Under hedges and Mill Stones (closed for Led-Astray)

With the prospect of and end to the days ride, Nisa smiled, feeling a bit more energy. "Well, then let's make heist." With a wink, Nisa slapped her reins on Dancer's neck and gave her a heard kick, sending the horse racing towards their destination.

Nisa glanced back at Sir Corbin who seemed to be shocked by her reaction. The miller's laughter filled the air as she raced on with a lead on the knight and his war horse.

Shocked, it took Corbin a moment to react. But then he laughed, kicked Grace into a canter, confident he could overtake his laughing lady companion...

...only to be brought up short by a complaint from the pack mule whose lead rope was tied to Grace's saddle.

Forced to settle for a trot, the mount, the mule and the man were beaten easily by Nisa and her lively jennet. When he reached the copse of trees, the lively pair stood waiting, both breathing hard.

Corbin grinned. "An unfair race, my lady." But then he stopped. The dappled light of the low-hanging sun through the sparse trees, her her rapid breathing, the glow of exercise... she looked beautiful, she took his breath away, and he could do nothing but stare at her.

Nisa was wearing a grin from ear to ear as the knight pulled up hindered by the pack animal. She had to confess that she had forgot about the mule but was having to much fun to have stopped the race.

"Very few things in this world are fair Sir Corbin..... and even if you hadn't had an anchor, I'm sure we would have beat you." The knight's smile seemed to fade for a moment as he stared at her.

Worried that she might have lead them into trouble, she asked, "Is there something wrong, Sir Corbin? Have you seen so danger waiting for us here?"

Danger indeed... Thought the knight to himself, breaking out of his trance.

"Ah, nothing that need worry us..." he said loudly, trying to sound lighthearted but not really succeeding. He slid down from Grace's back in a movement so practiced he appeared more agile than he really was, then reached up to lift Nisa down from the saddle. This time, he released her quickly and stepped back.

"We should be safe here... and the night is warm and dry, we should not need the tent. We can probably risk a small fire, as well, for light and warmth, and to cook upon..."

He busied himself preparing camp, trying not to look at Nisa. It might hurt her feelings, he realised, but perhaps that would be better... it would not matter if his own emotions betrayed him if she did not return his love.

Nisa gave a soft sigh of relieve when the knight reassured her that they were in no danger. She had to admit that the spot was beautiful and Sir Corbin had been right: there was plenty of shelter and she could see the last few sun raze dancing on the surface of a pond in the center of the trees. What a beautiful spot.

The sound of Sir Corbin's armor raddle as his feet hit the ground, brought Nisa's eyes back to the knight. He walked briskly over to the side of her horse and reached his hands up to her waist. Nisa smiled and reached her hands down to his shoulders, but her smile soon faded as he wouldn't look her in the eye. As soon as her feet his the ground, he released her, then promptly turned and went about setting up camp. He gathered wood and unpacked a few things they would need to make themselves a meal. He even laid out their bedrolls, one on each side of the camp. All the while, Sir Corbin avoided, not only her presents, but any eye contact.

In the silents of the camp, Nisa wondered about the knight sudden cold shoulder. Perhaps he was tired, but Nisa doubted it for he admitted to forgetting that she might not be able to travel without fatigue like he could. Was he now mad about her scolding him after they left the village? Her late husband had often fumed over arguments for days, blowing small things out of per portion and the blind siding Nisa with issues she had thought long since settled. Was he angry because she had beat him at the little race? It was only a bit of simple fun and she had known that he would not been able to keep up with the pack animal in tow but the wind on her face had felt so good.... and to laugh. For a moment, her heart had felt so free. But some men's ego's are easily bruised.

Instead of standing there watching him arrange sticks for a fire, Nisa look the lead ropes of the three animals and lead them to the pond for a drink. The water looked so cool and welcoming, the miller slipped her boots from her feet and hiked up her skirt, wading into the cool water.

"Hellfire and damnation..." muttered Corbin to himself as Nisa left the camp, taking the horses to water.

Being cold towards her was the hardest thing he had ever done. The hurt look on her face in the few glances he had dared steal at her had been like blows to the chest.

But what choice did he have? He could not ask her to be his, then leave her behind as he returned to the road. Not even for one night.

With the fire burning well, he took a small iton pot from his saddlebags and walked down to the pool to fill it.

The sight of Nisa wading in the water made his heart leap, and he flushed red, but he tried to hide his reaction.

