Charge!

[Lazey Winde]

Juku came to the edge of the village. A human saw him and fled in fear. Juku chased him for a while, but only because the man ran away from him, he knew the man was not one he was after and let the man go. Juku stamped in an impatient circle.

[Muffin Puffin]

Brighid skidded to a halt behind Juku, followed closely by Aron. "The Black Raven is this way!" Aron pointed and led them in that direction.

[Lazey Winde]

Juku ran ahead- and charged right past the Black Raven. More fearful humans fled the ferocious black unicorn.

Liadan stared after Juku.

[Muffin Puffin]

Aron shook his head. "Juku. Over here!"

[Lazey Winde]

Juku snorted and spun around.

Liadan nervously eyed the Black Raven Tavern.

[Muffin Puffin]

Aron turned to Lia. "Why don't you go home with Nelek and Aislyn? You don't have to face these people."

[Lazey Winde]

Liadan shook her head.

"I have to make sure."

[Muffin Puffin]

"You doubt not only me but Juku?" Aron asked, hurt. "And you doubt Brighid?" As he spoke, he withdrew his sword even as Brighid pulled up her hood and nocked a bolt in her crossbow.

[Lazey Winde]

"I trust you more than anyone." Liadan said. "I want to know the minute that sotah is dead."

[Muffin Puffin]

"I think you would know without being here." Aron sighed. "Find a safe vantage point to watch from." He nearly suggested a tree across the lane until he remembered this was Lia he was talking to. "Go see if Mistress Faberdrash would let you watch from the safe confines of her home."

[Lazey Winde]

"I'm going with you." Liadan insisted stubbornly.

[Muffin Puffin]

"Liadan, as much as I love your tenacity and protectiveness, if I'm worrying if you are all right, I'll make mistakes. There is no telling what Galina has up her sleeve and if she sees you....I forbid you to put yourself in danger."

[Lazey Winde]

Liadan's eyes darkened until they were black with anger.

"Forbid?" She asked. She marched straight to the Black Raven and opened the door. She looked back at Aron, a daring look, then stepped over the threshold.

[Muffin Puffin]

Aron cursed under his breath. The woman was determined to cause herself pain and leave her daughter motherless. He roared with anger and led the charge into the tavern.

[Lazey Winde]

Drunk men were screaming and trying to get out of the way. Liadan was tearing hte place apart, looking for Galina.

[Muffin Puffin]

Aron raced up the stairs and headed for Galina's room.

[Lazey Winde]

Liadan saw Aron and ran after him. She slipped and fell down the stairs, but she got back up and climbed back up again.

[Muffin Puffin]

Aron jerked open the door to the room.

[Lazey Winde]

Liadan appeared from the darkness before Aron. She wrapped her arms around him and pressed her lips to his.

[Muffin Puffin]

Aron's arms  hung at his side as he tried to figure out how to kill her. He couldn't get his sword between them. He pushed Galina away and raised his sword, running it straight through her.

[Lazey Winde]

Liadan caught up with Aron. She stared at the woman writhing at the end of the sword.

"What the..."

[Muffin Puffin]

"This is what we came here to do, right, Lia? This is what you wanted to see. Galina dying."

[Lazey Winde]

"The sotah made herself look like me!" Liadan said furiously.

[Muffin Puffin]

Admittedly, Aron hadn't paid that close of attention. He knew he had to take his chance. His eyes widened when he took in Galina's appearance. "Despicable piece of work."

[Lazey Winde]

Liadan nodded, feeling sick. The body was beginning to slowly look less like Liadan and more like Galina.

[Muffin Puffin]

Aron ached to take her in his arms, but he wanted to make certain Galina was dead before moving his attention. Galina's evil knew no bounds.

[Lazey Winde]

Finally the body was unmistakably Galina's and it sagged limply.

[Muffin Puffin]

Aron still wasn't certain. He knew all too well about Galina's trickery. "Go get Brie, Lia."

[Lazey Winde]

Liadan went to the top of the stairs and shouted. "Brighid! Get up here!"

[Muffin Puffin]

Brie raced up the stairs, firing more bolts at the men  as she did so, most of them falling dead with a bolt sticking out of their neck. "What is it?"

Aron spoke without turning. "Can you see if she's dead?" he asked. Brighid stepped around Aron and put her fingers against Galina's neck.

[Lazey Winde]

Galina's pulse was weak and hardly detectable. Liadan watched Brighid worriedly.

[Muffin Puffin]

"Not yet, she's not." Brie stood up and nocked a bolt. "And it seems to me that she would not give up so easily."

[Lazey Winde]

Galina's face twisted into a smile at Aron. "I can give you your every desire."

[Muffin Puffin]

"No. You can't," Aron replied. "You have no idea what I desire. Except for one thing. I desire your death."

[Lazey Winde]

"You can't even bed your own wife." Galina mocked.

That made Liadan very angry. She grabbed Aron's sword from him to go stabbity stabbity on Galina.

