Tilly

Chapter 1
Tilly woke in a cold sweat, breathing like she had just run a long way.  A frail hand rested reassuringly on her shoulder.
“Bad dream, pet?” Rosaline crooned her eyes tired and cloudy in the oil lamp’s dull glow.  Rosaline was old.  Her once deep brown hair now dull and grey; her skin once so smooth now wrinkled and thin like tissue paper, but her hazel eyes remained deep and mysterious, full of memories of better times.
“Mmm,” Tilly calmed her breathing and nodded.  “It’s dawn now anyway.  Shall I wake the others?”
“Yes.  Today we move down the valley.  Everybody must help.”  Rosaline stood slowly and hobbled out the door and down the steps of the wagon, disappearing into another.  Tilly blew out the small flame on the oil lamp and moved to the other bed to wake the young occupants huddled under the blanket.
“Wake up…” She poked one of the bodies gently and then shook the other.  “Get up!” She pulled back the cover this time, and two small children groaned in disagreement.
“Just five more minutes…” mumbled Anna, groping for the warmth and comfort of the blanket.
“No, you have to get up to help with the move,” coaxed Tilly, pulling the girl to a sitting position.  “Now wake Lucy and dress quickly.”
“Ok,” Anna sighed and jumped to the floor, pulling the blanket from Lucy’s legs. Anna and Lucy were Tilly’s nine year old twin cousins.  They were identical so the only way to tell them apart was by the length of their shiny, black hair. Lucy’s hair had been cut off at her shoulders, while Anna’s hair had been let to grow all the way down to her waist.  The three girls dressed and Tilly plaited Anna and Lucy’s hair.
“How long are we going to stay in the valley?” Lucy asked as they walked over to where the horses were tied up. All together there were six wagons – four with four people in each, and two with food and other things – which meant six horses to take care of everyday.
“We will be in the valley until the elders decide that we should move on.” replied Tilly.  Her long skirt danced around her ankles as a warm westerly wind blew gently. Anna and Lucy ran off to play with Callie as Tilly smiled and waved at Will. Will was sixteen, just a year older then Tilly, with short brown hair and friendly eyes. He was quite tall with skinny limbs and a cheeky grin.  He had joined the group of nomads just six weeks earlier, a lonely, starved soul.  Now he was one of the most cheerful, kindest people in the whole group.
“’Mornin’!” he greeted cheerfully, handing Tilly a brush from a wooden pail.
“Good morning,” She replied, smiling deeply.  She began brushing out one of the horse’s coats vigorously.
“How’s Rosaline this mornin’?” He moved to groom the opposite of Penny, the horse Tilly was working on.

“Ok,” she replied moving to Penny’s rump, “her arthritis is getting better now that the cold months are past.” They chatted about the move down the valley and how good it would be to be able to wash without getting goose skin just at the thought.  It was easy to talk to Will, and grooming the horses seemed to take a lot less time when he was around.  Tilly laughed at a joke he made, and he gazed longingly at her slightly olive skin; wild auburn hair held back from her face with a golden coloured scarf; and deep green eyes.
“What?” she asked, her ears turning pink as she noticed his stare. She smiled sheepishly and bowed her head in a bid not to meet his stare.  A strange feeling bubbled inside her.
“Oh, nothin’,” he shrugged, “I was just wonderin’ how a pretty, well bought up lass like yourself ended up ‘ere, living like a gypsy instead of attendin’ gramma school and takin’ pianna lessons…” his voice trailed off as if suddenly embarrassed by his own question, and he looked away shamefully. Tilly just stared, her eyes moist, quarrelling with herself on how to answer, or whether to answer at all.  A cow bell rang, meaning breakfast was ready and Tilly took the chance to drop the brush back in the pail and walk away in utter confusion over what just happened.
                                      *    *    *    *    *
It was always a challenge to squeeze onto one of the two trestle tables to eat, even when Old Ben and Mr Hardy sat somewhere away from the noisy group.  There were only seventeen people in their little band, but it often seemed like so many more.  Today Tilly managed to get a seat next to Tessa, her closest friend. Tessa was a pretty girl with white skin, rosy cheeks, blue eyes and blonde hair. She wore deep blue skirt that reached her ankles and a white off the shoulder top and always left her beautiful blonde hair down, not even tying a scarf around her head to keep it out of her eyes. She was so unlike Tilly who wore a brown skirt and off the shoulder top with a golden coloured scarf in her hair. One thing all the women in the camp wore though was numerous long and short necklaces, bracelets of gold and silver and hoop earrings.  Tilly wasn’t so good at making the wooden beads, but came up with the prettiest designs.
