"There is a woman who comes in here sometimes. Actually there are two. One is Charna and the other is Inara. Inara is the new wife of a man by the name of Gavilean. He also comes in here sometimes, although I haven't seen him lately."

Maria tilted her head slightly, "Charna, the rude one who you spoke of the other night," she states softly.

"Yes, that's the one. But my thoughts are that Inara might be the better one to start with."

"Start with?" She was still very confused, "To speak to."

Talomar smiled and patted her on the knee. "No. I want you to bring Inara to the castle. I don't care how you do it. She has greatly insulted the Countess and myself. She's just a whore and needs to be given lessons in proper conduct."

Maria looked down at her drink, her brow furrowing at his words before looking at him again, "I will of course do as you wish my love, but I'm still not sure I understand. You mean to harm her?

"I'm a gentle man, Maria. You know that. It hurts me to have to discipline others. She will just be taught to be respectful. I'd like you to help me with that." Talomar heard noises outside, "Shhhhh...we must keep this to ourselves."

She smiles softly, seeming to relax slightly at his words, then glances towards the door and nods, "Of course my lord." Her eyes return to Tal and she smiles softly licking her lips, looking ready to say something else, a silent message of her devotion in her eyes before she sips her drink once more.

He smiled and gives a knowing wink "I guess you understand what I was asking. But we'll talk more later."

Maria nodded, "I will endeavor to please you my lord," an inflection on the word makes 'Lord' mean so much more.

Talomar spoke softly "You always do, Maria. You always do." She smiles and nods finishing off the drink and setting the glass aside. "Perhaps we should go. It's a bit too crowded in here now."

Maria looked around at the people who entered the inn as they spoke and nodded, looking back at him once more, "As you wish," She moves to stand silently as Talomar stood with her and helped her with her coat which she slipped into and tugged her gloves back on before heading for the door and their waiting carriage.

Maria and Tal had gotten home in time for her to see to it that their supper had been prepared, making sure nothing would upset either Tal's nor Lady Eiellani's tastes. She had eaten alone as she always did, not staff and not part to eat with her Lord and Lady, she had found a small meal of lobster and a side dish she really couldn't identify, she was glad Tal liked a lot of her native foods, cause she wasn't a fan of most the stuff around here. The man the other day had tried to sell her a chilly dog, what that was she had no idea, but it smelt down right rancid. She had slipped from her little private area where she always ate, off the servant quarter, and headed up to see to the fires and change before slipping into Tal's library to fish free a book and settle on his couch. Not her intention to be out of place, but she was tired and her mind reeling from the conversation earlier of abducting this Inara woman. She skimmed through the pictures in the book, reading silently on the pleasures of pain, it had been a black leather bound book and had seemed to draw her. Maybe it had been the title, 'Torturous nights' but it was the third day in a row she found herself reading from it and more then half way through it she was more then caught up in the words and experiences in it. Already she was wet in need, her sex damp and her breasts unconfined tonight like the rest of her, were leaving a less then subtle cue to her arousal, her nipples tenting the silk blouse.

"Then I have no doubt concerning your success," he said as he reached for 'Torturous Nights'. "Tell me, my love, which of the tortures that you have thus far read have been most intriguing to you? To put it another way, which of these tortures have made your heart rate increase and made that delicious body desire?"

Maria looked at the book, blushing again and slowly took the book from him, paging through it, thinking over the question, running her toes gently up and down the inside of Tal's leg as she did, without actually thinking about it. A soft smile crossed her lips as she turned the book back to him, "I think perhaps because of your punishment," she breathed softly, the book open to the page of a woman chained to a wall facing it as the man in the book was preparing to lash her with a cat of nine tails.

He took the book from her and looked at it, "Ah yes, this one." He closed the book, "I know it well, but there are some subtleties that the book leaves out. I'll show you." He stood up over her and removed his shirt. "Remove your clothes, please, my love."

She moved to stand, slipping free of her clothing, carefully folding and setting it all aside, before turning back to her Lord, still very aroused and excited.

