, still confused. “How did you sever the bond?”

“Here, the covens are within the Fortress. Stepping into a coven breaks the bond for a halfling. I took you into the coven here then bonded you as soon as we were out. A few more bites for me? You will need your strength.”

“Why? What do you mean to do to me?”

He gave me another tight smile. “I intend to see you healed from this fugue you have right now. Just a few more bites now.”

I ate, starting to feel incredibly sleepy. Taking the tray, he caught my shoulders with one arm as I tilted back.

“Easy now, little one. I will stay close. Rest as long as you need to to recover.

Sleep rolled me and my dreams were dark and murky. When I woke, I was both cold and also sweating, shaking. Rhys was next to me, pressed against me, his face nuzzled into my shoulder and neck. His long arm was across me, his fingers twined in mine.

He lifted his head sleepily, then gave me a smile that looked as though he had practiced it. “Hello sleepyhead, how do you feel?”

“Fine, I guess,” I whispered, looking around. “How long was I asleep?”

“Quite a while. Longer than I thought you would be, actually. It shouldn’t have taken so much out of you, but I guess you also needed more rest from everything else that’s been happening. Are you hungry? Thirsty?”

“May I have some water, please?”

“Of course, sit tight.”

He hurried to the pitcher and poured me a cup of water, returning with another practiced smile. I did note that though the smile was forced, it did touch his eyes. He was genuinely happy, though he was unused to smiling.

Taking the cup and drinking it all, I looked around again at the strange room. The decor was different here, the fabric, the art, even the blankets seemed different. Softer, more sleek.

“Would you like more, little one?”

“No thank you… I do need the privy but I don’t see a screen?”

“No,they do it a bit differently here. Behind that door there and it’s also where you wash up.”

“Thank you. Oh, no, I can make it, I wish to walk and stretch my muscles,” I told him when he tried to help.

“Of course, my strong Little One,” he smiled.

It pleased me a bit to hear him say that, to know that he had pride in what he considered my strength. It made me feel incredibly warm as I tottered to the door. When I came out, he was sitting on the end of the bed, waiting for me.

“Have you spoken to anyone?” I asked him.

“Not yet, I intended to go out in the morning and let them know I was here. I wanted you awake first. How do you feel?”

“A bit sore and achy, and still a bit shaky from my bad dreams. Will we be able to go outside soon?” I asked, going to the window to look out. The window turned out to be a door that opened onto a patio right on the side of the fortress. It was very warm outside and the air felt wet. It was like breathing above boiling water and it hurt my lungs a bit. “I do not like this!” I told Rhys when he stepped out with me.

He chuckled. “It takes a bit of getting used to, doesn’t it? We will see about you going outside. Mjennic is different than the land we are used to… much different. There are more Vamphyr and Striggae here and that’s why every Fortress is double manned. When things get bad, it is triple manned. I will have to have the area scouted first and you won’t be able to go far. More than far enough to find plenty of animals,” he smiled again.

I turned and looked up at him, looking his face over. “You aren’t going to let me go back, are you?”

“It’s my hope that you won’t want to. Once I show you I have changed, I have listened to all that was said to me.”

“You said some cruel things to me when you were mad.”

“We all say things we don’t mean when our feelings are hurt. We lash out.”

“Even if I do decide I do not wish to stay… you aren’t going to let me leave, are you?” I asked softly.

“Little One… I do, in fact, plan on taking you back. Whether you decide to stay or not, I know you wish to visit your village and bury what you can of your father. Probably see your animals again and maybe bring them back here if you wish to stay.”

“And if I want to stay there?”

“Then I will try and understand.”

I looked back out at the view, the odd trees and the water not far away with the light, sparkling tan ground near the water. “That lake is vast,” I breathed, looking out as far as I could.

“That’s the ocean. That there next to it is the beach, and that is called a jungle. It’s very different from home, isn’t it? The people here have a strange nobility to them and they all seem to be so cheerful all the time as if they were content with life. How are you feeling? Do you need to sit down?”

“No, I’m fine. I do wish I could see some of the creatures I was told about though. Do they ever come out of those trees?”

