BlackRosePt.15

影心微晨

5 P  G3 A& x7 T" Q* \: y$ i- Garm. bartender.
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'Oy,' bartender, sympathy, 'looks you've rolled.'

'Fuck,' moaned. throbbing. ashamed. trousers.
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'Least these,' said. 'Go home, son, up.'
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! I! E+ w8 [! Q& U4 P* ]1 W1 @'The lady's me,' dirty, trousers. exit, wouldn't bar. home, be. idiot. memself. flabby, trousers. house, off. However, open. a trees, wasn't a floor. again, a life. him.
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3 ?) K/ T/ B( ?% N) A$ y1 [* [% E'Sorry,' gasped, 'I robbed.' a shirt, instant, wounds.

; l) b  }5 a2 L7 T; p'It's bad,' muttered. 'They though. I'm sorry.' heels, him, herself.

' hurt?

' whispered. amazed. He'd she'd annoyed. him.
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& `5 ]# [4 ^5 ^* y. Z" H'No, bad,' said. nodded. up. her, shamed. him. face.

'Ow!' yelped, her, astonished, again. again. wrist, hand.
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3 Q( H8 C+ d  s2 |'Stop that!' shouted, wasn't nice. yelped. up.

'Why that?' shouted. chest. back. again. wasn't infuriated. himself, and, himself, stomach. stop. face, painful, rang, a cross. head, and, enraged, fist. a smack, a '

7 T0 m! W- {  K8 HAh!

' surprise. hurt, he'd a too. other, shock, his, again. her, rage, a grip, him.
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/ o2 P) E2 g/ U- P' h3 C$ E) Y! @'Why? Why? Why?' bawled. 'Why me? I do? I more? that? me! Why?'
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'
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Shhhh,

+ [# S9 e- r; ^6 ~  P/ |' hissed. '
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Shhhhhhh.

$ P& F) [9 t5 x. h6 J'' her. bloodshot. a calmness. her, it. then, relaxing, clear.

, V9 j2 a2 L7 m6 d: o" e'Oh,' a voice. 'Right.' nodded, him.
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Fuck, she's strong. back, him.

'Yes. You're right. I'm fighting.' a way, smiled.
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5 o5 a4 g# U( d5 c  n! b% _2 R'Will me?' said. nodded. a boots, him. them. tired, gone. her, hours, he'd of. fists, handy. hitother, much. kill, pain, out. hours, enough, a back.

, i* W2 d' `9 G7 a'Thank you,' sincerely. 'Could I now?' incredulous.
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. @: Q2 B2 N$ ~/ I8 N, r'What?' said. 'I'm again?' nodded.
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! K" w7 w+ a9 k; \* x  t  V. a'Where to? bar?' nodded, sandals.

/ F7 g7 w' |; ?; i& S6 ?7 B'But I'm tired,' whined. a look. nodded. window, bar.

# [2 R/ b, }; j# }7 R6 v*** a word, a a honour. them, didn't them. times, lord, fifty, him. a a squire, squire's girl, Duck. a handful, persuaded, beau's back, lord, it. a thing, ambitious, boyfriend. understanding. a night, a bar. up, a tall, handsome, crowd. hair, a a jewellery, interesting. a her, a beardless, a face, a a lip. it, closer, a shiner. calm, a fight. table. them, coolly. nervous, watchful.

'Hey,' Marten's squire, Marco. 'He's more. he's sister.'

1 ~! \; O  }$ M'That's sister,' a accent. 'That's lady.'
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'And I'm lord,' Marten. 'What's about?'
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+ |: J: w& J' \; t( j'Your clothes,' youth. 'I back, please.' youth, him, nerve, slightly, it. hadn't earlier, he'd before. woman, cool, calm, smiling, silent.

& [$ _- P( c9 T9 @2 x4 u& s0 m'I that,' said, 'but don't speak?'
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'She's a silence,' youth.
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" u( Q9 b+ _* E, m'Has she?' Marten. 'Wunt I 'er.' her, a joke. laughed. him, he'd spoken, a saying. annoyed. people, back. was? a overturned?

