A Rude Awakening

[Jayna Moreling]

It had been a long night in the Drach family's household.

Jayna had felt the coming threat in the air like the calm before the storm when Lorcan didn't come home from his watch. She'd sent the girls to their beds early, sneaking them food from the pantry since they didn't have time to finish their dinners. When asked, she told Kaige to his face that she'd sent them to bed early. He'd given her a lovely backhand for that, but she'd simply gritted her teeth. He'd asked her then were his son was, if he'd told her anything before she left. Again, her honest answer earned her a blow. She was silent, no cry of pain to satisfy his rage. She'd learned in the first few months that showing pain was as good as a turn on to the man, and he'd only keep at it if she gave him what he wanted. No, he could slap her all he liked, throw her on the floor, whatever it took to wear out his rage. She'd had worse from the man before, and she was sure she would again. She simply picked herself up, dusted herself off, and headed off to get ready for bed once he'd dismissed her. 

She'd heard him shouting at Turke not long after, and didn't doubt he'd been given about the same treatment. She bit her tongue, wishing she could just go in there and stab that monstrous fool of a leader, just like she'd always wanted. But her hope for revenge was secondary in her thoughts because there was something more pressing to worry about--where the hell was Lorcan? The perfect son was never late like this without reason, likely because he knew full well that the abuse they were all taking now was the surefire result of any slip from Kaige's expectations. One of them slipping up affected them all, and he knew it. That meant either something had gone horribly wrong, or he'd found something he thought was worth the sacrifice. 

By the time Kaige's voice had stopped ringing through the halls, Jayna was ready for bed. She put it off longer, re-braiding her hair, straightening her bed, checking on all three sisters one more time, but nothing. Lorcan still wasn't home. Irritated and refusing to be concerned for his safety, she climbed into bed, and was soon fast asleep. 

She woke to a rough jostling of her shoulder, immediately causing her to swear and reach for the knife she kept bound to her bedpost. Once she made out the face of Lorcan Drach in the shadows, she relaxed slightly, but gave him a blistering glare. "Where have you been?" she hissed in a harsh whisper. "Better yet, why in the hell are you in my bedroom?"

She had a feeling she wasn't going to get an answer to either of those questions, and if she did, she wasn't going to like it.

[Lorcan Drach]

Oh yeah he was going to be in trouble. He’d be lucky if he even kept his title or his life after the “treason” his father would surely accuse him of. if he so much as caught wind of the fact Lorcan was harboring an enemy clansmen and hadn’t brought them before Kaige Drach first thing after he returned to camp. As it was, once Lorcan returned the large bay to the stables, it was already past the time most people went to bed. His father was going to be angry, and that was something Lorcan was going to have deal with. Still, he knew his father would be awake. And Turke most likely. He was afraid to see Turke’s state, but once he entered their large home made of stone, he found Turke in the main part of the house looking perfectly fine as he sat at their large table. His brother’s eyes went wide in seeing him, and he quickly looked around. “Where the fuck have you been?!” He whispered quickly. Lorcan gave him a small smile and hung his cloak up. He approached the large dinner table that Turke was sitting at, and then realized his brother hadn’t gotten by unscathed. His foot was wrapped up and bandaged, propped on the bench. Lorcan stared at it long and hard. “Oh stop your staring mother.” Turke said, throwing the ball of wrapped bandages he had at him. As a reflex, Lorcan caught it before it even hit him. “Hmph.” He said looking up at Turke as he sat the ball on the table.

“Sparring accident. Just rolled it. Skeeter gave me a doozy, and I wasn’t ready.” Turke told him. Lorcan tilted his head, and gave him a hard look. He didn’t have to do anything, just stare at his brother before he crumbled. Turke avoided his gaze and Lorcan knew that his brother got more than a sprained ankle from Skeeter.The bruises just hadn’t set in yet that would be there tomorrow. Kaige was not a fan of his son's losing in anything. Lorcan came and placed a hand on Turke’s shoulder. “Get some rest.” He told him. His voice was soft for once. Not like the hard gravelly version he’d used on the Wynfrid woman earlier.

Turke reached up and grabbed his wrist, and Lorcan looked down to look into his brothers eyes. “I told him you were on a patrol to clear your head, and that you would be back later. He expected you home hours ago.” He told him. Lorcan nodded, and took a deep breath. “Ran into some wolves.” He growled. It was true, he had. Turke’s eyes widened. “Wynfrid?” He asked. Lorcan looked around, making sure they were alone. He crouched down next to Turke and looked up at him. “A woman. She claimed to have been alone, and has been spying on the patrols for weeks apparently. She got daring enough to cross the border today.” He whispered. Turke’s eyes widened and he looked around, before he leaned in closer. “Did you kill her?” Lorcan just stared at his brother, and Turke swore under his breath. “Fuck Lorcan, what are you thinking? Is she here? You haven’t shown her to Father yet, or the whole Clan would be awake by now, so that anwsers that question.” Turke whispered quickly. “I have her chained at the cabin, I want to see what she knows first before I tell Father.” Lorcan told his brother. Turke did a double take, and his eyes nearly bugged out of his head.
“You took her to the cabin? That’s...That was-”


