"Erich, please" Elora pleaded with her twin brother "not in front of the children, you scare them when you get like this. You scare me too." she added as she wrapped her cloak tightly around herself, trying to fend off the chill of a long journey with too little food and too much danger.

Erich walked to his sister and hugged her tightly "I’m sorry Elora, but I cannot bear to see you and the children suffer like this. I swore to our parents I would protect you, and your children. I can’t do either if we keep on like this! Look at yourself, look at your children, it’s a miracle no one had died." He immediately became quiet as Elora placed her fingertips over his lips.

"We would all be dead if we had staid there, you know that." she reminded him "and now that we’ve finally gotten to England, maybe we can find a clan that is not under Magda’s influence." she said hopefully "Or maybe one of the Clan MacLeod will come to our aid again."

"It may well be too little too late" Erich replied tersely as he gazed at his nieces and nephews "we need help now. Surely she must know this. . ."

"How?" Elora asked "How would she know? If we need help, we need to find her or someone who can get a message to her. Didn’t Dimitri say her clan roamed this land, surely someone knows of them, where to find them. . .anything."

He nodded as he grabbed a thick woolen cloak and threw it over his shoulders. "Stay here with the children, at least its warm in here. I’m going to find Dimitri and see if we can find this Bean Uasal de MacLeod. Or at the very least find enough food for the children." Erich cringed as he walked out into the bitter cold, the stinging wind burned the warmth from his skin as he quickly made his way to Fallon’s caravan. At least they had been able to bring them on the ship, it was the only thing that was saving them, if things got any worse, they may be forced to kill the horses, just to stop from starving themselves.

Just as Erich went to open Fallon’s door, Dimitri appeared and pulled him inside "What are you doing out in this cold Erich?!" he demanded "You must take better care of yourself my friend, your clan and your sister need you."

Erich turned on Dimitri, his eyes flashing, "Need me?? For what, to watch them slowly starve to death?! To sicken and die because I cannot provide for them?" he felt his body trembling with anger and helplessness, they were relying on him, they needed him, and there was nothing he could do to stop their suffering. "So help me Dimitri, I will steal; I will kill if that is what it will take to put a decent meal in front of them. Have you seen the baby? Have you seen the way her skin hangs from her bones?" he grit his teeth as he felt Fallon’s hands on his shoulders. He knew they were suffering as well, but they didn’t have to see the questioning look in a child’s eyes, or explain to his eldest nephew why the villages shunned them, refusing them so much as a morsel of food, just because they were considered vagabonds and thieves due to their heritage.

"Erich, please" Fallon pleaded softly "I know how hard this is, but we’re almost there, and Magda’s powers fade more and more everyday. And according to Dimitri, this is Clan MacLeod territory, . . "

"Then where are they?" Erich asked loudly "Why haven’t they come to us, offered their help. We haven’t seen them since Leumadair offered us use of his ship."

Dimitri sighed deeply "Maybe we need to contact them" he suggested as he sat down heavily on Fallon’s bed. "They are a large and powerful Clan, someone must know how to contact them. Where would you go to find someone? I know from talking to Sirius, her clan tends to avoid large cities, they like to be near the land and the sea. They prefer to stay close to nature."

"There is a small village a few miles from here" Fallon suggested "If they have a tavern, someone there may know of them, or at the very least take pity on the children and give them some food."

"Then we leave now" Erich insisted "I refuse to stand by and allow the children to suffer for even an hour more. They need food, we need help."

"I agree" Dimitri said as he rose, "Erich, go back to your sister, I’ll get the horses ready, the cold does not affect me the way it does you. I’ll come for you as soon as I’m done, the sooner we move the better." He held up his hand when he saw Erich and Fallon were going to argue with him "Stop now. I remember all to well what it was like to be hungry as a child, and *I* am the one who has been entrusted with you lives, I swore to Cash and Sirius that I would see you all safely to Hogwarts, I keep my vows." he said simply as he walked out into the bitter cold of twilight, he didn’t bother to fight the biting wind as it battered him.

