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.