"My Lady... " he tried to say, his voice slightly choked.

Nisa looked up and smiled. Pot in hand, standing on the shore of the pond, he looked more timid than angry with her. Without a word, she waded out of the cool water and took the pot from his hands then waded back in. "The water looks cleaner out here." The miller said over her shoulder as she bent over to scoop some clean water from the pond. "If the fire's built, I would gladly do the cooking tonight."

When she turned pot in hand, Nisa found Sir Corbin staring. He ignored her one minute then couldn't keep his eyes off her the next. He seemed to he struggling with something but not able to tell her what. Slowly she waded out of the pond again, pot in hand. "You look tired, Sir Corbin. Perhaps removing your armor and taking a dip would wash away the road dirt and what ever's weighing so heavily on you shoulders." she said then walked past him heading towards the fire. Another thought came to her and she turned quickly, a slight look of worry on her face. "Unless we aren't safe here?"

"I fear it would take more than water to wash away my troubles..." replied Corbin, with a wry smile. "but your idea is still a good one. We should be safe enough here although I still think it would be a good idea to keep watch..."

He followed her silently back to the fire, and began unlacing and unbuckling his armour - this, he could do alone, it was far easier to take off than to put on.

"There is some dried meat in the saddlebags" he informed Nisa. "Shredded, it makes a passable broth, with enough herbs and any vegetables we have added..."

Still clad in his arming jacket and padded hose, he nodded to Nisa and walked to the pool.

The cold water may be just what I need he thought, as he stripped off the remainder of his clothing and folded it neatly before wading into the pool and lying down in the cool water. He could feel the sweat being gently lifted away from his body, and with it, some of his doubts and fears..."

In no time the smell of beef soup drifted down to the pond. Nisa had found some root vegetables, and herbs she recognized. When the knight finally returned, Nisa was seated on her bedroll, her boots of to the side. She held a wooden bowl of the soup and was sipping at it. The sun had already set and the firelight danced about her face and hair.

"I hope you don't mind but I started without you." She yawned then added, "I'm afraid if I waited much longer, I'd had fallen asleep before your return and gone hungry." She took one more sip then picked the carrots and turnip out of the bowl with her fingers. "I would gladly take second watch Sir Corbin, but I'm afraid I will be of no use at first."

The firelight only enhances her beauty... thought the knight, despondently. How can I do this?

But his weather-lined face held nothing but a faint smile. "The water has refreshed me, and am more than happy for you to sleep first."

He walked over to the fire, to where the stew waited.

"You were right to begin eating, I was longer than I intended to be. I just hope you have left me enough to fill my stomach..."

He filled a bowl and sat with his broad back to a tree, facing Nisa and the fire.

"As soon as you are finished eating, you should try to sleep. I doubt we will be disturbed tonight."

Nisa finished the last of her supper then set her bowl aside and slipped into her bed roll. As she settled down, she looked over that the knight leaned against the tree. "You will wake me at midnight so that I might take my turn?" she asked as he eyelids began to close.

She wasn't sure if she heard his answer before she fell asleep or not. Sleep took her quickly. The soft breeze in the leaves and the crackle of the fire lulled her to sleep quickly and the protective watch of the knight relaxed her enough that she did not wake.

Quietly, Corbin moved himself to a less comfortable tree. he found one with a low-down jutting spur, remnant of a long-broken branch, jutting out at the height of his shoulderblades when seated. He sat down cross-legged in front of it, so that should he fall asleep it would pain him and cause him to awaken.

Not that he thought the precaution truly necessary. He had sat long vigils before, and now he recalled his first...

"Quietly, now, lad... the old man is almost gone, ye do not need to wake him..."

The village herbalist was a middle aged woman, not the old crone one might expect. She knew her business, to be certain, and Corbin followed her advice. The stablemaster's last days had been filled with pain, the source some growth inside of him that had caused his stomach to distend with strange hard lumps over the last few years. The pain had become so bad that nothing the herbalist could prepare could fully take it away, and sleep had become the old man's only refuge.

Corbin looked down at the sleeping figure, before taking a seat on the hard wooden bench beside the bed. This was the man who had taught him everything about horsemanship. More - about the care of horses too. How to prevent hoof-rot, how to file a snag-tooth. How to double-tighten the girth to stop a recalcitrant horse from fooling you into fitting the saddle too loosely. Half of Corbin's young life had been spent in the stables, it seemed to him, and on more than one occasion he has slipped out of his chambers to sleep above the stables in the hayloft, warmed by the heat from the many horses below, lulled to sleep by their soft whickering and breathing.