He had walked over to a cabinet that ran across the bottom of a set of bookcases in the library. He opened one of the doors, pushed aside some mundane items, and pulled out a box. "Come with me," he said, taking her hand and leading her to a particular wall of books. "Philippe and I would sometimes have to discipline people without actually bringing them down into the dungeons. A case in point is the Countess. Sometimes, we preferred to do it right here in the library. Face this stack of books and I'll show you something." He nodded to a stack of very old books that ran from the floor to the 12-foot ceiling of the library.

She moved do as she was told, her curiosity peeked as she glanced at Tal, then the books once more.

He stepped up on a little library step-stool that he placed at Maria's right side and flipped up the spine of a thick book near the ceiling. It wasn't really a book at all, but it hid a pulley, nylon rope, and a leather wrist band attached to an end. He moved the stool to her other side and did the same thing. "It's important that you know where all these things are, for we might soon need them. Philippe had arranged all this for me. He was very creative."

She nodded, quickly taking note of where he was withdrawing the restraints, and looked at Tal once more, her eyes on his movements for a minute.

"Your left hand, please." He took her hand and buckled the leather restraint onto her wrist. He then walked around her, trailing a finger over her bare back and reached for her right hand. The right wrist restrain was attached. He then bent down off to her right side, "Down here we have another important item." On the lower shelf was a small mahogany doors which slide aside. He reached in and pulled out a ratchet winch which was on a heavy, metal track. "Lift your right arm, please," he said, and as she did so he threaded the rope into the winch and ratcheted up the slack. He moved to an identical mahogany door on her left side and did the same thing, ratcheting it up until both arms were supported over her head. "Are you comfortable?" he asked.

She drew her gaze way from where she was secured, her eyes moving to his and nodded, looking a little nervous, "Yes my love," she answered softly, "at least as well as possible in such a position."

He smiled and moved his hands over her smooth back, pushed aside her hair and kissed her neck. "Good, I want you to be as comfortable as possible, for this is not punishment, but very useful training. Some day soon you might need to do this very thing." He bent down to a box he had retrieved earlier. "What I have here isn't as good as the equipment in the dungeon, but it does the job." He removed a number of items and laid them out behind her, so that she would have difficulty seeing what he had. "The first item is that cat o' nine tails that you saw in the book, but it has a very short handle and nine nice and long leather strips." He stood up and let the leather strips fall over her right shoulder. "As you can see."

Maria shivered at the touch of the cold leather and her gaze dropped to the whip before trying to see him over her shoulder and what else he had behind her, working through his words. She still looks very nervous.

He slid the whip back over her shoulder, and without announcement he brought in down with a little stinging strike on her right buttocks.

Maria cried out in shock and pain her fingers immediately curling in the straps holding her hands.

"You see, Maria, it's the element of surprise that makes it effective. That was not a very hard strike, but it felt much harder because it caught you by..." a second strike on her left buttocks, ". . . surprise."

She cried out again, resting her head against the books in front of her, muscles tense across her back, eyes closed, trying to hear his movements to anticipate his next move.

The books have that old musty library scent, mixed with the scent of the leather book covers. "Relax, Maria. This is not punishment. I love you and need to . . ." two strokes came in quick succession on her back, ". . .add to your training."

Maria recoiled at both hits, soft cries escaping her lips, feeling her skin sing in pain at the strokes. She clung to his calming voice and words, trying not to feel like she was being punished, because she couldn't think of a reason she would be being punished. She shifted to try and relieve the sting some and whimpered softly, as she finally let her body relax again, accepting anything Tal wanted to do to her.

"That's pretty much what the book was showing, but there are variations to the theme," he said as he trailing the leather down her back. He set the whip down and went to the box and pulled out a pleasuring device. "This little device makes it all the more interesting."

(Edited for Content)

He set the device back into the box and unstraped first her right hand, then her left. Her weight was now supported by his strong arms.

Maria shivered weakly, collapsing into his arms, just barely awake, and dead weight against him, her fingers very weakly curling around his, her head lowering till her chin touched her chest, trying to get some sort of control back into her breathing.

