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Lucrecia awoke to darkness, the glow of the full moon hanging above her in a starless sky. Her head ached mightily and she swore loudly as she pushed herself into a sitting position. She was still bare to the waist, just as she had been when that man, no... Haern, had come. She almost did believe what she had seen. She shook her head, the airy locks of dark air tumbling over her shoulders and cloaking her naked self. She had obviously lost more blood than she had thought and dreamed the entire thing. Yes, that's what had happened. She ran her fingers through her hair and sighed tiredly. The bandages encasing her torso pulled at her, and with him fascination, she realized that she had used her injured arm without hurting herself. Carefully, she pulled away the stained cloth to reveal a small pink scar that looked months old instead of a wound inflicted only hours ago. A cold chill ran down her spine and her quickly got to her feet. <br/>
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She tore the now useless bandage from her, and pulled her shirt on, buckling her sword belt on over that. Fully dressed, she looked like a knight rather than a common mercenary. She looked very grand and eloquent indeed. Once again, she ran her fingers through her dark tresses, a habit she had developed whenever she was uneasy or worried, or to simply feel the silky smoothness of her softly curling locks. She was worried now. Something had transpired between Haern and herself. His voice echoed through her mind.<br/>
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<i>Accept my Gift and do my bidding. The path will be made clear to you.</i><br/>
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Well, it sure as hell wasn't clear to her now. And what gift? He had obviously healed her shoulder, was that what He had referred to. And so what? The wound would have healed on it's own anyhow. These thought swirled in her mind as she gathered her things and shoved him into her saddlebags. Her chestnut gelding has waited patiently for her through the long hours, grazing on the lush grass available to him. He seemed all to eager to continue their journey, and she patted his flank absently. Something was bothering the gelding, she could tell by the way he pranced about in place, shying at her touch. This confused her. Tarquin, as he was called, was not a skittish horse. He had rode into battle with her, showing as much valor as any warhorse, and had not shied away from the enemy then. Lucrecia gripped the reigns tighter, and prepared to mount.<br/>
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The sound of voices reached her from behind. She twirled, a knife flashing in the moonlight. She could see no one in the darkness, but they could obviously see her, as they spoke of her.<br/>
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<b><i>Female two-legger. Should we kill it? No, she is different. She looks of two-legger, but feel her mind.</i></b><br/>
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Lucrecia's skin crawled as two large wolves entered the clearing, staring at her with amber colored eyes. They did not seem hostile, but genuinely curious about her. The approached no farther than ten feet from her, simply looking at her. Tarquin stamped his feet nervously, eyes rolling. Lucrecia could do little more than stare.<br/>
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<b><i>Different. Smells of the Horned One.</i></b><br/>
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These came to her, not as words, but as flashes of images in her mind. She saw Haern, standing in the midst of a pack of wolves, staring at her. She blinked and the image was gone, but the two wolves remained. Utterly bewildered, she took the reigns in hand and jumped into the saddle, spurring Tarquin into a gallop. She looked behind her, expecting  the wolves to have chased after them, but they remained where they were, simply looking after them. <b><i>Wolfsister... </i></b> The word was a distant whisper in her mind as she rode hard for the capital city.<br/>
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She made it within the half hour, slowing their pace to a brisk walk. She had to bribe the guards to open the gate for her. Once inside, she felt relieved, and shamefully safe. She brought Tarquin to a lavish inn down the main street of the city. Corus was a wonder of a city, full of shining white walls, and the Palace could be seen from anywhere in the city, as it was built on a hill. Lucrecia stayed in the Lower City, filled with the lower and middle class of Corus. Further uphill was the Temple District, and finally, the Upper City and then the Palace itself. A grand city indeed, though she had no love for it. It was just another city to her.<br/>
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She paid the stable boy to stable and brush down Tarquin before heading into the inn itself. It was quiet, a few lone people were seated at the many tables in the commonroom. Lucrecia seated herself and waved a serving girl over to her. She place ten gold coins on the table.</li>
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<li data-xf-list-type="ul"> <b><span class="fixed-color" style="color:steelblue">"Food, and your best room for the night."</span></b><span class="fixed-color" style="color:dimgrey"> The girl took the offered money with a curtsy and left Lucrecia to her thoughts, disturbing her only to offer her the key, location of her room, and her plate of steaming food.<br/>
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