Morning light dawned slowly, pushing through the fabric world of her dreams, lightly caressing her naked side, encouraging in its almost unbearable heat, to wake and stir to the new day. Maria did so, slowly at first, then a bit more quickly as she opened her eyes not for the first time to the warm creams of the tent that surrounded her. She raised her head slowly, peering around her in a most confused way, then realized the bed beside her was empty.

Drawing herself up with the blanket wrapped securely around her she pushed the tent flaps open and stepped into the morning light. The breeze beyond was cool, but so was to be expected in the mountains surrounding Rhy-Din, and was something she was already growing use to after only a short two days up here. As a tangible breeze tugged lightly at the hem of her makeshift gown, Maria was forced to blink back a drifting of smoke from the fire he had left lit, the smell of smoke and fresh eggs and fish made her tiny stomach growl and she slipped forward into her leather sheep hide boots and moved to the small stump that she had claimed as her seat the night before.

The horses were still tied near by, shifting where they stood asleep on their feet, telling her that her would be consort was not far off. She grinned to herself and picking up the pan over the coals, careful not to burn herself or lose her blanket she shifted the food to one of the plates sitting near her and then once relieved of the pan, picked up the breakfast plate and a fork, resting the platter before her on her knees before digging into the food.

He knew how to cook, she gave him that, such a kind and uncomplicated man, he seemed to be able to care for himself completely, something she doubted few others she had met were capable of. She gobbled up the eggs and fish as if she had not eaten in days, as well she might not have, her first resistance had been full, a total need to refuse him all things. And for some reason he had accepted that, he had let her push him away, refusing food and drink until thirst drove her to him, and hunger encouraged her co-operation.

She made quick work of the meal before making her way back to the tent and shedding the blanket she gathered up her clothes and dressed quickly to stave off the chill of the air from the open flap of the tent. She continually glanced back expecting to see him, but managed to dress in peace and slipped out of the tent once more, going to her horse to check on his and where his front hooves had been hobbled in chains and shackles well tightened to prevent escape of either her or the little stallion. Maria smiled softly as she stroked the horses nose and spoke softly to him before she turned to return to the fire, adding wood to it to bring the flames back up and poured herself a cup of hot coffee.

As tired and weary as she was, something inside her was grateful for this, this was something she never expected, yet it held at her, and she couldn't help but wonder, what today had in store.

Maria's return to the inn some two months after her disappearance was less then spectacular. Barely notice, soaking wet, chilled to the bone and dirty as sin she had found herself well cloaked by the darkness of the inn's furthest shadows, hidden near the fire to try and warm her torn and bruised body. She had sat there, drifting in and out of the waking world for what must have been hours. Finally tired and too scared to return to her own home, she had slunk off into the night, as unnoticed as a shadow flitting passed one's view.

She walked for what felt like hours, she had lost her horse somewhere in the months of her tortured mind, where escape presented itself she had not thought to go after him, though now she wished she had. She stumbled along, bare feet too sore to be felt, her clothing once dry had begun to dampen in the cold fall air of the Rhy-Din night. She had cried for a while, or at least she thinks she did, maybe it was one of those distant memories that made her think she had cried.

She had once, shed tears of fear, pain, even the deepest grief and sorrow, now all that was left was the bitter emptiness that was her sole. Maria wasn't sure when she crossed the debris littered bridge leading up into Longden Castle, or what had been a castle once before. But soon she found herself collapsing on the remains of the stairs that led up into the rubble above and the crater below. She was terrified, cold, so much that her fingers had stopped hurting and just gone numb.

Pulling her blanket cloak tighter around her and shivering for all she was worth she pulled herself up the stairs and into a crevice of stone. Almost a cave even, a place where what little body heat she had might keep her partially warm through the night, stave off death for one more day as her bare white fingers curled around the stone bed and she finally let her eyes drift shut. She was cold and tired and she let sleep steal her away, surround and protect her in a web of dreams of memory and love.

Maria's luck didn't seem to turn as the days passed, she was still wrapped in the blanket for warmth, though she had found a better place to sleep. A small abandoned building near the Rhy-Din docks had become home to her. She had found, or rather stolen a pair of boots from a local merchant, and had learned pretty quick how to steal her next meal.

It was a over a week since she had returned, and still no one seemed to notice her, she could only hope she would find a better reception then the one she feared where she was going.

