She seemed to relax slightly as she saw only friendly and concerned faces. Someone handed her a cup of mulled wine, and she sipped it gratefully.<br/><br/>"My name is Kharissa and I come from the other side of the forest," she began when she could get her breath back.<br/><br/>"I was supposed to be married today to Aslan, the lord of the dark lands." She gave a shiver. "My parents are dead, and my cousin, who is my guardian, promised the marriage would be in name only, to stop the feuding. That was the only reason I agreed." She paused and looked embarrassed.<br/><br/>"I've never been with a man before and I would never...with a stranger. I'm saving myself for true love."<br/><br/>Reassured by the sympathetic glances, she continued. "Last night the wedding guests arrived. I hadn't met my bridegroom, I still haven't. I don't know much about him apart from the fact he has long dark hair, golden eyes like a tiger, and is supposed to be very good looking. He hasn't been here has he?"<br/><br/>The bartender shook his head, and the young woman began to relax more.<br/><br/>"I was just preparing for bed when a woman knocked on the door to my bedchamber. She said she was making sure I was aware of what she called my 'wifely duties'. I told her she must be making a mistake, that the marriage was in name only and that all he wanted was my dowry. She said that I was the one who was mistaken, that he had seen me from a distance and had talked of nothing else, and that my cousin wanted me married off so her own children could inherit my parents castle and lands. I asked her to explain to Aslan, to tell him he was welcome to my dowry but to please not dishonour me."<br/><br/>She paused again. "This morning the she said he she had spoken to him and he had laughed and said that once we were married I was his to do as he wanted with." With shaking hands, she took a long sip of the mulled wine.<br/><br/>"So I pretended to agree. I asked if I could be alone in the wedding carriage, to come to terms with everything. I waited until it had slowed down for some cattle, then I jumped out and ran through the forest. And here I am. I don't want to get anyone into trouble, I'll leave first thing in the morning, but if I could just have a room for the night and some fresh clothes. I can pay for everything."<br/><br/>Exhausted by her ordeal, she  leaned back in the chair and closed her eyes.