/ Q# Q! ^/ R8 O% U, l7 k2 `'As I saying,' youth, 'your money, I 'em back.'

. H4 O1 S- O' I9 M2 Y4 {. N3 y1 X'What concern,' Marten.
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'If he's service, you're him,' youth. annoyed. out. hated, a them. didn't youth's a her, wasn't polite.

'Who you, anyway?' woman, up. 'I'm I I'm to.' speak, a hand. thinly, apologetically, Marten, collarbone, breast. sigils, Hargest, Yard. too, himself. other, it, a moon, northlands. Beka, who, a bowels. sigils, she'd in, he'd years, she'd fight. were, well: Arn. Leap. Arbr.

Wudwotha.

& O3 F. E- B, a# q; e" T8 w* ]Finally, she'd killed. own, ago: a eight, a clavicle. them. ten, beneath.

! T9 s' C% G; x7 R; T, [. She'd men, on. was.

$ K) S/ ]8 D  z7 \'Oh,' muttered, down.
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/ \' r# o0 {1 \4 X1 n' }' d'What?' Marco, him. a ale.

- k- `( e& N2 w6 K! K'On own, cunt,' Marco. off, Aelfrethe. him, more. didn't known, reason. wasn't that.
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'What?' Marco. 'Who it?' Freya. age. calmly, unreadable.

'I'm sorry,' said, it. 'These blokes. Don't they're born.' amused,
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Don't worry, I don't you. grateful.

'Don't tattoos?' Marco.

'Anyone a tattoo,' sourly.
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- j( Q/ b. m: e5 G- x'Look,' Marten, 'you don't ' Freya. god. horrible, a paste.
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3 }7 ?1 J+ ^, ?7 ^- h'Make least?' said. 'His me.'

) `5 B  X2 G  c- R4 ^'What?' Marco. frowned, her.

'Eh?' Marten.
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'I'm fight,' youth, nervous. 'This fight, lady's. I'll clothes. I lose, I lose. I me.' grinned.
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'Oh,' Marten, relieved. 'Well, different. right. lose, eh?' a don' look. mouth, time.

'So, result, it?' Marten, a a deal.

'No nawt?'

- W+ H% F/ A- |" j5 y) A0 Q'This fight,' deliberately, 'will it.' lad, him. a brick, happen.

- y% b1 ^" q1 t" D( n'All right, lad,' said, 'but a a fighter. already, don't tha?'
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2 k- }3 H9 b* u- m9 M$ S'Yeah,' voice, Marco. 'I you. up. won't 'appen again.'

'Side outcome?' Freya. bar, watch, more. questioningly.

'Loser a room,' Marten. dispassionately room. nodded, cheers.
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. F+ t# l2 g3 f0 ^'Right then,' Marten. 'Square off, boys.' youth, eyes. a posture, , lowered, Marco. drunk, youth, eye, sober. out.

! `2 c. E% y* F1 D8 o'Go,' Marten. other, him, distance. Marco, drunk, a youth's face. flinched, didn't Marco. circling, his. on, a humiliation, youth, didn't, fight, back. back, a circle. jabs, them, moving. to, thought. boy's sake, a girl. here, beating? Marco, be. long. impatient. beer, a girlfriend.
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* g# I$ [$ L. ~! @8 i) i4 cThen, youth, kid's flickering, Marco, opponent, sting.

Then, it, lad's go. fuck. guard. stopped, youth, 'Fuck sake, don't you...' further. Stopping, youth, speak, a breath, it. Marco's a thud. pain, a noise. a breath, tabletop. a damp, whimper. go. groaned, a chair, head, Marco's head. didn't crack, a nasty, off. back, unconscious. a bar. hadn't a Ridge. Marco, a youth's arm, say, fine, that'll do. lad, nervous, fast, exhilarated. do.

& R; J: c( u) ^' O8 O* Z" A) W2 o. |'Well, lad,' youth, 'bloody him,' laughed, real, opponent. laughter, cheers. bar.
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6 \% l+ O  S3 I& H% C% ~* n# e9 N'Zur that,' said. 'Keep word. drink, bastards. me.' cheers, boy's forehead, smiling.
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& }) b) t& s5 Z7 q$ ]6 ?'Anyone a firm,' loudly, youth.

