Rehny lay still for the better part of the night, willing himself not to move so as to avoid jostling Satheth who lay pressed to his body, her head resting on his chest, her pear shaped breasts pressed to his navel. He had his arms around her but even then he avoided moving them. Sleep eluded him, and even if he tried to sleep, the thought that he was somewhat responsible for his current predicament made his efforts to escape into slumber fruitless. He could feel her every heartbeat, every breath she took was mimicked by the love bond formed between them. He was made aware of her existence by more than just the physical attributes of the living, he felt her soul, flicker and sparkle with each passing moment. Making him aware that she was alive.

The love was one sided, he did not feel the same for her as she did for him. According to Nyawe, he will never experience love, it was the sacrifice he made to house the Goddess of love. The irony of this wasn't lost on him. Yet, he found himself completely distracted by the woman who lay in his arms. He felt a need to shield her from harm, he took note of the scars that marred her naked skin. He could tell where the scrape of a sword left a mark, or the point of a knife. Battle hardened, that's what Nyawe described Satheth as. She lived and breathed war, and now a new element had been introduced to her life and he was certain she will fight for it just as hard.

When the orange blotch of light stained the dark horizon, spelling an end to the night and the beginning of a new day. Rehny felt her stir, he closed his eyes. Unwilling to confront her or exchange a word after what they'd indulged in the night just past. He pretend to be asleep. Felt as she raised herself off him, jerking upright as if surprised to find herself in his embrace, then slowly untangling his arms free of her. She collected her clothes and dressed hastily, Rehny knew she was unwilling to be caught with him by those under her command. He wondered if those who'd stood guard at the wooden shack's entrance had witnessed their lovemaking.

Rehny wasn't willing to betray that he was awake so he lay still and silent. Satheth finished dressing, judging from what he heard, he waited for her to depart but she didn't. There was an eerie stillness to the room and he could have sworn he was alone if it wasn't for the fact that he hadn't heard her walk away. He knew she was standing by his bed, staring at him. He could feel it the same way you can tell when someone's eyes are on you before turning to meet them.

Rehny thought about opening his eyes but decided against it, instead he continued to feign sleep. Then he felt it, her hand upon his chest right where his heart was. He fought the urge to flinch. Her hand rested there for a span of moments, as if she weighed each beat of his heart, then he felt her lips press to his forehead in a soft kiss . Her lips and hand withdrew and he heard her walk away. That's when he opened his eyes.

He didn't get up from bed neither did he put on his black breeches and grey tattered shirt or any of the clothes he'd traded his black sword for. He waited for the Binorians to come rouse him, tie him and deliver him to Binoria like a prized hog. None of that happened. He could hear them moving outside the wooden shack. He could see the shadows of the three soldiers at his door, shifting and moving but none of them dared to enter his abode to wake him, or talk to him. They gave him the better part of the morning to himself until he got up and dressed of his own accord.

When he exited the shack, one of the three placed to guard him so as to ward off his escape turned to face him. He stared at him and Rehny could see the contempt and the confusion marring his features. "Rehny," He started then paused as if unsure as to how to go about what he had to say. "Under the Captains orders, a bath and food has been prepared for you."

Rehny stared at the soldier as if he'd sprouted a second nose. "What?"

"I presume you bath outdoors since you live alone here like some wild animal." The Soldier said with a wave at the surrounding. "A bath place has been created for you." He pointed at a contraption made of sheets and wood twenty paces from the rest of the camp. Most of the soldiers were done packing their bed rolls and saddling their horses, others sat on the ground polishing their swords. When he took note of them so did they take note of him. He scanned their faces for her and saw Satheth brushing the neck of her brown stallion, she ran her hand along the coat of the horse's neck as she had ran her hand across his back while in pleasure's thralls.

"We're waiting for you so we can depart for the Capital, traitor." The Soldier added, drawing Rehny's attention back to him. The soldier had a pinched face, pocked with acne marks that sketched a pattern of hate that his scrunched brows seconded. He stepped closer to Rehny. "I do not know what you did to her, traitor, but we're all waiting for her command to drive our swords into you. And she always gives it."

