Laana arrived at the ferry landing full of fury and spitting daggers. She saw the ferry man across the lake, apparently fishing so she whistled to gain his attention. He waved in acknowledgment and went back to tending his lines. She hallooed again, making a sharp gesture to hurry him up. Rupert held up his two fingers on his right hand in a gesture of defiance. Not a sign of peace or conciliation, but to show her that he was an undefeated man who could still nock a bow if need be with an arrow that shot true.<br/><br/>She stomped her foot and screamed through clenched teeth. If only she had her horse, she would ride away from this horrid place, but it was too far to walk around the lake. Just when she had given up hope that the ferryman would come for her, he rowed close to the dock.<br/><br/>“Hey, lady, just wanted you to know you can go piss off. I’m closed for the night.”<br/><br/>And he rowed away. Laana was so furious that she almost threw her sword after him, but cold reason stopped her.<br/><br/>“I will go back and get the beast, spend the night in Maric’s puny little stable and be on my way in the morning. The guild will hear of this heresy  and will punish him accordingly. I do believe the rumors of him being beguiled by a witch to be true. That sin must be punished. If not by death then surely by excommunication.”<br/><br/>So she picked her way through the black countryside, the only light was the sparkle of stars on the lake and a square of light in the distance that she knew to be Maric’s hovel. Tomorrow would be a new day.<br/><br/>Inside the cozy little cottage, Nimue climbed to the loft and was soon joined by her husband. Faren, downstairs in the great room, banked the fire and spread out his sleeping furs by the hearth. He lay down on his back, interlaced his fingers behind his head and drifted off to sleep. Outside, a cold and bone weary female knight curled up in the stable wedged between her horse and Susan. A rock was digging into her back and the smell of manure was cloying in her nostrils.