We delivered the thieves over to the Sheriff and told him where we were staying, in case he needed us for whatever reason.  

When I say, "we" I mean Valeria and I.  Redwar was still talking to the girl who the coward had held hostage. 

He had helped her up and was now talking with her.  Valeria and I glanced at each other, wondering what was going on.  

We took it upon ourselves to catch our horses, who had not wondered far.  I stroked Axe's bay coat and watched men pull the thug he'd kicked out of the wreckage of a stall.  I wondered who was going to pay for that.  Somehow, I had a sneaking suspicion it might be us.  

Valeria came walking up with Clover and Ladine.  "They seem alright," she said, referring to the horses.  

I nodded and glanced back over at Redwar, who was still talking with the beggar girl.  "Yeah, Axe seems fine."  

Valeria followed my gaze and smiled.  "I think we might have someone else joining our company for a little while."  

"What makes you say that?"  

"Come now Ravine, you and I both know Redwar can't turn away people in need.  She certainly looks like one of them."  

"You've got a point there."  

We led the horses over to Redwar, who broke off from his conversation to address us.  

"Are the horses alright girls?"  

"Yep," replied Valeria.  

"Good."  A thoughtful look crossed his face.  "Did you look behind the stall of the...  the fake vendor?"  

My brow wrinkled.  "No.  Should we?"  

"I think you should.  I'm hoping you'll find the real vendor there." 

My mouth formed an O as I looked back at the place we were attacked.  "We'll go check," said Valeria as she handed Ladine's reins to Redwar.  

We walked back.  Valeria held our horses while I went to check.  

I hopped up on the stall's table and looked down into it.  "Oh."  

Tied up and gagged was a wild eyed looking man.  He saw me and started to try talk through the gag, but they'd done it good, all that came out was soft grunting noises.  

I slipped down and knelt beside him.  "Hold still now, I'll take this gag off."  

He tilted his head so I could reach the tight knot.  I felt sorry for him, it had to be highly uncomfortable.  

I picked it loose, and as soon as it was out of his mouth he began spluttering.  "Those brutes, animals, barbarians!  I'll have them for this!  They had no right to-"  

I cut him off.  "Relax, sir, all of them are in the custody of the Sheriff."  

"Ha, not that'll do much good!  If that Sheriff was doing his job I wouldn't have been attacked in the first place!  He isn't near..."  

He went on ranting, switching between the Sheriff and his men, or the thug and his cronies.  By the time I'd finished untying him I was beginning to understand what they'd gagged him besides practical reasons.  

As soon as he was free, he was up and out of the stall, stomping across the street to the Sheriff.  "Sheriff!  I'll have you know..."  

He didn't even bother to say thank you.  

We rejoined Redwar as the vendor screamed out his complaints for all to here.  The Sheriff handled it remarkably well, staying calm and acting like his pathetic opinion actually mattered.  

Redwar watched him for a moment.  He sighed and turned back to us.  "Some people are just ungrateful."  

Valeria and I nodded.  

"Zo, this is Valeria and Ravine," Redwar introduced us to the former hostage, who he had his arm over.  

"Hello," she said softly with her eyes downcast.  

"Zo will be joining us for a little while," declared Redwar.  

"Welcome to our band of merry men," greeted Valeria.  "Or rather, women.  Redwar's the only male with us currently."  

Zo smiled slightly at Valeria's jesting.  She seemed very drawn into herself, she seemed to melt under Redwar's arm.  I found myself wondering what her story was.  

Valeria helped her mount Ladine behind Redwar, and we were off again for our tavern.  By now the sun had fully set, but it'd happened so gradually I'd barely noticed.  

Zo staying with us was perfectly fine with Mr. Finnley, so long as she worked her share in the morning.  He even agreed to lend us extra blankets and an extra pillow.  Zo shyly agreed to the work.

Valeria closed the door behind us after Redwar said goodnight, and us three suddenly found ourselves in a slightly awkward position.  Redwar had essentially dumped Zo with us and expected us to figure it all out.  

After a moment of us standing there, Valera walked over to the bed and sat on it, motioning for Zo to sit with her.  "Come here, Zo.  Ravine, could you grab the hairbrush?"  

I walked over to the other side of the bed, grabbed it, and handed it to her.  

"Thank you."  She turned to Zo.  "May I brush your hair?"  

Zo looked surprised.  "I... I guess so."  

That was all Valeria needed.  She started in on the scary knots in Zoe's ginger red hair.  To have something to do, I unbuckled my sword belt and sat cross-legged on the floor to examine Bound after it's first real fight.  

 I unsheathed the blade slowly.  There was no blood on it, so that was good.  I ran my fingers just along the side to feel for any nicks.

I looked up to see Zo staring at the blade in rapture.  She blushed when she realized I'd caught her staring.  I gave her a small smile to ease her embarrassment.  

I pulled a sharpening stone from my bag and began to hone the edge, roughing out one nick my fingers had snagged on.  I was disappointed that it had that and knew I needed to be more careful in the future.  

"So, Zo, are you are SwordCleaver, or are you from another clan?"  Asked Valeria carefully, as if trying not to scare a frightened animal.  

"Another clan."  

"Which one?"  

"Cantoran."

"Did your family move from Cantoran?"  

"Yes."  

"Why?"  

"Better work for father in SwordCleaver."  

Zo's answers were very cryptic.  Valeria continued to ask her questions, which she kept answering in the same way.  We learned both her parents were dead, and her two brothers had moved back to Cantoran to seek work, leaving her in the care of a farmer.  But the farmer's wife had turned cruel and forced her to leave.  

That'd been two years back, and she'd concluded her brothers were not coming for her.  Of course, being held hostage had not been part of her plans, and neither was joining us.  She could not understand what Redwar wanted from her.  

"He doesn't expect anything of you," said Valeria as she untangled a knot gently with her fingers.

She was puzzled.  "He doesn't?"

"No.  He's one of the rare people in the world who are generous, because he had that type of generosity extended to him at one point in his life."  

I ran the stone over Bound on last time, enjoying the satisfying Zing! it produced.  I felt along for the nick and found it gone.  

Zo was still staring at my blade.  "That's a beautiful sword you have there," she whispered.  

I looked up, mild surprised she'd spoken without us speaking to her.  "Thank you."    

Valeria was supposed to have the bed that night, but both she and I wondered if Zo had ever slept in a proper bed, so she let Zo have it.  

AN:  Gah, this chapter is HORRIBLE.  Thank you to all who dared endure it.