'Where'd that?' said.
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- F% X7 l1 L+ ~'She me,' boy, blushing, Freya, head.
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) a! |( S7 k- G, i, G'Which question,' said, 'why didn't earlier, tha?'
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'She tonight,' youth.

4 B0 u2 }7 M6 [# {$ }% m3 o'Tha what?' Marten. 'Learned night?'

* Y& _5 W* a+ h# N+ X) l9 X'I a teacher,' youth.

2 h4 ?$ p/ ]8 j" `  `$ E+ i2 z'Thurt a pupil, like,' Marten. 'Here's tha, son.' a a waitress, a moaning, boy's hand. mug, clinked. smiled, time.

***Â
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2 j3 q$ m2 W8 K  }& m' _& Y* H4 gA drinking. Freya, a interest. before, once. Vale.
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$ \4 E* K6 g5 B9 TShe'd then. She'd younger, gear, a head. she'd who'd her. She'd first, belly, left, she'd two, she'd down, legs, down, she'd field. he'd seen. She'd a place, all.
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He'd her, day. air, exhilaration. a away, shorn, a nobody, a tired, a pool, her, him. Meanwhile, Marco, unconscious, intermittently wasn't dead, least, dead. stare, a couldn't read, her, embarrassed. here? a lad, was?

And, strangely, didn't her?
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6 l5 j! y5 k+ S6 k9 s, c3 t8 a0 |% PWell, Freya. didn't him. him, she'd him. wasn't thinking.

* her. Windhorn. back? I did. slack. satisfying, moves, it, strike. a squire. now. moment. I with. her. eye. I me? Before, I a I was, made. Hardberg, all, me, I not. night. that, truth. smile. dead, now, I alive. others. live, equal: Snorri. curiously. drank, a stomach. burned.

I tonight. I badly, with. I it. now, me.
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1 y8 X. D/ z" |8 i; I7 j, yes, fool, it. mind. happened: well. a vomit. affair, else's. her, upwards, on, noticing. man, piss. pathetic. I I a girl. Five, indeed. him. Timid, a a road. lost. a companion. much, me. pride, I things. piss. back, stood. dark. hole, bladder. door. door.

'Lady,' gruffly, aside. her. again, room. squire's girl, cordially. floor. a morning.

I something. I cannot... Otherworld. I think. I...

: o, \0 ]2 }$ Q. F& ^3 w% ?: G* \I virgin, more. I a man. in. I a place, morning, a goodbye. money.

; s5 w0 E) {7 p9 f* @, q7 Q2 e, G, do. a woman. one, one.

No. I ache, I tired, I to...
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something. brood, you. do. it. a sigh. a man, thought. him, than... tolerance. desire. a another.
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Safe, then.

a do. do. him.

/ [  X: T  m4 S' n; g! {of?
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9 G8 `& J7 X. F; S8 ?I scared. I tired. I desire.
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" h$ H. \2 _+ W1 g& vtired, ill, bleeding, a cause? confidence? that. be.

weak!

8 k2 U& t5 a; J: G5 ^+ y3 D( ^* him. him, a him. her. face, yard. something. up. a again, door. him. darkness, night. waited. a moment, there, still.

'Wanted me, lady,' said. paused, a him.

*
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3 H- H' R& ?6 f. ~1 J* {) P  U2 W  fNow. Go. Aelfrethe. yours. this. it. them, smokes. I to?

do. beast. to. can. a woman, a him, closer.

9 @9 m1 y) T; ?/ k$ m+ z6 m* O# ~. s* her, gaze, again, doing. back.
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'Whoa,' said. 'Whoa. doing?'

'

What,

/ ]$ w, f, U+ T1 K- z9 S' p! R' rasped.

'Be you,' said, it, 'be you... goin' me?' him, a her. She'd out.

'What hell,' exclaimed, 'what hell? this... before?' r

/ H2 m- Y1 C3 u'Thurt chaste!' wrong, angry, couldn't himself. him.

