"He won't give up. And if he has another woman, he'll threaten to take her life. I know how he operates. Uncle Shawn just barely got me away from him that day. No matter what the knights do, whatever woman he's got his clutches on, she will probably end up dead. Wait. Did you say Pinja went after him?"

Difyr nodded. "She wanted me to tell you goodbye, and to thank you for being her friend. She also hope Lek gets back all right."

"She's giving up then?" Millie sighed. "But I didn't get a chance to say goodbye." Millie picked up one of the flowers and crushed it in her fist."

"Pinja was hoping to get there before he could hurt another girl." Difyr said. "She insisted that she was the only one who could show the way to the cabin."

Millie lowered her head and watched the petals fall from the crushed flower. Her shoulders slumped.

Difyr put an arm over Millie's shoulders. "We tried to make her calm down and stay... But it's the first time that's she has wanted to do something besides drink wine."

"I understand why she did it," Millie said quietly. She closed her eyes, locking her own emotions away. Like she always had. Like she always would.

"I'm sorry." Difyr said. "If you hadn't helped her she probably would have died days ago."

"I'm glad I was able to be of some small help. I wish I could have convinced her to not give up, but I guess the damage Jack caused was far greater than what my friendship offered." Millie got to her feet. "I'll get my sewing things out of your way in the healing room."

"You can stay if you want." Difyr said. "Pinja... might come back." Pinja was so weak Difyr doubted she would survive the trip.

Millie shook her head. "No, it's all right. I was there for Pinja and you can use the space. I wouldn't want to be underfoot."

"Are you going to move in with your mother?" Difyr asked.

Millie shrugged. "I guess so, if I can't find my own room. Her room is rather crowded right now too. I don't want to be in anyone's way."

"Maybe you shouldn't be alone." Difyr said. "You don't have to leave the healing room, you are a great help there."

Millie shrugged. "I'd rather be alone. I'm getting used to it."

"You don't have to get used to it." Difyr wished she had been able to get Pinja to stay.

"Sure I do. Until Pinja, no one willingly wanted to spend time with me. I think it's rather telling, how lonely I felt in  family with over twenty cousins." Millie scoffed. "Pinja probably only stayed because she was afraid of running into Jack if she went out. She started walking back to the keep, then she paused. "Some people were simply created to be alone in the world."

Difyr walked with Millie. "You don't have to be alone if you don't want to be. Pinja did stay with you even when Jack was behind bars, so it wasn't fear making her stay."

"It's better to be alone. It hurts too much to do anything else. Every time I've tried to make a friend or maintain a friendship, they've walked away. There's something wrong with me that no one wants to be around me. Every one has already formed their friendships. There's no place that I fit in."

Difyr wished Millie had been there when Pinja got it into her head to go after Jack, maybe Millie could have talked her out of it. She shook her head.

Millie walked silently to the keep. When they were on the edge of the garden, she threw the flowers she had collected on the ground and headed inside.

A dirty, pale-faced lady with a child in her arms could be seen wandering near the garden wall. She had been on the run from the raiders for some time now, and she was desperate to find a place of refuge. The child was hungry, the girl was exhausted, and they were both about to give up. She found the outside gate to the garden, opened it and went inside. She closed the gate behind her and collapsed onto the ground. The child crawled off and started munching on some raspberries growing near the door.

Xavier had received word that Wulfsen and the others were to return from their journey sometime today. Aislyn sent him on a mission to the garden to gather flowers and any fruits or vegetables that she could use, so here he was, wicker basket in hand. He entered the garden and started for the blueberry bushes when he heard a sound.

He turned, about to greet whatever villager was there only to find a young woman and a small child he hadn't seen before. "Good morn," he greeted as he approached.

The child gurgled in reply, stood up and began to walk towards the man who had just entered. She was a small girl, only 2 feet tall at present, with curly blond hair, deep blue eyes and rosy cheeks. She held some raspberries in her hand, which she held out to the man. "Wan sum?" she asked.

The woman heard the child's inquiry and stirred from her deep sleep. She woke up with a start at the realization that the child was no longer beside her. She whipped her head around and saw the child extending her hand towards a strange man. She froze with fear, her eyes wild.

Xavier knelt down so he was at face level with the little one. "I would, thank you." He had always believed that when a child offered you something, you didn't turn it away." He heard the woman stir and one glance at her told him she was startled. "My apologies, I didn't mean to startle you. I just came out on an errand for the kitchen." He gave her a small smile. "Lord Xavier DeVale, at your service."