THE HATE YOU TRUST by valerie

Attempt at disclaimer: None of the below or previous characters belong 
to me unless you've never heard of them before. All others belong to 
Universal studios and the creators, writers and directors of the tv show 
ROAR. Hope that's good enough!
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        Alasdair stumbled tiredly. Her clothes were soiled with the blood 
of her family and friends. She was so tired...So so tired... She fell on 
the soft grass and closed her eyes. She would soon rejoin her clan...

        *She ran through the forest. She had to find a deer or her brother
would forever tease her. 'You might be able to fight Alas, but girls can't
hunt. They don't have the instinct.' She fumed at the memory. She was 
going to prove him wrong by bringing back the largest deer her family 
had ever seen! She froze out in the clearing a Buck was calmly grazing. 
Strange... Why was it out in the open like that? She crouched down 
and adjusted her grip on her spear. "Forgive me..." She threw her spear. 
The arrow shaped metal tip pierced it's way through the unsuspecting 
animals heart. Alasdair stood up and quickly made her way to her kill. 
She wanted to get to it as fast as she could. If the Buck was still alive, 
she wanted to finish it off and cut his time of misery. She came to a 
halt at the animal's fallen form. Gently she placed her ear to the still 
body and listened for a heart beat. There was none. "Your death will 
not be in vain my friend. You will be appreciated fully." She caressed 
the soft fur and prepared the animal for the journey home.
        Alasdair walked tall despite the heavy weight of the buck on her
shoulders. She was proud of her kill. She would prove her brother wrong 
and perhaps tease him a little, for even he had never brought back an 
animal this size! She laughed out loud. She could already picture the 
shock that her brother's face would dictate when she carried the buck 
into the house. She stepped out from the shelter of the forest trees and 
into the clearing where her family's fort was situated. She dropped the
buck. Something was wrong... Smoke was rising from somewhere within 
the fort boundaries... A lot of smoke... She dashed towards her home. 
"Allana!" She screamed in anguish. Her friend was lying on the ground 
her white dress soaked with her dark thick blood. She took the other girls 
hand, "No..." She looked around frantically. Where was her family? She 
got up and ran to her hut. She pushed through the skins and stormed 
inside. Smoke filled the air and stung at her eyes. She coughed and 
coughed and screamed, " Ma! Da! Devlin! No!!!" The smoke was 
seeping into her lungs closing of the air to her body. She was
suffocating. "Ma! Da! Devlin! Answer me!" She was walking blindly 
through the smoke when something caught her foot and she fell. She 
groped around and bumped into someone. "Devlin! No!" She yelped 
dropping upon him. Large flames arose and lightened the hut. There 
on the floor her Father, her Mother and her Brother's body lay, in 
separate pools of blood... "Noooo!"*

