DISCLAIMER:  
We've heard it all, so I'll keep this to the point.  I don't own any 
characters of this story.  THey all belong to Shaun and Ron and a little 
place called Universal that we all know and love.

Maea
 	Catlin stood on the battlefield and glanced around in dismay.  
The number of her fallen friends was rising drastically.  She raised her 
bow again, armed with an arrow, and took aim for a Roman on the far 
side of the field.  Before she could release it though, Catlin noticed 
aanother soldier, much closer to her, that already had her in his sights
 	Panic overtook Catlin, for she remembered this man from 
when she was a slave.  She dropped her bow, and act which made the 
Roman smile.  He could read the fear in her eyes and made no show 
of trying to hide the satisfaction from his face.  
 	He started to aim the arrow toward her again, and she begged 
him with her eyes not to kill her.  She wanted to move-- to run away
-- but the fear paralyzed her.  She had never been able to run from him 
before, why should now be any different.
 	Suddenly something caught his attention to the left of Catlin, 
and he eagerly changed his aim.  She glanced to the side to see who 
would make a better kill than her.  She knew immediately that his 
target had to be Conor.
 	The panic that had gripped her heart only moments earlier 
had vanished, as the man who meant more to her than life itself was 
in danger.  She took off running toward him while looking to the right 
to see the roman adjust his aim and fire.  In the moment after he 
released his arrow, the grin on his face was clearly victorious.  Setting 
her sights back onto Conor, Catlin called out his name.
 	"Conor," she cried, and he turned in the battle to face her.  
Seconds later, the arrow pierced his body and he dropped to the earth.   	
"NO!" Catlin yelled, feeling Conor's pain as much as he did.  The archer 
raised her bow and turned back to the Roman, but he was already gone.  
"Damn you!" she screamed in his direction.
 	The woman ran the few remaining paces to Conor's fallen 
body and knelt beside him.  He tried to raise his head off the ground, 
but he was entirely too weak.  
 	"Conor, no.  You're going to be just fine.  Don't worry."
 	He coughed, "How bad is it, Cat?"
 	"Not bad at all, Conor.  Liusaidh will be able to fix you up 
right away, and you'll be out winning hearts in no time at all," she 
smiled weakly, trying to hold back the tears.
 	"I don't know Catlin.  Tully will be jealous of all the 
attention that his woman the healer will have to give me."
 	She laughed lightly.  "I'm sure Tully won't mind for a little 
while."  Catlin inspected the arrow that had pierced his chest, very 
near his heart.  "Conor, you're going to be just fine . . . " She turned 
her face away from him and wiped away a tear that had formed.
 	"Then why are you crying, Cat?" he coughed and blood 
tinted his lips.
 	"You should know me better than that.  Me?  Cry for you?  
Never!"  She wiped the blood from his face.
 	Fergus saw the two in the field and ran to them.  He knelt 
next to his friends and inspected the wound.  "Oh lad, what have ya 
done to yourself here?"
 	"Fergus," he gasped, the young prince=s breathing getting 
more labored by the moment.
 	"Hush boy.  Let us get you back to the Sanctuary."
 	"I'll never make it."
 	"Nonsense, Conor.  You're strong, and Liusaidh is very good 
at what she does.  You'll be fine."
 	Catlin jumped in, "Not to mention that you=re stubborn as 
a mule."
 	"Ha, Catlin.  Flattery will get you no where today," he said 
weakly.


***


 	The mood was somber around the leader's hut as the Liusaidh 
tended over Conor.  Catlin could hear children sobbing in the distance, as 
she controlled her own tears.  'Please Jesus, make him well…' she said to 
herself over and over again.
 	Finally the healer emerged from the small hut, and moved over 
to Catlin, Tully and Fergus.  "I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do for him," 
she said simply.
 	There were gasps from the people as they overheard the 
horrible fate of their leader.  
 	"No, I can't accept that," Catlin spoke flatly.  "He must 
survive."  She ran into the hut to be near Conor.  Before she could 
help it, the tears started to fall.
 	The dying man reached out his hand to her, and she sat 
near his bed.  "Catlin, don't cry for me.  Everything will turn out for 
the good. Perhaps I was destined to die today."
 	"But you weren't, Conor.  This is wrong and I'm going to 
stop it."  She stood and moved through the door, leaving him all alone.
 	"Catlin…" she heard him moan, almost calling her back into 
the room, but she walked on.
 	Fergus stepped in front of her to stop Catlin from running 
away.  "Darlin, you should be with him.  It would bring him comfort 
to have you nearby to…" 
 	She cut him off.  "I'm not going to stand here and have him 
die in my arms, Fergus.  I'm going to find a way to save him."  And 
with that she left the Sanctuary on her horse, and rode off towards 
the Rock Tower.


To be continued...
END PART 1

All comments and critisisms are welcome....


Maea