“I’m not sure. I’ve been here a few times, but never outside the Fortress. Little One, you look so lovely with the light shining on your hair and turning your eyes amber. I do adore you so.”

“My looks, but my personality annoys you.”

“I only said that still trying to deny that I liked you at all. I do like your personality and your strength of will and mind. How soft spoken and gentle you are, right up until you’ve had enough. You should come back inside now, the sun is different here. Your skin will redden and burn if you are out too long, especially as fair as you are.”

I let him lead me back inside and close the door, then sighed as I dropped into a chair. I wished I wasn’t so tired and weak, but I was hoping that would pass as I learned to use my gift more.

My gift.

I could speak to animals in a way, they knew what I was feeling and what I needed. I’d been so incredibly busy and so much was happening, I’d hardly had time to register it or dwell on it at all.

“You look as though you are worrying over something, Little One. Do you wish to talk about it?”

“I was just thinking… I have magic. I never imagined such a thing could even happen, and now here I am thinking about how to learn to use it.”

“You’re a natural, you only need to build your magic muscles a bit,” he smiled. “Get used to it and strengthen yourself so it doesn’t make you tired.”

“They’ll teach me that soon enough. If… if I stay, do you think they will bring the instructor I chose here?”

“Not if this isn’t where her coven is. Those who are here will be training you, but have no fears. They cannot take you or even bring you into their coven above. It would null our bond and they cannot do that to a halfling unless she has chosen to join the coven.”

“Do you think we could go and eat? What time is it?”

“It is dinner time,” he told me slowly. “I am sure they are all back by now and no one knows we are here yet, Little One. Once they know, there will be a bit of a to-do about it. Perhaps some arguing and talk of separating us. If you truly wish it, I will take you down, but be aware that it might cause some distress.”

“It’s going to happen sooner or later,” I shrugged, sort of hoping they did offer me the chance to get away from him. I wasn’t sure what I wanted right this moment, but I wanted the chance there if I needed it. “We should get it oover with and I am famished.”

“As you wish then,” he smiled, but I could tell it was forced and tense. He was allowing this, but he was afraid I was going to try and get away from him.

When he offered his hand, I took it and let him lead me out and down as I looked around curiously. We passed two men in the hall who looked confused to see us, and a servant in the foyer who looked shocked. When we entered the dining hall, everyone stood up in shock.

“Venator Rhys! There you are!” the woman in silver breathed. “No one knew where you were! We didn’t know that you had come here! Brought her here!”

“This is where I was assigned,” Rhys nodded. Are these the new men I have to work with?” he asked, looking around the table at all of the young men.

“Yes, these are the newly raised Venators. We will have time for introductions later. Rhys… everyone is looking for her. Yu will have to allow her to return, we can’t let you force her to stay.”

“Little One?” Rhys asked softly.

I spoke up. “I have allowed him a trial period to prove to me he will no longer compel me or harm me. If it does not work out, he promised I will be allowed to return home.”

“I see. We will have to let Alastor know you are both here and that you were not kidnapped. Jerrondill, please send a message immediately. Understand that Alastor might wish to come himself and see that she is here of her volition.”

“I understand,” Rhys nodded, then pulled a chair out for me. “We have not eaten since we arrived and she is hungry, she needs her strength.”

“Yes, of course. Ecowyn… the Enchantress you chose is not of our coven. You will have to choose another, or if you wish, I could teach you since you are here with us. Does that suit you?”

“You seem nice enough. Are you an old sourpuss in disguise?”

The woman laughed, a full belly laugh. “It’s a bit refreshing sometimes to have a halfling come to us with no knowledge of the rules and how to treat their teachers. No, Ecowyn, I do not have a sour disposition at all, but I’m afraid I will have to insist on following at least some of the rules while you are here. Any of the full Enchantresses are Mistress. Any of the apprentices are sisters. Those like you, the halflings here to learn control, you may call each other by name, but we will all refer to you as Child Ecowyn. A bit formal, I know, but it keeps things orderly and everyone in their place.”

“You all say I am strong. Why can I not be an Enchantress if I am stronger than some of the Enchantresses?”