“I know who’s it was.” Lorcan growled. Glaring at his brother. “I had no other options.” He hissed. Turke shut up and averted his brothers gaze. He sighed, his shoulders slumping. “I trust you.” Turke told him, bringing his gaze back to Lorcan. “Is she pretty?” He asked with a grin. Lorcan rolled his eyes and reached up to cuff him on the ear. Turke laughed. “Take that as a yes!” He laughed. Lorcan flicked him as he stood, an amused smile on his face. “Get that foot better. Thinkgs are going to get interesting. I can feel it.” He said. Turke leaned his head back to look up at him. “This mean you're finally going to get laid?”

Lorcan blinked several moments, looking around as if he’d heard incorrectly, and then slowly turned his head to stare at Turke. “What?” He asked. Turke was too busy laughing, but the laugh soon died off, and fixed his brother with a look. “It’s been three years Brother. You need it.” Lorcan just shook his head in disbelief, thumping his brother as he walked away. “Is he in the study?” He asked. “Where else would he be?” Turke called.

When Lorcan exited the study, he was sporting a nice new bruise across his left cheek bone and a small cut that had bled. He was breathing in and out of his nose to keep himself from turning around and throwing a punch at his father to see how he liked it. His hands were clenched at his sides, and he fumed as he went to to his room. He had to wait for Kaige to leave the study before he could do anything else. The trick to lying was to give a partial truth. And when Lorcan explained he’d come across a wolf on his patrol that had made him late, his father believed it. Because Lorcan had. What gave him the blow was the fact the wolf had gotten away, and Lorcan hadn't been able to kill it. Lorcan had promised to up the patrols in the morning, and to warn them about the wolf. They didn’t need the creature causing problems for the Clan. He only hoped the Wynfrd woman’s pet was smart enough to stay away or else Kaige would be getting a new wolf pelt.

Once he was back in his room he made a list of what he needed supply wise. When he heard Kaige going to bed finally, he waited another half hour, and then quickly went into action. He went down into the kitchen after grabbing his cloak. Seeing Turke had hobbled off to bed, and then filled a sack with some supplies. He then crept to Jayna’s room. The girls’ nanny was the last of the Morelings. Over the past three years the two had a...odd relationship. She had been a Chieftans daughter, and for that fact Lorcan treated her with as much respect as he could get away with in front of his father. He barely spoke to her, but they had at least a silent agreement when it came to Lorcan’s sisters. They were to be protected from Kaige at all costs, and were never to be left alone with him. Especially Hanna as she was the oldest.

He quietly entered her small room. Closing the door behind him and placing the sack down. He crept towards her and crouched down. Gently shaking her shoulder to wake her. She didn’t wake the first time, so he had to be a bit rougher. When she awoke, he leaned back, holding his finger up to his lips so she knew to be quiet as he frowned at her. “I need your help with something.” He whispered. His voice was very quiet, and Jayna would be able to see one side of his face was beginning to swell from his father's blow he’d taken.

He rocked back onto his heels and stood up. “Come with me.” He mouthed to her. He paused for a moment, looking at the door and then back down at her. “Please.” He said. The first please she would ever hear from him. The man never said please, always doing things himself. But he especially never said please to a woman. He stared at her for a moment. Letting the heaviness of the word sink in. This was important or else he wouldn’t be asking. “Dress warm.” He told her, before he picked his supply sack up and left her room. Quietly closing her door behind him. He stood sentry right outside the door. Making sure none of the other servants came out or one of the girls looking for Jayna. When she was ready and came out, Lorcan motion to the servants entrance of the stone house and lead her outside, heading to the stables, while his head was on a swivel, looking around for anyone who might be up and watching.

[Jayna Moreling]

She definitely wasn't going to like where this was going, she could feel it in her bones. Lorcan Drach didn't ask for help, and he sure as hell had never said please to her in the three years she'd been his slave. The strangeness of that word on his lips was enough to get her moving, with or without his additional staring. When they'd first met, Lorcan's silent nature had grated on her nerves; everything in the Moreling household had been noisy--love, anger, sadness, it didn't matter what it was, you expressed it with a roar. Nothing was withheld from the family. Here among the dragons, she had learned silence.