Dimitri knew it was nothing compared to what Elora’s children were suffering, he grit his teeth as he recalled how it felt to be shunned for being different, both as mortal and kindred he had suffered such unkindness. But now he had a home, he had Cash to guide him, Sirius to confide to, Tristessa to advise him; Hogwarts and Clan MacLeod had become his world, and he would do anything to protect them. And he couldn’t deny his fondness for this little troupe of tired and wounded Roma, fighting bravely to reach Hogwarts and the chance to save what was left of their kind. "I failed you Luna, I was your brother and I couldn’t protect you or myself. But I will protect Fallon and her tribe, I will guard Elora’s children as if they were my own. I will see them well and safe, or I will die in the attempt" he swore as he hitched the ragged horses to the caravans. . . .

"Fallon?" Erich asked as he grabbed his cloak "Do you truly believe this MacLeod woman will help us? I know Dimitri and the wizard Sirius have a great deal of faith in her, but what is she to us? Why would she go so far out of her way to help us?"

Fallon sighed, "I don’t know if I can answer that Erich. She is a powerful sorceress, I saw the fear she inspired in my mother, but *I* have never felt fear near her." She explained, "Magda would never let me meet her, but I snuck out once, she and my mother were arguing in the forest. Bean Uasal de MacLeod, was trying to convince Magda that her ways would destroy our people." Fallon hung her head "I wonder if she knew how right she was. But she is rion de daoine, she has many responsibilities. If we need her help, we must find her and ask for it."

Erich nodded silently, pausing only to kiss Fallon on her cheek before braving the harsh cold to return to his sister and her children. He watched as Dimitri moved with an unnatural speed and grace. Sometimes he forgot what Dimitri was, it was an easy thing to do with him. Dimitri was nothing like the stories he had heard of the undead, he was pleasant, clean, caring. . .time after time, Dimitri could have easily slaughtered them all. Yet even in the deepest pangs of his hunger, he never laid so much as a hand on them, he had even refused to accept a willing offering of blood, for fear he would lose himself to the hunger and drain them. In the end, Fallon had decided each of them would give him a cupful of their own blood, sustaining him and protecting them.

Erich nodded as Dimitri signaled to him, pounding on the caravan door, he told Elora they were moving out. Erich looked back to see the others climbing into their caravans as well. After a few hours, they finally reached a small village; Dimitri and Erich jumped down and made their plans. They and Fallon would go inside to see if anyone knew how to contact Clan MacLeod, while Elora and the others waiting in the caravans, just in case the locals were not the welcoming type.

The first thing Dimitri noticed when they walking into the tavern was the smell of fear. His gray eyes flashed as he peered into the darkness to see what was causing the rancid scent of terror and oppression. Dimitri instinctively reached for Fallon’s hand as she walked towards the barkeeper, he didn’t want her going anywhere alone in this place. "Tread carefully Fallon" Dimitri warned as he followed behind her, his eyes and ears alert to any sign of danger. As he skimmed the denizens of the tavern, he noticed very few of them even lifted their heads to see who had entered, and the few who did quickly looked away, as if afraid to look into the eyes of another

Fallon smiled sweetly as she approached the barkeep, she noted the way his eye kept shifting nervously towards a corner of the tavern as she approached. "Good evening" she said politely, "I am looking for a woman, she is of Clan MacLeod. Do you know where I can find her?" She immediately felt several pair of eyes stare at her. Unaffected by their reaction, she waited for an answer, "I see you still hang Brighde woven cross, you must know whom I am speaking of. Why won’t you tell me?"

From the dark corner came a surly voice "Well, well, . . And why are you so anxious to meet the devil?" a large, foul-smelling man asked as he rose from his table and lumbered towards them. Fallon immediately took a step back, as Dimitri and Erich stepped in front of her, placing themselves between her and the large man. The man paused, looking Erich and Dimitri over before continuing. "What would someone like you want with them anyway? Looking for gold, or maybe you have some children you no long want. I‘m told they hoarded both." he sneered menacingly as his eyes violated Fallon.

Dimitri immediately stepped up, standing nose to nose with the man. Cash had taught him well, he knew the scent of the evil-doer, he could practically taste this man’s blood as he stared into his cold, unfeeling eyes. This creature’s evil went long and deep, invading everything he had ever done, he had no remorse, no hope, and if Dimitri had any say in it, no future. "That’s enough" Dimitri growled softly "how dare you speak of Clan MacLeod in such a manner?" he wrinkled his nose as the sourness of the man’s stench flared with his anger.