"Is there anything I can do?" asked the boy.

"There's nothing anyone can do, now, but keep him company until he passes." replied the herbalist, shaking her head.

"Then that is what I shall do..." replied Corbin.

He sat awake all night, watching the stablemaster's chest rise and fall shallowly. He did not sleep, nor even close his eyes. As the light of dawn cast it's first rays though the narrow horn panes of the old mans room, the motion stopped. The old man had breathed his last, passed away gently in his sleep.

Corbin rose from his seat, and gently kissed the old man's still-warm forehead.

"Goodbye, Grandfather..."

Corbin once more began to tense and relax every muscle in his body, one by one. It was an old trick taught to him by Master Runcible, to help a man on sentry duty stand for hours without cramping or stiffening. He had sat the whole night, and dawn was breaking. Dappled sunlight illuminated the sleeping Nisa, her beauty in repose no less great than the beauty life and movement gave her.

The increasing volume of birdsong would wake her soon, he imagined, and stifling a yawn he quietly stirred, creeping over to the embers of last nights fire and coaxing them back into flame before placing the iron pot with the remains of the stew into the middle. He let it heat for a while before putting some into bowls, then gently shook Nisa by the shoulder.

"Breakfast is ready..." he murmured.

Nisa had slept soundly all the night through, waking refreshed. She opened her big brown eyes and smiled at the knight kneeling beside her. He looked tired. Had he not slept at all? That was when she remembered that he said he would wake her to take the second watch, but it was already dawn.

As she sat up and crawled out of her bedroll, Sir Corbin passed her a bowl of reheated stew. "How was your night, Sir Corbin?" she asked, her eyes remaining in her bowl as she ate.

Caught off guard, forgetting his aim of pushing her away for her own good, Corbin gave Nisa a genuine smile.

"I thought of waking you... but you looked so peaceful. And after what you have been through, sleep is the best healer..."

He sat down gently beside her, looking at peace himself.

"It was quiet... brought back some memories, both good and bad, but I have always loved the peace of the night, and the sight of the stars."

He sat, and took a spoonful of his own stew.

"It is not the first night I have spent without sleep." he yawned. "But I will still be able to ride."

Nisa finished the last of her stew then reached over and took the knight's bowl from his hand, her finger's brushing against his as she did. His smile was genuine but Nisa had to wonder if ti was nothing more than sleep deprivation.

As she stood and walked over to the fire, gathering up the cooking pot to pack it for the trip ahead, Nisa spoke softly. "I was told once that I would never be alone, for all over the world, other's looked at those same stars as I do, sharing in their beauty at that very same moment." The memory of the dream she had on her wedding night came flooding back. The tall, slender, silver haired man sat with her outside the mill. He had wiped her tears of fear away and wrapped her protective arms around her, placing the vest around her body to protect her from the brutal man whom she had been forced to wed.

She took her head gentle, bringing herself back to he here and now. Sir Corbin looked tired and drained. Most distressing of all, he looked weakened and vulnerable. "Lunitian takes care of his chosen." Nisa stated, feeling a little vulnerable herself for speaking the name of her God out loud to the knight for the first time. "Sleep, at night, is never an issue. I will always be well rested, even after only a few short hours." she said with a shrug then carried the dishes over to the packs and slipped them into a sack.

The knights armor lay next to her so Nisa grabbed onto the breast plate and lifted it as she turned back towards the knight, "You may well be able to ride with little sleep, but will you be able to fight? the tournament is in only five days. Do you really thing it wise to run yourself down so?"

Gently, nodding his thanks, Corbin took the breastplate from Nisa's hands.

"I will be fine, honestly, Nisa. I would not have sat vigil if I did not think I would be well enough to protect you next day." Replied the knight, shaking his head rapidly to clear it.

"Let me eat, move and stretch and I will be ready for whatever the day throws at us."

Later, he would have cause to regret his words... But oblivious to the danger that was even now approaching, he picked up the back-plate, buckled the breastplate and back-plate together at the shoulder, and continued on.

"As for the tourney... we will not be spending every night in the open, where a watch must be kept. I think we should reach a village before nightfall, where we can seek safer lodgings. By the time of the grand melee, I will be fine."

He lowered the plate harness over his head, seating it carefully onto his broad shoulders. He bowed slightly, and spoke again, a smile in his eyes and voice.