“Good morning,” Tessa greeted her friend warmly, shuffling down all she could to make room, “sorry I haven’t been down to the horses yet,” she apologised, taking a sip of water from a tin mug. Tilly didn’t answer. She just sat, deep in thought, pushing her porridge around in the bowl. Tessa noticed her friend’s absent mindedness but before she could ask her, a friendly voice piped up behind her.
“Well! Look who just decided to get out o’ bed!” Tessa swung round in her seat and smiled broadly at Will who was standing tall with a bowl of porridge in his hands.
Tilly too, turned around, but just as quickly turned back to face her food again. The smile left Wills face and he said “Well, I’ll see you later then.” Before almost running to join Peter who was sat on a large log by last night’s fire.
“What was all that about?” inquired Tessa, astonished at the awkwardness between the normally joking pair. Tilly just sighed and shrugged her shoulders in response. Inside she was boiling over with anger and confusion. Why had Will asked her about her past so suddenly, while she had been so unprepared? Besides, why did it matter why she was with this gypsy group? The past was in the past and that was all that matted, wasn’t it?



Chapter 2
After breakfast, everyone set to the task of packing everything into the wagons for the move down the valley.  The camp was alive with the hum of excited and curious people. Most had been living with the group for at least a year so they had stayed in the valley before; but Tessa, Will, Patrick, Jack and Maggie had never been there before. Maggie and Tessa were sisters who had been disowned from a wealthy family in Miaton; Patrick just kind of found the group one day and never left; Jack was only thirteen, but had joined the group of misfits after being orphaned; and Will had, apparently, been living on the streets of Conolon for some time before Peter brought him back to their band one day. Nobody really knew one another’s pasts. Rosaline did though. Rosaline knew everything there was to know about everyone, even the things you didn’t want her to know.
When Tilly was finished helping Anna and Lucy pack up some of their things in the wagon she went to find Gwendolyn to see if she needed any help.  She was in the food wagon, as expected and greeted Tilly with a huge hug. Gwendolyn was a largish woman with greying hair in her mid thirties. She was in charge of food and an excellent cook.
“How are you, sweet?” she spoke in her strong North Country accent that Tilly so loved.
“Oh, tired…excited” She sounded less than enthusiastic.
“What’s getting you down? Is it that Wild Will?” Nothing could be kept from Gwendolyn.
Tilly stared at the floor wishing it would swallow her up, “He asked me why I lived here and not in a house with my family!” She went on “He thought I should be attending grammar school and learning to play the piano! It just…came so unexpectedly, and I didn’t answer, and when the cow bell rang I just ran off like an idiot!”  Gwendolyn smiled warmly and placed a hand on her shoulder.  “And how embarrassed do you think he was?  I’ll bet he’s feelin’ worse than you, honey.”
“But…”
“No buts.” Gwendolyn moved away from Tilly and went back to what she was doing. “It will sort itself out.  Now go pack ye’ things.”  Tilly sighed and descended the wagon stairs deep in thought.
                                    *    *    *    *    *
By the time everything was packed up and the horses where reined to the wagons it was midmorning.  Old Ben explained the plan to the small group gathered beside him.
“Mr ‘ardy and Patrick will drive the front wagons, then Peter, Maggie and Gwendolyn will drive the rest with me’ self bringin’ up the rear.” Will kicked the ground with frustration.  He hated not being let to drive one of the wagons.  “Now, it’s a long trip so we want as many people as we can walking so as to save the ‘orses’ energy.  Rosaline, Kay-lee, and Charlotte will ride.  The rest o’ ye’ will walk.”
Kay-lee was heavily pregnant and Charlotte was her ten month old daughter.  Teddy was also her child and Peter was the children’s father.  Tilly liked Kay-lee.  She was very nice, in her early twenties with long wavy brown hair.  She was an excellent mother to her children, despite her youth.
                                        *    *    *    *    *
The small group of nomads set off with the wagons in single file and people walking either beside or behind them. Tilly walked with Lucy while Anna and Callie ran ahead, chatting with Patrick.  Tessa and Jack were comparing knowledge of the valley.  They always compared their knowledge on something.  Tessa was quite smart, bur so was Jack.
