Chapter 1

The girl knelt leaning against the large stake, hands shackled above her head and attached to the stake. Fear ran through the girl as she heard the dragon land but couldn't see it because of the hood over her head.

The dragon was immediately aware that there was something wrong as his nose was assaulted by the scent of bruised flesh. Then he took a good look at the hooded nude girl and became angry. Her arms, legs and chest were covered in slightly fading bruises.

"Child what happened to you?" The dragon asked gently.

The girl was surprised to hear such clear words from the dragon. "Please don't hurt me. I'll be good." The girl said as she whimpered.

"I have not come to hurt you. Child, please believe me. I would like to know who has? Can you tell me who did this to you?"

"I don't know who they are. They came to my home and took me by force, killing my parents and burning my home." The girl cried.

"Child, can you take the hood off?"

"I can't. It's tied to tight." She whimpered.

"If you could, please, turn your head so I could get to it."

The girl turned her head towards the stake. There at the base of the girls neck was indeed a large knot. The dragon knew he could break the rope but he didn't want to cause the girl more harm. The dragon decided finally it would be safest to break it at the front of her neck.

"Child, I will easily be able to brake the rope. Lift your head up as far as you can. I think braking the rope at the front will be easiest."

The girl did as the dragon asked but he could tell the movement and position was indeed causing her pain. Once her head was far enough back, the dragon quickly slid a talon behind the rope and with a gentle tug broke it. Then he slipped his talon under the hood to loosen it. When he was finished, he pulled away. "I think you should be able to remove the hood now."

The girl raised up a little took hold of the hood and pulled it off. The dragon's anger rose as he saw that both eyes were darkened and lower lip was split. The girl's eyes were closed as she had been hooded for some time and she needed to let her eyes adjust.

"Child, what did they do to you? Tell me where they hurt you," said the dragon as gently as he could.

The girl began crying and the fear she had made her pull away a little. The dragon waited letting the girl get the fear out of herself but finally she calmed. "At first it was just a race to get away from where I lived, I think. Then they started to touch me. I tried to make them stop but they would hit me and do what they wanted to any way. Then..." The girl began crying again.

The dragon had an idea of what was done because of what he could smell. That was all he could take. "Child can you stand?" the girl shook her head no. Well he really didn't think she could. The dragon closed his eyes raised his claws over the girl, called his energy to himself as he called up several healing spells and sent it in to the girl. After a moment the girl sighed with relief as the pain she was in left her.

"There now, all healed. If I may ask, did the men that kidnapped you, tell you why they did it?"

The girl nodded her head, "They told me, I was to be given to you as sacrifice to keep their village safe. They told me that for many years a virgin girl was given to you. They told me even as they did things to me that I would still be virgin when you took me."

"Child, I'm so sorry. I will find these men and make them pay for what was done to you. If you will stand I will see if we can take the shackles off." The girl stood and within moments, she was free. "Child, what's your name?"

"I'm called Pae."

"Pae, that's an interesting name. I am Sarrone. I promise that no one will hurt you. The question now is what to do with you?"

Pae looked up at the dragon with a look of utter terror and despair. "Please. Don't hurt me!"

"Child, I have no intention of hurting you. Why would you think that?" His confusion was genuine as was his concern.

"The men told me that if you didn't accept me as your sacrifice that you would kill me." Pae said with a sob then looked down at the ground, "They also told me that if you didn't, then they would and they would make it a slow and painful death. Please, I'll do anything you ask. Please don't hurt me. I'm a good girl. Please..." The girl fell to the ground as her legs gave out, shaking in fear of what might happen. The dragon roared out his anger, shouting flame into the sky. It was too much; the men at the village were going to pay with their lives when he caught them. When the roar ended, the dragon looked down at the small scared figure in front of him and with grate effort, made himself very calm.