"My lady... would you do me the honour of acting as my squire again? I could do much of it myself, but it will be faster if you help me."

Nisa grabbed an armload of armor and set it down at Sir Corbin's feet. "I don't think it wise that you remain awake all night." she said as she fit the armor around his left leg and began lacing him in. "If we reach our destination and I am spent, it won't cost you your armor." Nisa said under her breath.

Without intending to, Nisa placed the armor about the knight's right leg roughly and began to lace them on.



_________________________________________

Snorgle and his scout band of 7 had followed their comrades had followed the other scouts tracks to the mill. They had found the chard remains and were not pleased. Who had they come upon? Sure not a simple miller? They found the tracks of a large horse but only one.

After some hours tracking, they came upon a village. Snorgle took a mental note of it and after some searching, they found more tracks by the same large horse and 2 others out the other side. Just as dawn broke, The group came upon a small camp.

With orders from their leader, the group began to surround the pair. A tin man and a female. Snorgle loved females!

Outwardly, Corbin winced at how roughly Nisa attacked the task of strapping and lacing him into his harness.

Inwardly his emotions were in turmoil. This was what he wanted - a cooling of her attitude, a coldness to grow between them so that no matter what his own feelings, there could be no question of them being together.

But at the same time it hurt. It wrenched his heart to see her driven away from him. But what choice do I have? he thought, sadly. My life is not a life to be shared, I have nothing to offer her but loneliness and heartbreak.

With Corbin's cuisse, greaves, and poleyns all firmly laced to his legs, Nisa stood.

"Gorget next..." murmured Corbin, trying not to meet her gaze. "Then Vambrace, rerebrace, couters and pauldrons."

Nisa turned from the knight and reached down for the armor for his left side. She was so angry with him she wanted nothing more than to scream at him. Sir Corbin claimed to be fine, that we would be clear headed enough to face the day yet he looked so drained. His shoulders slumped every time she glanced up at him. Nisa was not naive in the risks the knight would be facing in the melee. It was beginning to weigh heavily on her that he took these risks for her.

When she returned, Nisa had to push a bit of hair from her face before she continued fitting the knights armor. She avoided her glances, still so angry. Had he not trusted her to take the watch? Did he think she would miss a danger or fall asleep? As she pondered this, Nisa yanked on the lacing just a little to hard then tied it with aggression. "Lift your arm." she said, more of a demand than a request. Once his left side was done, she reached for the armor for his right.

And what would happen if this sort of recklessness on his part continued? He could loose so much. He could loose his armor and not have enough to pay the ransom to get it back. He could get hurt or worse.

Nisa's mind continued on this path as she began to lace the last of Sir Corbin's armor. All this for a couple stones that they might not be able to afford anyway, to provide a mill for a village who's residents hated her for crimes she did not commit. People she held no hatred for, despite this fact.

As Nisa let his arm drop to his side, she turned from Sir Corbin, her anger with the him and the situation she felt she put him in so over whelming that she was to angry to speak.

What she saw when she turned made her gasp with fear. Three hob goblins slipped from the bushes, weapon's drawn. Their bulging eyes glared at the pair, all licked their lips with anticipation. The center one said something in his native tongue and his comrades both laughed and began to stock forward towards her and the knight.

Corbin caught sight of the Hobgoblins at the same time as Nisa, and adrenaline drove the fatigue from his body in an instant.

He grabbed Nisa from behind, around the waist, and lifted her easily, stepping backwards to the tree where his sword was still leaning after his long night.

He turned, dropping Nisa unceremoniously by the trunk and grabbing his long blade. "Stay behind me!" he ordered, comfortable that between him and the tree she should be safe.

He turned in time to meet the charge of the first hobgoblin, the one on the left, a lanky brute holding a serrated long-knife. Corbin gripped his sword with two hands, one half-way up the blade, and thrust it straight into its green belly.

As it gasped and flopped on the blade, Corbin released his left hand from the blade and spun round. He felt the blade of the middle hobgoblin skitter ineffectually over his back-plate as his armoured elbow smashed into the face of the one on the right, striking it between the eyes with a shocking crunch of bone. It fell backwards, clutching its face and wailing in pain.

Without turning, he placed both hands on the hilt of his blade and yanked it clear of the dying hobgoblin's body. Then he spun around, the blade travelling in a sweeping arc that passed within inches of Nisa's body - and terminated in the ribcage of the third hobgoblin, even as it stabbed its short-sword at Corbin's shoulder.

