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To the Highest Bidder Goes the Prize (Chuckeles/butterfly040

Angus came up behind him and pat him upon the back, "It is not your fault lad. It is no one's fault but the men that did this. And they have paid dearly for it. If there is anyone to blame here, it is me. I was right there but I did not notice until it was to late. I thought her safe in the cart just as you and Nessa did." Patting him upon the back, Angus sighed, "There is nothing to be done now but to heal. You heal, and help her heal.

A few moments later, Nessa appeared, a blanket wrapped around her, "She's worn herself out..." Nessa told them, not trying to hide anything from the men. "She's sleeping by the fire now. I think she'll sleep through the night." Looking right at Lund, she smiled a little, "Have some patience with her lad. The poor thing is traumatized and will need some time, but... she doesn't blame you. When I held her, she mumbled a bit. I doubt she'd ever tell you herself, but she said..." Nessa tried to keep the smile on her face but it wavered, "she said 'he'll not want me now.'"
 
Lund turns back to face Angus rubbing his face slowly. He reaches into the wagon taking out some of the wine sipping at it. "I just wanted to keep her safe and I couldnt." He rubs his hand together as he slips them under his cloak trying to warm up just abit from the cold as the tempature starts to drop even further.

He turns facing Nessa listening to her words. He drops his head slightly as he runs his fingers through his hair slowly. "Ill always want here Nessa. I just dont know how to keep her safe anymore." He glances back towards the cave entrance. "Theres no point in all of us freezing. You two go back inside and get warm. Ill keep watch while she sleeps." He smiles at Nessa and Angus offering them a hopeful look.
 
The pair went back into the cave, remaining there a long while. But about 3 hours later, Angus returned again, patting Lund on the back, "Go, warm yourself with the wife and you woman a bit. I'll stand watch until morning. We will leave at earliest light. The sooner we get down the mountain and to your home the better. And Lund, you did everything you could to keep her safe. Just keep on doing what you have been. You did rush to save her after all. She will never fault you for it. Now go, get inside." Angus nudged him back into the cave.
 
Lund paces the whole three hours feeling his fingers grow numb but he continue to keep his watch. He turns facing Angus nodding slowly. "Alright. Ill try to see if I can get some sleepy." He fights back a yawn as he slips into the cave keeping his cloak tight around him. He moves to check on Kiana his hands coming out from under his cloak are abit white and shivering with the cold. He hesitates as he kneels down glancing over to Nessa as he warms his hands.
 
Both women were bundled up warm around the fire. Kiana looked so deep under sleeps spell, yet troubles still covered her sleeping face in the light frown upon her lips, which it looked like Nessa had helped her to clean up a bit as much of the dried blood was gone now. But in her sleep, she could still seem to sense him there as she stirred a little, just stirred, but she had not moved a single inch since falling asleep without him near her side.
 
Lund swallows slowly as he sees Kiana seem to grow almost afraid of his presence. He scoots away slightly staring into the fire. His voice is kept low as he finally glances up at Nessa. "H..How is she doing?" His eyes glances towards Kiana wanting to reach out to her but he still hesitates not wanting to disturb her sleep. "When did you and Angus get married?"
 
Nessa smiled, "She's doing lovely. Has not made a peek. You can touch her you know... she's pretty out of it. Go on lad, she won't bite," Nessa teased him a little. "Rest her head in your lap, stroke her head. I did it before when she first passed out. Seemed to comfort her a bit." She laughed a little as she asked about her and Angus. "The truth? We went to the priest that travels with the troops three days after he bought me. He got me knowing he wanted me for a wife to keep him company. I knew I wanted him to be at my side."
 
Lund glances down at her teasing getting his hands warm before he moves towards the two. He gently takes Kiana laying her head in his lap. His fingers slowly stroke her hair as he looks down at her face. "I found my ring next to the furs. They didnt even car who they had taken Nessa." He continues to stroke her hair his voice staying low. "Im glad you two are happy with each other. Angus needed someone like you to keep him in line." He laughs softly as he studies Kiana's face.
 
Kiana, in her sleep still, nuzzled her face against his leg, seeming to be quite comfortable in his lap like that. No smile crossed her face, but the tension in her body seemed to melt away.

"You should put the ring back around her neck," Nessa told him. "She was worried over it when she realized it was gone. I think she was more worried about having lost your ring and what you would do when you found it was gone then anything else." Nessa sighed awhile. "And I think that Kiana needs someone like you. Just to love her. Especially now."
 
Lund smiles as he feels her seem to relax somewhat as he rubs her head. He lets a slow yawn out now feeling the exhaustion of the day seem to wash over him. His fingers seem to tremble as he places the ring back around Kiana's neck. "I dont care about the ring Nessa. Its just a ring. Kiana is the one I cant replace." He leans down kissing her forehead softly as he holds her.
 
Nessa smiled as she laid down, "Sleep Lund. We all need a bit of sleep. We still have a few days travel ahead of us." She closes her eyes as she tried to get a few more hours so sleep before the tough travel ahead of them.

Kiana shifted a little as he gave her forehead it's light kiss, but still sleeps on. She was indeed deep in her sleep and perhaps it was for the best she just sleep to recharge herself for her mental battle ahead.
 
Lund smiles at Nessa nodding as he waits for her to lay back on the bed cave floor. He takes another blanket wrapping it around himself and Kiana as he lays back with her. He gently places Kiana's head on his chest holding her close as he begins to drift off. His lips press against her cheek whispering into her ear softly. "I love you Kiana dont forget that."
 
Come first light... "Rise and shine lad! Time to get moving again!" boomed Angus's voice as he poked Lund a little with his foot.