It was morning of the eleventh day when Maria slipped her shivering and thin body through a few pieces of luggage and onto a cart wagon that was heading out of Rhy-Din in the general direction in which she wanted to go. She needed to go, she was itching to move, each night as she laid shivering she felt as if her skin was crawling with a need to move, to get away from the city. She needed to find Merrick, if anything to bring a close to her fears, she hoped he would receive her well, but she feared he would hate her and send her away.

As she curled up in the luggage, amongst bags, and cases, and creates she found a little warmth, enough to bring tears to her eyes. She trembled in fear as she cried silently, what if he didn't want her back? What if he hated her? What would she do then? Stumble her way back to the inn and hope for some sort of hand out? She had never been that type of woman, but she feared she would have to swallow her pride and become her.

With another shiver she closed her eyes and willed sleep to take her from this horror of a nightmare, if only for a few more hours.

He had waiting long enough for her return.

Concern had turned to worry, and worry to fear that something had happened to his fiancee.

The Vampire Lord was determined to find his love, his fiancee, the woman he would soon marry.

If she was running away from him again, he had a way of making sure it would not happen again.

He stood on the parapet of the castle in the midst of a moonlit night, raised his arms, and disappeared into the night.

RhyDin was his destination.

Maria soon found herself bundled up in the blankets and gently guided from parlor and up the stairs. She said not a word as the two women bustled about her, supporting her in case she stumbled and fussing over her like a couple of mother hens. Maria didn't mind, she was too tired and numb to mind, as she was lead to her and Merrick's room.

Stepping inside Maria paused, her eyes taking in the room she had not seen in what felt like a life time. As fresh tears sprung to her cheeks Trina leveled a concerned look on her, her hand tightening slightly on the younger woman's elbow. "My lady?" She questioned softly, worry tinting the edges of the old woman's voice.

Maria shook her head and gently pulled free of her grasp, "I'm alright," she lied as she took an unsteady step into the room and brushed away the stray tears, "Please, I think I would like to be alone." Trina glanced at Dorothy exchanging silent concern, but after a moment they both slipped out, closing the door behind them.

Maria turned the glance at the heavy wooden blockade before moving to lock it with trembling fingers before she turned back to the room to rest her back on the big door, her eyes once more scanning the room as she tugged the blankets all the tighter around her. Finally padding bare foot across the room she moved to the full length mirror and examined her disheveled appearance. A slight feeling of contempt rose in her as she let the blankets slip to the floor and she stared at herself, her fingers moving to the bloodied shoulder of her blouse before she viciously tore the destroyed silk garment from her body.

The scar on her shoulder was deep, multiple puncture wounds that had not quiet healed right, and now showed in an angry red, that would in a month or two fade to a silvery white. She rubbed at the scar, feeling the slightest pain where muscle and tendon had been damaged or severed, leaving her right arm much weaker then her left.

At last she took her eyes off the reflection of her shoulder and let her gaze sweep her now naked upper body. Her full chest stood out on her now very thin frame, ribs standing out in profile, stomach sunken, hips hidden beneath her skirt flared widely, she knew her hip bone would protrude painfully far from her lack of body condition. Slowly her gaze fallowed every mark on her body, every scratch, every streak of pain she had felt, even the ones you could no longer see, she knew where they had been. And she sobbed at the thought of them as she turned from the mirror and made her way to the ensuit bath.

Stripping out of her skirt she poured herself a hot bath, stepping into the steaming water and slowly beginning the process of cleaning the grit and dirt from her body and hair. It took three tries to get all the dirt off of her and she at last emerged from the tub, wrapping herself in many towels before heading into the bedroom once more and glancing at the mirror again, noting her hair now that it was clean. Its dark expanse, now shorter then it had been, just meeting her shoulders, cut unevenly by a careless hand.

Shaking, not from the cold, but from the memories, Maria threw herself to the bed, pulling Merrick's pillow to her body and hugging it, sobbed uncontrollably. At last letting out all the pent up emotions of the last three long and fearful months.

Baron Merrick du Lac had searched high and low for his love, and would be searching still had it not been for a word that was spread from shadow to shadow in whispers amongst the vagrants and those who society had long ago forgotten.

One night the whisper came to him from a stench-filled soul in a dark alley.

Maria Copperfield lives the whisper said. Maria Copperfield went home, the whisper continued.