He picked her up and brought her to the couch that was before the fireplace. He sat down and kept her on his lap, embracing her close, letting the fire and his body warm her. "Maria," he whispered, "I'm so in love with you. You have passed your training with flying colors, doing better then I would have ever imagined." He placed kisses upon her face, loving her more than he could ever express.

Maria shivered at his words, her lips parting to speak, but at a lose of what to say they closed again. "I love you too," she whispered very softly at last, her voice slightly hoarse.

His hand moved over her arm, caressing it. "Now you have learned where the torture devices are, how to use the restraints, the tripod, the whip technique, and how the pleasure can add to the experience. All of this knowledge might come in very useful for you when you've captured Inara."

She nodded, pillowing her head on his shoulder and still shivering slightly curled deep into his warm arms.

"Maria, I don't know what I'd do without you. You and I have a closer relationship than I even have with the Countess, or anyone. You are my prize...my joy...all that fills me."

Maria smiled softly looking up at him, "I would be in far worse shape had you not come along, my love, my only fear is that of upsetting you she muttered a bit tiredly before moving in his lap, wincing at the pain in her rear as she did, stifling the whimper that tried to escape her throat and looked up at him, "But I have not yet seen to your needs," she added softly, knowing he was aroused, feeling it, and knowing as well that he had yet to feed.

"Do you have enough strength to do that, sweet darling?"

She smiled softly, "I will make the strength for you my love," she answered softly.

He smiled and brought his mouth to hers, kissing her deeply, his tongue tasting her mouth, enjoying her, feeling the excitement in the kiss.

She returned the kiss quickly and willingly, tasting herself on him, and shivering at the taste as she straddled his hip.

He moaned softly, closed his eyes to concentrate on the feelings, and laid his head back on the couch and enjoyed the feelings of her fingers in his hair. "I love you," he breathed. "You feel so good, my love....so good."

Maria smiled softly, thinking to herself that she probably felt better when she was fresh, her lips moving to his chin and making a slow wet trail of kisses down to his neck and collarbone, down his chest, to brush her wet tongue over his nipple lightly and teasingly, worrying it lightly with her teeth.

His hands grasped her hips, eyes still closed, enjoying all the sensations of pleasure she was giving him, and wondering how she still had the strength to do this.

Maria couldn't suppress the little pained cry at his hands gripping her abused backside, her teeth releasing him as she bit her lip but kept moving, if a bit quicker as she raised her head to pull him back into another deep kiss before moving her lips over his cheek and to his ear, "Feed my love, take what you need, my life is yours, take what you will of me," she breathed softly.

He had wanted to feed on her, desperately; but he wondered if she could take it after such training. He released her hips and brought his hands to her head, his left hand pulling her head to the right, his right hand moving over the left side of her neck. He saw the vein in her neck from whence his life would come. He brought his wide open mouth down on her neck and tested the area with his tongue, readying his teeth.

Maria moaned softly, a fresh little wave of pleasure and anticipation rippling through her, her fingers curling into his hair once more, her breaths picking up with her heartbeat as she nestled in closer to him, fully exposing her neck to him, inviting him to take what he wanted and what she knew would be extrem pleasure.

He needed her...needed all that she had to offer him. He lifted his mouth off of her neck, his eyes widened and became red, his canines grew to needle sharpness and he brought his mouth down on her slowly this time, then biting, sinking his teeth slowly into her neck, feeling them penetrate her flesh and finding the vein. He began to feed.

Maria moaned and shivered her pleasure as she rested her head on his shoulder, feeling her vision darken some, her fingers losing in his hair as she rested against him.

He continued to draw blood from her, not quickly as he had done in the past, but slowly; drawing out the meal as one who might purposely eat a meal very slowly to make it last. Talomar was going to make this feeding last.

Maria's soft moans died completely as she settled completely in his arms, her eyes drifting slowly shut as she finally blacked out from it all, her body becoming dead weight against him, her breaths slowing to a more regular pace.

He felt her go limp, and after several more minutes of a slow sucking, feeding on her blood, he withdrew his mouth and healed the wounds. He just sat there with her for some time. When the fire began to die, he picked her up and carried her to his suite and laid her in bed. He looked down upon her and smiled. "She should be a Countess," he thought. He then made himself a promise, "I shall make her much more." He climbed into bed next to her and held her in his arms as they slept.