She was up from under the blankets even before he had left the room. Jayna had been sleeping fully dressed since they hauled her out of bed in her underclothes that first night. Never again. She didn't need his prompting to dress warmly, either, but she was used to the mildly overbearing attempts at protection that Lorcan was full of. Ever since he'd decided he approved of her, he'd been full of little nudges: he'd leave clothes to get her to wear more layers, put food on her plate so she'd eat more at dinner, a nod of the head to get her and the girls out of harm's way before Kaige flipped. She appreciated it, in her way; she'd obey him sooner than any of the others, at least. She'd also stopped wishing harm on him every time he was in her line of sight. And he was one of the least likely to be killed when she finally made her way free of this place. Who knew...perhaps this was her chance.

She drew on an extra pair of leggings beneath her dress, the thickest socks she could find along with her fur-lined boots, which she knew were wisest, although they pinched slightly. It only took her a few minutes to dress and shove her make-shift first aid kit, one of the rolls she'd stolen from the pantry, and an extra candle into her sachel and follow Lorcan into the hall.

She didn't say a word, knowing by his actions that this was something they were keeping from the rest of his clan. She followed him in silence, hand resting on the handle of her knife in case it came to that. Perhaps Lorcan wouldn't be willing to harm one of his clansmen for this, but she wouldn't mind the chance to fight.

Winding up in the stable surprised her--she hadn't been allowed anywhere near the place unless there was no one else to help the girls when they needed to ride. They were well aware that she'd take any opportunity to flee, and a horse was worth its weight in gold for that purpose. She actually hesitated as she entered, eyeing the stalls. How far would she make it before Lorcan's blade was at her throat? Six feet? Ten? She swallowed hard and turned her eyes to the large man instead, not letting her attention stray any more. When they stopped beside his horse, she raised an eyebrow and waited.

[Lorcan Drach]

Once they were in the stable, Lorcan set to quickly saddling up the horse and tied his sack of supplies to the saddle back where the Wynfrid woman’s weapons were still stashed away. He then turned to Jayna, and sighed through his nose. He really had gotten himself into a pickle. He motioned for her to get on the horse, and he took the horse’s reins. If she needed help, he’d of offered assistance, but he was too busy watching the door. Once it was clear, and Jayna was settled, Lorcan led the horse out of the stables and onto the abandoned street. Moving quickly. He avoided the main gate of camp, knowing there would be guards. It probably wasn’t the best route to take Jayna as she would now know a secret way into camp, but it was Lorcan’s only option. He weaved the horse through the quite streets until they came to a small path off the main road. Covered in thick bush and tree’s, his bay horse knew the path well so Lorcan wasn’t too worried about guiding him in the dark.

A few minutes later and they were free of camp, and Lorcan could breath a little easier. He paused to rest his head against the horses, taking comfort in the animal for a moment while he calmed his rapidly beating heart and then came up beside the horse to look up at Jayna. “Sorry about this.” He mumbled, before he mounted the horse behind her. He took the reins in both hands and quietly clicked his tongue, urging the horse forward onto the hidden path. He couldn’t travel as quickly as he would have wanted too because of the dark, but he would have to get over it.

He was silent as they rode, his thoughts and focus on making sure the bay didn’t break a leg in the darkness. About forty-five minutes later the cabin came into view. Whether Jayna would remember Hanna and Violet telling them about Lorcan’s cabin he had no idea. He didn’t know a lot of things his sisters told their nanny…

When they came outside, he quickly got off and tethered the horse, and then signed. “I fucked up.” He growled, as he looked up the Moreling girl. He’d help her down and place his hands on either side of her arms. Holding her gently enough his grip wouldn’t hurt her, but it was firm enough for her to get his soon to be point. “I came across a Wynfrid woman on patrol today. She’s been spying on the patrols for weeks, and I plan on interrogating her for more information.” He told her. He nodded towards the cabin. “She’s chained in there. I didn’t…” He paused, and sighed again. A scowl appearing on his face. “Bring her to father first thing.” He told her. Letting silence sink and the heaviness of that statement settle around them. He crouched down then, lowering himself so he was shorter than Jayna, but he still had his hands on her. “I need your help. Please.” He forced the words out. The man was not one to ask for help from anyone, and here he was, asking Jayna for her help. “I know...what he does.” He said gently. Looking Jayna in the eyes. “I want to spare it from happening again if I can.” He said. Hoping Jayna would be willing. “Once I get what I want from her, then I’ll judge whether or not to take her to father.” He explained. “I didn’t kill her today. She knows something. I need your help figuring out what that is. I need help taking care of her. I can’t come out here all the time or they’ll suspect something. Turke knows. I thought she’d….trust you.” He said slowly. Lorcan didn’t break Jayna’s gaze despite how much he wanted too. It was shameful. Him asking a slave for help. But Lorcan was also a smart man. A man who knew when he had no choice, but to ask for help. And here he was asking.

He stared up at Jayna then, waiting for her to say something.

