When Nathaniel tried to have furthur conversation, Winter would not answer or show anything as to hearing him. So he gave up and left.

The next day, when Winter's friends were leaving for town. Winter saw them off, then right after, She returned to her tent.

She refused to see anyone, and if they did come, She refused to say anything to them.

She could be forced to stay here, but she couldn't be forced to talk.

She wouldn't talk to Nathaniel, no matter how hard he tried to get a conversation going.

In this time of silence with Nathaniel, Winter was making good friends with Marie.

At first Winter had wanted nothing to do with Marie, she had been there at Winter's greatest defeat. But after a week of not talking to Nathaniel, she needed someone to talk to and be her friend. Before it had been Nathaniel who was her friend at camp, her main focus and reason for staying. Now she was all alone, so she made friends with Marie.

Marie had shown up once or twice at Winter's tent, for cleaning, or so she called it. Winter had gotten to know her, and rather liked her, though she'd never show it. She wasn't going to be a happy captive, if she was one.

Once, when Winter and Marie were having a good conversation and laughing together, Nathaniel came and cut her laughter short.
Of all the people to show up while I was laughing! Thought Winter.

"I would like to talk with you" was Nathaniel's composed command. He waited while she got up from the ground, where she sat by Marie, then walked towards his tent.

Winter, frustrated, followed behind.

When they got to the tent Nathaniel opened the door, expecting Winter to go in first.
Uhgg! He wants me to brush past him! The nerve! She walked in quickly, then walked to the other side of the room and stood there.

After shutting the tent door, Nathaniel looked to Winter. He saw her hands clenched into fists, her posture tense, seething with rage and hate for him.

The silence in the tent was strained.

Nathaniel had thought: that if he made Winter stay, they could have more fun times together. But what he hadn't calculated, was that he would turn into the 'badguy' and that Winter would treat him as such. All he had now, was Winter wasting her life for the sake of her Neric friends.

He had to come up with a way to make himself the 'goodguy' to Winter again.

He could free her, but then she might still be mad at him. She might think: ugg! It took him long enough to come to his senses! So then she would not fully forgive him.

He finally resolved that the only way for Winter to like him again. Was that someone capture her, other than himself. Then he would rescue her.
Well that isn't going to happen anytime soon. Unless!

He had a briliant idea, He'd work out the kinks later.

Winter stood there, puzzled by Nathaniels quietness. He said he wanted to talk, then didn't talk at all! He was infuriating! Then suddenly he just left, forgetting that Winter was there at all. Well at least he didn't try and get me to talk. She thought, relieved.

I hope this will work. Thought Nathaniel.

So Nathaniel had the trapdoor to the pit the Dirish were in unlocked. It would take the Dirish a while before they realized they weren't locked in anymore.

"do you want to come along?" asked Nathaniel.

"No." she said firmly. Winter had started using one syllable words with Nathaniel, like: yes, no, I hate you so much I want to kill you! Okay, not the last one, but she thought it.

"alright" he said gratefully. He and his men were all going out on a gathering party.

Winter was relieved that Nathaniel hadn't presses harder for her to go. She went to her tent and sulked, she just was mad at Nathaniel. It had been three weeks since Nathaniel had made her an official captive. She, of course, was still mad at him, and probably would be for the rest of her life.

While Nathaniel and his men were away, the Dirish had found the trapdoor unlocked, and had made thier way out into the camp. They then proceeded to secure the camp at the command of their captain. They found Winter sleeping in her tent, and the captain had guards placed in front of it, and told them they were to alert him when she woke up.

Winter had no idea how long she had slept. She supposed it was long enough for Nathaniel to return, yet outside it was quiet.

When the Dirish soldiers heard Winter stirring, one went to tell the captain.

The captain had been sitting in the best tent, pondering how his war prisoner had turned out to be a girl! And in this camp!

Then the guard entered with the news of Winter waking up. "bring her here" ordered the captain "tied and bound"

After wondering why it was so quiet, Winter decided she'd better get up and see where the sun was in the sky. But when she walked out, the Dirish soldiers seized her, and drug her to the captains tent.

Winter struggled to get away, but all that got her was her hands held behind her back and bound together. Ugg how come this keeps happening to me? Thought Winter. tied, bound, captured? It's preposterous!

They reached the captains tent, and Winter was shoved to the floor in the center of the room. With her hands behind her back she couldn't catch herself, but was quickly on her feet again.

The captain stood up and walked around her, thinking. He was taller than most people, and he used his height to intimidate others.

"what do you want?" she asked, her hate for this man clearly evident in her voice.

"Answers" said the captain calmly "what's your name?"

"I don't have to tell you" was her short answer.

"hmm" said the captain, giving an overly-exagerated frown. "that's a form of opinion"
What did he mean by that? Winter was obviously confused, but stayed silent.

Captain morris, being a patient, cool tempered sort. Was not distrought by Winter's hostile behaviour. He had delt with many such prisoners, and had always gotten his way in the end. "if that is your choice... Is there any way I could, change your mind?" he asked.

Winter wasn't going to give in, to this Dirish captain. His aproach surprized her, but it didn't change her mind. It was set, and nothing would change it. Though, that didn't stop her from having the captain think differently, why would she be truthful to her captor? "maybe"

"and what might that be?"

"if you unbound me." said Winter gestering with her hands. This might help, I wish I had a plan though. She thought.

The captain gave a signal to a soldier to untie her.

"okay, now what's your name?"

Winter rubbed her wrists where they had been tied thoughtfully "meg" she said.

"tsk tsk tsk. Come now, didn't you parents teach you not to lie?" said the captain unbelievingly, shaking his head in mock dissapointment.

"you can decide wheather to believe me or not, but my answer will not change."

"well then, moving on. How old are you?"

"of what importance is that to you?"

"I had a young Neric soldier in my coustidy. Were you, or were you not, that soldier?"

"and if I was?" thier conversation was growing heated, with Winter's dodging of the captains questions.

"I'd rightfully concider you my prisoner of war."

"if I wasn't?" she still refused to give him any useful information.

"again, I'd concider you my prisoner for being of this camp."

"so, regardless which answer I give, you will keep me a captive, a prisoner" stated Winter.

"precicely so."

"then I will not answer." declared Winter.

"I see" captain morris then gave out the order to escort this young lady to her tent, he was allowing her to keep, only because he wanted her to talk.

The soldier took Winter by the hand and helped her outside. With her sight not clouded with anger, Winter could see the whole camp was patrolled by Dirish.
Oh, I hope Nathaniel doesn't come back. Imagine what they'd do to him? Thought Winter. I could break into a run. But they'd catch me fairly quickly. Winter sighed, it wasn't that she wasn't a fast runner. But the Dirish soldiers were placed all around camp, so if she tried to run, the only thing she would acomplish, was getting on thier bad side. Or, more unfavored than she already was. All she was left with, was to be 'escorted' to her tent, and hope Nathaniel would find a way to rescue her.
But why would he rescue me? All I was: was a prisoner of no concequence? Though, even as she thought it, she knew it wasn't true.