"Talomar.." Hanzo snickered then shakes his head. "Never mind"

Inara smirks and leans in, "I wouldn't bed you if you had a knife to my throat."

Eiellani let out a slight cough, hand pressed to her lips then a look behind the bar to see if it is being tended

Talomar's finger traces her throat and whispers in her ear "You are very fortunate my wife has come in here, for you'd have had more than a knife at this pretty throat."

"Promises promises Count, and none you can keep."

"We shall see about that, slut. You are going to look very good chained naked to my dungeon wall."

Inara laughed as if he had just told the best joke.

Talomar was totally pissed that his wife has shown up unexpected, he leaves Gavilean's whore and walks to the bar

Hanzo stands slowly from behind the couch, shaking his head. "Talomar why do you always draw negative attention...? I'd like to talk to you, privately when you're free."

Eiellani frowns and moves to Talomar's side shaking her head

Talomar comes up to the bar and motions to Sid for a glass of whiskey...turns to Hanzo "I gave you your chance the other day." turns to his wife as she approaches

"I don't like his aura" a voice muttered

Hanzo chuckled to himself, shaking his head. "So be it."

Eiellani turns and growls at the woman "Stop talking about my husband as though he was some sort of great evil."

Talomar looks at Lani "What are you doing here tonight? Shouldn't you be resting?"

"I'm tired of resting."

The woman snarls suddenly "Minder your own business, the man makes me nervous"

Talomar smiles at Lani "Well, you just prevented the "Lady" Inara from a surprise visit to our castle." turns to the woman....just looks at her for a moment until the bar tender draws his attention "Yeah...people just adore me here."

Eiellani glares at the snarling woman "It is my business, you have no reason to dislike my husband so kindly act like a lady and shut up."

"I don't like his aura that is reason enough and if you say another word to me I will shut you up"

"Was Inara going to visit the room in the basement that Maria said I cant go in because it's too messy?"

Talomar takes his drink and sips, rolls his eyes at the pitiful display going on around him...turns to the woman "You don't talk to my dear wife that way. And if you don't like my aura....too bad."

Eiellani snaps at the woman "Pretentious bitch, acting like the queen of the world."

"yes, dear...but It will come another time."

Talomar sighs "has the entire world gone crazy?" he turns to the bar tender "What's with this place tonight? Something in the water?"

Talomar looks over at the bar tender, his mouth moves near her ear and whispers "Lose something down the hall?"

"I thought it would look very well on you and I know Tal likes us both to look nice."

His words only bring a sly smile, "Wouldna ye like to know."

"It will, thank you," she quickly slips the dress back in the box and bows slightly, "I will be very honored to wear it."

Talomar, his lips against her ear, whispers "Well, if you need help finding that something...just give me a wink"

Eiellani smiles "With the baby swelling my belly I can't buy beautiful things like that to wear myself... So I have to buy them for you instead."

Talomar grins, watching the bar tender move toward the archway

Maria's gaze slips over the bar, not liking the feeling she had, it left her a little light headed, and she didn't like that feeling. "Thank you again," returns her gaze to her Lady.

Talomar takes a deep breath and turns toward the Countess and Maria...walks over to Maria

Maria keeps an eye on Tara, her hate growing for the woman.

Talomar's arm going around Maria "Why don't we sit down on the couch. I need to talk business with you." to Lani "I have some business to discuss with my Valet...I'll be back in a moment." She draws her dark eyes to meet Tal's and nods.

Eiellani's lips turned a bit of a frown "I really wish you two did not keep so many secrets from me.."

"No secrets, Countess; just business. No different than I had with Philippe." he lied, and then motions for Maria to sit on the couch, he sits with her. She sits quietly, glad to be off her feet, and looks up at Tal.