"Everyone knows the MacLeod’s are dead and gone, just like the rest of the Fae." the man replied as he attempted to bully Dimitri aside. His beady eyes narrowed into tiny slits as he realized Dimitri had no fear of him. Reaching inside his coat, the man placed his hand on the butt of his gun. "So what is it to you how I talk about them? Unless of course you’re hoping to join them in their grave."

"Fool" Fallon hissed "Clan MacLeod is no more dead and gone than I am. We have already met several of them on our way here." she noticed a frantic murmur amongst the tavern as the words left her lips. We are on our way to assist *the* Bean Uasal de MacLeod, she has sent for us and we. . ."

"Calm down Fallon" Erich insisted as he wrapped his arms protectively around her "this is neither the place, nor the time" whispering into her ear he added "he is not alone, and he is armed." Erich pulled Fallon closer as he tried to steer them to the door "Watch Dimitri, do you see the way his nostrils flare and his left eye is twitching" Fallon nodded yes, "that means he can sense the evil within this man. His friend Cash taught him to kill and feed from criminals, this man is dangerous. We are weak and we have the children to worry about. Let us go back to the caravan, with any luck he will follow us and at least Dimitri can feed."

Fallon nodded and moved to follow Erich, just as they reached the door, another man burst in, laughing cruelly at the screaming and struggling Elora that he held captive by brutally twisting her arm behind her back . Erich immediately ran to aid his sister, only to stop as another man held a gun to his Erich’s head. Fallon’s eyes flashed with anger when she saw what was left of her people being threatened by these foul men. Erich was right, they were nothing more than criminals, parasites who lived by destroying those around them. She felt an icy calmness settle over her as the stench ridden man laughed loudly at them.

"Well woman" the man gloated "where is these MacLeods you insist still live?" he mocked as he approached her. "I thought they protected the weak? I thought they defended those who were loyal to the old way? Well. . . .I’m waiting. . . .where are they? Why don’t they show themselves if they still walk the land." The man pulled out his gun and placed it against Dimitri’s forehead as the young Ventrue moved to defend Fallon. "Your friend here seems very anxious to join them in the land of the dead woman. Shall I assist him? Or do you still believe in Clan MacLeod’s fairy tales like the rest of these fools?" he said as he motioned to the people in the tavern. "They used to think MacLeod would save them as well, but they never came. . .did they?" he snarled as the patrons of the tavern cringed in fear.

"They lost faith, they forgot the old ways" Fallon answered calmly "I know they exist, I have seen Leumadair, Dimitri has seen the Lady himself, he has traveled the wilds with her husband." Fallon threw back her shoulders and stared the man square in the eyes. "You fear them, you fear the old way. . . .you are a coward who is fit for nothing better than frightening the old and weak." The hush that fell over the tavern was mind numbing, even Dimitri’s eyes grew wide, he couldn’t believe Fallon would be so willing to tempt fate, yet he had to admire her courage, and the courage of Erich and Elora, who stood unflinching, waiting for her directions.

Pulling back on the trigger, the man returned Fallon’s glare, "Well then gypsy, if you are so sure of Clan MacLeod, why don’t you call for them. If they exist, maybe they’ll save your friends life. . . ." he sneered as he applied more pressure to the trigger.

"So be it" Fallon said flatly. Using all her strength and knowledge, Fallon opened her mind to the world, searching and calling for Clan MacLeod. "I still believe, I remember the old ways. I trust in the goddess, I have faith in the unseen" she whispered softly over and over as the foul smelling man laughed at her and pulled the trigger of his gun.

Fallon jumped as the shot rang loudly through the small room, it echoed off of the stone walls and mingled with the man’s evil laughter. Fallon returned the man’s gaze, refusing to turn her head away. The man stared mockingly at her, waiting for her to collapse in grief over her companions brutal end. He turned to grab Dimitri’s body, only to find his intended victim gone, and the bullet imbedded in the stone wall of the tavern. The man hesitated as he saw Dimitri sneered at him from several feet away.