"Pae, child, please it's all right. My rage is not at you. Yes, it is true I cannot accept you as given. You are not from the village and have no blood kin there." Sarrone softened his voice even more, "Pae, you are safe, I promise. I will take care of you. The men of the village have broken the pact that I have had with their village for 300 years. I would know why they have done this. Pae, please stand. I would take you with me. I will not leave you here alone."

Pae slowly stood. Even with what the dragon said she was still very scared. Sarrone slowly extended a clawed hand behind Pae and drew her slowly to him. Then Sarrone made a kind of seat of his claw and looked at Pae with a small smile. Pae looked at the dragon's face then at his claw and slowly curled herself into it. Sarrone raised Pae to his chest and supported her with the other claw as well, hoping his charge would not be too cold as he few but his chest was warm and thought it should be enough.

The dragon launched into the air and with in moments was over the village. As he landed, he roared, "People of the village, Attend me!!"

To his surprise only a few woman came out of their homes. But then he remembered that most of the men from here would have been out in the fields or with the herds.

"Lord, how may we serve?" Said one woman as she bowed.

"Bring me a blanket, quickly!"

The woman that spoke ran to her house and quickly returned. Sarrone took the blanket and carefully wrapped it around Pae. When it was in place, he leaned down and placed Pae on her feet on the ground. Sarrone sat up straight again and looked around. "Listen all of you. Do any of you know this woman?"

Those that were there looked to each other, "Lord, none of us have ever seen this girl before. Who is she? And where is Blair?"

"This is the one I found at the giving post. She has told me that men from your village took her from her home and killed her parents. I found her chained, hooded and beaten. This is how I found her." Sarrone waved a hand over the girl using an illusion to show the injuries. Several women gave cries of shock and out rage. "Where are the men of your council?"

"They have not returned from taking Blair to the giving post. Who has ... no, they wouldn't have ... Oh please tell us it isn't so." The woman begged.

"My lady, what is you name?"

"I'm Donna, daughter of Tonia, sister of Eva, your last gift."

Sarrone nodded, "How long have the men been gone?" he said more gently.

"They have been away from the village for near 3 weeks. Coming back to get food and to make sure the chosen was ready. My Lord what could they have been thinking? Is the child there well?"

"No, she is frightened out of her mind and in shock though I have healed all of her physical injuries. Who is kin to the chosen?"

"Blair has a mother who you helped years ago and a grandfather."

"Get the grandfather quickly!" he would have called for the mother but remembered that she was weak and sickly.

Some one went running and returned with the old man. "My Lord you sent ... OH MY GOD!! What has happened?" shouted the man as he came around the front of Sarrone and caught sight of the girl.

"That is what I would like to know! When your granddaughter left this morning how did she behave?"

"She was happy, My Lord. She went willingly. What has happened to this child and where is Blair?"

"Our men took this girl from her home Tomas and killed her parents." Answered Donna.

"What? Why? Why would they do this? My lord is there any hope of saving the pact?"

"That will depend on how I find the other girl. If she has been harmed in the same manner as this one then I will no longer protect this village. Donna, while I am gone see that this child is given clothing and food. I don't think she has eaten for some time. Know that if any harm comes to her I will level this village." there was no doubt in anyone's mind that he meant what he had said.

"My lord, you have my word of honor that NOTHING will happen to her! My husband is one of the men..." she stopped, took a deep breathe then rolled up one of her sleeves to show bruising on her arm. "My husband is not a kind or gentle man."

"Donna why didn't you tell some one? Why didn't you tell me?" yelled Tomas before Sarrone had time to react.

"There is nothing you could do. My husband told me if ever I talked, he would give me worse than I have already received. He is ... He is... " Donna rolled the sleeve back down and looked to the ground.

Sarrone leaned forward and took in Donna's sent, noting a second musky one that was fading, guessing that it was that of Donna's husband. "He is dead when I find him, widow Donna. Keep this child safe." Then he turned to Pae, "Don't be scared. I need to find the other girl and to punish the men that have hurt you. Donna will see to your needs." Then he looked to Tomas, "Will you guard and protect this child?"