Talomar's his arm moves around Maria once more and he whispers softly in her ear so only she can hear "my love, I need you....need to feed tonight...need to be with you in every way." his hand slips to her thigh, hidden from view by the position of the couch

Eiellani watches Tal and Maria, frown never leaving her lips before turning her back on them and facing the bar staring blankly

Soft smile filters over her lips, nodding quietly, "I'm here for you my Lord, but so is your wife," she reminds him softly.

Talomar whispers very softly, "Tomorrow night for her...I need you now." Maria's gaze turns on him, silent for a moment then nods. Talomar stands and helps Maria to her feet, can't wait to have her and once more whispers "I almost had Inara tonight...until the Countess showed up....damn."

Maria turns to head for the door, waving to Eiellani as she did, "I will get her for you my Lord, I promised." Eiellani returns a vague wave to Maria

"I know, Maria. You never fail me." looks to his wife "I have business to attend to . I assume you can get home the same way you got here."

Eiellani nods frowning again "Of course." Maria disappears out the door. Talomar walks out with her and disappears into the night with her.

Maria smiled softly, wholeheartedly agreeing, but not in the mood to get things going to just have to stop when the carriage did, like they had a tendency of doing. That always bothered her Lord, and she didn't want him anymore upset then he already was tonight. "I know the feeling my love," she breathed softly, "and I know it well."

On the remainder of the journey home he was content to remain in an embrace of two lovers. He had loosened his black sable coat to wrap around her, enveloping her completely in his warmth. His hand continually caressed various areas of her body and his lips kissed her brow and cheek and nose and ear, and every other place he could nuzzle against.

Maria was half asleep by the time the carriage stopped, blinking awake as she raised her head to look out the window at the castle and smiled softly as she immediately thought of it as home, the first place to ever be considered as such since she was a child. She looked up at Tal, thankful for his warmth, her own clothes were rarely warm enough, but she wore them for his taste, "Home sweet home," she purred softly, licking her lips.

By this time he had forgotten his anger against Lani. She would be dealt with, but without Maria present. He did not want Lani to associate Maria with the discipline she was going to be subjected to. That was between him and his wife. She would be locked away for a while, recovering from the bruises she was about to receive. He turned to Maria, kissed her and waited for the door to be opened.

When it was, he exited and helped Maria down out of the carriage. The walked to the huge oaken doors of the castle, and they were opened for them by the time they had arrived at the top step. Once inside, servants took their outer garments and gave them robes and slippers to wear, for the cold weather made the halls of the castle rather cool. Talomar and Maria walked to his suite as if they might be on their way to do some official business. He he got to the door he stood there and waited.

Maria slipped free her key and pushed it into place, unlocking the door and entering ahead of Talomar, something she was getting into the habit of for his protection and glanced around as she waited for him to enter, before closing and relocking the door.

He walked over to the wet bar as she was locking the door and he poured two glasses of cognac - more delicious and much stronger than wine. "It feels good to be alone with you again, Maria. I've been far too busy recently. Work is draining me. I need time to just relax."

Maria slipped free of her robe and folded it neatly as she moved to add wood to the fire and looked up at him, "If you sit my love I'll give you a massage," she offers, she knows too well how busy he has been, she has spent hours in his study with him while he worked she would read, and he was busy enough that it was as if she had not been in the room, but she never voiced any problem with it, so long as she got to be with him. She stood and approached him to take the second glass.

He gave her a snifter of cognac and sat down on the couch that was before the fire. A large, thick, imported, multicolored woolen area carpet covered the floor of his suite and gave the room a rich and warm feel. His large 4-poster bed was several meters behind them, and oil lamps gave the room a soft glow. He removed his robe and shirt sat back and closed his eyes. "You are too good to me, Maria. You better not leave me."

She smiled softly as she took a drink of the cognac and then sets the glass on the table by the couch, "Farthest thing from my mind love," she purrs as she slips away from him to return a minute later with one of his oils and smoothes some on her hands before brushing her fingers over his bare shoulders, standing behind the him and the couch as she started to massage his shoulders, neck and back.

His eyes close and a soft moan comes from his lips. He can feel his muscular shoulders and back begin to relax under her touch. His long black hair smells good, and he moves it to one side to keep it out of her way.