‘Will must be walking behind the wagons’ Tilly thought ‘I can’t see him’. She looked around and decided to find him.
“Hey, Lucy…” she pushed the little girl towards Tessa and Jack “Walk with them for a while, Ok?” and stopped walking, waiting for the wagons to pass her.  It, didn’t take long to spot Will sitting in the steps of the last wagon, hanging his head and chewing a piece of wheat grass.  Tilly began walking beside him and said “You know.  I don’t think I would be able to play the piano very well.” Will looked up in surprise. “My fingers aren’t long enough.” She smiled and Will smiled back.
“I agree,” Will replied “Much too stubby!” Tilly gave him a playful push and Will jumped off the wagon, extending his hand toward where he had been sitting.
“Thank you, but I’m fine.” Tilly smiled and was about to say something else when a scream ripped through the nippy morning air.  It wasn’t just a scream, though. It was a blood chilling, ice cold, terrified scream.  The wagons stopped abruptly and Tilly and Will ran to see what had happened.
Everyone was gathering around the side of the dirt road, although it wasn’t really a road; just a track.  Beyond the track was a tangle of trees and shrubs that continued on for a long time.
“What’s happened?” Tilly pushed past Tessa and Lucy.  Anna was standing in the middle of the group with tears streaming down her cheeks.  Maggie was comforting the little girl best she could, but nobody knew what the matter was.
“Anna!” Tilly cried, wrapping her arms around her “What’s the matter?  What’s happened?”  Anna sniffed then pointed into the woods.  Tilly looked, but couldn’t see anything.  Mr Hardy edged down the small mound and into the trees.  He was gone for a minute then came marching back to the group, a troubled look on his face.  He whispered something in Old Ben’s ear and the two disappeared into the third wagon and reappeared with a shovel each.
“What’s going on?” Jack asked “What’s down there?” But the two men didn’t answer.  They just strode into the trees silently.
“Right.” Gwendolyn took charge “We’ll ‘ave mornin’ tea now.  I’ll fine some fruit cake shall I.” and she receded into the food wagon.  Anna had stopped crying now, but Tilly could see she was still upset so she took her into their wagon to lie down.

“How is she?” Tessa asked when Tilly rejoined the group outside.
“She’s Ok.  Rosaline’s looking after her.  She said something about a dead body.”
Tessa’s eyes widened “Do you think there could be one down there?”
Tilly shrugged.  “If there is I don’t want to know.” She had no desire to see a lifeless body, or be told how it had become lifeless in the first place.  The very thought of it made her shiver.
“Neither do I,” Tessa protested “But if there is…Well, how do you think they died?”
“Murdered.” Will looked uneasy. “I ‘eard Old Ben telling Peter about it.”
“Oh, god…” Tilly swallowed “But that means there’s…”                                                    “A murderer out there somewhere.” Will finished.  The usual spark in his eyes was turned to fear.  The three stood silently, fear cascading over them like a waterfall.



Chapter 3
By the time the wagons got going again, Tilly had composed herself.  She still felt uneasy, but she knew she was safe.  There was a whole group of them, and only one murderer.

After a few hours of walking, the group stopped for lunch by a small stream.  The sun was high in the sky and the air was warm.  The children waded while Gwendolyn prepared lunch.  Tilly, Tessa and Will watered the horses, and then sat on a large flat rock to eat their share of bread, cold roast beef and a small amount of cheese.
“I’m going to look for mushrooms Tessa said when she had finished her lunch.
“I’ll come too,” Tilly brushed the crumbs from her skirt.  The two girls left Will and the others and ventured into the trees around the stream, forgetting all about the body Anna had found earlier that day.
“Found some.” Tilly called to her friend, and began pulling the mushrooms from the ground.  Tessa joined her, and the two chatted while pulling mushrooms from the bases of trees.
“Will likes you.”  Tessa said suddenly.  Tilly dropped the mushroom she had picked and a look of doubt crept across her face.  She opened and closed her mouth as if she wanted to say something, then finally said “What makes you think he likes me?”
Tessa raised her eye-brows and grinned. “Oh, just the fact that he always sits next to you, is always around you and, oh… the fact that he turned bright red, and practically ran away from me when I asked him if he likes you.”
Tilly thought for a second and then said “Well then, I suppose I have an admirer!” Then she gathered the mushrooms into her skirt and cried “Race you back!” before scurrying away from Tessa.  Tessa quickly dashed after her, trying to catch her up.