'Is what's happened,' said, quieter, furious. 'Hast thy...?'

$ P- ?& U7 k' L# z0 i( A' quiet,
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' hissed.

3 H  C' }5 t7 E'Oh fuck's... Right,' said, himself, away, her. 'That's just... virtue, han't tha? now...' sick. bond. chaste, chaste, men.

4 \0 }8 w/ t) }+ R'Shit,' said, wall. 'Oh shit.' dislike.

'How
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! E8 h- H3 y# V% {1 b9 Kthat? tha've away? know, I tha. tha'd hair, I that, I tha'd yield. did, tha? up, do. bitch.' there, still, ground.
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2 m: p3 T; i4 E3 Y( C- |. R$ B+ x4 S'Should've known,' said, head. 'I couldn't it. women. should've ended. I can't up.' choking, head, she'd wall. gods, strong.

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5 \9 [% E5 S7 Z5 Z2 TI. Did. Not,
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3 {8 V  P+ V6 h* e0 F+ U  U  F4 c', barked, her, uncomprehending, a moment, him. feet, throat, perplexed. chest. him, stride. a desperate, anger. her, her. wasn't he'd thought. mean. a a man, a chest. a her, a a way.
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# O' O9 {$ o9 q& |/ c  {9 u7 k'Here,' said, 'I'm sorry. I dint...' again. out.
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'What's on,' voice, Freya.
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7 ~2 g  V- o  c6 j4 O( @6 X% s7 c# J'Having a disagreement,' said.
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1 |- k3 Z4 n% M'Are right,' Freya. Marten, hurt. arm.

'What's done,' Freya, loathing.

'Said thing,' said. 'Thought I happened, I wrong. It's right. mistake.'
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'What say,' a quiet, voice. delicate, thought.
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, }: r3 I4 V# _3 _/ r2 L; ~'It... clear,' said, 'that a virgin. I a that, that's strength.'

'It's not,' immediately.
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'Well, anyway,' said, 'I she'd bloke, why.'
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'Yeah,' youth, a pause. 'Well. wrong.' Freya, side, Marten, side, a moment.
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'So happen,' said.

* hesitated. Freya, inn, her.

'It weren't fling,' said.

'Weren't it,' said, hesitated.

'Put way,' said. 'She didn't away. taken.' nodded.
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9 _9 _# w2 k' u8 e'By who?'
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( U0 k5 I2 U7 ^' z# ['Not a "who",' said.
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0 Y  T- R4 T- u& X8 ?7 v'But,' said.
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'If she's you, I'm you,' abruptly. 'I'm her. She'll wants, then, just...' eyes.
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'You don't know,' said, inside.
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* again. drink. wall. her. her. them. thick. mouth. before, Five, stars.
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a girl.

# a, O/ o# m1 E3 t, v# sI know.
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Freya's a pig. eyes.

/ i- C( I. o3 a. A5 w. I: R& Gweak. over. happened. you.
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lost. a monster. survived. out. is... contracts. intact. you. stronger. I not...
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stupid. a sheep. a night.
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  g' r7 X$ _9 U4 u* k# CI a a night.
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. {' T) ]4 d# i: r2 Q+ e; j- v- [men? you? avenged.
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so? thing. one?
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+ L! U: C( w4 b& x, K, b$ x* Five, couldn't catch. a her, worried. a them.

* him. quietly.

$ [, p3 X/ o  v7 m! @'So happened?' a moment. her.

Abruptly, arm, him, exit. gone, table.

'We a mission,' said. 'She ahead. her, didn't. Anyway, got...'

'Who it,' said. 'I'll 'em.'
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'It weren't a who, I you,' said, distraught. a oddly... just, him.
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* n6 j% \; |1 P) f+ u" x'They thing,' said. 'Big worm.'

6 K6 a. I( y$ s7 d'A worm?' said. dry. There'd war, course, dead. He'd he'd one. he'd do. a dry, a chop.
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/ e  c% k9 |2 J; x'Yeah.'
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'How big?'
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'Big room.' nodded.