She chuckles softly at his moan, and continues the gentle but persistent massage, getting the last of his tension from that night, her hands slipping down in front of him to rub over his chest and flat stomach as well, her own burning need excited more by the feeling of his skin under her fingers, "I love you," she breaths softly.

His eyes slowly open and he gives her a dreamy look from the effect of her massage. "I love you also, Maria. More than you realize I think." The feel of her hands on his chest and stomach was both soothing and exciting. He took another sip of cognac and laid his head back and closed his eyes.

As she shimmied out of her skirt, he removed his pants and made himself as naked as she was. The heat of her body upon his lap felt good, and his hands moved up her sides and to her breast.

Maria moaned softly, her fingers curling into his hair, "I need you so," she breathed hotly.



Maria groaned impatiently, "In me, please love, take me," she whispered against his ear.



She rocked her hips over him as she curled her fingers into his hair, holding him to the kiss for a minute longer before very reluctantly breaking it, nibbling softly on his lower lip before baring her neck to him once more, "Feed my love, we both know you need it."

"Yes, I need you, Maria," he hissed in a deep and seductive voice. "It's been too long since the last feeding," he added as his fingers traced over the veins in her exposed neck. His hands now moving wildly, lustfully over her body; finally grasping her hair in his fists and pulling her neck to his mouth.

Maria moaned and cried her pleasure as her whole body opened to accept him fully as she allowed him to control her movements for the moment.

He bit and licked her throat and neck, not to feed, but just to heighten the experience and the need what was within in. Then, when the pleasure deep inside him was rising and he could wait no more, he bit down on her soaking wet neck, capturing it in place as his fangs grew and pushed their way through her flesh and into her neck which was restrained and helpless against any movement, even if she should want to.

Maria cried out again as his bite drove her once more, her body tightening, her fingers finding his free hand, pushing it to her breast, her fingers over his, encouraging him to give the soft flesh more attention.



Maria groaned in pleasure at his abuse, driving harder against him, her fingers moving to wrap into his hair once more, "Gods I love you," she hissed lustfully.



Finally his body relaxed, his hand slide down from her breast and found it's way wrapped around her body. He still fed on her for another minute, but stopped just before she would pass out. His teeth extracted themselves from her neck and healed the puncture wounds. He licked her neck clean of blood and smiled. "I love you more," he whispered against her ear.

Maria smiled softly, resting her head on his shoulder, "Now there''s a game you don't want to get into, we'll be arguing all night," she purred and reached for where they had lain their glasses, not bothering to move from where she was, knowing his love for staying in her for as long as possible, as she offered him his glass, sipping from her own.

"Thank you, my love," he said as he took his glass from her hand. "I don't know what I'd do without you. You are the one person in this universe who I can't live without." He held her close as they sipped their drinks and relaxed in front of the fire.

"I promise to bring you what you did not get this night, and I will be here tomorrow night and in the morning if you need me," she added softly, knowing he was spending tomorrow night with his wife, or at least that is what he said in the inn.

He nodded and was silent for a while, then spoke, "I'll be sleeping in our bed tonight and tomorrow night and every night after that for the foreseeable future. After the way my wife acted in the inn this night, she'll be lucky if I ever sleep with her again."

Maria looked up at her love and nodded kissing him softly, "I can't say I am disappointed in those words my love, I will gladly have you warm your bed with me," she answered and finished off her drink, setting the empty glass aside.

"Then let's go warm it now," my love. I want to feel your body sprawled out next to me, and I will want to sleep with my lips pressed against yours."

Maria smiled softly and nodded, standing and offering him a hand up before heading for the bed curling up under the warm blankets there.

He climbed in next to her and slid his body up against hers, embracing her in his arms as he looked into her eyes. "You are so beautiful...and I am so in love with you, Maria."

"I love you too," She breathed softly, "sleep my love, tomorrow I will feed you again before you have to do more work."

Athington reaches out and grabs her arm stopping her short as he came to his feet, "Oh no you don't," he growled, towering over her, "your mine princess, to do with as I please, then I'm going to take you back to the guild, where you will face the council and finish your job, understand me," his hand groped her breast hard, ignoring the other woman in the room.