[Muffin Puffin]

"Sex is not the most important thing in life," Aron hissed. He glanced around the room, seeking anything sharp to stab Galina with. Brie fired the bolt, barely missing when Lia moved into it's path, striking Galina near the heart.

[Lazey Winde]

"You wouldn't know." Galina jerked when the bolt hit her in the chest.

Liadan was staggering from the weight of the sword as she jabbed it at Galina's stomach once again. Galina grabbed Liadan's arm, closing her hands around Liadan's wrist and just over Liadan's elbow. Liadan howled and dropped the sword, she sunk to her knees. Galina stood up, still grasping Liadan's arm. The bolt fell from Galina's chest.

"Take her." Galina said. Three men came out from behind one of the tapestries. Galina thrust Liadan at them. The closest man caught her before she could fall to the floor and held her up.

Galina picked up the dropped sword. "You're a coward Aron. You've known Liadan for years but never even tried to do what my men will accomplish in minutes. Maybe they can make another bastard for you."


One of the men reached for Liadan, Liadan bit him. She ground her teeth into his hand and blood ran from the corners of her mouth. The third man tightened his hands around Liadan's throat and tried to strangle her.

[Muffin Puffin]

Brighid nocked several bolts and fired as Aron grabbed the fire poker. He went off swinging. "Leave. My. Wife. Alone. You. Sick. Bastards." he ground out as he swung at their heads, even as he tried to stay out of the way of Brie's bolts.

[Lazey Winde]

The men released Liadan. She fell back on the floor, spitting out blood and gagging with disgust. There were red marks on Liadan's arm where Galina had touched her.

[Muffin Puffin]

A sudden heat engulfed the room. Aron stepped back and fell over one of the men as a bright glow surrounded Brighid. The heat and light were filled with goodness and love. Her cloak fell away but none could see her face or even tell if she were male or female, so bright was the light that it hurt to look at her.

[Lazey Winde]

Liadan still felt drained from whatever Galina had just done to her, too weak to move. She felt as if she were half dead. She covered her face with her arms and tried to press herself flat to the floor.

Galina blasphemed.

[Muffin Puffin]

Brie lifted her hands and turned her palms toward Galina. Fiery light burst from her palms and struck Galina. Aron rushed over and covered Lia with his own body to protect her.

[Lazey Winde]

Liadan feebly kicked, until she realized that it was Aron.

Galina was thrown across the room from the blasts.
"Aron! That little whelp you call your daughter belongs to Molech! Don't get too attached to her." And with that Galina smashed through the window and plummeted with the shards of glass.

[Muffin Puffin]

Brie followed Galina out the window, although she floated gracefully to the ground. Still glowing and throwing off flames of light, she eyed Galina.

Aron sat up and touched Lia's shoulder. "She's gone. At least, for now."

[Lazey Winde]

Liadan raised her head and looked around. The men were dead. If the crossbow bolts and Aron swinging a poker had not killed them, Brie's blasts finished them off.

[Muffin Puffin]

Aron gathered Lia in to his arms. "Are you hurt? Juku's right outside if you need any healing."

[Lazey Winde]

"I don't even know what that sotah did to me." Liadan looked at her arm and swore when she saw the marks, they looked like burns.

[Muffin Puffin]

Aron scooped Lia up in his arms and raced from the room and down the stairs. "JUKU!" he cried out.

[Lazey Winde]

Juku began to run up the stairs- until the stairs collapsed beneath him.

Liadan gripped Aron's tunic so tight her knuckles turned white.

[Muffin Puffin]

"Hang on, Cupcake," Aron said. He tightened his hold on her sat on the railing and slid down. "Are you all right, Juku?"

[Lazey Winde]

Juku shook pieces of wood that tangled in the tufts of hair about his hooves.

"I am all right. My herd is destroying this den." Juku said.

Indeed, the unicorns were trashing the place almost as efficiently as drunken humans might.

[Muffin Puffin]

Aron landed on his feet next to Juku. "Good. I hope they raze it to the ground. Lia needs healing. Brie seems to have....been possessed by something and is taking Galina on outside." Aron said by way of explalnation.

[Lazey Winde]

"My son Ors went that way." Juku waved his horn towards what was once the tavern's kitchen. He turned and ran out the destroyed door.

[Muffin Puffin]

Aron carried Lia to the the ruined kitchen. "Ors?" he called softly.

[Lazey Winde]

Ors was kicking a large cauldron, not knowing its purpose. He looked at Aron and trotted over hastily when he saw that he was carrying Liadan.

[Muffin Puffin]

Aron gave him a pleading look. "Galina touched her and did something to her. She has what looks like burns on her arm.. And she's not fought me carrying her." Aron paled. "Something's really wrong."

[Lazey Winde]

"I trust you carrying me, Aron." Liadan said so he would worry less. She extended her arm to Ors.