        "No..." 
        Conor and Fergus turned to look upon the sleeping woman.
        "She looks familiar." Conor said softly.
        Fergus haunched, "If you would be so lucky! She's quite pretty."
        Conor smiled then turned to Madhia. The Healer laid a hand on 
the woman's forehead. Her fever had gone down. "If she doesn't wake to 
eat, we'll surely lose her."
        "No... Please..."
        They turned to look at the woman, "Do you think she got away 
from the Roman's" Conor asked Fergus.
        The warrior nodded, "Maybe."
        "How is she?" Catlin asked quietly as she entered Madhia's hut. 
She sat down beside Fergus.
        "The fever's gone." He answered her.
        Conor stood up, his eyes still on the young woman. She looked 
so familiar! "I've got to go. I promised Damon I'd go fishing with him 
and Tully."
        "Bye Conor." Fergus and Catlin said simultaneously.
        When Conor left, Catlin turned to Fergus, "He still thinks she 
looks familiar?" 
        Fergus nodded, "I don't see from where he could know her. I 
don't remember ever seeing her before now."
        "Please..." The young woman stirred. Her eyes slowly opened.
        Madhia immediately moved to the woman's side, "Catlin, 
there's some stew in the pot."
        Catlin went to pour some into a wood bowl and brought it back 
to Madhia.
        "You must eat." The Heeler exclaimed as Alasdair's eyes hazily
focused on her. 
        The woman closed her eyes and withdrew from the people 
around her.
        "No. You will eat. Now wake up." The Heeler's voice rang out 
with authority.
        Alasdair's eyes opened weakly. She was stunned at the elderly 
woman's tone.
        With a stern look still plastered on her face Madhia brought a
spoonful of stew to the young woman's lips, "Open up." She ordered 
as she was met with resistance, "Now."
        Alasdair stared back at her in challenge. The other woman's eyes
burned threateningly through her. This lady was crazy! Her lips parted 
and allowed for the warm stew to slide saltily down her throat.
        "I'll get Conor." Fergus said leaving.
        Alasdair watched as the muscular man got up and left. Her eyes
traveled to the other woman. She looked to be about her age, rather 
pretty with her long light brown hair and clear blue eyes.
        Catlin smiled reassuring her that everything would be o.k.,"You're
safe." She whispered.
        Alasdair kept her eyes on the young woman; studying her. The 
older woman kept on spooning her this stew. She had had enough of 
this bitter stew. She shut her mouth and refused to have any more of it.
        "Don't trifle with me girl." Madhia brought the spoon back to the
young woman's lips and and let out a smile when she accepted the stew.
        "This is Madhia, the Healer. I'm Catlin and the man that just left
was Fergus." Catlin introduced politely. She waited and was hoping that 
the Madhia's patient would volunteer  her name but after several silent 
minutes it became clear that she wasn't going to. 
        "What's your name?"
        Alasdair swallowed a spoonful of stew. Already she could feel her
strength coming back to her. Her name? What did it matter... She had no
home... no family... "Alasdair," She answered softly. 
        Conor, Tully and Fergus entered the hut.
        Alasdair's eyes moved to rest upon them, studying each of them 
in turn.
        "Look's like the young lass is sizing us up!" Fergus teased with a
smile. 
        Alasdair turned away.
        "Alasdair this is Conor and Tully, and I told you about Fergus."
        "How are you feeling?" Conor asked approaching the young woman.
        "Better." She lied not bothering to look at the man who spoke 
to her.
        "It was Conor who found you." Tully informed her. She owed 
him a little respect. The least she could do was look at when he spoke 
to her.
        At that statement, she turned to look at the man called Conor. He
was the one responsible for her pain! "You had no right!" She said 
loudly with anger. She pushed herself up with the little energy she 
had, "You had no right to bring me here! This is YOUR fault!" She 
threw herself off the bed and at him.
        Conor held the angry weak young woman as she tried to hit 
him with her clenched fists. His friends came to dislodge her from him.
        "Get out! Get out! All of you!" She screamed struggling madly to
free herself from Catlin and the Healer's grasp.
        "Leave us!" Madhia ordered them. She looked up at Catlin, "You 
too." She added.
        Alasdair fought the two women holding  her down, "Let go!" She
ordered enraged, "Let... me...go!"
        Conor, Tully and Fergus turned to leave. 
        Catlin followed them out, "What was that about?"
        The others haunched.
        "Tully we should go meet Damon."
        The others looked at their leader. Tully nodded.
        "Does she still look familiar now that she's awake Conor?" Fergus 
asked.
        Conor hesitated. He was sure he knew her from somewhere, "Yes. 
She does." With that he turned away and headed towards the river bank.
        "This is really bothering him." Catlin exclaimed surprised at Conor's
reactions, "I don't understand why though."
        "Well I've got to go." Tully said then took off after Conor.
        Fergus and Catlin watch them leave then looked at each other.
        "The lass was quite angry."
        Catlin nodded, "I think she was planning on dying out there."
        "And Conor ruined that plan." 
        Catlin nodded. She looked towards Madhia's hut. Everything had 
quiet again, "I want to see her again. She obviously hurting. Maybe I can 
help."
        "I don't think the lass is too keen on seeing any of us right now."
Fergus declared frowning.
        "Well I'm still going to go and see her. Besides she's not really
angry at me. She's angry with Conor." She smiled at Fergus and returned 
to Madhia's.

        The healer and Alasdair turned to see who had entered the hut. The
young woman turned away and closed her eyes.
        Catlin came by her bad and sat on a tree stump. She looked at 
Madhia who shook her head disapprovingly yet she did not drive Catlin 
away. The lass needed someone right now. The healer arranged her things 
then quietly left.
        "Conor didn't mean any harm." She said gently. 
        Alasdair closed her eyes painfully. She should have been with her
family by now...
        "Do you have a family we can take you to?" Catlin tried unknowing 
of the fire she was getting herself into.
        The other woman shook her head cautiously without opening her 
eyes.
        Catlin's stomach tightened. It was possible that the blood on the
clothes she had been wearing was the blood of her family. If so, it 
would explain her reluctance to live. 
        "What happened Alasdair?"
        The other woman shook her head, "Nothing..." She whispered 
opening her eyes.
        Catlin was shocked to see the passiveness in her brown eyes. 
They turned on her.
        "Where am I?" 
        Catlin smiled lightly, "You're safe. This is our Sanctuary. People
from all over live here. People who have lost their homes, or their
family... All of us have lost something..."
        "Everyone?"
        Catlin nodded, "Tully has no family. He was pulled from a trade 
ship by Galen when he was four. I was a slave... For the Romans. Then 
Conor freed me." She smiled lightly as Alasdair watched her; listening. 
"Fergus is the champion of a family that Conor has lost. You see, even 
we have lost something." 
        They were silent a while. Alasdair began thinking about Conor. She
still hated him. This was all his fault. And why did she think he looked 
so familiar!?!! "From what family is Conor?" She asked suddenly.
        Catlin was surprised by the question, "His father was King 
Derek."
        Alasdair's heart skipped a beat but she kept her calm front.
        "Do you know of him?"
        "No." Alasdair answered as casually as she could manage. 
"Should I?"
        Catlin haunched, "Many people have heard of him."
        Alasdair yawned.
        "I'll let you rest. If you're lucky Madhia will see you sleeping
when she brings her stew and she won't wake you!"
        Alasdair smiled and nodded. She watched as Catlin left then turned
onto her side. Conor and Fergus... So they meet again...
        
