She was cold. She had been cold all night. Even though she had wrapped herself in broad leaves. Then she started tearing at the tall grass, but she was still cold. The moon had long risen, casting its strange, flattened orb above her. Dina stared at its half-full shape for a long time.

A flicker of hope, who knows where from, lingered within her even in the morning, that perhaps Zevran had escaped his attackers and might come back for her. But the sun had already risen, warming her chilled body, and the girl was still standing alone in the field.

Eventually, she turned back. Hugging herself with her arms, frightened but determined, she went. Emotions churned inside her; she thought she should have stayed and helped Zevran. Guilt tormented her, but she also knew with her rational mind that if she disobeyed, she too would be caught in the same way. Zevran might have been needed alive, which was why he was only drugged. But what about her? What would they have done to her?

Despite wearing only a nightgown, she marched resolutely back towards the inn. As she got closer, she slowed down and listened to the silence that enveloped the building. It was as if nothing had happened the day before.

She climbed the gate and, carefully, so that no branch snapped, crawled over the tree.

The balcony adjacent to Zevran's room also appeared deserted; Dina moved slowly past it.

As she climbed over, she heard the voices of two maids from below, their words filled with noticeable despondency. Only the birds in the forest chirped cheerfully.

Dina pressed herself against the wall and carefully pushed open the balcony door, which creaked softly as it turned.

The room seemed empty. Zevran's scimitars were gone, but the leather scabbard was on the nightstand, and a negligently discarded half-pair of gloves lay on the floor next to a bloodstain drunk up by the wood. The bed in the middle of the room was made up.

"Zevran...?" Dina whispered into the silence.

There was something unsettling about the atmosphere, and Dina couldn't immediately place it. A foul smell lingered, perhaps that of the sedative...?

The girl stepped forward cautiously, calling the man's name once more, although she knew he wasn't there.

She approached the bed and found her green dress draped over its headboard. She grabbed it, crumpled it, and held it to her chest when...

Her mind began to remember the peculiar smell. It wasn't the sedative. Dina's nostrils and eyes widened as she stared in horror.

Cigar.

"I knew you would come back."

Dina's heart pounded with fear. Trembling, she slowly turned towards Harod. He was sitting in the corner behind the balcony door, almost hidden, on a chair. He stood up, approaching Dina with a casual posture, causing her to take a slight step back. The half-blood's eyes were filled with an immeasurable rage that Dina did not want to see unleashed.

"And I knew you'd come back here, not to the brothel."

The girl felt that there was no room for excuses anymore. She glanced towards the door.

Harod's short laugh echoed as he walked to the lock, turned the key, and pocketed it. "No, darling, no. You're not getting away with this one. You've managed to escape so many times."

Harod continued to advance.

"You were exceptional, you know? In fact, perhaps you still are, to some extent. But I knew from the start that you wouldn't be an easy case. And now I'm disappointed in you! There are only two rules, and you've broken both, repeatedly. Moreover, despite my warning. Oh, you..."

The half-blood's whisper brushed against her face, and she recoiled in disgust.

"But if you're going to be this way, then so will I, darling. I see that sweet words, concessions, and good advice don't work on you. Very well, Dina. So be it! You chose. If you don't want my kindness, then I'll break you with force."

The girl remained motionless, no longer backing away, trembling with anger and fear, she looked up into the half-blood's eyes. "Never," she whispered with a raised chin.

Harod's arm swung, and Dina hunched over from the slap, clutching her face, her gaze falling to the floor. But the blow seemed to only increase her anger and, with it, her strength.

"Never!" she shouted back at the man, who snatched the dress from her hands and threw it on the floor, then seized Dina and threw her onto the bed. She screamed, trying to push him away, but Harod's strength was overwhelming, pinning Dina's hands. The girl spat in his face, and he was forced to wipe it off, giving Dina a brief moment to turn away, taking hold of the blanket and dragging herself forward, away from the half-blood. Harod grabbed her nightgown, pulled the girl back with it, and then ripped the nightgown off her.