He loves the man to the far right, the one with two balled fists who's staring at you. Nyawe said within him, allowing him to take note of the bond of love that tied the two men, with love flowing from either end meaning it was a shared love.

Rehny didn't want to walk the path of the Goddess, not after whatever had transpired between him and their Captain, Satheth. He remembered how he'd spoken her name, the intonation foreign to his tongue. He'd become someone else. The Goddess, there are layers and layers behind her plans. Every action, every word was a measure of her full intention. I will not be her puppet. Rehny decided. He'd figured a way to think without her knowledge of what he was thinking.

Turning to the soldier, Rehny moved closer to him. Towering over him as he did many men. He'd been a Commander of the Legions. He'd ran alongside the King, sword drawn, mind enveloped in the haze of the impending mayhem as they faced a foe of thousands of men. He knew well of the blood and guts and shit and screams of wounded or dying men at the aftermath of a war, he'd never been among them, more than five score wars and he'd never been among them until his last war. He knew how to earn a soldier's respect.

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"Fuck off." Rehny said and sauntered away towards their Captain. Seeing him approach she turned to face him.

Satheth didn't smile, she wasn't accustomed to it. But what she gave him as he approached was something akin to adoration, it's just that her face didn't fully allow it to show. But it was there. That checked him for a moment.

"Captain." Rehny said, deciding to be a soldier till the end. "I understand your objective is to take me to Binoria to stand trial for being a traitor?"

Satheth wondered for a second at his formality. But then her features morphed to mirror that of one of her rank. "That is our orders."

"How then will you take me there? For till now you've assumed that I wish to go there willingly, I'm obligated to tell you that I am not willing nor will I be willing to go back to Binoria." Rehny said.

"Well then, you choose the hard way?" Satheth asked, all calmly inflection rid of her voice.

Rehny, what are you doing? Nyawe pleaded, no, questioned within his mind.

"If I go to Binoria, I will die." Rehny said. "Why waste the time going there then? I don't like traveling. I don't like horses in general except my horse but it died, so the whole journeying doesn't bode well with me. I'd rather fight to the death out here, at least then there might be a chance to escape."

Satheth nodded. "That Goddess of yours, Nyawe is her name?"

Rehny fought back a startled expression at the change of conversation. "What does that have to do with this?"

"Well, The Queen Dahli, told me of your Goddess and her weakness. See," Satheth took a step closer to him. "The Goddess of love, well, what can her weakness be but the loss of love?" She turned and pointed. "The one with the acne marks," She turned to the man who'd had his hands balled into fists. "The burly one is his lover, they've served seven wars under you. They idolized you and your betrayal is spit on their faces. I will have one of them killed." Satheth said. "Imagine what pain you Goddess will feel, what pain you will feel? Will it be enough to incapacitate you? If you do not come willingly, I will kill one of them and then we'll bound you and drag you all the way to Binoria."

A lilting laugh within Rehny's head. Meena still doesn't understand how I work. Nyawe said. Meena always presumes she can find order to love but her theories always end up shallow. Yes one's death will hurt you but you shall feed off the absence of love and become stronger. You will fight them easily.

Rehny faced the two men, noticed how they stole glances at each other. There was more than just love at play here, it was something that had sprouted from kinship, its loss would strengthen and hurt him, but is power worth someone's death ? The price was too high.

"I thought after tonight we'd come at an understanding of sorts," Satheth continued. "But violence is always the better choice, am I right?" She smiled at him. "It just makes all the other options seem brittle. With violence we won't have to talk or arrive at an understanding, our swords and blood will be the only explanation."