“That is not how it works, I’m afraid. There is a trial to become an Enchantress and it will involve the five elements. As you only have a single, very specific gift, you could not pass it no matter how strong you are. Say a man wished to be a soldier in the king’s army. He was especially good with a bow, a marksman even. And yet, he could not wield a sword, or a halberd, or pass any of the verbal tests about laws and who should be where, and he couldn’t wear his armor or even more very quickly or efficiently. Do you think he should be allowed into the elite guard simply because he was a good shot with the bow?”

“I suppose not, but I feel as if it is different.”

“You are exceptional, Ecowyn, and you will be a huge asset. In many ways, you will be treated as an Enchantress because of the value and strength of your gift. Your own suite, your own servant, other freedoms that aren’t allowed most halflings.”

“Why should I be different from them? Why do they not get the same treatment?”

“Everything among us is based on both strength and where our power is the strongest. Mistress Corwine is exceptional with healing, so she wears the black.”

“I thought black was assassin.”

“Yes, very good. A venator takes, an enchantress gives. You see? Yellow is the same among both, Brown as well. Both deal in nature and earth. You would be brown as well. White are the dedicated and search out the Striggae and Vamphyr to destroy. So you see? There are parallels among us, but not quite exactly the same. Halflings ARE assigned a color and they live among their own groups for the most part. You will live in the earth wing, just below the coven, but you will have your own room and a suite.”

“She will be in my room,” Rhys reminded the woman.

“Why are there no halflings here? Eating?” I asked quickly.

“Many are working and the others eat in the common room, where the wings converge for the halflings. As you are also Rhys’s companion, you will be allowed to this table, of course. And though you are considered brown, you will be wearing white, for him.”

“And if I prefer brown?”

“That is up to him, of course.”

“Little One, you may wear any color you wish,” Rhys told me softly.

“Papa’s favorite color was blue. May I wear blue?”

“Of course. Blue tomorrow, purple the next day, orange the day after. Pink, green, any color you wish.”

“That’s not really how things are done…” the woman faltered.

“She wears what I tell her to wear,” Rhys told the woman. “And I have commanded that she wear whatever color she feels like wearing. There’s no rule that says she MUST wear my color, simply that I dictate color and cut.”

“Very well, but I do home you keep in mind that the others might feel resentful of it. She won’t be able to…” the woman cut off as Alastor stormed in, Followed by Gwideon, Fastion and Gerard.

“Rhys!” Alastor raged. “What have you done?”

“Nothing she did not tell me I could do,” Rhys answered calmly.

“You severed another mans bond to his companion!” Gwideon cried.

“As was done to me.”

“Ecowyn!” Gwideon breathed. “Are you hurt? Come, I will get you home.”

“No,” Rhys stood. “Alastor, come closer, feel her mind. Have I compelled her? At all? She is here of her own volition, aren’t you Little One?”

“I am,” I told Alastor, unable to look at Gwideon. “I promised him a day to prove himself.”

“It’s been three,” Alastor growled.

“So it has. She was asleep, passed out. Resting. I thought it fair that I at least had until morning with her. Ecowyn, may I have until morning?”

“Yes,” I agreed softly, looking down at my plate.

“Wyn?” Gwideon called softly.

I went tense all over, hating how torn I was. I wanted so badly to go to Gwideon, but I had promised Rhys a day.

A day I knew would not make a difference, it was only out of obligation.

Standing, I turned to Alastor. “May I speak to you a moment? About retrieving my animals and other things?”

“Of course, child,” he sighed.

Leading me out to the hall, he stopped when we were away from the doorway. I looked up at him. “I do not wish to hurt him, but I have no intention of staying here. I feel I owe him, but… I could never love him. Should… I leave now while he thinks I am going to stay so there is no fuss made? Or wait and see if he reacts well enough to allow me to leave?”

“I think you should come now. I will open the portal and send you through, then retrieve the others so there is nothing he can do. Come quickly.”