Dina was overtaken by sudden shame, mostly naked, not knowing where to turn, covering her chest or her groin, or trying to push Harod away, she lay frozen, staring at the grinning man.

"No! Leave me alone! Please, Harod, no!"

"You've owed me this for a long time, little bird!" the half-elf growled, pressing down on Dina and kissing her neck.

Dina's mind erased the sensation, unwilling to acknowledge it. Yet a voice crept into her thoughts.

No request or command will help. Come on! Don't let him win!

As if suddenly returning to the present, her gaze darted across the ceiling. No matter if he doesn't let go, you must escape... People like you and me, we have to break out... Never let anyone oppress you...

Suddenly, she felt a surge of strength. She screamed loudly, pounding Harod's shoulder with her fists, with such force that it hurt her too, then she stopped paying attention to the details, unable to recall where she bit or kicked. She remembered striking Harod's chest with her elbows several times, receiving another slap, but she didn't care, she didn't stop, clawing at the air or Harod's face, kicking, never ceasing her movement for a moment.

"I will never be yours!" she screamed into the half-blood's ear, who momentarily pulled back to escape her sharp claws, and that brief pause was just enough for Dina to raise her leg and kick him with full force in the stomach. She didn't hit perfectly, but at least she slipped out of his grasp, climbed over the bed, and stood on the other side, ready to attack, glaring at the half-blood. He grunted and started around the bed again; the girl would have run, but Harod grabbed one of her arms.

Dina, however, did not give up. Although restrained, she reached for the small chair that once held the washbasin, grabbed its leg, and swung it at Harod. The chair struck the half-blood's side with a loud crash, and he collapsed against the wall with a pained groan.

"Have you gone mad, you stupid wench?!" Harod complained, holding his side. "Just wait, wait, you filthy whore! I'll catch you, and I swear, I'll keep you until you're dead!" The half-elf pushed away from the wall and pursued Dina.

The girl dashed to the bed, peered underneath, and managed to slide her whole arm in... Her fingers barely touched the dagger; she fumbled with it, but then Harod grabbed her waist, slammed her to the floor with a huge, painful blow, and pinned her down with his feet.

Dina, in agony, pushed the bed away with both hands repeatedly, though it barely moved. Meanwhile, she heard the sound of Harod's belt buckle. The man was forced to release Dina while he freed himself from his trousers, and the girl risked everything, using all her strength to inch forward, her hand reaching closer to the hilt.

"Damn little slut! I'll teach you...!"

She felt Harod's weight pressing her knees apart, no longer struggling, only focusing on one thing.

At the third, fourth, fifth rib on the left side. With one swift motion, all the way in, and quickly, very quickly.

When she had the weapon in her hand, she didn't think, she stabbed.

The rage on Harod's face suddenly turned to surprise, his eyes almost unnaturally wide as he stared at Dina lying beneath him. Then he coughed once, and on the second cough, blood came up from his throat. Dina hurriedly wiped the blood mixed with saliva from her shoulder, pushed the now unmoving Harod away, and the man rolled to the side. Dina slipped out from under him in an instant and sprang to her feet, panting as she watched the gasping man.

Harod's terrified eyes still moved, searching for Dina... then they no longer did. The body lay half-turned, mouth open, face twisted, grotesque, dead, staring into the void.

Dina stood above him, breathing heavily. Finally, she bent down, gave a disgusted shove to turn the half-blood onto his back, and pulled the dagger from him. She stared at it for a while, watching the blood spread along the blade. Then she fished the key from Harod's pocket, grabbed her dress and the leather case from the bedside table, clutching them tightly as she ran to the door, opened it, and hurried down the stairs into the empty tavern. Tharoden noticed her, called her name and said something else, but Dina didn't even glance at him, panting as she dashed out of the inn.