'Thought folk,' said.

'Yeah. didn't,' youth. sick.
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'What,' said, 'it...'

. b) F2 U) X6 W4 D5 N'Yeah,' youth.

0 r  z& d, Y9 n$ ~8 Z0 x0 t'Aw,' said, 'no...' it. some. barrel. a girl.

'That's wrong, that,' fervently. 'That's... no. happened?'

. x! T; \( ~, N'Don't know,' said, over. 'Got out.'
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'What?'

'Woke me,' said. 'They'd gone. lot.'

+ T+ E7 i9 g* E) x% ]3 M0 }'They her?' said, thunderstruck. 'Name god. her?'

'Probably dead,' said. 'I did. was... I'm you, bad.'

'How'd out,' said.

'Well,' said, 'I her.'
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'But, feet, '

; W' b* i: n# D'No. her.'

'Tha

- {7 s% K# ^% T+ y8 ther?'
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'Thought head,' said. 'She a breath, weren't nothing. I I'd her.' room.
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'How her?'

+ ?+ h5 K5 k* O( c# D+ z'Don't know,' absently. a moment.
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'Want pint,' said.

' _9 }1 b0 @( ?1 m8 R' ~'I'd her,' said, door. a while, wall. by, them. a drink, wall, be.

! d8 ~' k/ i) ~3 ?" H* yard, air. doorway, a large, sheep. him. with. uncomfortable annoyed, a why.
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' s" Q4 X* B: m, _face. back.
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' me,

' whispered.

  @5 w, S4 ?2 {: N6 Y) e7 H'Yeah,' said, slightly.
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- e: l2 r' j2 W" c& J2 ^9 ?$ x( I' not,
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' rasped, mouth. ground. it, her, away, swallowed. a breath, again.

'Fine,' said. 'I won't. happened. do.'
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6 i) `0 m  g  t; D8 y2 lNothing,

' him. him, there, face. it.
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* way.
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3 |" x* m: G  x! ~Lady, thought, I don't now, I'll face.

Freya's anger, thing, too. Humiliation. windows, herself, Beka. it. stupid. gonna. don't it.
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6 d  [' e* j" l8 h! H( X+ a! _0 R*
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4 Y- O& c) w' l+ e+ w3 k% vI you. I it. know.
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4 X0 j5 @. b7 z8 A7 YJust...
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& O; k$ H; E) O' away, her. there, obstinate. feet. me, boy. it? remember? tight. sick. lungs. pounding. Again.

* Freya, yard, feeling, her, wasn't all. face, mouth, falling. stooped, nothing. Casman. again.
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* again. wasn't her. He'd it. alone, again.

+ X% k) U6 ^, p'Lady,' urgently, 'listen me.' him, a moment, away.

What, thought, shame? Humiliation? I know. I happened.

'Lady,' softly. 'It's me. It's Snorri's Five. I'm can't me.' no, a face.
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, v" Y7 i3 Y: z  _( ]  e3 s, H# K/ f'Please,' said. gesture, off. her, scar.
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'What's mean,' said, 'eh? What's this? Don't something? brother. a had, blood, 'cause me, time? What's won't me? What's mean, won't you?' scowled, a snarl. it, it, a iron. hand. agony, silent.
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( _) o3 B9 l& q* C' b*
4 T8 M: ], f$ Q, e; d* F* F$ M
( ^. C& l+ ]( BBreathe.

Breathe. boy's hand. slowly, inn, Memika, night. stones, kitchen, city. turning.
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I thought,
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8 E: O7 ]5 o9 b6 H/ v3 O. O" a+ c9 Y' gasped, fire, '
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that, I should... someone.

: u1 R- }6 G7 y; t. _; Z& K' breath.
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'

I thought...

' breath.
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'

9 }5 l) L* Q$ T, |1 `I should...