Lord Merrick swore that if those putrid lips had whispered wrong information, they would never speak again.

- - -

The window of Maria's bedroom opened to the cold night air, and the curtained blew in like flags in a gust for just moment. Then the windows were closed once more.

The vampire lord moved to the bed and saw Maria laying there, shivering in her sleep. The whispers told the truth.

He raised his hand to the hearth and the smouldering logs blazed anew, filling the room with their warmth. Lord Merrick looked down upon her face and felt his heart once again become filled with love for this woman.

She would not run away again.

Baron Merrick du Lac would see to that.

It was time that he revealed to her his true nature. Everything the Count had been, he would be ten times worse - and ten times better. Maria would learn the new dimensions of his love . . . and of his requirements.

He walked to her door and disappeard into the shadows.

Moments later a shadow darker than night returned, this time with a collar in his hands.

Merrick moved to the bed and smiled at the sleeping Maria. He then lowered a hand and pushed back her hair to reveal that beautiful, wan neck. He took the two halves of the collar of bloodstone and jewels and slipped one half around her neck. The second half was placed against it and it mated seamlessly.

"Sleep, my love," he whispered into her ear. "The one who loves you is here and you'll never be in danger again. You will be protected and provided for. So sleep, my love."

Maria woke with the early morning dawn, shivering just slightly as she slowly moved under the covers of the bed and let her gaze drift to the windows, beaming their light in over the bedroom floor. Slowly she pushed herself up, her gaze moving around the room as she pulled the sheets up to her collar bone, protecting her from prying eyes. But no one was there, and she felt the streak of disappointment at that realization.

Slipping silently from the bed she moved across the room to his robe, slipping into it without a noise. Slowly she moved out onto the balcony of the bedroom, over looking the yard and leaned on the banister. Tears stung her eyes but did not fall as she leaned her chin on her hand and wished that she didn't feel so alone again.

With a gentle sigh she turned and headed back into the room, padding bare foot to the door and heading into the castle, she was starving, and she knew this was one place she need never fear going without.

Maria's arrival in Rhy-Din was about as eventful as watching paint dry. The carriage driver guided the horses with an expert hand to the hotel that Merrick kept a suit rented in at all times. Stepping down from the driver's seat he waved away the valets and carefully swept the door open, offering the lady inside a hand down. Maria slid free of the warm cab and looked around her, sighing softly, back in Rhy-Din, not where she had been hoping to spend her Christmas.

Gathering her bags, the driver lead her inside and saw to her being settled before leaving the young Japanese woman to herself. Maria sighed softly, she had no idea where Merrick would be in the town, probably staying with Talomar while the old vamp was working on getting elected, which meant she was bound to be lonely this season. Gently nudging one of her bags out of the way, and hearing the tink of the gift she had procured for her lover, she moved to the bed and sat down, her eyes closing as she silently wished Merrick were there with her right then.

Maria stirred under his touch, her lips parting at his voice as her eyes slowly fluttered open to look up at him. Her breath halting in her throat as she saw him after months of being away from him. She had almost forgotten how perfect he was, his platinum hair spilling over his shoulders, hooding his face, reminding her of so much more then a man, almost elvin in feature, and she smiled just slightly, the corners of her mouth curling just slightly, "Merrick," she breathed his name as if afraid her breath would take this image from her.

Maria leaned into Merrick's touch, it was truly him, and not some twisted dream. Her lips parted to brush the palm of his hand in a soft kiss before she looked up at him once more and smiled softly. He had offered her a life with him once, and she wanted nothing more then to have that. She closed what little distance was between them to catch his lips with hers as her hands moved to rest against his chest, to feel the steady rhythm of his heart, thankful for this moment of peace and happiness after months of pain and terror.

Maria smiled softly, her eyes hooding slightly as she licked her lips before answering softly, "I have never stopped loving you, of course I would forgive you, if there was anything to forgive, but there is not," she brushed her fingers over his cheek. "You have done nothing wrong my love, nothing," she whispered before moving to kiss his lips softly.

Maria raised her head half startled at his words, a smile slowly filtering over her lips. It had been to long since she had been truely out of the castle and she longed to socialise with those she had not seen in years, though deep down she worried about seeing Taloar, her feelings still stirred for him in ways she was not sure she understood. "I think that is a lovely idea, my love," she answered with a nod between bites of food.