Tilly loved the feeling of pine needles under her bare feet, and the wind in her hair.  She darted between trees and under low branches.  She was about to jump a large rock when a flash of red caught her eye.  She stopped and dropped to the ground sending the mushrooms rolling down the slight hill.  Tilly kept as still as she could and watched.  Sure enough after a minute or two, she spied another flash of colour, moving fast towards the left.  Tilly jumped to her feet and took up pursuit of the stranger.  She jumped a felled log and darted between trees.  The stranger was fast, but she was faster.  Closer and closer she came to the stranger until she was right on their heels.
“Wait, I don’t want to hurt you!” she cried.  Then a thought came across her.  ‘Was this the murderer?’ She dismissed the thought immediately, before taking a huge lunge towards this Jane Doe.  Both girls came crashing to the ground.  Tilly stood, grasping her left shoulder.  She had landed on it when she fell, and already it was slightly swollen.  Jane Doe stood too, unhurt.  She looked Tilly up and down before saying “What do you want?” in a crude way.
“To talk to you.” Tilly answered.  Jane Doe stared at Tilly waiting for the questions.
“Well, what’s your name and why are you out here alone?”
“Xena, and that’s none of your business.” Xena retorted.  Xena was tall.  Taller than Tilly, with wavy honey brown hair and porcelain white skin.  She wore a white short sleeved blouse that showed more of her bosom than was respectable, and a long red skirt with a split up the side so that she was able to expose her leg whenever she pleased.  She was beautiful, but Tilly didn’t like her.
“How old are you?” She looked no more than sixteen
“Wouldn’t you like to know?”
“Where do you live?”
“Where ever I please.”
Tilly frowned.  She heard her name being called so she called back.  Maggie came into the clearing and saw Xena.  Xena wasn’t too interested and was about to walk away when Will rushed into the clearing.  As soon as she saw him, Xena smirked, then put on a, well practiced, anguished face and began limping.  Will saw her, and rushed to her aid, taking her arm and helping her walk.  Tilly just looked on in bewilderment.
“I’m Xena.” She heard her say softly to Will, wincing every time she stepped on her ‘sore foot’.
“I’m Will.  Where are you staying tonight?” Xena looked away, pretending to be embarrassed at the question. “Well, I…”
“You can stay with us.  I’m sure Rosalyn won’t mind.” Will looked to Tilly and Maggie.  Maggie smiled warmly and went to help Xena while Tilly just scowled.  Xena caught her eye and smirked before going back to her innocent act.  Tilly, feeling like a fool, stalked back to the camp.



Chapter 4
The group set up camp for the night further down the stream.  Xena had been invited to stay with them as long as she liked.  Will had not left her side.  Not even to feed the horses.
Tilly’s shoulder was still sore, but she decided against telling anyone.  The evening was cool and Tilly wrapped herself in a shawl and sat close to the fire.  Mr Hardy and Old Ben were still talking privately, about the dead body of cause, and even sat away from the group after supper.  Tilly suspected they were planning to take turns at keeping watch tonight.  Anna had gone to bed early, and hadn’t been able to eat anything.  Tilly wondered about the body.  Had it been intact or was it a bloody mess?  She shivered at the thought and turned her attention back to the fire and its flames as they licked at the large log Peter had just put on.  Xena laughed and clapped at a joke Will had made.  Tilly fumed as she watched the pair across the fire.  Finally she decided she couldn’t stand it any longer and retreated to bed.
                                        *    *    *    *    *
The next morning was, again, an early start and the group set off earlier than the day before.  Tilly, whose shoulder felt even worse than yesterday, trudged along at the back of the group, kicking the ground.  She went to kick a pebble but stubbed her toe.
“Ouch!” she exclaimed as she hobbled to catch up to the last wagon and perch on its step.  The last wagon happened to be Kay-lee’s so she knocked on the door and pulled herself inside.
Kay-lee was sitting on one of the beds, playing with Charlotte.  She smiled at Tilly and motioned her onto the bed.
“How are you this morning?” Tilly asked.  Charlotte gurgled at a face she made.
