The attack was swift and deadly. Overwhelmed by numbers and weaponry, the village of elders fell to Donnie Hauspie's brutal men. Motaka lay mortally wounded in his mother's arms, his last memory that of a viciously scarred face leering into his as she was dragged away. Donnie Hauspie swaggered back and forth in front of Kysoo, who knelt with her head down and her hands lashed behind her back.

She heard the screams of her mother and some of the other old women and bit her lip to keep from crying out. The three old men who made up the male population of the village were lashed one hand to one ankle, and dragged behind the village's only horse over the rocks and nettles surrounding the square. As they bounced past, the cheering onlookers hurled rocks and bottles at the animal, spurring it to greater speed and devastating results for its cargo. Kysoo felt the tears creep down her face, knowing her fate would be unbearably cruel.

Two or three of the men came near her at different times only to be warned off by Donnie. He sat on the ground in front of her, drinking noisily from a goatskin bottle, reaching out every now and then to touch her hair or her cheek. A sudden roar went up and Kysoo instinctively raised her head to see the reason.

The weary horse had collapsed from the unrelenting stress and lay in a sweating mound, frothing at the mouth. Scattered around behind it were the three, ragged and bloodied bodies of the men, their forms unrecognizable from the ordeal. A small cry escaped her lips and before she looked back down, her eyes swept over the evilly grinning face of her captor.

"What were you an' that boy doin' here, this is a place for dyin' old people?" He had leaned closer and his breath stank of drink as it enveloped her face.

"He was my brother," she replied meekly. The sharp smack startled her, stinging her cheek.

"I didn't ask who he was, girlie, I asked what you an' him was doin' here."

"We- we came to see my mother... she helps the people here."

Donnie grunted and laughed. "Didn't help much this time, did she?" She didn't answer and squeezed her eyes shut in anticipation of another slap. "Well... she's helpin' us now, ain't she?" He snorted another laugh and hopped unsteadily to his feet. "Get up and show me where you stay here." He grabbed her arm and dragged her to her feet, pulling her close and bathing her in another cloud of foul breath.

Kysoo stumbled ahead of him toward her mother's hut, tears flowing freely now as she suffered the loud, crude remarks from the other men as Donnie shoved her forward. As Kysoo turned to enter the hut, she froze; on the ground alongside the wall of the hut were the bodies of the old women and among them her mother. They had been tossed in a jumbled pile after being brutally assaulted and killed. Kysoo stepped through the door of the hut and fainted.

*****

Wyeth's demeanor picked up noticeably when Jak decided that they would return the way they came; it meant they would be passing the village of the elders where Kysoo's mother worked and Kysoo might still be visiting. The sun was warm on their shoulders and they paused several times to rest the horses and discuss Wyeth's future. Jak couldn't have been happier for his charge. He had no agenda with respect to Wyeth's inheritance; this adventure together had taught them both a few lessons about life. He was just pleased that it turned out as well as it had.

It was the smoke that first caught their attention; the column was too large for a simple cooking fire and then the repugnant smell reached their nostrils. Spurring the skittish horses on, they rode down out of the trees and reined in at the edge of what was once a poor but tidy village, now a scene of blackened huts with dirty ash blowing in the fire's wind. Wyeth screamed Kysoo's name and galloped carelessly into the village centre.

All around, the huts had burned to the ground. Remnants of tools and cooking utensils lay scattered and blackened on the sooty ground. His horse became spooked and Wyeth struggled to keep the animal under control as it bucked and spun around. Just as he thought he would be thrown off, Jak appeared at his side, grasping the reins and helping to steady the animal.

"That was a fool trick," He said angrily.

"Kysoo might be here somewhere! I was tryi-" The words froze in his throat as his eyes fell upon the mound of burned corpses beside what was left of Nin Sang's hut. "Oh god!" He turned away, feeling the bile rise in his throat, pulled free of Jak and galloped back out of the village.

Jak sat on his haunches, one hand resting on the back of Wyeth as he lay on the ground sobbing uncontrollably. Jak had investigated the entire village and after finding Wyeth, reported his suspicions of what had happened.

"I looked with great care, my friend. I'm positive Kysoo is not there. I did find her brother, Motaka... and I think what might have been Nin Sang..."

Wyeth sat up knuckling his eyes, his face set in grim determination. "I shall not be returning with you to Terrault."

"Wyeth, let's discu-"

"No! There is nothing to discuss. I am going after Kysoo wherever she may be and when I find the men that did this I will slay them all!"

Jak sagged back onto his seat, wiping a weary hand over his face. "Wyeth, listen to me. Your resolve is admirable but foolhardy. Think like a man for a minute instead of a heartsick pup. You are but one-unarmed at that-against a band of ruthless killers. Return with me to Terrault and I will petition Primula for soldiers and we will return and put paid to these animals."

"It will be too late!" Wyeth's desperation was palpable.

"I think it already is, son." Jak's words hung in the air between them, heavy with ominous finality.

They moved further from the village and stopped again, forcing themselves to take some nourishment. Wyeth picked and nibbled with obvious reluctance, his thoughts filled with the ghastly sights in the village. The sun began its downward descent, dappling the grass where they sat with filtered light from the trees. Jak undid his water bag and held it out to Wyeth.

"Here, wash it down with this, we'll try again lat-"

The arrow pierced the bag, ripping it from Jak's fingers and carrying it well beyond into the brush. Instantly Jak was on his feet, hunched and ready for combat, knife drawn and held protectively in front.

"You are no safer with that than your water bag." The voice shouting from the edge of the trees sounded familiar and after a moment, Jak relaxed his stance as Haito Osakawa and several men strode toward them.

"Haito," Jak bowed. "I have terrible news, we just came from-"

Haito issued a gruff command and his men moved quickly to subdue Jak and Wyeth. "I have seen the village." His voice was cold and hard. "You Gaijin have too long plagued my people."

"It was the pirates!" Wyeth yelped. "And Kysoo is gone!"

Haito moved forward quickly, cracking Wyeth across the cheek with his hand. "Why is it then we find only the two of you here?"

"Please," Jak protested. "The boy tells the truth. We have just returned from the place we told you about. Wyeth wanted to come this way to see your daughter once more. We found the village in flames."

Haito moved his hand abruptly and his men released Wyeth. "Why did you want to see my daughter?"

His deep blush was all the answer her father needed. Haito gave Wyeth a long, blank stare then turned away abruptly, beckoning his men to follow.

"Wait! Haito, where are you going?" Jak called.

"We have a burial to attend to, and then a mission of revenge. I believe your story. You can go."

"No! Wait, we want to help."

"Go while you can, Gaijin. We do not need your help."

"We have the horses, we can cover the ground faster than your men can on foot. Let us help. Please."

"What is your interest in this?"

When Jak finished his explanation, covering all the events and emotions resulting in what he felt amounted to a sincere bond of friendship, Haito nodded slowly, turning his attention to Wyeth.

"Is this how you feel as well?"

"I do." Wyeth insisted. "We also share some of the responsibility since there had already been one incident when we arrived. We did nothing to help then because your..." He bit his tongue, angry for saying too much.

"Because of Motaka." Haito nodded again and sighed deeply. "Very well. We will tend to our duties and then decide on a plan of action."