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Lucas led her into the largest building, opening the door he walked in, and not two seconds after her coming into view of the entire room a deep gruff voice said.

"Lucas, what the bloody hell did you do?" The man was large, his clothing a bit on the threadbare side, his face covered in a thick beard. "What have I told you about taking prisoners on the game road, you know it only leads to trouble..."

Lucas stood tall and defiant. "We can charge her family ransom, look at her, she's bloody rich, look at that dress, at HER, can you honestly tell me she's done an honest days work in her life? Do you think she's tilled a field? Fed a sow?" Throwing the rope down he undid her manacles roughly, letting them clatter to the floor.

"You know the rules, and you know my stand on ransom. She's injured, your doing?" The mans eyes were as cold as Lucas' had been when they had met in the wood.

"Yes," Lucas said staring the man down.

"Forty lashings, and I'm reducing your rations... Again," The man moved over to Tinania and looked her over. "I apologize for Lucas, he's a young man, brass, he doesn't think..."

Lucas spat. "I thought... don't fill her head with lies Borath, she's a spoiled lordling brat, don't bow to her..." He turned and dropped his bow and quiver to the floor, and shead his shirt quickly letting it fall to the floor. Picking up a whip from the table he through it at Borath. "Well? Forty lashings yes?"

His back was well scarred, this was obviously not his first offense.

"Not with the lady here..." Bortah said frowning at the whip in his hand.

"Oh don't be a milksop Bortah, I'm sure she'd love some sweet vengence." Lucas' words were venom, and he turned to face the wall. "Get on with it... Coward. Or let her do it, I care not."

"Lucas is what this woman says be true?" The man looked at Tinania, then the whip, it was obvious he did not want to hit Lucas, at least, not with her there.

"If you mean her attacking me, yes, it be true, but I did cause her harm, and I did fire first, a warning shot, to try and get her to flush and run, but she did not, so I took her captive... The tear in her dress be from that for truth..." Lucas did not turn from his spot on the wall. "You have made your punishment Borath, are you going to let a rich little woman decide my fate?"

Borath frowned, it was obvious that he did not like Lucas' tone, but he liked the situation even less.

"What is the status of the Winter way Lucas, is the path clear?"

"I see not how it matters... But no, it is full of the Wild ones, and I do not for see them leaving soon."

"The girl cannot leave Free Haven by the Game Road, that much is certain, if she is of the forest then we must take her back. When do you expecct the wild ones to go..."

"When the snows fill the passes and the fish and game go south... and make Winter way impassible... Save to me and my kin..." Lucas said to the wall, loud enough for all to here.

"Then she shall stay with you, until such time as you can take her by Winter way back to her home," Borath's voice was frim and final.

Lucas seemed to pale, his gils turning a shade of light green. "You would shack me with a woman Borath! Are you mad!" He spun quickly, his black gray eyes dancing with terror. "You know what curse they be, do not saddle me with such!"

Borath growled, and threw down the whip. "I decree your punishment Ranger Lucas of Free Haven, and I say you shall care for this woman as if she were your kin, in your house, with your food. You brought her here against her will, you caused her harm, you know the laws of blood and hearth as much as I, and she is yours to care for. See that her needs and wants be addressed, how I care not..." And with that Borath left the room, leaving Lucas alone with the woman who he had come to hate.

Glaring at Tinania, his eyes boiling hot, he growled. "Follow..."

He gathered his things, and left.

They reached Lucas' house in short order, it was not large, but with more than enough room for two.

He opened the door and walked it. It was oddly clean, as if he didn't live there at all. He placed his gear by the door, and finally slipped on his shirt. Walking to a small couch, he plopped down and closed his eyes.

"The kitchen is to the right, the bathroom to the left. My food is your food..." he grumbled. "Anything you eat I'll expect you to work for... I won' have dead weight in my house,"

Opening an eye at her he grunted. "I suspect you'll be wanting a place to sleep..."

Lucas sat there on the couch, his eyes shut.

I once loved a lass as fair as she, but what did she ever do for me? He hummed to the song in his head.



Grumbling he stood up slowly and moved to the Kitchen, taking a bone off the table he threw it into the kennel yard and listened to his wolves fight over it.

Moving to the fridge he opened it up, pulling out a steak and some salad, cooking the steak he started the salad, pulling out a hunk of cheese and some lemon cakes.

Maybe I was a bit of a b*****d... Well I'm all b*****d, but I could have handled it more diplomatically...

"She's why I'm here in Free Haven... She was a lordling's daughter, and I a Lord's b*****d..." He spat into the sink, moving to the now cooked steak and started to chop it up, throwing it into the salad he poured some dressing on it and plated it for the two of them.

"Her lord father caught me and her in the stables... He mistook me for a stable boy at first, beat me soundly bout the head and neck... Until he saw my surcoat... Then he handed me over to my Lord father.... My mother was a serving girl... I had no standing in his house, he kept me around for pity..."

He looked at her as he handed her the plate full of food. His eyes told her he wanted no pity for his lot.

"He sent me away, and I found Free Haven... It's a nice place, I keep them safe, they keep me safe... A b*****d can go far with the free folk,"

Lucas looked up from his food that he had not yet eaten. "Four and Twenty," He said, holding out his hand to take hers and shake it slowly. "Truce..." He said, his eyes wary.

She will try to stab you now, do not let your guard down, He thought as he let go of her hand.

"You can sleep on the couch, it has a small fold out in it... I have had friends here before,"

Going back to his food, he ate a few bites before eying her a moment. "What's with that stupid potted cabbage?"

Lucas nodded. "I have linens for you..." He said, getting up and moving from the table. He did not ask about the meat, what she did not eat he would feed to his companions before he slept.

Moving into his room he pulled down the linens and set up the bed in the living room. Once it was all set he walked back into the kitchen and took the plates, placing them on the table.

"There is cheese and lemon cakes if you would like them... And wine if you would like, I have ale as well..."