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told me, you still believe that I am wrong for taking you away from a village which abandoned you when you needed them the most?”   He reached over and cupped her chin.


    Anna blinked back at him.  “I hate them more than I hate those men.”
    “ Then I state again, perhaps I did you a favor.”   He dried her face with a soft cloth and lay back down.
    “ We shall see, when you explain your purpose to me.”   Anna adjusted herself so that she was mostly lying down again.  She did not want him to see the surprise in her features.  She wanted to tell him that she was beginning to see something in him, and ask if he had a genuine place for her.  “Until then I do not know.”
    “ Rest, then, and we will continue on tomorrow.”
    “ Good night, Sir.”   Anna curled up as best she could.  So much had happened so quickly.  He had taken her away from her village, but he did have a point.  If her village had cared, she would not be in such a position.  He had also treated her as if she belonged to him.  Was that so absurd?   Anna stretched out her legs.  Though her bottom was still tingling, she felt that finally someone was paying her mind.
     

Chapter Three
     
    Anna opened her eyes.  Her arms had been untied from the tree at some point, and were at her sides.  She could smell something cooking, and realized that the man had captured a small creature that was roasting on the open fire.  She sat up slowly and pulled the blanket around her body.  “Are we that far from the next village?”

The man handed her some meat. 
    “ Perhaps we are.”

Anna accepted it.  She did not like the taste of whatever rodent it happened to be, but she ate it, nonetheless.  “Or do you just like to make a fresh kill in the morning?”

”I will not tolerate your endless questions today.”   He stood up and quenched the fire. 
    “ Attend to yourself, and get back here.  We have a much ground to cover.”

Anna nodded, and noticed that the rope was loosely knotted around her waist.  She could only go so far.  So he did not trust her then anymore than she, him.  She did what he allowed her to do, and came back. 
    “ Can you remove the rope now?”


    He undid the rope and added it to his bag.  “Let us be on our way.”


    She allowed him to lift her onto the horse, and said nothing.  He got on behind her and she made no effort to move away from him.  She welcomed the heat from his body, and pondered what he thought of her being so close to him.  Could he find her as intriguing as she did him?   Yesterday it had bothered her to have him so close, and yet today she could not help but feel protected. 
    They rode in silence for what felt like hours, until they finally approached a village.  He tied the horse up and they walked into the inn.  


    “ You’ve been on quite a trip, Sir,” the woman nodded.


    The man nodded back to the woman behind the bar.  “It will be completed by tomorrow.”


    The woman nodded back and handed him a drink.  “Do you want something for the girl?”

Anna frowned.  How could this woman talk about her as though she weren’t there?


    “ I need a meal for her.  I also need a room for the night.”   He looked over at Anna and back.  “Someone to attend to her would be useful.”

The woman nodded and glanced over at her.  “I will send my daughter, Eva, in the morning.”

    “ You have my appreciation.”   He set the mug down, and looked back towards the main room.  “I have business.  Stay here until I come back.”

Anna sat down at the nearest table and watched him go.  She looked up and saw each time that the woman was staring at her.  She wondered what could be that entertaining about her.  She thanked her for the food that was set down and began to eat.  She wished above all that she knew this man’s plan.  If he truly had a purpose for her, was it pure or vile?