[b]Miriam 
Chapter 4: In harms way[/b]

Miriam glowered intently at Walter. Whom answered the stare with a saddened sigh. 
	"I am only trying to help you." The old man shook his head in pity. This was met by Miriam's usual ambivalence, she puffed a breath up at her raggedy bangs and watched Walter dubiously. 
	"I have done fine by myself for [i]twenty[/i] years, alright? I do not need your help." Walter quirked a brow of curiosity, and for a moment inspected the woman obtusely. After an extended pause, he submitted. 	
	"Why?" Miriam only scoffed dismissively. Then paused for a moment, she paced the room half a lap then thrust her arms out in an unknowing shrug of frustration. 
	"I don't know! It's just, what I do." The conversation met its end and Walter's concerned eye was set on Leia, as she barked out in alarm, facing the west-most window. Miriam quickly approached it, leaving any existential debate for later as she peeked out through the mostly shattered ruins of glass remains of the window. The rain had let up since last she looked, yet the storm was incessant, wind howling alongside the occasional roll of thunder. 

	"What now?" Walter mumbled as he joined Miriam's side, peering out through the window, they both stared at the incoming rows of gray inching closer along the dark path. Dotted among the gray lines were bits of light that swayed through the black, rainy abyss that was outside. Miriam and Walter stared dumbfounded until the one of the dots of light left the blob of gray rows, as it approached the house further, it was obviously a lantern on a pitch. Said lantern was accompanied by three men, the two who did not carry the light had drawn their swords, and they were approaching the door ahead of the other lights. 
	"Miriam." Walter began to say as he looked over to his side at the shifty woman. "Get the door, please." There was then a quick rapping on the barely hinged door and a voice spoke up from outside with shivering urgency. 
	"Hello?! We saw your fire, is anyone in there?!"

The men were drenched through, far worse than Walter had been just a few hours ago. Miriam held a hand on the door's edge as she eyed them like one would a broom salesman, that was how she hoped she appeared, at least.
	"Can I help you?" She inquired with a false sing-song voice. This was met by a suspicious exchange of looks and one of the men spoke up, exclaiming their dues. 
	"We are the army, miss. Are you alone here?" As he spoke the actual army came into view behind them, the rows of cloaked soldiers, filed neatly and efficiently, trudged along the road behind them, some spared glances into the cover but most only kept walking. Miriam gave a content smile. 
	"No, actually. There is someone else here - Oh, Walter." The three soldiers trailed Miriam with their eyes as she turned to look across the room, she had expected the old man to be either pale with fear from his exposed lie, or smug, from having proved himself truthful. Instead, she didn't find the man, at all. He simply was not there. Miriam blinked, opening her mouth in surprise and confusion. She scanned the interior of the shack, and there was nothing to hide behind, no exit other than the door, and finally, no Walter. Only Leia sat in the center of the room, upon the four sets of eyes ending at her, the dog barked happily. "Walter?!" Miriam exclaimed, before looking back at the three soldiers with a blundering smile of apology. "He, was here, just a second ago..." The three exchanged another look of suspicious concern, they kept their swords at hand but remained generally nonthreatening, primarily to the fact that they much too soggy, and much too tired. The man holding the light eventually spoke, his voice concerned and slightly uncertain. 
	"You, had best come with us, miss."

Miriam looked back over her shoulder as the house faded out of view. She glanced around her immediate surroundings, unsure what was going on, still trying to puzzle out how Walter had left so abruptly and so quietly. She saw one of the soldiers from before, he was still keeping a hand on the pommel of his sword and a suspicious eye on Miriam. She passed her gaze onward, and saw another soldier, and then five more. They surrounded her and Leia in a semi-circle, all trudging forward down the muddy road, Miriam found herself keeping pace with them, walking out of instinct rather than will. She looked around again, and then voiced her question to the men around her. 
	"What's going on?" The soldiers looked from one another, before one responded dryly. "Just walk." Another soldier at Miriam's other side returned that comment with a frightful tone. 
	"Don't talk to her, Arwyth. She'll put a charm on you!" Some of the men grunted, most returned to a moody silence. Miriam blinked, hopelessly confused. 
	"... Okay. I didn't want to talk to you, anyway." She tutted out in an attempt to save some of her pride, which failed.

As Miriam looked around once more, she saw the same dots of light scattering the lines of gray warriors that marched both ahead and behind her. At her sides were the semi-circle of soldiers guarding her, Miriam found herself in the middle of the King's army, whom in addition believe her to be a witch. Miriam looked down to see Leia pattering onward, her usual jolly self. Miriam however, sighed and looked up at the rain clouds above her, she shut her eyes and whispered angrily.
	 "Screw you, Walter."