     Catlin walked towards Fergus who was preparing dinner. "Well she 
doesn't have a family. She won't talk about what happened either." She 
took a sniff at the broth the warrior was stirring. "Uakk! It smells worst 
than Madhia's!"
        Fergus frowned, "Why don't you fetch Tully and Conor. Get out of 
my sight before I lose my temper!"
        Catlin smiled in satisfaction and made her way towards the creek. 
"Tully, Conor, it's time to eat! Damon, are you going to join us tonight?"
        The young boy nodded and jumped off the rock he was standing on 
and ran towards Catlin. "Come on Conor, Tully!" He called after them. 
He grabbed Catlin's hand and dragged her away.
        Conor picked up Damon's discarded spear and went up to Tully.
        "Still thinking about Alasdair?"
        Conor shook his head, "I've decided that if I knew her, then I would 
have remembered her by now."
        Tully shook his head, "Are you trying to fool me or yourself?" With 
that the young man picked up the pace and got to the small camp first.
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        Alasdair sucked in her breath and pushed herself to a sitting position. 
Her head began to spin and she closed her eyes for awhile to fight it off. 
Slowly as the swirling blur in his head began to subside, she tentatively 
opened her eyes. There on a likely table lay her clothes. They were clean. 
Someone must have washed them while she had been out cold.
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        "Sorry Conor, but everything is finished!" Fergus declared.
        "You big Ox! You didn't leave any for me!" 
        "You were taking too long. It was getting cold and I hated to see it go 
to waste!"
        Conor shook his head and rolled his eyes.
        "Here you go Conor." Catlin said as she passed him a bowl of broth 
and some bread. "There's some meat too if you want."
        Conor smiled, "Thanks Catlin, atleast one of you cares if I get food 
or not!"
        Fergus and Tully broke into hearty laughter.
        "Conor." Damon broke in seriously.
        They quieted and turned to look a the young child.
        "What is it Damon?" Conor asked.
        Damon nodded behind Conor.
        The young Leader turned to see Alasdair dressed and heading 
towards the stairs that would bring her to the outside.
        They all got to their feet.
        "My God, she shouldn't be up yet!" Catlin exclaimed. "Alasdair!" 
She called heading towards the other woman.
        Alasdair turned to see them and quickened her pace. 
        "Alasdair! Wait!" Conor called after her. The four friends started 
after her. Conor turned to their young friend, "Get Madhia Damon!" The
boy nodded and took off in another direction calling for the Healer.
        They were gaining quickly on Alasdair who was in no state to run. 
Suddenly she stumbled and fell to her knees.
        Conor reached her first and bent down to give her a hand up.
        "Don't touch me Conor! You Bastard! I don't want anything to do 
with you!" Alasdair yelled at him eyes glaring accusingly as she ripped 
herself from his helping hands.
        The young man stepped away and stared at her in confusion, "What 
have I done to anger you?" He asked.
        "You don't remember me do you?" She glanced up at Fergus then 
back at Conor, "It's just like you! Both of you!" She spat and pushed 
herself up with determination.
        Conor reached over to steady her as she swayed. Alasdair pulled 
away with such force that she fell back down. The persistent Conor 
went to help her again.
        "Let me be! I don't need your help!" She turned onto Conor and 
threw a punch that caught him scare in the jaw. Conor fell back onto his 
rear. He looked up at her startled. It was then that he was sure he knew 
her, "Alasdair..."
        "Alasdair?" Fergus repeated in awe as old memories filled his mind. 
He slowly approached the young woman, "Sweet Brigit! It is you!" He 
bent down to pick her up.
        Tully and Catlin watched in surprise. They knew her?
        "Fergus let me go!" She yelled as the warrior took her into his arms, 
"I'm not a child anymore! I can take care of myself!"
        "Stop whinning Alas!" He said as he started down the stairs, "You 
should be in bed!"
        Alasdair squirmed and tried to push herself from his arms, "I'm 
not staying here! Let go!"
        "Quiet down Lass!" Fergus' voice boomed as he carried her away.
        Conor stood watching them... Alasdair... It's been a long time...
        "Who is she Conor?" Catlin asked going to stand by him. Tully also 
aproached.
        "We knew her a long time ago..." Conor replied softly. He looked at 
them, "I'm going to turn in. I'll see you all in the morning." He smiled 
tiredly and made his way down the rocky stair case towards the waterfall 
behing which his solitary cave was hidden.
        "Conor's too emotional. It'll get him in trouble." Tully exclaimed 
softly. 
        Catlin turned to glare at her friend and sighed shaking her head, 
"You'll get used to it," She whispered and started down to the plane 
of the sanctuary. 
        Tully watched as everyone left him. His mind turned to Alasdair. 
What a pretty thing she was! He grinned at the thoughts that unravelled 
in his mind. A small laugh escaped from him...