[Jayna Moreling]

Jayna put up the hood of her cloak and swung easily onto the horse's back. She needed no help, and wouldn't have asked for it even if she did. As they made their way out of the camp she watched with eyes gleaming, noting each turn they took to avoid the main gate and the guards. She knew she wouldn't be able to take exactly the same route if she tried this herself, seeing as Lorcan knew full well what he was showing her, but she wasn't going to ignore useful information. 

She didn't understand his muttered apology until he was already swinging himself up onto the horse. He might have seen her flinch, but she soon rolled her neck and forced herself to relax. She knew he meant her no harm, even if having a man that close to her sent her pulse racing haphazardly and bile rising in her throat. Once upon a time she might have welcomed this kind of contact with a man she knew full well was handsome, but she hadn't felt that way in some time. She clenched her jaw and breathed through her nose for the first few minutes, trying to focus on the movement of the horse's muscles beneath her, and the smell of pine on the wind. Her nausea eased, eventually, and she found that the ride was almost pleasant. Almost. 

Any sense of peace fell away as soon as she saw the cabin on the horizon. She sat up ramrod straight and every nerve screamed that this was bad. Very bad. This place had been his wife's, his home, before her death. He only used it for hunting and interrogations, now, from the what his sisters had said, as well as the gossip of those who liked to pretend that slaves like her didn't exist. She let him help her down from the horse without protest, too anxious to argue. Why did he want her here? 

I fucked up.

Well, that wasn't the beginning she'd been expecting. Harsh demands or threats, perhaps. A Wynfrid woman? A spy? That was certainly an interesting development, but it hadn't clicked for Jayna why that meant that she needed to be here, or how that constituted 'fucking up' until he admitted that he hadn't told Kaige. Her brow twitched, but her face remained impassive. 

When he sunk to his knees before her, however, her dark brows flew upwards, her alarm extremely clear. What in the hell was happening here? Time seemed to slow, flowing like syrup as she stared down at her enemy practically begging for her help. 

“I know...what he does.”

Pain flashed across her face as the memory of Kaige's hands on her body returned, unbidden. Damn him, he knew just what to say to hit her straight in the heart. She couldn't deny him this, and he had to know that, didn't he? Bitter anger filled her mouth and she gritted her teeth, letting him finish saying his piece. She closed her eyes and lifted her face to the sky, willing herself to find her strength even as her breath heaved from her chest and her heart threatened to quail. She would do right by this Wynfrid woman, even if it killed her. 

She turned sharply back to Lorcan and met his gaze once more, disgust with him and with herself curling her lip as she spoke. 

"I'll care for this girl, and keep your secret, for her sake, not yours. If you try to give her to your father I swear on my father's unmarked grave that I will kill her and then myself. What Kaige will do is a fate worse than death. I should know." Her frame trembled with the force of her emotion, but her voice was steady. "At least this one will get the mercy I did not."

She jerked her chin at him, not wanting to see any more of this piteous begging. She hated the emotion it wrung from her bitter heart. "Get up. We're wasting time."

[Lorcan Drach]

Lorcan waited for Jayna to look at him. He caught her eyes. The look of disgust she had didn’t phase him a bit. He felt it justified if he was being honest, but he wouldn’t tell her that. Her words got little to no reaction out of him, though he did register that she was a hundred percent serious. “He won’t lay a finger on her.” He promised. That much at least he could. He couldn’t promise that the Wynfrid woman wouldn’t go in front of his father. It all depended on what she told him, and how he wanted to go about the plan. Don’t tell Jayna, when and if you do go to do it. Noted. He thought to himself. He was still a Drach. He would do what was best for his clan, and if the Wynfrid woman was a threat to his people, she would face Kaige.

He arched an eyebrow at her when she said they were wasting time. Oh really? Jayna was a feisty one. He’d give her that. He rose to his feet and “Hmmphe.” At her in his deep gravelly growl he always had. He untied his sack of supplies from the saddle bag and then and moved towards the door. Pulling out his key, unlocked the look and then pushed the door open. Finding the candles were out. He rolled his eyes loudly into the room, and held his hand out for Jayna to wait. Not knowing what the Wynfrid woman had planned, he stepped into the kitchen and lit another one. As light filled the space he motioned Jayna in and would shut the door behind her.

He handed the candle to Jayna, and removed his cloak , setting it on a hook by the door as he walked down the short hallway to the main part of the cabin. His muscles tense and ready for whatever Aspen Wynfrid had been doing in the several hours since he’d been gone.

[Aspen Wynfrid]

She'd sat silently in the darkness for what felt like forever. Every now and again, there was the soft rustling of leaves outside the cabin as the wind blew, but otherwise, it was quiet; painfully so. Strangely, she felt safer in the darkness than she would have if there were still light within the small shack. Almost as if she were really a canine prowling in the darkness, she made herself at home in the shadows.