I followed him to the portal room and ran through when he opened it, feeling horrible for what I was doing to Rhys. I knew though, I knew if I told him I wanted to go that he wouldn’t let me. He would be nice and polite and sweet right up until I did something wrong or tried to leave, then he wouldn’t allow it. I should never have said yes to spending an hour with him, or to give him the day.

Turning, I paced in the portal room, waiting for it to open up.

When it did, Gwideon was the first through and he hurried to me. Going to his knees, he held me at arms length to look me over. “Did he hurt you? Are you well?”

“Only tired,” I answered him with a soft smile.

He made a noise, then yanked me to him and hugged me against him. I let out a deep sigh and closed my eyes, hugging him back.

“The way here is blocked to him,” Alastor spoke up. “But that does not mean he won’t go to another place and come here from there. I think, and I’m sorry for this Gwideon, but I think we will have to move you both to Miovia, to the far south where her instructor is from. It will be the safest place and Rhys will assume she is here. They will need someone there to help with the new Venator anyway.”

“Gerard and I would like to go with them,” Fastion told Alastor quickly. “Help him there. It seems sensible to bring a few new Venator here to learn from you anyway.”

“Very well, you are right. If you both wish to go, you are granted a transfer. I must say, I may miss Jenny more than I miss you,” Alastor chuckled.

Gwideon finally pulled back, taking my face in his hands and looking me over. I knew he’d heard none of what was being said at all. I held his wrists and blushed, smiling at him. To Alastor, I spoke up. “May I take Bob and Ray with me?” I asked him.

“That bear has been at the gate demanding entrance as well,” Fastion told me.

“And two of the wolves keep circling and trying to find a way in too,” Gerard told me.

I grinned and looked at Alastor pleadingly.

“Of course they may go, though I will have to send a warning ahead of you. All of you, get your things together and I will make arrangements.”

I froze and looked at Gwideon. “Can we go to the village? Before we leave?”

“Of course, my Wyn. We’ll do it first thing. Alastor, can you remove the bind he has on her?”

“Yes, since it it close to time for her to lay down. It will weaken her for a time.”

“Gwideon will take care of me,” I told Alastor quickly, looking back up at Gwideon.

He was still holding my face, staring down at me in wonder. “Wyn?” he asked softly.

“Yes?”

“May I bond you? Once the connection to Rhys is severed?”

“I didn’t know I’d have a choice,” I half laughed, blushing again.

“Oh, you don’t,” he grinned. “I was only being polite.”

I giggled and hugged his neck again, but he turned my face up to his and kissed me instead. His hands were gentle, but his mouth was hungry and passionate and all consuming. His need and adoration shone through.

“You two are sickening,” Fastion snorted.

“They’re adorable,” Gerard admonished him. “You know, you could kiss ME like that once and a while.”

“I kiss you all the time!”

“Not like that! Not like your world begins and ends with me.”

“No one but Gwideon could fall so deeply. The rest of us are NORMAL,” Fastian teased.

Gwideon still didn’t hear them, and I only vaguely did in the back of my mind as I gave myself over to Gwideon. I finally pulled back and looked up at him, out of breath.

“I am going to sever the bond now,” Alastor chuckled. “I would say be ready to catch her, but I doubt there’s any danger of you letting her go any time soon.”

Gwideon only nodded as we stared at each other.

I felt it this time, when the bond was pulled from me. I knew what it was now, having felt it not too long ago. As it left me, exhaustion took its place and Gwideon lifted me, standing to hold me. I felt it when he bonded me, the feeling so different. The cold, hard rocks were gone, replaced with warm, soft earth. It felt so much more right and I sighed happily as my head fell to his shoulder.

I thought I’d only blinked for a moment, laid my head down and closed my eyes for a single second. When I opened them again, seconds later, I was in the fall bedroom in the bed. The daylight was bright coming in the windows and I yawned sleepily as I sat up.

“Hello Wyn,” Gwideon grinned. “I have you a drink and some food here, Jenny’s been by twice to see you with trays of food she’s been switching out for when you woke. Feel like sitting up and coming to eat, or do you need a bit of help?”

“I can do it,” I told him quickly, getting up shakily.

“I knew you could. Knew you’d want to.”