        Fergus laid Alasdair down on the bed while Mahdia lectured the 
girl on trying to leave in her weak condition. Alasdair remained silent 
and nodded to Madhia whenever the Healer posed her a question. 
Finally she left after she had made sure that Alasdair was safely trapped 
under a mountain of furs.
        The young woman turned to look at Fergus. 
        The warrior offered her a smile, "It's good to see you again lass."
He moved a stool to her bed and sat down, "How's your Ma and Da and 
your brother?"
        Alasdair turned away, "They're gone..." She whispered closing her 
eyes.
        Fergus lowered his head in sympathy. Her Da was a great 
honorable warrior... Her brother was following in his footsteps. And her 
Ma! What a cook! He loved receiving little bundles from her! What a 
treat! "I'm sorry... How?"
        Alasdair shook her head, "Not now Fergus," She answered softly.
        "Alright, Lass." He looked at her sadly. Here lay the little girl that 
Aiden and Conor used to play with. He stroked her head, "Look at you 
now! All grown up! And so pretty too!"
        Alasdair turned to look at the warrior and bore a slight smile, "How 
have you been Fergus?" She asked politely.
        "I couldn't complain. Conor's twenty years old now, so you would 
be nineteen. Am I right?"
        Alasdair nodded smiling.
        "Hi Alasdair, Fergus. Do you mind if I join you?" Catlin asked 
stepping into the hut.
        Alasdair shook her head and Catlin entered the hut. 
        "Fergus, I really should go."
        Fergus' lips tightened sternly, "Why is that Lass?"
        "There's not enough room here for me and Conor. There's no way..."
        Fergus sighed, "Where would you go Alas?"
        The young lady didn't know the answer to the Warrior's question, 
"I can't tell you."
        "You can't tell me because you have nowhere to go. You'll stay 
here with us and that's that."
        Alasdair began to protest, "Fergus you can't-"
        "Ah, ah, ah." Fergus waved a finger at her, "Don't argue with me 
Lass. I know what's best for yah. You'll not be going anywhere. No 
use in trying to convince me otherwise, my mind's made up."
        "You'll like it here." Catlin shipped in offering her support.
        Alasdair frowned, "I doubt it..." She replied softly.
        Fergus and Catlin glanced at each other. They both stood up to 
leave, "Get some rest Lass. We'll give you a tour when you wake. And 
don't try to sneak out. I'll be watching." Fergus declared as he pushed 
Catlin towards the door.
        "See you later Alasdair." 
        The other woman smiled at Catlin. When she was gone she turned 
to look at Fergus, "You're making a big mistake Fergus. I don't 
belong here."
        Fergus aproached her one last time, "Conor said the same thing. 
But fate brought him and me here. Just as it brought you. It was his 
destiny, it is my destiny, and it is probably your destiny."
        Alasdair shivered, "I don't believe in fate and I don't believe in 
destiny."
        "Suit yourself lass. Now get some rest."
        Alasdair watched as Fergus left Madhia's hut. She was all alone 
now. All alone...


