Tied with rope to a chair, the ring-leader thief glowered at me.  A small cut on his chin dribbled blood from my small scuffle with him.  

Needless to say, I hadn't been gentle.  

The refugees still didn't know he was here, or that an impending hostage situation had been narrowly avoided.  We'd tied him up in the kitchen.

Derrek reported that after we'd accosted and taken this ring-leader, leaving the second in command conked out, the thieves had been puzzled and frightened.  Not knowing what to do, and with the sun peeling away more of their hideout with each passing minute, they retreated back to their swamp nest.  

Valeria was appointed guard duty, because she was the best shooter with a bow.  Derrek had gone for the sheriff.  

My stomach growled loudly, reminding me that I hadn't ate yet.  Valeria shot me a smile.  "Go eat, I'll watch him."  

"I'll bring something back for you."  

I turned and left the kitchen to slip in behind the bar, where the remnants of breakfast lay.  I suddenly realized Derrek had been sent off without breakfast either, and knowing him, he was probably starving.  

Breakfast had been simple bread, cheese, and butter, with the bread being toasted for whoever wanted it.  I grabbed the toasted bread, as I knew Valeria like that, and smeared butter on it, then put cheese on mine.  The bread was thick, and heavy, one piece was all we woman needed.

I rolled my lips as I remembered that Redwar would have inhaled three of them.  I'd been missing him before the raid refugees came, but now I was deeply concerned about him.

However, if anyone could get out of a pinch, it was Redwar.  

As soon as the sheriff left, I shoved a piece of buttered bread to Derrek, who grabbed it and chowed down savagely.  "Thanks, I was starving."  

I nodded.  "I figured.  Kinda surprised you ran off without breakfast."  

"Yeah, I got caught up in the heat of the moment, I guess.  It was maddening because I could smell fresh baking bread everywhere."

I laughed.  "I'll bet.  Don't choke yourself."  

He chewed with a smile on his face and his eyes closed.  "Mmmm, Mrs. Finnley makes some of the best bread..."  

I was about to agree with him when Mrs. Finnley bustled into the room.  "Ravine, can you go help Sherria and Zo with changing the sheets and cleaning the rooms?"  

I wrinkled my brow.  "I thought two was enough?"  I wasn't trying to get out of it, I was genuinely puzzled.  Zo and Sherria were an expert team together, they didn't need my clumsiness getting in the way.  

Mrs. Finnley bit her lip.  "Yes well..."  She came over to us and lowered her voice. "They can't get hardly anything done because the refugees all want to talk to them about what happened.  During the raid and all that.  I thought maybe you could occupy them while Sherria and Zo do the work."  

She was implying that I was the best one to do this because I'd suffered the same thing.  

And she was right.  

"Alright, Mrs. Finnley, I'll come."  

I knew, at least in part, what this refugees wanted.  Why they were so eager to talk about their experience and have someone understand.  

They just wanted, in many cases needed, to know that someone knew what had happened to them.  That someone  recognized the injustice done to them.  That someone could condemn the wrong.

Because if no one heard, if no one knew, if no one understood, then what justice could be done?  Only the wrong-doers would know, and would think themselves in the right.  Someone must hear of their suffering, someone besides themselves had to say that it was wrong.  Then something could be done, healing could begin, and justice dealt out.  

The first room I went to held a mother and her two children.  She had four children, but her two oldest had been taken.  Her husband had been badly wounded, but not found among the slain, it was unknown if he survived or not.  She was carrying their fifth child.  

The mother had refused to let any of her remaining children, a boy and a girl who were twins, out of her sight.  She kept them close at all times, even insisting they sleep in the bed with her.  And who could blame her? 

When I arrived, she was sitting along the wall with the two children.  Zo and Sherria were politely listening as she rambled on, but I could tell they were a little frustrated at not being able to work.  

I couldn't be angry with them, for they couldn't have known, truly, what this woman had seen and gone through.  Zo might understand better than Sherria.  

Quietly, I slipped in and nodded to the girls that I would take over from here.  

I knelt in front of them.  Crossing my legs, I leaned forward slightly.  The woman broke in her rambling to look me over.  

"Hello.  My name's Ravine SwordCleaver.  Awhile back, my village near Ladris was raided by Ravagers as well."  My voice was soft, like I was coaxing a frightened dog.  

Her eyes flickered.  "I think... I remember.  We didn't know anyone had survived."  

"Only me and my brother, Derrek."  

The girl twin piped up shyly.  "Where's you momma and pappa?"  

My throat closed.  "The Ravagers took them away to their land.  But one day, I'm going to find them and bring them back to our home."

We talked quietly for the next twenty minutes about our shared experiences as Sherria and Zo took care of the room.  Actually, it was the mother and the children who did most of the talking.  I listened, asked questions, and mourned silently with them, because I knew that was what was needed.

By the time Zo and Sherria had finished, I'd heard all the stories.  Wept with many of the tellers of them.  Soothed one very frightened girl.  

And determined that this was not going to keep happening.  

I rubbed my forehead.  It was lunchtime, but I didn't feel like eating.  I was emotionally exhausted.  Empathy was hard, though it was worth it.  Mrs. Finnley understood to some degree, and she handed me another piece of buttered bread before shooing me up to my room to sleep.  

I'd only been asleep twenty minutes when a knocking on the door startled me awake.  It was very loud and urgent sounding.  

"Yes?"  

"Ravine, Redwar and Daxton are back!  And they brought the Mayor of Ladris and his wife with them!"  

Valeria's words yanked me out from under the blankets.  "What?"  

"Come on, they're coming in!"  Valeria's footsteps thudded away.  

My heart soared as I tugged on my boots.  Redwar was back, he was alive!  Then the rest of Valeria's message sank in.  

What was he doing with the Mayor of Ladris?  That had to be an interesting story.  And Daxton had come back with him.  I wondered how the raid might've affected Daxton.  

I buckled on my sword belt and flipped my braid over my shoulder.  I nearly ripped the door knob off in my attempt to get out of the room.  Thudding down the stairs, I frantically scanned for Redwar.

He sat in a chair while Valeria and Zo fussed over him.  In one hand he held a piece of bread which already had a bite taken out of it.  A cut   

"Redwar!"  I called out as I bounded down the last step and dashed across the room.   

He looked up and smiled.  "Ravine!"  

I skidded to a stop in front of him, grinning wildly from ear to ear.  I knelt down slightly and wrapped my arms around his broad shoulders, breathing in the familiar smell of campfire, dried meat, and something else I couldn't put a name to that was simply Redwar.  

"I was so worried."  

He wrapped his free arm around me.  "We're alright.  I'll tell you the story later."  

I squeezed him and stepped back, slightly embarrassed at my emotional outburst.  "Where's Daxton?"  

"Out in the stables."  His smiled faded slightly.  "He had a rough time of it.  Leave him alone for a little while, okay?"  

We all nodded.