At some point, she'd moved to lay on her back on the wooden floor, bounds hands resting against her chest as her bright blue eyes peered up towards the ceiling that she could not see. Her legs were stretched out, crossed at the ankles as she waited, her breath sounding loud in the unnerving silence. She could almost hear her own heartbeat as it pumped calmly in her chest. But then, the silence was broken, disturbed by the sound of footfalls and voices outside the cabin. One of them was a woman's voice, sounding displeased as she spoke to who Aspen could only assume was the Dragon she'd encountered earlier. Sitting up and crossing her legs indian style, Aspen's eyes narrowed as they sought the entrace to the room in which she was being held captive. Finding the doorspace, she was motionless and waited, looking like a terrifying porcelain doll as she anticipated what was to come next and just who was about to enter the space she occupied.

She heard the door close quietly, felt the change in the air as two new bodies entered. It was almost enough to unnerve her. But, as the faint glow of a candlelight crept it's way down the hall, accompanied only by soft footsteps, Aspen still made no movement, still sat with a hostile glare in the center of the room, the shackle bounding her nearly pulled taut. Having been able to rest for - well, however long it had been - her strength was already nearly renewed and she was prepared to fight if she needed.

[Lorcan Drach]

Any normal man would have jumped at seeing the woman sitting in the middle of the floor glaring at him in the darkness, but Lorcan wasn’t like other men. He slowly entered the space, stepping off to the side and reaching out his hand to pause Jayna so he could take the candle from her, and than began to light the other candles he’d lit on the table before setting it down.

He then took the sack he’d brought with him and started emptying out contents onto the table. Most of it was food they would be able to keep stored that would last for a couple days. He turned to the Wynfrid woman then. “This is Jayna.” He said gruffly. His body was tense, not liking this at all. Especially with women both being from different clans. “She’s going to be tending to you when I can’t.” He explained.

He fixed a hardened stare at the woman then. “You harm her in any way, and I’ll kill you.” His voice was low, but heavy with the threat. He glanced at Jayna then, not really...well….he didn’t know what to do in that moment. He’d seriously fucked up and was unsure what to do next about everything. The lack of a plan annoyed him greatly, and caused him to get a bit irritated. He was already feeling irritated about asking for help, but Turke couldn’t do much given his bad ankle. “Let me show you where everything is.” He nodded for Jayna to follow him and took her back to the kitchen. “Uh...kitchen.” He mumbled, and then showed her what he had in terms of cooking supplies. He gently took her elbow and pulled her off to the side removing a rug that showed a trap door. “If you ever need to hide, or need anything else, that’s the cellar. Watch your step.” He told her, before tossing the rug back over it.

He made a shooing motion for her to go back down the hall to the man room, and opened a door to the right to show a supply closet with more blankets and hunting tack, then closed it. He took one of the candles then and walked to the latter of the loft, and made quick movements up it, sitting on the ledge, and letting his legs dangle over the side. He’d wait for her to climb up and then held the candle up so she could see that there was another bed, what looked like a dresser, and old vanity. There looked to be crates with glass jars and herbs in them, and in the far back corner there was a baby cradle on it side. Lorcan made sure not to look in it’s direction.

“They’re extra clothes and...stuff up here.” He told her, then nodded down at the trunk below in the room. “As well as in there.” He explained. He then hopped down from the loft, It wasn’t that high up to begin with, but if you weren’t careful you could still break something. He landed with his knees bent with a loud thump, as his boots hit the floor, and then waited for Jayna to come back down.

[Jayna Moreling]

Jayna followed Lorcan silently into the prisoner's room and geve him the candle when he reached out for it. She moved farther into the room, raising an eyebrow at the power move of sitting in the middle of the floor like that rather than cowering in the bed. She liked it. As the lights roze, however, she recognized the blue eyes looking up at her and froze. She nearly swore out loud, but swallowed it before she could do any damage. 

Remembering faces was one of Jayna's talents--it was part of why her father had allowed her to come along during his recruiting trips. She remembered the names and families of the other clanswomen she encountered, knew how to ask after their children and appeal to their natures. She knew this one right away--Aspen Wynfrid, the daughter of the clan's leader. Jayna remembered liking her; Aspen was one of the few who actually listened to what she had to say. She'd had high hopes for her convincing her clan that the Morelings were right...of course, that hadn't come to pass, but Jayna doubted it was from lack of effort. While Lorcan was looking at the other woman, Jayna raised her finger to her lips in an unmistakable gesture: don't tell.

Lorcan hadn't mentioned who the woman was, so there was no telling whether he knew at all, or if he was simply trying to keep it from her that they had yet another daughter of their rivals stolen away. Bile rose in her throat again at that thought, but Lorcan was asking for her attention to show her around. She nodded once and followed him out of the room, not allowing herself to glance back at Aspen. 

She followed him like a ghost from room to room, not saying a word. She just watched him with the same blank expression she always had when receiving orders. Only when she followed him up to the loft and saw what he'd tucked away there did her brows twitch downwards. His wife's things, unmistakably. When he hopped down, she climbed up higher and took what she knew was a jar of yarrow tincture, dropping it into her bag before she slid down the ladder behind him. 

