<div class="floatright">(http://41.media.tumblr.com/a2f9ee9f69862b4347b81042d23f8c7c/tumblr_nmi4a72NCd1qgd7rdo1_1280.png)</div>"I can't be that woman," she had told Captain Marika. "I can't throw Reyn to the wolves for the greater good." And in that moment, she had been securing her shield against her pack. Her intention to make the trip could not have been clearer. "Sreeja used to say to me, you cannot be just an ordinary hero if you are Baklunish. You must be the bravest voice, you must fight the biggest battles, and you must do what everyone else is afraid to do, or you will never be the equal of your peers." She had fingered the lotus of her sword pommel, which had belonged to her brother. "And I will never be as great as Sreeja. But if he were a guardsman... if he were a guardsman and he let Reyn die, then he would only ever be the Baklunish outsider who let Reyn die. He would never have become anything more."<br/><br/>But that had been then, and this was now. On the streets of Melford, watching her backup dissolve. Miranda's confidence eroded. It seemed Ran would follow her anywhere, hand in hand. Yes, they could be outnumbered- if it were only she and Bran, they could be overwhelmed, captured, killed. "You are free to stay. I cannot make you go. Know that the town may come under attack, and your number will amount to fully half its defenses." She nodded to the inn they had left. "Captain Marika will lead those."<br/><br/>"But I don't have that luxury. On the road to Reyn's farm live the Millners, Mrs. Snaid, Maenae's shrine. I know, I<em>know </em>these people, and I know they will need protection. They aren't protected by the lord's riders or the rangers or helpful bands of adventurers. They are alone, out there. It's only me protecting them." She looked to Ran for sympathy. Had there been some kind of feeling between them, the night before? Had there been some emotion she could conjure now, or had the wildling merely been horny? "It's only me."