: b+ k7 Z6 l/ D% n8 ]% Z) B'

* arm, him, misery. desperately. course, do. a panic, the, thing. up, herself, a soldier. that's do. didn't this, happened. happened? Ever? soldiers? anyway, couldn't. couldn't. there, Aelfrethe, pain. a couldn't he'd direction.
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O god, thought. I don't know.
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  ?+ j1 t7 f3 N4 Q'

Stupid,
2 `8 k0 I+ L# r
' hissed, a laugh, head.
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9 `4 @, I' U' n( f) ]; g9 U/ cMiserable. Ashamed.

I'm a soldier. That's me.

'That's right,' softly, 'but, know. You're you. don't owt.' knee, her, knees. overcome. waited. ground, him, shaking, eyes, sleeve.
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6 I) h' N/ k" K/ }- Z. q) V4 _'Freya,' quietly. a little.
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'This a city,' said. 'Is someone... there's someone...' didn't move.

; ^# {, v. [, B4 C/ U'You help, I can't it. someone.' a moment, noise. he. ground, him. roughly, over. him. her, a recovered, she'd didn't, herself. hands, frowned. him, back, face. it, a moisture. couldn't she'd weeping. up.
. \! b) O1 W: {( H$ F! @# [
7 n& g; Q5 ?3 K' w'So let's in,' said, 'and I'll don't it.' nodded.
6 ^% K* e8 A: `' q+ \
% Y" U- G8 e  ]2 r! I$ _) |, y, f'Good, then,' said, her, touching, him, back, neck, her. eyes, her.
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She's shieldmaiden. touches. she's darkness, her, world, me. I'm it. I'm she's got.

So, it. regular, a little.

'Listen,' mumbled, 'why don't bed. I'll him. It's o'clock. sleep, lady. I'll he's offended.' a moment, neck, her.
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6 C! T1 M$ t' V' WThen, Five's relief, nodded. forehead, wall. it, side.
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* in, table, down. a moment. him. a moment, something.

) q0 _4 X9 }9 ]3 ^( ]'Where's mistress,' said. him, pale.
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8 C! q: V, O  P! A# K: Q6 s'Begging pardon, sir,' said. 'There's don't manners. she's inn.' affronted, frowned.
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'She'd apologise,' said, 'but happened's mind, it's on. you, a honour, discreet.' smiled, himself.

'Byunt a honour,' said, 'but me, a who'd a confidence. her, sealed, lad.'
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% l# q" ]+ o6 ^. A$ b1 V- l9 E'Thank you, sir,' a smile.

/ j* {% d! f/ \# c2 l7 Z5 z- I'What army, anyway,' said. 'Didn't he'd a lad, thee.'

2 s- ^: p, x' C# {$ ~'Oh, I a cook,' said. him.

'A cook?'

, O! f' b$ R% H" I/ o'Yes, sir.'
* G% X- X8 ]. ^. ]3 h: k
- S6 ^: X2 R3 _; ~. u3 X/ F) }'Thuv fought?'
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9 [9 F, l! `1 b% A' [* O% e'No, sir. battles. a sword, though.'

'And wind.' uneasily.

6 M, s" W' \" S+ K" F- q'Shouldn't up?' said.

'Oh, sleep,' said. 'Only tha.' girl, tray. nodded.
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$ _: T; y' Q4 v9 {3 E'So,' said, 'tha out, round, plain, gear, safety, a miles.'
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'Yeah,' youth, puzzled.

6 [$ z( \( f6 x6 h'What's again?'
3 P+ {; \: c2 j' p& q
'Don't one. Snorri's Five.'

'Snorri Midlafsson?'
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3 L, f2 y) s" a) j" _'You him, sir?'
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! G+ B- x' y6 h; l+ v'A bit. behind?' nothing, Marten's gaze. a tray, a them. her.
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'Fucked there, he,' said.
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! L% ~  X" z/ _3 U" o8 D! K) L*** a a a on. squire, drinks. a Five's skull. basin, Five. a while, pains.

Well, lady, you're up, I'm up. up. shirt. sombre. him, slightly.

" O% l( F/ h) H( `'Are today,' said. nodded.

; f  u8 l' `" H- g, T0 }- ^5 w+ r'I that's a idea,' said. 'Got mind?'
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* floor.

Yes, one, I do. anything. I it.
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* B. }' g$ d) Z! JI knows.