FicWad

I didn't see Micah again before Kel's entourage left the city. As I rode beside Kel on a horse, I thought I saw Aaron through the crowd of people, but when I looked again he had disappeared. We traveled for five days before arriving at the city. As soon as we entered the city gates Kel left me in the care of his chief tracker. We made our way to Kel's large mansion and as I dismounted I felt a chill go through my body. I had hated this place with a passion, now I had returned and was as much a captive as before. I was escorted to the seraglio, which was empty except for a few female servants.
"The master's wife ordered all his harem women sold when she married him." The mistress of the bath told me. "After she died, he was to busy hunting renegades to buy more maidens."
She clapped her hands and a young slave appeared, "Marta take Lady Kendra to her rooms," she said.
Marta bowed and quickly led me down a long hall, we stopped at a large suite of rooms. After I stepped in, Marta bobbed and backed out of the room.

I forced back tears. Crying would be futile. Instead I went to the balcony and stepped out, the sky was beginning to turn to dusk. Soon it would be night time. I turned to go back in when a noise caught my attention. Before I could react, a hand went over my mouth and I was pulled against a hard body. I squeaked in protest and tried to kick my attacker, but he nimbly evaded my feet. He half dragged half-carried me back into the room and dumped me on the bed. I quickly turned over ready to face my assailant. Aaron stood staring at me, but before I could say a word he lay on top of me on the bed and kissed me deeply. I moaned and buried my hands into his hair, kissing him back.
He finally broke off the kiss and stared down at me, "you still love me," he said in wonder.
"Why would you say that?" I asked him, not looking at his face.
He cupped my chin and gently turned my face to look at his, "because no woman can kiss the way you did. Not without loving the man she's kissing."
I blinked back tears, "yes," I admitted, "I still love you. Kel told me he would free you and the other renegades if I married him."
Aaron regarded me with a half smile, "I know." He said lowering his head to kiss me again.
Astonished I pushed on his chest, " you know," I said hotly. "But yet you made me say it."
"I had to hear it from your own lips." Aaron said, before he kissed me hard.

"As much as I hate to break this up," a voice said from the balcony nonchalantly. "We have to get out of here right now."
Aaron broke off the kiss and helped me to my feet, we walked to where Micah waited. He smiled at me, "I told you I would take care of it mother." He said before hugging me.
We hurried out to the balcony, where Micah had a rope trailing down into the gardens. Aaron helped me down it, before he followed quickly. Micah trailed us, cutting the rope as soon as his feet hit the ground.

We traveled quickly, until we came to a ramshackle old house, "we'll rest here," Aaron said.
"Where are we going?" I asked him as Micah started a small fire.
"I don't know," Aaron said, "all I know is I won't allow Kel to have you again. We'll find somewhere safe from him."
"There will never be anywhere you will be safe from me," a rough voice said.
I gasped and turned as Aaron and Micah moved in front of me.
Kel walked into the room, "you've stolen what is mine." He snarled glaring at Aaron, "Kendra will still marry me."
"Over my dead body," Aaron snapped angrily.
"That can be arranged," Kel said, then drew his blade and launched himself at Aaron.
I screamed as they went down in a heap, they rolled toward the fire and as Aaron flipped Kel over, his foot caught a burning piece of wood, flinging it out of the fire pit.
I screamed again as the old wood of the house caught quickly, spreading the fire fast. Kel and Aaron broke up and tried to snuff out the flames, with Micah's help. But the fire was too far gone. I stepped back as a piece of the ceiling fell in, suddenly the floor underneath me collapsed. I fell screaming into the basement, and my head hit the floor hard, knocking me unconscious."

I awoke being gently carried up a rope, smoke was swirling everywhere and I knew the house was in danger of falling in. I groaned and Micah's voice said, "don't move mother this is tricky business without visibility."
I was lifted out of the hole by Aaron and quickly carried out of the burning house. Aaron and I collapsed on the grass, as Micah came staggering out coughing.
"Where is Kel?" I asked and Micah turned looking behind him.
"He said he was right behind me," Micah said in alarm.
He moved toward the house, but before he could enter, it groaned and collapsed as Micah screamed Kel's name.

Later after the fire went out, we searched for Kel, hoping that he had somehow escaped. All we found were a few tufts of burned fur. Micah left to grieve on his own as was the Woverin way.
Aaron and I decided that since Kel was dead we would return to the renegade village and wed.
I took one last look at the city, before Aaron and I started our journey into the woods.
Aaron came up behind me and placed his hands on my shoulders, "are you sorry to be leaving it?" He asked softly, "it won't be easy living a renegade life."
I turned and put my arms around his waist, "the renegade life has one thing the city will never have." I said, " it has you." I grabbed his hand, and pulled him into the woods "lets go home." My old life was done, but a new and better one was just beginning.