“Did you change me?” I asked, a little fearfully as I looked down at the dark brown gown.

“Cera did,” he smiled.

“Oh,” I breathed in relief.

“I did watch, though,” he teased, his eyes sparkling.

I only laughed, knowing he was joking. It took me moments to devour what was on the tray and as soon as I was done, I sat back, happily full.

“So… how up to it do you think you are for a ride?”

“To where?”

“Your village.”

“Now! I’m up to it now!”

“Good. Fas and Ger are on standby to go with us and help. It’s already been done in the town, all of it burned to the ground. There was nothing left to save,” he told me sadly.

I was happy to get up and get dressed, even letting him help me. The ride out there was too slow in my mind, but Henrietta, Bob, Ray and two of the older wolves all came with us.

“And who are they?” Gerard asked, giving me a wry smile.

I looked at the two wolves, trying to decide on names.

“That one is Frost,” Gwideon spoke up, “because he’s all gray save for the tops of his fur around his face that’s all white, like frost. And that old guy there is Sylvan because he blends so well with the woods, as though he is a part of them.”

I gave Gwideon a pleased smile. “You’re much better at names than I am! Perhaps I’ll let you name them all from now on.”

“I think you should too,” he chuckled. “Sorry you got stuck with Bob,” he told the bobcat.

I managed a laugh, but then the village came into view and my face and heart fell.

The smell was bad enough that I couldn’t get close, but there was a black and bloody mess everywhere. Chunks of decaying flesh covered with flies and other insects. The houses were all destroyed, doors ripped off and windows smashed in. Things were everywhere. A pot in the middle of the pathway, a wood axe buried into a wall, clothes everywhere, so soiled you could hardly tell they were clothes.

“Take her out of this,” Fastion told Gwideon. “We’ll take care of it, burn it all and see these folk off to the next life. Take her back.”

I shook my head in disbelief as I looked around, but I let Gwideon turn my horse around. After a moment, he sidled in close and pulled me off my horse to sit with him on his. He held me tight against him, hugging me and resting his head on mine. “They will see them off well.”

“There… was little Enoch’s little wooden horse in the…”

“Shhh, My love, I know. I saw. It’s all right, just remember that YOU avenged them all. You, Wyn. NOTHING that did that or helped do that to that village is left alive. Your efforts saw to that. Come now, let’s get back so we can get ready to go in the morning. Are you excited to see Miovia? I’m told it’s very cold there. We’ll have to see Cera tonight for warm clothes to bring with.”

He talked to me the entire way back, but I hardly heard him. Even when he tucked me into bed, my mind was far away, my heart broken. His arms around me, his head next to mine on the pillow, made me come back to myself. Looking up at him, I looked over his face in the dim light. “Do you think he suffered?”

“No. No, I don’t think any of them did. As horrible as they are, the Vamphyr don’t toy with their food, they kill quickly. The Striggae probably had them all spelled and they weren’t even aware of what was happening. They weren’t afraid, they felt nothing. Have no fears, My Love.”

“You called me that earlier too,” I whispered.

“So I did,” he agreed. “I am sure I know my own mind,” he smiled knowingly. “You don’t have to feel pressured because I feel free in saying it, know that. You’re more reserved with your affections and I never have been, I know this as well. Don’t think you might be hurting me but not saying it back or if you take your time. Time is something we have a lot of.”

“Gwideon?”

“Mmm?”

“Rhys… Rhys said Bonilla killed herself. Because of you and how you treated her. Eliphas agreed with him.”