"I'll make sure she's tended to--and I doubt I'm in any danger. You want me to stay here, yes?" She raised an eyebrow at him. "If you don't have an excuse already, you can tell your father I'm cleaning this place out for you. It's been left alone too long."

[Aspen Wynfrid]

When the two entered the room, Aspen's eyes nearly grew wide at the sight of the young woman. Had she not been sitting so motionless, the tensing of her body may have been obvious. She stared at her for a brief moment before her blue eyes darted to the Dragon as he introduced her. So, the rumors were true. Jayna Moreling lived a slave of Drach clan. But it was more than that; she lived. She had to tell someone. She had to tell her clan. But for now, all she could do was feel the heat rise in her body, forcing herself to not stare at the woman. Her eyes were locked onto her captor, only glancing back towards Jayna long enough to see her press her fingers to her lips. Aspen placed her bound hands in front of her crossed legs, bracing herself against the tremors that began to rock her body as her heart raced. Instead of letting the act seem suspicious, she hardened her stare on the man at his threat, a smirk creeping across her lips. "Fret not, Dragon. The only blood I want - is yours. She hissed between her teeth. "And it seems I'm not the only one after your blood." She said with a smug grin before the two exited the space. The Dragon sported a nice bruise across his face, one he hadn't had earlier and one she certainly hadn't given to him, though she would have much preferred to be the one have given it to him. In the few hours he had been gone, the swelling was already apparent and she couldn't help but feel a little smug. A taste of his own violent medicine is just what he needed.

Alone again, with only the candlelight for company, Aspen's mind became a whirlwind once more. Was he that stupid? To allow an unwilling slave to care for his newest captive? Did he truly think that would end well, especially considering he'd made it known that he wouldn't be around all the time to tend to her? Aspen rose to her feet then, chains loudly announcing her movement in the small space as it carried throughout the cabin. Now the chain was pulled taut, her leg stretched as far as it could so that she could get as close to the doorway as possible to listen. She couldn't make out full statements, but there were words here and there. Something about the kitchen and a cellar.. That was about all Aspen could make out. As their footsteps began to make their way back, Aspen returned to the center of the room, staring at the entrance as the two appeared again. The Dragon continued to show Jayna around, climbing up the ladder in a few movements and letting his legs dangle over before he hopped down, his weight causing a loud thud as he landed. Aspen rolled her eyes, wanting him out of her presence. The sooner the better.

When Jayna spoke up again, Aspen lifted a brow, looking pointedly at the dark haired man. Was he stupid for leaving Jayna in charge of her? Or were the two quite cozy? It was remarkably difficult to tell. After all, for a slave, he hadn't bound her to bring her here. She'd come willingly it seemed. Perhaps Aspen's hopes had rose too high. But then, it was strange. He still didn't seem to know just who was chained in his cabin. Which meant that Jayna had not revealed it to him. At least not yet. But if she were going to, why would Jayna have motioned for her to be quiet, while the Dragon wasn't looking at her, no less. An audible groan escaped her and she brought her bound hands to her temples. All of this was giving her a headache. Or maybe she was dehydrated. Either way, she was beginning to get irritable.

[Lorcan Drach]

Lorcan nearly laughed. Literally, almost laughed at what Jayna was implying. Did she-Did she really think he was that stupid? He knew he had screwed up, and he knew that many of the other clans thought the Drach Clan was nothing but a bunch of chest beating neanderthals (some were), but Lorcan Drach was not stupid. He was far from it. He gave Jayna the first smile he’d ever directed at her. A small turning up of his lips, and for a moment there was amusement in his eyes, but it shifted. To something far darker.

“And what, Jayna, makes you think he would allow you of all people to come out here, away from camp. Alone?” He asked. His voice was a whisper of disbelief. He’d thought her smarter than that. Did she forget who she was? What she meant to Kaige Drach? “You are in danger. A lot of danger. I risk your life, my own, hers,” He pointed his finger at the Wynfrid woman. “Hanna, Violet, and little Sienna...When I said I fucked up Jayna, I fucked up.” He nearly snarled. It was like a switch had been flipped in Lorcan as he was suddenly trying to rein in the anger he felt at that moment. Not necessarily at Jayna, but at himself. Being in this place also wasn’t helping matters. His fists tightened at his sides, and he nearly turned and set a fist through the wall behind him.

