Saving Love

Leanbow growled as Hekatoid's tongue wrapped around his wife and began pulling her forward, despite her struggling. "Come on! Catastros! Yah!" He kicked his steed into a gallop, racing to save his beloved.

He drew his sword and sliced down on Hekatoid's tongue, severing it and freeing the terrified Udonna. He jumped off Catastros and stepped toward Hekatoid, sword at the ready. "You… stay… away… from my wife," the warrior growled protectively, crouching over Udonna's trembling form, glaring at the frog-like Terror, and trembling with rage—over his wife's near kidnapping—and fear—that something awful had almost happened to her.

Hekatoid fled and Leanbow sheathed his sword and knelt down beside Udonna. "Are you OK? He didn't hurt you, did he?" Leanbow asked, anxiously searching for injuries on his wife.

"Why did you save me, Koragg?" Udonna shakily asked.

Leanbow grabbed her hand and, placing it over his heart and holding it there, answered, "My armor is that of Koragg, but my heart is that of Leanbow, and my heart still belongs to you, Udonna, just as it did when we first met."

Udonna threw her arms around his neck and Leanbow yanked her against his chest, burying his face in her hair. After a few minutes, he asked, "As I much I love seeing you, what are you doing here?"

"Um, rescuing you?" She answered, sheepishly.

"You don't have your Snow Staff—or magic. How would you save me?" He pressed, rubbing her back as he carefully sat down, holding her against him.

Udonna shifted and snuggled against his chest. She shrugged and said, "That's why Clare came. To help."

Leanbow smiled and tightened his grip on his wife. "What am I going to do with you, Udonna?" He asked, jokingly.

"Love me the way you always have," she replied, making him laugh.

Then she murmured, "I've found you. Now the three of us can go home."

Leanbow sighed. "I can't. At least—not yet, but soon, I will come home. The Ten Terrors are hunting me to get the Master and our son," he explained.

Udonna began to cry and begged, "Leanbow. Please. Come home."

Leanbow wrapped his arms around her, whispering in her hair, "Udonna, there's one place I'd rather be than here and that's home with you and Bowen. I miss you two so much." He found himself feeling grateful for the helmet—it kept Udonna from seeing his tears.

He held her for several minutes as Clare awoke and he mouthed, "Koragg's armor. Leanbow's heart."

The blonde nodded and discretely turned away, wanting to let her aunt and uncle have their moment.

Leanbow slowly stood up and grabbed Udonna's hands. He set something in them and her eyes widened. "My Snow Staff!" She gasped.

"I had to turn it to the rightful owner, love," he rubbed her cheek.

"Must we say goodbye?" She asked.

Leanbow frowned and said, "This isn't goodbye. This is more of a 'see you later' thing."

She smiled and replied, "I like the sound of that."

He grinned and yanked her into a hug. He pressed his lips to her ear and hissed, "I'll send you and Clare back to Rootcore. By now, the Terrors know if they want to draw me out, all they have to do is attack you, and I'd never forgive myself if something happened to you."

Udonna nodded and he murmured, "I love you, Udonna."

"Love you, too, Leanbow," Udonna kissed his cheek, despite the armor, before joining Clare and returning to Rootcore.

Nick glanced up and ran over to his mother and cousin. "Clare! Mom! You're back!" He hugged his cousin and then his mother.

"Where's…" he trailed off as she tightened her grip on him.

"Are you okay? Your father told me you were in trouble," she looked anxiously at him.

He nodded and Udonna murmured, "He'll be home soon, Bowen."

Nick nodded and sulked slightly.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"I was kinda looking forward to watching you lead Dad home," Nick admitted.

Udonna nodded. Two weeks later, she did save Leanbow and he came home as promised.