Gwideon sighed sadly. “I suppose, in a way, she did. I loved her… I loved her with all my heart, but I also knew her. I knew how quickly she grew bored and how she liked to play her games and stir trouble. A new Venator came to train, he was a yellow, before Gerard and Fas were assigned here. He was handsome and flamboyant with a huge personality. He gave Bonilla a great deal of attention. I knew what was happening, yet I did nothing. I pretended not to know. I refused to go to her bed, but I knew and allowed it so I wouldn’t upset the way things were. When the day came that I accidentally caught them, she thought I was finding out for the first time. She didn’t know I’d known for some time. I closed the door without a word and went down to the library, but she followed me, begging forgiveness. As it turned out, he was tiring of her and no longer treating her as he was. She came to me begging for forgiveness and making a huge scene. I told her I didn’t care, it was fine. To go back to bed. I acted as though nothing at all had happened. She kept coming to me and pleading with me to forgive her and I told her I had, but she didn’t believe me. She thought I was repressing my emotions and acting cold to her because I wouldn’t yell or have it out with her. The honest truth was… I simply didn’t love her as I had before. She had toyed with me so much, flaunted her indiscretions, treated me so badly… That seemed to be the end to my feelings for her. It didn’t upset me because I didn’t care. I told her to let it go, that things were fine, but she went into this hysterical fit about how awful she was and how she didn’t deserve my forgiveness. I thought it was her being dramatic, she always liked to be over emotional and get attention. When I found her… I knew she had done it. She had done it to herself. Part of me wondered if maybe she hadn’t meant to. If maybe she was just trying to hurt herself a bit for the attention, but it went wrong. I was sad… incredibly sad, but mostly I was jaded. Forever is a long time with the wrong person and I was afraid of the wrong person happening all over again. So, in a way, I guess she did kill herself because of me. What Rhys didn’t tell you was that he was here then, him and Eliphas both. They both kept telling her how worthless she was and called her horrible names for cheating on me. I told them to stop, that it was none of their business, but they said they were defending me. The day before it happened, Rhys had told her that I’d be better off if she were just dead. Said I was so heartbroken and lost that I was no longer effective at my job. When I found out… when I found out, that was the day Rhys and I stopped being close. We were still brothers, but I never really liked him again after that.”

“I’m sorry that happened to you, and to her.”

“You came back with me, agreed to bond me, after they both told you I killed her? Made her kill herself?”

“I knew they were lying.”

“Such a trusting heart, so sure and loyal. I think that’s what draws me to you… we are kindred spirits.”

I looked back down at his chest, then snuggled in close to him as tears leaked out of my eyes. Stroking my back, he only held me close until I fell asleep.

The next morning seemed rushed and busy with everyone hurrying around, packing and getting things ready, saying goodbyes. Jenny seemed to be having the most trouble, hugging everyone over and over again and going over her bags again and again.

“Jen!” Gerard called with a laugh. “We aren’t going where we can never come back! It’s a portal jump away. It’s time.”

Yallasine seemed the most reluctant to leave and I knew why. Moving close to her, I smiled up at her. “I cannot go into the coven, not without it breaking my bond to Gwideon. I will have to stay at the fortress. Gwideon and I do not share a room, and I’m sure the room next to mine will likely be open as well. You could train me well away from the coven and those in it, couldn’t you?”

Her face brightened. “Yes! Yes, I believe that is best all around.”

Fastion glowered down at Henrietta who had nudged him aside to nose Gerards pockets. “Must ALL of them come?” he demanded.

Gerard chuckled and pulled something wrapped in paper from his pocket. “She wants this,” he told Fastion, unwrapping a puff pastry drizzled in honey.

Henrietta made a whuffing noise of impatience and Gerard grinned as he gave it to her.

“I made that for you!” Jenny huffed.

“I already had 6! Anyway, there WILL be a kitchen in Miovia,” he teased. “Are we all ready then?”

“Wyn and I should go first,” Gwideon called, leading me to the portal room as the animals all followed close behind. Like they knew we were about to leave here and they didn’t want to be left here without me. “So no one gets anxious about the animals all coming in and she is there to keep them calm.”

Gwideon led me into Miovia and into its bright white marble walls. There were only women there to meet us, no men. Every one of them looked to me and the animals surrounding me.

“Ecowyn Cobblen, you have been summoned to the Coven immediately to be initiated into the ranks as a halfling apprentice.”

“No,” I shrugged.

“You are not allowed to say no,” the woman in silver replied, lifting her chin.

“Just the same, no,” I told her again.

“If you will not come willingly, you WILL be forced.”

“You cannot require a bound halfling to enter your coven,” Gwideon scowled, stepping between them and I.