Fallon had distracted him long enough for Dimitri to use his supernatural strength and speed to evade the man and the bullet. Just as the man recovered his wits and turned to shoot at him once more, a group of strange men entered the tavern. At least half a dozen or more large, strong men, all with long hair and shining eyes walked in and sat down at a table, laughing and joking with each other as if nothing at all had just happened. Dimitri knitted his brow, there was something familiar about these men. Taking a closer look, Dimitri noted their appearance carefully; They all seemed to be between the ages of 20 and 40, all had hair at or past their shoulders, all very clean, and strangely enough, they all had swords. . . Then it hit him, it was their clothes. They were wearing either leather britches or kilts, but each and everyone of them was wearing a tartan, the tartan of Clan MacLeod.

Dimitri laughed loudly and shook his head, as the group of men yelled for the barkeep to bring them drinks, completely ignoring the criminals and their menacing glares. One of the men looked up and winked at Dimitri, he was a man in his early forties, with shoulder length chestnut brown hair, a neatly trimmed goatee, and hazel eyes that danced with mischief. The man leaned back in his chair as he rested his feet on the table and surveyed the situation "My, what a strange land this has become" he said loudly, drawing every eye in the tavern to him "since when have sweaty pigs been permitted to lay their hands on gentle women?" he asked, looking pointedly at the man who still had Elora’s arm twisted painfully behind her back.

The man sneered at him "Care to come here and say that to my face?" he asked as he pulled a small pistol from the pocket of his coat.

The table of men laughed and shook their heads, as their companion rose to his feet, and walked over to the villain and stared down at him. Dimitri grinned as he heard the comments from several of the younger men. The two most boisterous where apparently named Toby and Padriac. Toby had blue black hair and bright green eyes, while Padriac had strawberry blonde hair and happy blue eyes, just like his younger sister Sara. Dimitri watched as the two young men elbowed each other, egging their friend on as they laughed "Don’t kill anyone this time Frank" Toby teased, "that’s right Frank, you promised your aunt you wouldn’t make a mess this time. You know how hard it is to get blood out of linen." Padriac added as they laughed loudly, bringing their drinks to their lips.

"Now little man" Frank MacLeod began "how do you want this to go? Are you going to do the smart thing? And in case you can’t figure out what that is, it would be letting the woman go, taking your ‘friends’ and going far, far away." he explained as he glared down at the greasy thug "Or are you going to follow in your friends footsteps from outside? They decided to be stupid. . . .I’m sure Samhain will sort it out when their souls reach him." he added as he rested his hand on the hilt of his broadsword.

"Who do you think you are?" the greasy man asked nastily "We own this town, we own everyone and everything in it, you don’t stand a chance against us."

Frank smirked at the man, trying not to laugh at his bravado. He wondered what the man’s reaction would be if he only realized how easily they had just defeated his companions "Who are we you ask?" Frank motioned to his comrades as they rose from their seats "why we are the ones that you have called for. . .We are Clan MacLeod" he informed them. "Padriac, Toby. Why don’t you go help that lovely dark haired lady near the bar. I find it irritating to know she has a gun pointed at her." he knitted his brow "What is it with scum and guns, they just seem to need each other. Give me a sword any day, that’s a weapon for a real man." he said off-handedly to his companions.

"Ah, but cousin" Padriac replied "if they were real men, they wouldn’t need to attack women and children, now would they?" he asked as he pulled his sword out of his scabbard and walked towards the rancid smelling man who was still pointing his gun at Fallon. Padriac grinned as the man turned to point the gun at him, only to feel Toby’s blade touch the base of his skull. "This Roma woman and her clan are under the protection of Clan MacLeod" Toby informed the villains, "leave in peace and you can leave with your lives, fight us and die."

The foul-smelling man snarled at them "Everyone knows Clan MacLeod is dead, they are nothing more than a story to frighten little children, just like the fae."

"Dead are we" Frank grinned as he smiled at his comrades "well, I have to say, we look remarkably healthy for being dead."

< "Not to mention handsome" Padriac chimed in as he winked at Fallon.

"Oh yes, handsome. . .and we have many, many skills" Frank added as he also winked playfully at several young ladies who were huddled in a corner.

"And apparently humble" Erich said as he rolled his eyes "Not that I’m ungrateful for your assistance, but my sister does look uncomfortable."