With a heaving gurgle, bubbles of bright green blood bursting from its chest wound and mouth, the last hobgoblin fell. Its blade had completely failed to penetrate Corbin's armour - which was, he though ruefully, the point of wearing this much steel.

He raised his blade to strike the coup de grâce to each of the three fallen hobgoblins - but had no time to do so. Four more of the foul creatures stepped into the clearing, but this time did not blindly charge.

Mindful of the fate of their fellows, they spread out in an arc, two in front, and one edging around to each side...

Nisa crouched beside the large tree, one hand on it's rough bark as she watched for an opportunity to help Sir Corbin. She reached a hand down to the small knife in her boot and slipped it into her hand then stood, her back to the tree.

Watching the knight fight with such finesse left Nisa in awe. Even with the heavy armor, Sir Corbin moved with grace. Each swing and thrust was on target, leaving his enemy dieing at his feet. Then the tip of his bastard blade swung around and Nisa jumped back, pressing her body hard against the bark of the tree only narrowly being missed. He did not seem to even notice, so intent on his foe. Or had it been that he knew that he would miss her? She didn't know for sure.

Just when she thought the danger was passed, 4 more creatures emerged from the underbrush, blades in hand. unlike the other's they circled slowly. the hobgoblin to the left was inching his way around passed Sir Corbin's side towards Nisa, his eyes darting towards her every so often, keeping a close watch on her blade. Fearing he was getting to close, Nisa began to slide along the tree away from the foul creature. Just then, one of the hobgoblins who stood in front of Sir Corbin pulled a knife from his belt and threw it. The blade flew past the knights left shoulder, just missing his armored shoulder. The knight was not his target though. Nisa let out a cry as the blade only just grazed her temple and berried itself in the bark of the tree, tangling in her hair, pinning the miller in place.

Nisa dropped her blade and grabbed onto the handle of the knife that had her staked to the bark of the tree. The handle was already slick from where the blade had sliced along her temple and her scalp making the handle slippery. Along with the depth the blade was in the wood, Nisa couldn't free herself.

As she struggled to free herself, the Hobgoblin to her left began to inch even closer. "Sir Corbin!" Nisa cried as she continued to struggle with the blade that bound her.


_______________________

Snorgle watched from a distance. How he loved females. I loved how they squirmed and screamed and begged. He loved how they felt wrapped around his cock. He loved the way their sex tasted, and their legs, and their heart and liver. But more than all that, Snorgle loved his how skin and was in no interest in risking his life for a female, and by what he saw, that is exactly what would happen.

So the scout band leader sat in his hiding spot and watched. His mistress would be happy if he returned with information anyway. He watched how the knight fought. Repeated the name the woman had cried out. He looked closely and memorized the pattern on the shield that hing from the horse. He watched the woman and studied her face. The colour of the knights eyes and hair. Everything and anything could interest his mistress and pleasing her pleased Snorgle.

Seeing the knife pass over his shoulder and then hearing Nisa cry out made Corbin's heat skip a beatm but he could not spare the time for a even a glance. He comforted himself with the fact that he had heard the blade strike wood, not flesh

If I let them come at me I won't be able to stop them all... at least one will slip past me... but if I charge two of them, the other two may reach her... Thought the knight, desperately.

Unless you give the two behind you a more obvious target... came the voice of Redshanks from the depths of his memory.

With apparent recklessness Corbin turned his back upon two of the hobgoblins, inviting them to attack him as he charged at the others, trusting that his armour would protect him even though he had not had the chance to fit his helmet.

The two foul creatures in front of him were caught out by his unexpected charge, and with an upwards sweep of the blade one was split from crotch to the underside of its rib-cage. Even as he tugged the blade free of the corpse, Corbin's booted foor lashed out and caught the other in the stomach, bending it over. Before it could recover he brought the heavy pommel of his sword down on the back of its head, flooring it.

But then he felt a weight upon his back - one of the two remaining survivors had sprung upon him, wrapping one arm and its legs around the knights body, and Corbin only just had time to drop his blade and raise his arm to stop the creature plunging its short dagger into his eye socket. He gripped the Hobgoblins wrist tight, momentarily rendering it helpless.

But where was the other? He turned to look...

As Sir Corbin charged and the hobgoblin to Nisa's right rushed the knight from behind, the hobgoblin to her left saw his opening. If he got to the female first, maybe he would be able to fuck her quickly before the others were finished with the knight and wanted their part of her. As he rushed to the tree, the hobgoblin dropped his cub and reached for the knife that held the Nisa captive against the rough bark.