He ran a hand through his hair instead, and took a deep slow breath, forcing himself to look down at his feet. Easy. Easy. Don’t let your temper get the best of you. Lorcan told himself. “Turke will accompany you coming out here,” He just doesn’t know it yet… “I’ll use the cleaning story, or come up with something else.” He growled. He pinched the bridge of his nose. Taking a deep breath. He glanced up and saw the Wyfrid woman. If looks could kill… She’d probably be dead on the floor. This was her fault. This whole situation. She had no idea the danger she had put not only her clan in, but his as well coming into Drach territory. He couldn’t look at her at that moment. “Get her settled.” He growled. He moved, walking past Jayna, as he walked to the closet. He yanked open the door, took out an axe, slammed the door, and then stomped outside. Letting the door slam behind him. As the door shut he paused to remove his shirt, tossing it beside the door before he walked off to take his rage out on a poor defenseless tree.

[Jayna Moreling]

The smile didn't amuse Jayna, even being the first one she'd ever earned from him. No, she knew it was wrong the moment she saw it. She didn't know what she'd done to cause it, but she definitely regretted it. She stood perfectly still as Lorcan escalated from a whisper to snarl, and she closed her eyes as he finished and his hands formed fists--she fully expected to take the blow.

When he took a deep breath instead, she reopened her eyes to stare at him coldly. She wasn't entirely looking forward to mandated 'alone' time with Turke, but she supposed it would be better than this, at least. She nodded once, to show her understanding, and then he was moving out. Good.

She waited until she heard the axe's first hit before she moved. Quickly, she knelt before Aspen and drew her knife, cutting the woman free of the rope that still bound her hands. "I'll have to re-tie you later," she warned, "But I'll get you something that won't leave rope burns. A sash, maybe."

Her gut told her she should break the chain now, with a heavy iron skillet from the kitchen, perhaps, or pry it up with a tool from the cellar. She wanted to run. This was the best chance she'd had in at least a year. But she made herself take a deep breath through her nose and rise calmly to her feet. Being rash now would only cost them both their lives. They would have to be smart. She took a clay canteen filled with water from the things Lorcan had brought and passed it to the other woman before taking a seat in front of her and matching her cross-legged posture. "Drink. Then tell me how this happened."

She hoped having more information would help her to form a better plan. One that actually had a chance of getting them both out of here. She wouldn't let Lorcan have the chance to get Aspen anywhere near Kaige, no matter what promises he made about not letting the snake lay a hand on her. She knew full well that Lorcan wouldn't stand up to his father unless one of his sibling's lives was at stake. Still...he hadn't handed over Aspen immediately. That was a good sign. Perhaps he was growing a spine after all.

[Aspen Wynfrid]

What would she have done, shackled and bound, if she'd seen him hit Jayna? Honestly, her world may have flashed black, but the Drach seemed to show some sort of restraint. Instead of hurling a fist at her, he stormed out of the room, but something struck in Aspen's mind.. He'd fucked up alright. But he couldn't fathom to what degree.

As soon as the door slammed shut and the axe split the night, Jayna seemed to transform into a different person. She quickly cut the ropes at Aspen's wrists and the Wolf was quick to massage them as Jayna spoke to her. She was still trying to process that a Moreling was even alive, much less in the same space as her. When the dark haired woman handed over a canteen, Aspen took it reluctantly, but was quick to nearly drink the entire thing dry. Inhaling sharply, she groaned again as she closed her eyes, thankful to finally have some water - or anything - to cool the ache in her throat. When she opened them to look at Jayna, a small smile spread across her lips. "You're really alive." She chuckled, though the sound was not that of humor, but a sort of relief. "There was a rumor, that a Moreling lived. But not just any Moreling.. You." She told her simply. "I came looking for you." The words were but a whisper as she leaned back on her hands, daring to close her blue eyes again - fearing she'd open them and realize she was asleep in the bed that now held her captive. But, that wasn't the case. It was all real. Sitting here with Jayna.. was real.

"His horse smelled Khan, my wolf. Got spooked, sent him-" The word was a snarl as it left her lips. "-into high alert. Khan was vulnerable, so I compromised myself to see to it he made it to safety." She shrugged her shoulders. "Now I'm here." At least, that was the less detailed version. "It was heated. I thought he'd lob my head right off." She snorted before sighing. "But then he didn't. And now you're here.. and what the fuck is going on?" Her face fell to her hands as she tried to make sense of everything that had happened in the few short hours she'd been here. It had taken much longer than it ought to for the weight of it all to finally land upon her shoulders. But judging by Jayna's reaction to her, the way she'd been so eager to help as soon as the Dragon's back was turned.. Aspen could trust her. She felt it in her gut. Then something piqued her interest. "You've been with the clan for three years now, haven't you? What's it like? Are they really as barbaric as the stories say?" She asked the woman. The sound of the axe continuing to crack outside told her she had some time.. "And what the hell is his problem?" She questioned with a disgusted tone. "He says he fucked up, but surely it can't be that bad with the daughter of the Wynfrid chief in his possession.." Her words were quiet now, not daring to say those words loud enough for him to hear. If she could buy herself some time, she was going to, dammit.

