Title: The Star and The Knight
Rating: T
Pairing: Rachel Berry/Quinn Fabray
Author: Swordguard/KirstenKern
Words: 6,885
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters; RIB/Glee does.
Once upon a time, there was a star. This star was very special because one day, she was transformed into a human. However, the star didn't remember her life as a star because her memory was erased—the only thing she knew was that she was lying on the hard dirt floor.
How did I get here? Where is here? Who am I? Why don't I remember?
All of these questions circled around in her head, leading to more and more questions to which she would never have the answer. She didn't feel like she was ever going to know the answer. She felt like she was drowning in the uncertainty that was surrounding her, literally. She really didn't know where she was.
It seemed as though the area had not been used in awhile, if ever, with the trees still upright and green and the dirt was unscathed. She looked down at herself. Did she just randomly appear here? Who am I? There was no explanation for why she was there, but what could she really do? Wander around naked? Maybe someone will find me… maybe someone is looking for me.
She decided it was a decent enough idea to sit and wait for now.
Soon after, a girl who wore the armor of a knight with the hair of the sun, the eyes of liquid gold, and the smile of a Greek goddess appeared, walking cautiously through the undergrowth of the trees in attempts to make minimal sound. The star looked towards her, curling up into a ball at the base of the tree she was leaned against to make herself smaller. Is this who I'm waiting for?
It was almost as if the blonde could hear her; she head snapped towards the star, hazel eyes widening as they locked onto the small girl's. She couldn't stop the fear from appearing on her face as the knight turned in the direction of her. Crossing her arms tightly about herself, she drew her knees even closer to her chest, watching the girl warily as she begun to shake.
Spotting her hesitance, the knight slowed her gait, cautiously making her way to her before slowly kneeling several paces away from her.
"Do you need help?" she inquired, a small smile on her face. The star stared at her, watching as the girl smiled disarmingly at her. The blonde slowly crept out towards her, her hand reaching out. The star locked onto her hand before her eyes dragged up to her face. That same disarming smile was still on her lips, a look of concern mixed with curiosity in her eyes.
The knight's eyebrows raised slightly, the smile stretching more as she urged her hand minutely as she looked down at the star's. With the whispers of a smile, the star reached for the knight's hand.
"Knight Errant Quinn Fabray, at your service."
After the female knight had provided the star with clothes and hours of the star explaining all she knew—which, granted, was not much due to her lack of memory—the duo decided they would travel across the land onto the second world, looking for something that would give a clue as to who, or what she was.
The star was hesitant to speak to the knight at first, not talking unless the girl would say something first, turning the story of what the star knew into a story about the mysterious blonde knight in search of her father.
"You never knew him?"
The knight looked up from the brightly burning fire between them. "Well, it's not like I never wanted to, but yeah, I've never… met the guy. My mother told me he was one of the most gentle people she'd ever known and outstandingly charming, but—" she stopped herself, raising her eyes to the brunette's. "He left me. I don't—I don't even know why I'm looking for him." She pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration, rubbing her eyes slightly before huffing out a breath. "Maybe if I find him, he'll be proud of me. Maybe. For being a knight, or for keeping my mother safe, or… Gods. For something. I just—"
Unbeknownst to the knight, the brunette had crawled over to her on her hands and knees, causing the blonde to stop talking and flinch at the sudden caress of her cheek. Hazel eyes opened to the sight of the girl before her, a small tingling sensation slowly building upon itself as the star's hand remained against her cheek.
"I don't know why anyone wouldn't be proud of you," the star whispered honestly before smiling at her and sitting down next to her, unaware of the sudden blush coloring the knight's face and the grin she was so desperately trying to hide.
In the morning, the blonde awoke to the quiet chirping of the birds, opening her eyes as she begun to stretch up only to be stopped by a weight rested on her chest. She glanced down in confusion before her features smoothed out to contentment.
"Hey," she whispered, running her hand through the girl's hair. "Wake up, star."
She didn't know where the nickname came from, but the way the girl always seemed to shine made the word escape her mouth before she could think about it. At least it was fitting.
The star nuzzled closer to the knight, wrapping her arm tighter around her waist and mumbling into her chest before settling back down with a soft sigh. She looks too peaceful to wake up… she's so beautifu—the knight stopped her thoughts short. No. She is a woman who needs my help, not some village girl to frolic and roll around with in the woods together. You have a duty to her, and you will fulfill it.