Kiana had already woken an hour or so before, pleased to find herself waking still in Lund's arms, but slipping from them quickly. She heated water over the fire and just had to clean herself as she still felt rather dirty from the night before. It was then as she washed herself bit by bit she found the ring was back again around her neck. For a moment she wondered if it had ever been done at all. Perhaps it had just been some kind of trick of her mind. Sighing, she tried not to think to hard on it.

By the time the others woke Lund, Nessa and Kiana had already eaten and Kiana held a small plate of bread and cheese. She came over to him as he sat up, handing it to him and just uttered a soft, "Eat," to him.
 
Lund comes awake glancing around quilt for kiana. A soft smile on his face as he spots her near the fire. He rubs his eyes as he moves toward her brushing his fingers against her cheek. "Good morning love." He smiles giving her cheek a soft kiss. He then turns to begs packing up the few belongins they had brought in. "Angus I think if we push we can be in my families lands by nightfall. Once there we can find a warm bed to sleep in." His eyes glance over to Kiana smiling softly
 
She showed no kind of response to his kiss really, though she did not turn away from it or anything such as that. But it brought no smile to her face or anything such as that. Her eyes seemed to avoid his as she moved about, being much more active this morning then last night. The cry did seem to have been good for her, yet she was still not the same old Kiana.

A short while later, Kiana and Nessa took their place in the back of the cart, Angus reminding Lund that he was driving for the day so that Nessa could finish the dress for Kiana. Both girls wrapped themselves up tight in blankets.

"Well then, let's get the last leg of this journey over and done with," Angus said as he started to lead the way. "I can't wait to get a real big hearty meal in my belly."

Nessa smiled, "I can't wait to a hot bath in a real tub..."

Kiana did not speak.
 
Lund double checks everything in the back of the cart making sure everything is secured. He climbs into the cart taking the reigns as he glances back watching Kiana. He looks toward Angus laughing softly. "It doesn't look like you've missed to many meals yet Angus. Besides I'm with your wife on this one. A good hot bath to clean up with first then a hearty meal." He laughs clicking his tongue as he gets the cart in motion leaving Kiana to Nessa for now.
 
Nessa seemed to just chatter as the traveled, just to keep sound in the air between herself and Kiana. But for all her chatter, Kiana never seemed to say much. Just the occasional word her or agreeable sound there. "This dress is going to be lovely on you dearie. I'm glad I decided to go with the blue after all. And once we reach our destination and I get myself into a much more proper place, I'll finish the other dress. Perhaps even make you a few more." She nudged Lund with a laugh, "That is if you man her has the coin for it," she joked a little, just trying to keep things light.
 
Lund smiles at the chatter brightening on the inside as Kiana puts in a few words here and there. "Don't forget she will need a gown for all the balls noble ladies like to throw. In fact you both will need them." He glances over at Angus smirking softly. "That means you'll have to learn to dance Angus." He laughs as he clicks his tongue at the horse steadying them as the cart bounces along the trail. His head turns to seemingly glance at a peek but he is watching Kiana making sure she is doing alright so far on the trip
 
Her face seems to be sad once again as he catches the glimpse as her. Not noticing he was looking, Kiana had the ring in between her fingers as she toyed with is, looking at it with a troubled yet thoughtful expression.

Angus merely laughed, "Who says I need to dance? I'll be the one drinking and telling the entertaining stories off to the side. You'll be the one expected to dance about like a little forest pixie."
 
Lund turns back from watching Kiana a soft smile on his face. "Alittle pixie huh? I'm goin to make sure every lady knows just how much you like to dance. Then well see how much you laugh old friend." His laughter fills the air as he shakes his head. "Besides I'll be to busy dancing with Kiana to bothe with the other offers to dance." He does glances back fully at kiana blowing a kiss to her.
 
"I don't dance..." her meek voice said as she dropped the ring to let it hang back around her neck once again, her eyes not meeting Lund's even though she knew he was looking in her direction.

Seeing her starting to pull herself back inside once again, Nessa tried to keep her out and in the moment with them all as she nudged her a little, "Oh please, if my man is going to have me thrown about the floor you will have to suffer just as I will with your own."

"I don't dance..." she repeated again, not seeming to be any different then the first time she said it. Nessa sighed in a bit of failure.
 
Lund sighs as he sees her starting to withdraw once more into herself. "Well I guess I'll just hide within the corne telling stories with you Angus. And I'm sure there will be plenty of wine for us to go through." He glances back at Kiana just watching her for a few moments. "Although if you want Kiana im sure I can get one my sisters to teach you how to dance."
 
The mention of sisters had Kiana momentarily jolt her head a moment, Nessa caught it as well and could tell the exact word that caused her sudden interest, "Sisters?" Nessa asked him. "You have sisters?" She asked seeming to know it was the same question running in Kiana's head at that moment.

It was in that moment that Kiana realized that Lund had not spoken much of his family which she feared meeting so. Not only a mother and a father now she had to wish would approve of her, but sisters as well and who else she did not know.
 
Lund turns clicking at the horses as he faces Nessa. "I have two sisters and an older brother. My sisters will be easier to impress then my brother." He smiles softly as he watches Kiana even with his eyes on Nessa. "Im sure I can steer them your way for a few new dresses Nessa. Ive seen your work and its impressive."
 
She blushes a little, a smile making her plump cheeks big and bright a moment, "You flatter me Lund. A gentlemen always it seems. Oh dear me..." she trailed off as her eyes looking off in front of the cart filled with wonder and she lowered her work into her lap, moving to look more. "Dear lord look at the land..." she said as for the first time they got a glimpse of the lands beyond the rocky mountains. Even Kiana had to look out over the front of the cart. Even with it being late in the season, the fruit of the land below's labor was easy to see. Farms. Many, many farms each with fields seemingly as far as the eye could see.

Kiana, jaw was dropped open in wonder, "This.... is your family's lands?"
 
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