Samantha watched in horror from the loft as the Sheriff led Faren from the house. There was a dead body in the kitchen and she was stranded here to protect a young child from untold dangers at the hand of that man who had brought Reigna inside. Nimue faced him, holding her small sword at the ready as she talked to him in a cold voice.<br/><br/>"You have done enough damage here and you are no longer welcome. Leave this unfortunate woman and go." She pointed toward the door with her blade.<br/><br/>The man, Rolph was idiot enough to forget or to downplay the presence of the two paladins when he took a step menacingly toward her.<br/><br/>"Give me the girl and then I'll go. I have to respect what Lady Reigna wanted."<br/><br/>Nimue narrowed her eyes and stepped into him.<br/><br/>"Out. of. My, house!" she shouted at him and pulled back to jab him with the tip of the sword.<br/><br/>Maric stayed the arc of her strike.<br/><br/>"I would advise you to listen to my wife. She has no qualms about gutting hogs and no amount of reason works with her once her mind is made up."<br/><br/>Lord Varatt opened the door with one hand and the other rested on the pommel of his own broadsword.<br/><br/>"You heard the lady of the house. I personally will respect her wishes over any of the Lady Reigna. We will let the law sort of all this out. Maisie stays here for the nonce. Get you gone hence and do not think to come back. You will not face the hospitality of the Lady's sword but the romance of mine. Is that understood?"<br/><br/>Rolph left, but not without throwing filthy epithets at Nimue until she was advancing on him once more. Lord Varatt took him by the collar and forcefully ejected him into the yard. The slam of the door was final but Rolph's face popped up in the window until the ground rumbled under foot. Rolph's screams could be heard for a while and then suddenly stilled.<br/><br/>Nimue giggled.<br/>"I think Layla must have taken the trash out. I hope she didn't hurt him too much." She circled the body of the dead noblewoman, scratching her head about what to do with her.<br/><br/>"Maric, would you and Lord Varatt put her in the stable for tonight? it is secure from wolves and I would prefer not to sleep with the dead tonight. In the morning, I will lay her out and call the Lady of Avalon down to send her soul on. From there, we will call in the monks to take her body to the church for a Christian burial. I think Reigna would want that."