Rehny stared at her. Saw the way she held his gaze with her deep blue eyes, her eyes widened and she made to look away but she couldn't, she was drawn to him and stuck on what she saw. Rehny knew where her mind was, he could feel it through the love bond. She wanted to pounce on him and meet his lips with her own, then when they pulled apart for breath, she'll beg him to come with her to Binoria. She was wrong, violence wasn't the only valid option, for her that wasn't the case anymore.

Nyawe,

Yes?

What do I do?

What do you do with what?

I don't want to go to Binoria but I don't want anyone to die trying to take me there.

You must go to Binoria, it is important. But I feel your resentment with me imposing on your choices, choices after all do make up a life. And I feel you'd be more open to me if I allowed you to choose without my hand as a guide. I do not wish to steal your life from you. From now on I will only offer advice or input when asked for it. Create a moment with Satheth, allow her to take you to Binoria, go along with her. Do as she asks of you, but for now create a moment with her to ensure whatever she asks of you is the best she wants for you.

What?

Kiss her.

Rehny moved in a blur, grabbed Satheth by the small of her back and drew her to him. Her eyes widened when he sunk in and placed a kiss on her lips, she relaxed into his embrace after a second of uncertainty. She returned the kiss, her tongue forcing its way past his lips. He pulled away and stared into her eyes, and for a moment a pink light flashed amidst the blue. "There's always a better option than violence." Rehny said. "I will come willingly with you, but know that you lead me to my death." He turned his eyes to her soldiers, all of them stood staring at them with their swords drawn. A look of shock was evident upon their faces. He let go of her and walked away to the bath, the three guards moved to trail him but Satheth waved at them to stop.

At the bath, Rehny found heated water drawn into the drum he used to fetch water with. The soldiers must have gone for the water at the stream, following the path he'd beaten down with his to and fro movement. It must have taken seven soldiers to haul the water. He stripped and bathed with half of it, upon emerging dressed in black breaches and a grey shirt, he found the soldiers standing beside their horses, Satheth was already on hers. They all stared at him then two approached him with a bowl of food. Leftover pig stew with meat that was still warm, bread, dried meat and a cup of water.

They pointed to where he should sit, at the camp fire that still had embers burning. He sat and ate in silence. When he was done the two soldiers came and took away the empty bowl and cup. Rehny moved to the bath place, taking note of the confused glances thrown his way, he lifted the drum of water and carried it on his shoulder towards the pig's enclosure.

"What are you doing?" Satheth called out to him. The soldiers were all gawking at him, wondering how he could heft that weight.

"The pigs," Rehny said. "I want to leave them water and to open the enclosure so they could roam free."

Satheth stared at him before turning to the pig enclosure and then back to him. "Kilajiow." She said.

"Yes Captain." A soldier answered, he seemed older than the rest, his black hair with streaks of grey, the corners of his mouth and eyes heavily wrinkled.

"Jusi." Satheth called.

"Yes Captain." A woman answered. She appeared to be the same age as Kilajiow, though her face held an eerie cheer that gave her visage a youthful look despite the greying hair and wrinkles. Rehny saw the love bond running between Kilajiow and Jusi, a shared love.

"The two of you are to remain here and care for the pigs and the farm." Satheth said.

"Captain?" Kilajiow asked. There was a slight tremor to his voice. Jusi looked too shocked to speak, her lips were parted and she drew quick shallow breaths.

"You will care for the... Farm... Until Rehny's sentence is ruled, then you shall be sent upon to return when his fate is known." Satheth said. Rehny saw that Satheth was doing this, not for his benefit alone, but also to give the two veteran soldiers a brief nirvana if it could be called so.

The two soldiers dismounted, gathered their things and saluted Captain Satheth. Fighting back tears, they trod away from the soldiers huddled among horses and towards the wooden shack. Some distance away, they turned and saluted Satheth once more, fist to breast. The Captain nodded.

"Rehny, do you have anything you'd like to take with you?" Satheth asked him. "A change of clothing perhaps? It shall be carried for you."

"I'm okay." Rehny said and ran a hand through his pink hair, wondering as always as to what Nyawe's intentions were.

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