"As if she were mine, my lord! Please find my granddaughter."

Donna stepped forward and placed an arm around Pae and slowly started her walking towards a house. Pae never took her fear filled eyes off Sarrone and just as the two reached the old man, Sarrone launched himself into the air. He would search by air and track the men by their sent that was left on Pae. He just hoped he would get to the other girl in time.

Donna led Pae into the house with the old man. Both were telling her that all was going to be all right. The two had her sit at a table and for the first time in days was given a class of water and food in the form of a nice piece of bread with some kind of fruit jam spread on top. "Here we are. Now you just sit and eat this. Take your time; there's plenty. Now why don't we start with you telling us your name? It's all right, no one's going to hurt you here."

"That's right, child. Why don't you tell us your name then tell us what happened?" The old man's voice cracked.

Pae looked to both of them then down at the food, "I'm called Pae." And with that, she burst into tears. Donna placed both her arms around her and held and rocked her as she tried to sooth Pae. The old man's heart broke at what he saw and hope the dragon would bring back something for him to take out his frustrations on. Slowly the storm weakened and the girl started talking. She told them, all of it. The old man got up as if to pace but went to the door. He was just barely outside when he lost his lunch. Donna was white and looked ready to faint.

Pae tried to curl into the blanket but Donna was holding her still. Pae really didn't care, she truly only wished it was her mother. It was along time before anyone said anything.

"Tomas if you would be so kind, over there in the truck is some clothing that might fit her if you would get a skirt and tunic out for me. Then I'll have you step out and I'll help her get into them. I wished the dragon had removed these illusions, they look so real I just want to treat them and wrap them under bandages."

Once Pae was dressed which hid all of the bruising she allowed herself to be helped to eat and drink but said nothing more.

It didn't take long to track the men. They were sitting around in an old barn. The sent of Pae's bruises lingered in the air. Sarrone took great pride in destroying the barn. The man that was husband to Donna tried to flee but Sarrone gave him no chance. He was dead fifty times over; the others lay unconscious. That was when he heard the screaming of a woman. Sarrone found her in the cellar of the now destroyed barn and freed her. She was a little dirty but as yet untouched, thankfully. Blair was very happy to be free and told Sarrone that the men were planning to take their turn with her. Finally, Sarrone gathered the girl in one arm and the three men in the other and flew back to the village.

Sarrone roared as he landed, almost throwing the three men to the ground. The girl he placed on her feet very gently. Tomas came running out of the house as Sarrone landed and saw his granddaughter. Blair ran to him crying and embraced as she started telling him what had happened. After a time the old man turned to Sarrone. "Thank you Lord."

"I'm just glad I was in time. Donna's husband is no more. I have brought these back to be punished by the village. Who stood council before these men?"

"I was one, my Lord as was Samuel, Parker, Jonathan, and Jackson."

"Send some one for them, now." There had been more people gathering near to see what was going to happen. Several went running to get the men. They did not take long. "Former council members of the village. These men have broken the pact that I have had with your families for three hundred years. The gift was not from this village and I can't accept her. Donna, please bring Pae out so these others can see." Donna slowly brought Pae out. With the illusions still in place, several people gasped and raged. Sarrone dispelled the illusion. Blair cried out and ran to the girl and took her in her arms. Pae just stared but didn't pull away. Sarrone noticed that Blair was a year or two older than Pae. As well as a little taller but for some reason he found that Pae drew his eyes far more than Blair.

Then Blair turned to Sarrone. "My Lord. Please. I was and still am willing to give myself to you. The men told me after they took me to that barn that they had found a substitute for me but that I had to be hidden for a while. They told me that they were tired of give you young women. Then they put me in the cellar and I heard them talking about how to decide who was going to be first and to what part to me. Please we need you to protect us. I was chosen and would be happy to fulfill the pact." Blair walked right to the feet of Sarrone and knelt.