Ors sniffed her arm. "It looks like this Galina was draining her life force. At least she did not keep contact for too long. Your mate will recover."

Ors ran his horn along Liadan's arm, healing the marks. Liadan already felt stronger. "See Aron? Nothing serious, she just drained me is all."

[Muffin Puffin]

"That's all? Just drained you?" Aron sputtered. "Thank you, Ors. I'll make certain she gets plenty of rest. If I have to sit on her."

[Lazey Winde]

"She should be up and about by tonight." Ors said.

Liadan stuck her tongue out at Aron. "You're not babying me."

[Muffin Puffin]

Aron nodded. "Thank you, Ors." Then he lowered his head and kissed her nose. "It won't hurt you to let me baby you. Just for a while."

[Lazey Winde]

"But I might hurt you." Liadan scowled.

[Muffin Puffin]

Aron grunted. "I trust you, wife."

[Lazey Winde]

"Have you forgotten how many times I've slugged you?" Liadan asked.

[Muffin Puffin]

"No."

[Lazey Winde]

"Good." Liadan said and squirmed or Aron to put her down.

[Muffin Puffin]

Aron kissed her nose then set her on her feet, his hands on her arms to make certain she was steady.

[Lazey Winde]

Liadan independently stepped away from Aron. She felt impressed by herself.

"Now let's find Brie and that Sotah."

[Muffin Puffin]

Aron nodded. "But stay behind me, Lia."

[Lazey Winde]

"I'll do no such thing." Liadan argued.

[Lazey Winde]

"Are you coming or not?" Liadan demanded. She was impatient.

[Muffin Puffin]

Aron glowered. "Of course I'm coming."

[Lazey Winde]

Liadan marched out of and away from the ruins of the Black Raven. She considered burning the place later.

[Muffin Puffin]

Aron kicked a few of the downed men as they tried to get up, following Lia away from the rubble.

[Lazey Winde]

Liadan was growing impatient. It had gotten quiet and she was worried about Brighid.

"Brie! Where the #@ are you?"

[Muffin Puffin]

Aron glanced around. "I don't see her anywhere. I should go back and find her."

[Lazey Winde]

"She jumped out the window... I figured she'd be around here." Liadan scowled.

[Muffin Puffin]

Aron frowned. "I don't see any sign of her. I thought maybe she ran back in to fight some more."

[Lazey Winde]

"If Galina hasn't killed her." Liadan grumbled.

[Muffin Puffin]

"Brie meant business. I don't think she would let Galina best her."

[Lazey Winde]

"I know." Liadan said, but she was still really worried, "But no one means to get beaten by Galina or her people."

[Muffin Puffin]

"Brie seems to have some hidden strength. Meh, I don't know how to explain it," Aron said.

[Lazey Winde]

"So did I." Liadan muttered, still looking for Brighid.

[Muffin Puffin]

"Yeah, I know."

[Lazey Winde]

Liadan slipped her hand into Aron's. She was really worried.

[Muffin Puffin]

Aron moved around to the rear of the building, rubbing the pad of his thumb over Lia's knuckle.

[Lazey Winde]

"I hate this part of town." Liadan shivered.

[Muffin Puffin]

"We'll be quick. Got to say, Bavaria is sounding better and better all of the time."

[Lazey Winde]

"We still haven't had a honeymoon." Liadan said.

[Muffin Puffin]

"We will. We'll find Brie, then all of us,including Papa, will make our way to Bavaria."

[Lazey Winde]

"I guess." Liadan said. She wiped her eyes with the back of her arm.

[Muffin Puffin]

Aron wanted nothing more than to scoop Lia up and carry her away but they did need to find Brie. He stared at the charred remains then glanced at Lia. "Why don't you go home to Yehudit and I'll look in here for Brie?"

[Lazey Winde]

Yehudit would be getting hungry about now. But she did not want to leave without knowing if Brighid is all all right and she did not want to leave Aron on his own.

"Maybe Nelek should help you look."

[Muffin Puffin]

"I'll probably be at Aislyn's cottage before Nelek could get here." Aron bent down and kissed her nose. "I'll be fine and I will bring Brighid home if she is still here."

[Lazey Winde]

Liadan became teary eyed. She threw her arms around him.

Fawne stood a few yards away, she looked at the couple.

[Muffin Puffin]

Aron slipped his arms around Lia, holding her close. He kissed the top of her head before resting his cheek on her hair. "I love you, Cupcake. So much."

[Lazey Winde]

"Me too." Liadan said in a choked voice.

[Muffin Puffin]

"And I will always love you, no matter what," Aron whispered.

[Lazey Winde]

"Be careful." Liadan whispered and kissed him.

[Muffin Puffin]

"Always," Aron promised, kissing her back. "I have you and our little girl to come home to."

[Lazey Winde]

Fawne touched Liadan's elbow with her nose.

"I'll walk with you, Liadan." Fawne said.

Liadan nodded. "Be careful Aron." Liadan fussed again.