She had run from her stepfather after he had.. He had tried...She sobbed again, not wishing to think of what he had tried to do to her. She again pictured his face, and her mind raced with hatred. It had been three years since her mother had died, and she just recently turned sixteen. For the first year he had left her alone, only speaking to her in passing. But as time went on he told her that the nights grew lonely, and that he only wished to comfort her.

She spat, his idea of comfort did not at all make her feel comfortable. She stayed there for some time watching the moon play hide and seek with the dark clouds.

The rain was coming down hard now. The wind was howling through a near by tree, and the lightning played tricks with the shadows. A small rodent moved across her foot, and she almost let out a scream. Not far off to her left two shadows moved stealthily through a cluster of trees. She spotted them but did not move, lest she give away her position. The warped light of a street lamp made them look like wraiths looking for a soul to feed upon. The thought made goose bumps swell upon her skin, and sent shivers racing up and down her spine.

She just watched as they approached the merchant's house. The first shadow, the smaller of the two, moved to the corner of the house and glided up to the second level. There he paused at a window for a brief few seconds and then went in. The second shadow, the larger, stood at the base of the wall and crouched low into the shadows.

Amy watched with great interest. All she could make out was the slight movement of the shadow's head sweeping back and forth. Lightning flared not far off blinding Amy for a few seconds. When her vision cleared the blood in her veins froze. Where was the shadow? She swept the near by surroundings, but saw nothing. Her heart began to beat violently within her chest. Her heartbeat increased and she imagined footsteps all about her.

After some time she decided to try and find another place to rest for the night. The wraiths had not returned and her heart had returned to a normal pace. She stood and began to move to the south. The cloak she wore was now soaked through and through, and was much too heavy for her to move rapidly or quietly.

The hairs on the back of her neck stood up, and she imagined footfalls behind her. Or did she? She drew a blade and turned around, her mind was filled with relief. There was no one there. When she turned around, a scream escaped her lips.

Three men stood there only a few feet away. "Your father wishes you to return lass" one of them said. Her mind began to race with fear, what was she to do. One of them stepped forward and took her arm. She screamed out and slashed him across the hand.

"You bitch, I'll teach you a thing or two you little harlot". She turned and raced towards the woods, but her cloak was slowing her down, she knew she would not be able to out run them. The three followed and were closing rapidly.

Amy froze as two wraiths descended from the trees; she was sure that death itself was upon her. Her heart began to beat again as she realized that they had passed her by. She turned in time to see smaller shadow tackle one of the three. He rolled off the man and came back up kicking him in the face, knocking him out. The larger shadow took the last two as one! As they hit the ground he took both of them by the hair and smashed their heads together. With a resounding crack the two fell silent.

The shadows both turned to her as one, she froze not knowing what to expect. The larger one spoke, "Are you alright there lass?" His voice was deep and strong, kind of soothing, not at all what she expected. She still thought of them as wraiths.

The second just stood there not moving. "Stop staring Patrik, you're going to scare the lass". Patrik shook his head and walked towards the girl. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

"Top o' the evening to you", he said as he took her hand and gently kissed it. "Glad to be o' service to you", he said as he gave her a grand smile. Amy's cheeks were flushed, and she was glad that the lighting made it hard to see. "This is my friend Nigel and I'm Patrik, can we be of any further service to you".

Amy gave a curtsy, " I'm Amy, and I'd be much obliged if you had a place where I could rest and get out of the rain".

"I think that we could do that just fine", Nigel said. " We have a small cottage that used to be my mother's. It's not much but it's dry and warm" replied Patrik.

Amy's thoughts again returned to her mother. "That would be grand", she said. With that, the three teens gave each other a nod and headed off through the woods.

Once they were back at the cottage, Patrik offered her some stew and a glass of cool water. "It's not much, but it's all we have".

"Its fine, and thank you, thank you both very much", Amy said with a soft smile. "I don't know what I would have done if you two did not rescue me".

"Don't worry about it lass, its all over now. Them three wont be bothering you again",

Nigel said. The three finished the dinner and settled down for a long talk. Some time later Amy said, "I don't mean to offend you, but earlier I saw two men steal into a merchants house, was that the two of you?"

Patrik and Nigel looked at each other.

"Don't worry, I don't mind if it were. I'm just curious. I mean, it must be grand. The freedom, the excitement, the adventure of it all". She said with an air of wonderment.

"Yeah I suppose if you put it that way, it is", Patrik returned. "But it's not all fun and games lass".

"Nay I didn't think it was, I just meant that it sounds like a life I wouldn't mind living", Amy said with a shrug.

"Well if you don't have a place to live then you're welcome to stay with us", said Nigel.

"Aye, that you are", agreed Patrik. "Well with that settled I think its time we hit the sack. You can have my bed, I can sleep on the coach", he offered.

"Nay I can't be taking your bed, I mean you've done much too much already", Amy returned.

"It ain't a problem, please I insist", returned Patrik.

"Thank you, thanks again, for every thing", she said as she gave Patrik a soft kiss upon the cheek. Patrik gave her a nod and watched as she left, then he settled down to rest with a grand smile upon his face...

Patrik came awake in his hammock. Lil' Jim was asleep not far off. He looked around and every thing was right with his kitchen. The ship was rocking gently and the sounds of the ocean were soothing. He settled back down and hoped that the dreams of Amy would soon return...