When Nisa saw him coming she let out a cry of anger and tried to lash out. As the foul creature came within reach, the miller's fist connected with his jaw but did little to detour the creature from seizing her. He grabbed her about the waist and pinned her agaist the tree. Nisa could feel his ridged member pressed against her as he reached up and yanked the knife free.

No longer held in place by her hair, Nisa fought harder. She kicked and punched but this only seemed to excited her attacker more. She felt his hands all over her body, shredding her cloths with it's sharp nails. It make quick work of her blouse, despite her efforts and now was working on her skirt. It had not seemed to figure out that the waist band held the garment together for it worked on the many meters of fabric below.

Struggling with his own attacker, Corbin heard Nisa's cry and saw the hobgoblin assaulting her.

"Get your filthy hands of her, you scum!" bellowed Corbin, enraged. A new strength seemed to fill his body and he marked the location of a goodly sized tree, running towards it at full pelt in spite of the weight of his armour and the even more considerable weight of the murderous creature on his back.

At the last moment before he dropped his shoulder and spun putting the hobgoblins body between him and the tree without losing his considerable forward momentum. With a muffled, winded shriek, and the crack of more than one rib, the brute released its grip on Corbin's body and slumped winded to the ground - not dead, nor even unconscious, but out of the fight for a few precious moments at least.

Groaning slightly himself, from the force of the impact, Corbin howled incomprehensibly in rage and hurled himself at Nisa's attacker, tackling the surprised creature to the ground. The knight and the creature were of similar size and strength, but once again Corbin's armour weighed heavily in his favour. The hobgoblin simply could not deliver a blow to Corbin's body that would even slow the knight down, whereas every punch, ever elbow-strike, every brutal application of the knights knee, was backed up with the weight and solidity of steel.

A lucky knee to the groin made the creature shudder and yelp in pain and gave Corbin the chance to stand and seize up the nearest weapon - in this cae, the club that this particular hobgoblin had discarded in it's rush to get to Nisa. As crude as the creatures that carried out, it nonetheless had good, solid feel to it and it swung through the air beautifully - terminating in a sickening crunch against the gasping creatures temple.

It lay still and closed it's eyes, straw-coloured fluid leaking out of its ear.

The winded creature that had so recently been clinging to Corbin's back struggled to its feet, just in time to feel a mighty, disabling blow to its guts as the knight thrust the club forward like a sword. By the time it had recovered a second time, Corbin had retrieved his blade and set about dispatching his wounded foes before they could recover...

Then he turned to Nisa, his sword slick with green blood, an agonised look of grief upon his face. He took in her beautiful, almost naked form and blushed. He knelt at her feet, casting his eyes downwards so as not to shame her with his his gaze.

"My lady, I have failed you... you are hurt..."

Nisa was nearly knocked to the ground when the knight tackled her attacker. She gripped the rough bark of the tree and held on desperately to remain on her feet. Still shook up by the experience of being held against the tree by the foul creature and having her blouse torn from her body and her shirt shredded, Nisa looked about the ground for a weapon to defend herself with. But something was in her eye and she couldn't focus.

With a shaking hand, Nisa touched her cheek with her palm and then looked at her open hand, covered in blood. A feeling of numbness washed over her. She thought for a moment that she should ask Lunitain to heal her but a voice in the back of her mind whispered that she could be fine.

At her feet, Sir Corbin knelt. He wouldn't look up at her. How long had he been there? Nisa didn't know.

"My lady, I have failed you... you are hurt..."

Nisa smiled down at him. How hard he was on himself. As she wrapped her bloody hand around her body, covering her breasts with her arm, Nisa reached down and lifted the hedge knights chin to look in his eyes. She could still feel blood running down her cheek and dripping from the ends of her hair, from the gash at her temple and into her scalp.

"Once could hardly call killing 7 evil creatures single handedly a failor. I owe you my life once again and I thank you Sir Corbin." she let her thumb slide along his cheek.

Nisa's train of thought was interrupted when something rustled a bush across the clearing, but then a raven jumped from the foliage and began pecking at one of the fallen hobgoblins. The miller's heart was pounding in her chest from fear that there could be more. "I..... I will change quickly so we can leave this place." She released the knights cheek and stepped towards Dancer and her pack with her last set of cloths.