“Good.” Kay-lee nodded “But believe you me, I will not be sad the day this baby comes out!” Tilly smiled.  She knew Kay-lee didn’t overly enjoy being pregnant, but if the tables were turned, she’d much rather be pregnant than give birth.  She had seen it with Charlotte when she had been born and it seemed an incredibly painful task!  Tilly was about to say something more when suddenly, the wagon stopped.  ‘What now?’ though Tilly as she ambled from the wagon.  As she came closer to the front of the wagons, the problem became apparent.  A large town lay in their path.  Normally this wouldn’t have been an issue, but Tilly new for a fact that Tessa and Maggie had come from this town; from Miaton.  Maggie just climbed into one of the wagons and slammed the door, but Tessa stood, looking down on the town from the hill.  Tilly stood next to her, saying nothing.
“Maggie and I where disowned, you know.” She said.  Tilly nodded.
“Do you know why?”
“No.”
“Because I fell in love with a commoner.” Tears began to roll down Tessa’s cheeks. “I cost both of us a life of privilege.  Maggie was going to marry a nice doctor.  Then I made a stupid mistake.” She wiped her face with her sleeve then disappeared into another wagon, and the group set off again.  Tilly loved it when they passed through towns.  It meant more flour to make bread, more yellow meal (Which wasn’t something Tilly and the others really looked forward to, but it was cheap.) and of cause, sweets.  The women had been busy making wooden pegs and small dolls, mixing herbal remedies and collecting watercress so as to go hawking when they arrived in the next town.  This is how they earned the money to buy the things they needed as well as the luxuries like sweets and candles.

The town square was alive with busy people going about their day.  It was slow going to get through the crowds with the wagons as there where a lot of people about.  Tilly ran ahead with Anna and Callie, looking in all the shop windows and smelling all the wonderful smells.  When they passed the town square, the group stopped at a quiet place and the women readied themselves to go hawking.  Tilly was paired with Anna, Gwendolyn with Callie and Rosalyn with Lucy.  They set off in different directions with their baskets brimming with things to sell.  Tilly and Anna where sent to the streets west of the town square, but not too far from it.  Their first house was small a cottage, the occupants probably no better off then them.  Anna knocked on the door and quickly darted back behind Tilly’s skirts.  A thin woman in her mid fifties answered the door.  She was wearing the dirtiest clothes Tilly had ever seen, and her eyes were sunken and bloodshot.  Tilly wasn’t sure if this woman could even hear so she just held out her basket and swept her hand across it to show that the things were for sale.  The woman peered into the basket and pointed to a small jar of camomile ointment.
“Four pence.” Tilly said as Anna lifted the small jar from the pile in the centre of the basket.
“No, too much!” The woman haggled “Tuppence!”
“Thruppence.  No less.  No more.” Tilly declared.  The woman mumbled something and
pulled some coins out of a pocket in her dress and handed them to Anna.  Anna took
them and counted them carefully, the way Tessa had shown her, before handing over the
ointment.  The woman took it with a dirty hand and shuffled back into the dark
cottage.  Tilly, happy with the sale, walked quickly around the little rotting fence to the
next house.  Anna knocked on the door, someone answered, haggled with Tilly over the
price of an item and then closed their door, leaving Tilly and Anna to knock on the next door.  This happened at almost every house and after almost an hour the basket was almost empty.
“Oh, Tilly! My feet hurt. And my knuckles hurt from knocking on so many doors!” Anna complained, plodding along behind the older girl.
“The basket’s almost empty.  We’ll go back soon.”  They were approaching the town square now, and were in the allies that led off of it.  There was all sorts of things stuck on the dirty ally walls, including wanted posters.  Usually Tilly wouldn’t have taken any notice, but one of the posters caught her eye.  The person in the picture looked familiar.  She frowned and studied the person, trying to think where she had seen them.  Then it hit her; like an anvil dropping from a two story building; like a slap to the back of the head.  It was Xena.  But it didn’t say Xena, it said Cate.  Tilly read the whole page best she could, though she wasn’t very good at reading;
                                              W A N T E D
                                              Cate Gilligan
                Wanted for robbery of her mistress’s jewels and money.
                                        Reward: 500 pounds
Tilly’s eyes widened as she dropped her basket, ripped the poster from the wall and shoved it in her pocket.