"Let go of me," Inara growled her hand moving to stop his, the other fighting his grasp, "I'll never let you touch me, and I'm not going back to them," she growled nervously.

"That's what you think," he snapped as his hand caught her other one and quickly spun her so that her back was to his stomach, his arms wrapping around her, trapping her arms one hand slinking to grope harshly at her skirt, tugging it upwards.

Maria set her drink down standing and headed for the door.

"No," Inara gasped and struggled to free herself fighting his hold and feeling tears of fear streak her face, "let me go Ath, you'll regret this," she snapped.

"I seriously doubt it, no one cares," He grinned, his probing becoming harsh, once they were alone he would have her all to himself, and he would make sure she regretted ever turning him down, "You should have let me have you while you had the chance," he purred against her ear. then shoved her towards the couch reaching to lose his pants.

Inara collapsed to the couch, tears in her eyes as she scrambled to try and get away.

Athington grabbed the edge of her skirt and dragged her back, "Your mine bitch."

"No she's not," Maria's voice was soft in his ear and her dagger was suddenly at his throat as the asian smiled softly, "didn't your mother ever teach you how to treat a lady?"

"My mother was treated the way all women should be," he growled, "with a iron fist," he snapped and slammed his elbow into Maria's side.

Maria gasped and doubled over an arm wrapping around her ribs as she looked up at him and cursing in a few languages lunged at him.

Inara slunk back, watching the fight, unsure of what to do.

Athington deflected her blade again and back handed her off him, moving to prowl over her like some kind of large cat.

Maria hit the floor, feeling her jaw ache, she was getting tired of men hitting her, as she put away the dagger for a more fruitful weapon and drew her sword, scrambling to her feet.

Athington smiled, "Little lady with a big sword, sure you know how to use that?" He drew his own sword.

"Better then you probably do," she growled watching him.

Maria lead Inara on her horse back to the castle, her ribs ached and she was sure there was probably another bruise on her cheek, not to mention the one that was probably forming on her ribs, the bugger, she would have killed him for that alone, no one had a right to touch her accept Talomar. She lead the horses through the gate to her home and up to the stables, helping Inara from her horse.

Inara was still a little shocked, but she was slowly starting to come out of it, "You really don't need to do this, you've already done so much, you saved my life."

"Nonsense, least I can do, besides, a man who doesn't respect women is not a man, at least not one that deserves to live," she handed the horses to the grooms with soft spoken instructions that were immediately followed, no one dared to question her anymore. She offered Inara an arm and headed for the castle.

"Your sure this is okay?" Inara asked softly looking up at the huge building.

"Its fine, we'll get you warm and fed and we'll see then about getting you home, okay?" She lead her into the kitchen and again soft orders were spoken before she headed for the servants stairs. It wouldn't do to run into Tal in the halls with his prize.

"As long as your sure," she nodded and let herself be lead through the castle halls and stairways.

Maria nodded, "I'm sure," she lead her down the main passage and up the stairs across a huge hall and unlocking the study door she lead Inara inside, "have a seat I'll get you something to eat."

"I don't even know your name," Inara said gratefully as she sat down on the couch.

"Maria," she answered and smiled as the knock on the door indicated the food and Maria got the tray before locking the door securely and heading to Inara, offering her the food.

"Thank you Maria, I'm Inara."

"Its nice to meet you Inara," she smiled softly. "So why was that man after you?" Maria asked.

"I'm not sure," she muttered softly, "but he said something about a guild I use to belong to and them wanting me back," she answered between bites.

"Well lets hope he is the last they send looking for you," Maria answered and stood moving to one of the cupboards and withdrawing cleaning rags and polish and sat across from Inara to clean her sword and dagger.

"I hope so," Inara muttered softly and went back tot he food. Once the meal was finished she sat back looking around the room, feeling tired now that all the excitement was over.

"Why don't you lay down, get some rest, I'll stay right here," Maria stated softly.

Inara nodded, "I think I will, thank you," she laid out on the couch and settled in, letting her eyes drift shut and sleep steal her away.