[Jayna Moreling]

A chill ran down Jayna's spine. They knew she was here? She'd just assumed she was as good as dead to the outside world, seeing as no one had tried to come for her or bargain for her release--no one except Aspen, apparently. She was surprised to realize she would have preferred to stay a ghost if it meant that Aspen would still be free. She scoffed and turned her head away for a moment. That kind of thinking would get her nowhere, but she couldn't help it. She was still a Moreling--defender of others till the last.

She looked back with curiosity as Aspen told her story--sparse though it was. The question of what was going on made her laugh. Hell if she knew, any more. Lorcan had upended her evaluation of him several times in the last hour, and she doubted it was over. The rest of the peppering of questions brought a look to Jayna's face that made her look as if she'd bit into a lemon. She could practically taste her own bitter rage.

"You'll have to slow down, if you expect me to answer all that," she replied with dry amusement. "I don't talk much these days. No one to talk to." She rolled her eyes.

"That's Lorcan. Second to Kaige." She jerked her head in the direction Lorcan had gone. "I'm living as his slave, caring for his younger sisters. Like a nanny, of sorts. As for what it's been like..." She made a face. "Kaige is the barbarian. He beat and raped me the first night, and he hasn't left me alone since. What's worse, he hits his children just as much as he hits his war prize." She turned and spit. "The bastard is mad, but his coward sons won't stop him and call it loyalty when they obey. I've been watching, waiting, trying to find an opportunity, but they've caught me every time. So now...I've been trying to nudge these ones in the right direction. If they come to their senses, and take out Kaige, the entire island would be a safer place. As it stands, we're all one temper tantrum away from being killed."

She shook her head, then turned to look toward the sound of chopping wood. "I'd like to say they're all monsters, after what they did. It'd be cleaner. But I can't."

"This one, Lorcan, might be close to breaking. He knows his father is a monster. He's still thinking of taking you to Kaige, but he didn't want to let what happened to me, happen to you." She laughed, but there was no joy in the sound. "Funny how he has mercy now, but we shouldn't waste it. He doesn't know what he has--he thinks you're just some woman. We can't let him know your name. "

[Aspen Wynfrid]

Aspen couldn't blame her for the way she felt.. She couldn't relate either, but she could still sympathize, at the least. The small twang of fear she'd felt when the Dragon - Lorcan - had thrown her onto the bed was like a ripple to the waves of shit that Jayna had endured. Aspen's face fell to sadness and she cautiously reached out a hand to touch Jayna's, if the girl would allow it. "I'm so sorry, Jayna." Tears sprang to her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away before wiping at them with the back of her hand, though it was no use as the next words out of her own mouth cause them to flood down her cheeks in heavy sobs. "I tried.. I yelled and screamed and pleaded, but no one would listen to me.. No one would listen to us." She gritted her teeth then, her tears now coming more from anger than sadness. "The fact that no one else would come.. They're no better than Kaige Drach." She practically spit his name. "But I was there.. I was too late, but I was there. I really tried.. That's why I had to come.." She said softly.

While she and Jayna had only met in her passing through the tribe while trying to garner allies, Aspen still felt like she knew the Moreling woman in many ways. They were quite alike, so headstrong and nearly fearless. Perhaps those were the only reasons the two had managed to live this long - how they managed to have any stroke of luck when luck seemed so far from grasp. But, maybe this, everything, had a silver lining. Together, they could figure out a plan, they could find a way to finally bring an end to the Drach's tyranny.

Sitting up straight again, placing her hands into her lap, Aspen forced the tears the stop. She wasn't the one that should by crying after all, and it made her feel weak. "Forgive me, Jayna. I just.. I'm so.. angry." She hissed the word between gritted teeth. Taking a deep breath, she quickly calmed herself, setting cold blue eys on the door before looking back at Jayna. "So, Lorcan.. is Kaige's son and his second.." She said, more or less trying to process the information she'd been given. "Wait, younger sisters?" She asked, shaking her head. "When you call them Kaige's children.. do you mean they're really just.. children?" She asked, disbelief in her tone that anyone could ever bring harm to any child, especially their own. She didn't even care that this.. Lorcan.. wanted to take her to Kaige. If innocent lives, children's lives were on the line, she'd take that fate. She would not be the reason more people were killed. She'd failed the Morelings, she would not fail more innocent people, Drach clan or not. But Jayna's last statement made her stop and think before she could react rashly. "You're right.. We have to play this smart. But if the question arises, what do we tell him my name is? Our clan isn't large, and we'd have to hope they don't know all of us by name. Maybe it's a long shot, maybe not. But I can't leave here without knowing innocent people are safe. I can't fail an entire people again, Jayna. I can't." She said, the weight of what she hadn't been able to do clearly a burden on her conscious. If she'd said the right things, done the right things, had a more convincing argument.. What would the land of Aldsage be like now, if Morelings still lived among them?