Chapter 1

Jenee felt the cool pane of glass against her cheek as she looked down into the garden, touching her fingers to the glass; she felt her throat tighten with emotion as she watched the scene below. At last Hank had found his Unicorn; she remembered how he used to talk of his secret dream of one day finding the magic circle and the Unicorn's. It had never mattered to her that he walked with a limp, she had always been proud of the fact that he had never let it stop him. He had once told her that Rav had taught him that he could do whatever he wanted, with a kick ball and much loving laughter.

Jenee shivered and wrapped the blanket tighter around her shoulders, she knew the best place for her was in the warm bed but something had awakened her drawing her to the window. The noise from the sky was gone now, looking up it amazed her how black the sky was and yet filled with tiny lights that pulled at one's sense's making her want to reach out and try to touch one. The moon gave off such a gentle light she couldn't believe it was light at all but some figment of her imagination, part of a dream.

Looking at her hand on the window glass Jenee frowned she had always been pleased with the way her hands looked, long elegant fingers, her hands had been strong hands, able to hold a sword or sew a fine seam, now they looked like a skeletons. Clutching the blanket she knew the rest of her body must look just as thin and horrid. Swaying like a drunken sailor she went over to the small mirror above a chest of drawers, her fingers trembled as she touched her face, her eye's looked too big for her face, her cheek bones standing out above sunken hallows, her long neck seemed to thin to hold up her head.

Jenee had never been very vain, growing up with five older brothers who teased her constantly she had learned to just shrug at her looks. She knew that she was nice looking from the glances she had gotten from men as she grew but had never worried about it, there were always more important things to think about. Her mother had died birthing her, women had come and gone in her father's life, none staying very long once they realized his children and small kingdom came first. Jenee had grownup fighting, squabbling, teasing and being teased, one minute she would be out in the fields learning sword fighting right alongside her brothers, the next she would be in the kitchens or the main hall learning from the servants how to be the Lady of the castle.

Her father had treated her just like another son until the day dawned on him that he had a maturing daughter who would soon be ripe for marriage. Oh how she had hated that time, when she was forced into skirts and petticoats, having to learn how to curtsey and carry on a polite ladies conversation at the table. Her brothers had teased her horribly, Hank when he was there would smile and chuckle at her. She had finally rebelled and no amount of bullying or threats from her father could make her change her mind. She went back to her men's clothing only putting on her dresses when they had company.

Now some horrid hag looked back at her from the mirror, she wanted to scream "that's not me" but she knew it was, tears filled her eye's at the thought of Hank seeing her like this. "All you need is some decent food and pampering, something we're all very good at providing around here." Bitsy said as she flew over to Jenee. Smiling kindly Bitsy introduced herself, "climb back into bed then if you feel up to it, I'll get you something to eat and a nice hot pot of tea." Jenee looked at the bed, it seemed so very far away, with a start of surprise she felt a now human sized woman put her arms around her shoulders helping her to the bed. Bitsy tucked the covers around Jenee "you will get used to us in no time" said Bitsy with a small grin.

Jenee smiled back "Hank has told me so much about all of you, you're all very special to him, and he loves you all very much." Bitsy chuckled "I hope he told you only the good things, now let's get you something to eat, you probably can't handle much right now but even a few sips of soup and tea will do." Helping Jenee with her soup and tea Bitsy chattered about this and that, commenting on what a large man her brother Brax was. Jenee held the cup of tea in trembling hands "Brax is here?" she wanted to laugh with joy, Brax was here, at least one brother had survived, she felt dizzy with relief, she still had Brax left. Of all her brothers Brax was her favorite, silly, irreverent, always teasing, so full of life. Five years older than Jenee, Brax had always let her tag along, which usually got her into more trouble then she cared to remember.

Setting the soup bowl aside Bitsy smiled "he will be up shortly to see you, right at the moment I think he is pushing Natalie's magical culinary skills to the limit, he eats almost as much as Hank, which I didn't think was possible. Bitsy gave Natalie a few moments of privacy, returning with Brax and Chad right behind her. Brax grinned at Jenee "you got the right idea kid, just sit there and have the food come to you, I should try that sometime. Keep eating the food here and you will be as fat as a monk feasting on cheese." Going over to the bed Brax pulled Jenee into a tight hug, surprised he felt her stiffen and start pushing him away. "I don't rate a hug anymore? Is that any way to treat your big brave brother who risked life and limb to save your pretty hide?" joked Brax as he slowly let her go seeing how deathly pale she had gone. Jenee took a deep breath trying to control the tremors shaking her body, "thank you for coming and getting me Brax, I know it had to have been a hard fight, I saw how heavily guarded the fortress was." Brax laughed "oh hell it wasn't anything I wouldn't do for my favorite sister, I don't think you've met the little man here, he was a big help getting you out, even though I had to do most of the work." turning the discussion from serious to silly banter, Brax tried not to show how much the sight of Jenee laying there, so thin, with such a haunted look in her eye's had affected him.

Bitsy sat watching the three talking, she hadn't missed the flash of terror in Jenee's silver eyes when Brax had hugged her or the way she had pushed him away. Jenee fell asleep listening to Brax teasing Chad about wearing city clothes to a fight. Bitsy quietly shooed Brax and Chad out of the room, she stirred up the fire more for the comforting warm glow then for heat, tucking the covers up over Jenee, Bitsy glanced up as Hank came into the room.

Hank walked over to the bed smiling at Bitsy, he was still caught up in the Unicorns glow, He didn't think as long as he lived he could thank all these wonderful beings for giving him a dream come true, for giving him the promise of that believing in something magical could come true. He knew the Unicorn didn't have to come; he also figured someone had called the Unicorn here. Hank saw the soup bowl sitting on the bedside table "was she able to eat much?" Bitsy sent the cold soup and tea to the kitchen "half a bowl of soup and a cup of tea, right now small amount every few hours or when she asks for it would be best for her." Hank gently brushed his fingers over Jenee's cheek, "Hank why don't you come over by the fire so we can talk." said Bitsy quietly.

Hank sat down turning his chair so he could keep an eye on Jenee. Bitsy touched Hank's hand to get his attention, "Perhaps what I'm about to say would be better coming from Brand or Virlane, and you might want to talk with them later but it needs to be said and the sooner the better. Jenee was terribly abused, I'm not just talking about physically, I'm also referring to sexually," Bitsy watched the color creep up Hank's cheeks but she didn't stop "You're going to have to be very careful how you touch her, hold her, your going to have to watch her reactions to see if something you say or do upsets her. Hopefully with all our help she will get over it and go on but she will never forget what happened to her, no matter how much you wish it otherwise."