        Fergus sighed and found Catlin waiting for him outside.
        "I have a feeling that Alasdair and Conor have had a long history 
together."
        Fergus nodded, "Her family used to live in Conor's vilage." They 
walked up to the campfire Tully had started in their familiar spot of 
the sanctuary.
        "We're they friends?"
        A smile tickeld his lips as old memories of a young Alasdair, Aiden 
and Conor bounced around in his mind. He settled down on a stump, 
"They were anything but friends!"
        Catlin took a seat across from him as Tully listened in.
        "Conor and Alasdair were always fighting or arguing. Everyday. 
Aiden didn't seem to mind her much, I think he just played along with 
his little brother."
        "So they were often together?" Catlin asked curious to know more 
about the man they followed, in battle and other uniting missions.
        Fergus nodded, "Alas always wanted to play with the young 
Princes. Conor wouldn't allow her to because she was a girl, but she 
followed them anyway and tried to do everything they did. At night 
Aiden and Conor would come home, and Conor would go straight to 
bed too exhausted from competing with Alasdair. The Lass' mother 
would tell us that her daughter did the same, often with scratches and 
bruises."
        "What kind of things were they doing?" Tully chipped in.
        Fergus haunched, "They always seemed to disappear. Derek often 
scolded the the kids about leaving the fort, but Aiden swore that they 
had never left and he had no intentions of allowing any of them to. He 
wouldn't tell what they were doing."
        "Have you ever asked Conor when he was older what they had 
been doing?" Catlin asked.
        Fergus shook his head and smiled, "Now that I remember I will." 
He looked around for the young man. "Where is the lad?"
        "He turned in." Tully answered.
        It was late in the evening and they still hadn't had any supper. "He 
hasn't had anything to eat yet."
        Catlin and Tully glanced at each other.
        Fergus got to his feet, "I'll go see if he wants to eat." He turned to 
look at his two friends, "You guys gonna make diner?"
        Catlin and Tully nodded and watched as the warrior made his way 
to the Leader's hut. Catlin poured some water into the cauldron that 
hung over the fire.
        Tully cut of small thin pieces of meet and dropped in into the 
heating water. "I wonder why Alasdair still hates Conor."
        "I think it's because Conor ruined her chance of dying and of joining 
her family."
        "It seems to me that they have that in common."
        Catlin nodded. Conor had healed though. At least he appeared to 
have healed. He still grieved, yes, but at least he wanted to live now. 
"Conor's better."
        Tully shrugged and dumped the last of the cut meat into the 
cauldron.
        Catlin glanced at Tully, "What?"
        Tully shrugged again, "Sure he's a little better. He still thinks 
about Claire though."
        "How do you know this? Did he tell you?"
        Tully shook his head, "I was passing by his place one night when I 
heard him yell out her name. That's how I know."
        Catlin sat down, "It takes time." She answered softly.
        Tully glanced sideways at her, "You o.k. Cat?"
        Catlin nodded, "Yeah," She offered him a warm smile.
        Tully wasn't convinced and was about to say so when Fergus joined 
them. Conor wasn't with them.
        "That Conor!" He growled, "He can be so hard headed! Almost as 
bad as the damn Romans!" 
        "He's not coming?" Tully guessed.
        Fergus grunted and shook his head. He dropped his rear onto a log, 
"He's probably thinking about Alasdair!"
        "She is pretty..." Tully exclaimed as he stared into the fire.
        Catlin and Fergus turned to look at the young man. Both laughed as 
Tully met their eyes and was suprised to see them staring at him. The 
young man blushed under his dark skin.
        "Are we going to eat?" Tully asked standing up and making his way 
to the cauldron.
        Catlin and Fergus laughed and picked up some wodden bowls.



        Conor turned onto his side wide awake. Hehadn't been able to sleep 
all night. Alasdair had brought back happy old memories of his family 
which were painful to remember. Alasdair was here...
        Conor jumped out from under the covers and searched for the tunic 
he had thrown off before going to bed. He found it lying in a dark corner 
and slipped it over his broad shoulders and covered his body. He walked 
out into the moist morning and stretched out yawning. It was a little 
chilly. Conor started towards the campfire that had long died out and 
planned on lighting it. He looked about and noticed that there were very 
few people up this early. This would be the best time to get up. It 
would assure him some peace and quiet.
        He croushed down by the fire pit. He picked up the two stones and 
snapped them together to form a spark. Finally he got one that started up 
into a small flame. Conor placed some dry grass onto it. The flame got 
bigger and Conor fed it some twigs followed by a few logs that lay ready 
for burning. When the fire was up and soaring, the young man took a seat 
and rested his head on his clasped hands, becoming deep in thought. For 
no reason he looked up towards Madhia's hut. Alasdair appeared. Conor 
jumped to his feet as she met his eyes.
        Both stood motionless for a moment. Then Alasdair made her 
determined way towards him.

To Be Con't.....

Silence is worst then the most degrading criticism!!!!!
I like it all!!!!! :)