                                        *    *    *    *    *
After lunch and a trip to the sweet shop with a spare pound, the group set off again, hoping to make it to the valley by dark.  Tilly hurried along after the wagons, her head spinning from all the thoughts and possibilities whirling around in her brain.  She tried to settle herself by sucking on a soft caramel.  Tilly loved caramels and the way they stuck to the roof of her mouth flooded her taste buds with the most splendid taste.  She finished the one she was eating and stuck the other in her pocket for later.  She decided to ask Xena, or Cate as the poster said, about the whole business with the poster later.  For now she wanted to enjoy the sunny afternoon, and ran to catch up with Tessa, who had finally come out of the wagon.

It was almost dark by the time they reached the valley.  The climb down into it had been strenuous, but it was worth it just to be in the valley, surrounded by trees abundant in fruit and bushes teeming with berries. 
Since it was dark, they decided to unpack the bulk of their things in the morning, and unpacked only the food wagon so they could eat.  Supper that night was more of a celebration feast with meat, cheese, bread, sago and as much fruit as one desired.  It was a jolly evening, and Mr. Hardy even brought out his fiddle and played some merry tunes while everyone danced around the fire.  Tilly was so contented that not even Xena could spoil her night.  By the time she got to bed, Tilly was so exhausted that she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

The next morning Tilly found Xena washing her face by the stream a little way from the camp. 
“Hello, Cate.” Tilly said quietly, standing behind her.
“What did you call me?” Xena asked startled.  There was a touch of alarm in her voice as she stood and turned to face Tilly.  Tilly unfolded the wanted poster and read it out loud.
“Wanted.  Cate Gilligan. For robbery of her mistress’s money and jewels.  Reward, five hundred pounds.” Tilly held up the poster so that Xena could see it.  Xena’s eyes widened with fear.  “I didn’t do it.” She said abruptly.  She suddenly seemed jumpy and scared, like a mouse.
“But you did.  It says you did!” Tilly pushed the poster further into Xena’s face.  Xena began mumbling to herself and pacing.  Then she stopped and looked at Tilly. “But you wont tell anyone, will you?” she came closer to Tilly “Will you!” she seemed different, almost crazed.  Tilly took a step back.
“Listen, Cate…”
“Don’t call me that!” Xena shrieked.  Tilly became uneasy.  This person in front of her was becoming paranoid, pacing and mumbling.
“Why does it say you did it, if you didn’t?” Tilly asked carefully.
“Because it wasn’t me…No, it wasn’t…It was him…he made me do it…” Tilly couldn’t understand much of Xena’s mumblings.
“Who made you do it?”
“It was him…He said that if …He would kill me…so I did it…he tried to kill me.”
Tilly suddenly realized what had been staring her in the face the whole time “You killed the man we found in the woods, didn’t you?”
“No…no…NO! I didn’t....I didn’t mean to…But you believe me…don’t you!”
“Yes, I believe you.” Tilly answered.  She didn’t know what to think.
“No…you don’t believe me…you think I am a killer…” Xena was still pacing “But I like it here…with Will and Lucy…You want to take me away…to that room…That dark room…”
“No, I don’t.  I want to help you.” Tilly said, edging closer to this crazed girl.
“No…you want to take me…Well I won’t let you…I won’t let you!”  And with that, Xena lunged at Tilly, pulling her to the ground.  Tilly fought back wildly.  She screamed for help, then found some skin and bit down, hard.  Her incisor tooth pierced Xena’s arm, but she seemed not to notice.  Tilly pulled an arm free and punched Xena as hard as she could.  She hit her nose and Xena let go of Tilly’s arms long enough for her to struggle free and run.  She ran towards the camp, screaming for help through terrified breaths.  She could hear Xena trying to catch her up, but Tilly knew she was faster; much faster. 
“Help!” She screamed again, then tripped on a tree root and toppled to the ground.  Xena was on top of her in a split second.  Again Tilly fought her hardest, but Xena fought harder.  It all seemed to go in slow motion.  Xena pulled something that resembled a knife from her skirt and brought it close to Tilly’s neck.  Tilly tried pushing her hands away, but she wasn’t strong enough.  She looked up into Xena’s eyes and saw fear; pure fear.  Behind all the beauty, the innocent acts and the anger; fear.  She closed her eyes, preparing herself for the force of the knife, but it didn’t come.  She opened her eyes again.  Xena was no longer pinning her to the ground, she was screaming and crying and yelling abuse at Mr. Hardy and Patrick who were restraining her.  Peter, Will and Maggie where hovering around Tilly, while Tessa held something against her arm.
“She was trying to kill me…” was all she could manage to say.
Tessa nodded “You’re safe now.  You’re safe now.”