"Star. Hey, come on now. We have to get moving," the knight said, rubbing the brunette's shoulder before shaking her slightly. The girl awoke with a start, pushing herself away from the blonde before falling backwards in reaction to her quick movements. The knight reached out to touch her hand, the whispers of care and comfort oozing from her fingertips to the back of the star's hand.
"It's okay; it's just me. You're safe. I won't let anything hurt you."
The star stared at the blonde's face, searching it for any signs of deception that she might not have seen last night. As she took in the beauty of her features etched with concern and kindness, the brunette smiled slightly and simply nodded.
The first place they decided to try was the roost of dragons. The dragons were known as being the wisest creatures of the land, those who told the riddles for passage across the chasm separating the two worlds. The knight and star peeked around the giant tree, looking up to the top of the mountain where they could see wings stretching and then settling back to the bodies they belonged to.
The knight started to walk in front of the star, her hand gripping the smaller girl's in attempts to keep her safe, but still near enough to her.
"Hey, don't worry. Dragons are not violent creatures unless provoked," Quinn reassured with a small smile, squeezing her hand gently. The heat from the blonde's hand traveled up the brunette's arm and radiated throughout her body, making her feel flushed without real cause as she smiled back. They stepped up to the first dragon, the blonde standing confidently as the star stood slightly behind her, trying not to fidget.
The dragon looked down at the pair, appraising them before lowering his head to be at eye level with them. He blew out hot air at the knight, making the star flinch slightly as the taller girl remained still.
"Riddle me this: Pale is my face, but very beautiful. Sometimes later I am to be seen blurred, however at night, I shine like no other, on the sea, over the river, or the lake," said the dragon, his voice low and booming.
The knight looked on, gazing forward but seeing none, her thoughts flitting around her head. Pale, but beautiful; blurred, but shines brighter than anything else at night. It was night now. While the blonde was trying to answer the riddle, the star stared at her, thinking before turning her gaze towards the night sky and saw the answer.
"The moon," the star stated without hesitation. The dragon seemed to think about it, but relented and nodded his head once.
"Very good, Star," said he. The star stared at him in confusion, only having heard the knight call her by that. Is that my name? How does he know it?
"That wasn't so bad for the infamous riddles of the dragons," the female knight stated, a giggle bubbling through her throat as the dragon rolled his eyes at her, a smile on his own mouth.
"Says she who did not answer. Besides, how many dragons do you know?" he asked, laughter erupting from his mouth with a small cloud of smoke. The star looked between the knight and dragon.
They climbed upon his back and took off over the chasm, watching as the ground disappeared below the beast and sharp rocks and endless blackness appeared.
As they climbed off his back, the star looked at him curiously as the knight said their farewells. Afraid to ask the question, but afraid of what she would be missing if she didn't, the brunette walked swiftly to the blonde's side.
"Excuse me, Mister Dragon," she cut in. Was that even how you were supposed to address them? Oh well. "Why did you call me 'star?'?"
The dragon snorted, peering down at the girl. "Young one, that is what you are, is it not?"
The brunette frowned before looking down. "I don't know. I-I don't know who I am, let alone what I am."
"Let me tell you a story:
"Thousands of years ago, there was a powerful magic encompassing the two worlds, one strong enough to knock stars out of the sky. Most of the stars knew what they were, knew that they would be hunted down by witches and princes in a race for the crown and immortal life.
"Each of these stars was accompanied by a knight who would be willing to protect the star no matter the consequences. Though, in most cases it was a male knight; someone who happened to be of royal blood. Of course, there are always exceptions to history and past occurrences. But I digress.
"The stars were to return to the sky within the first week of their stay on either of the two worlds, or they would be stuck here until they were killed or made their way back to the heavens with their true love.
"I called you star, young one, because that is what you are. You are one of these magical beings, one of the most sought for commodities between witches and princes," the dragon paused as he saw the star tremble, "but, fear not, this knight will protect you, just like the knights of old. She is brave and daring, even if she happens to be on the careless side every once in awhile."
The knight looked up at him, taken aback, before she simply nodded in agreement. Quinn looked to the star and pulled her close to her, tucking her underneath her arm where the cold chainmail was covered by cloth. She smoothed her hair down as the girl asked, "Why do I not remember who I am though?" in a small, quivering voice.
The dragon turned his head before looking up to the sky. "Sometimes the magicks weren't strong enough to keep the memories present in each of the stars' mind, but your memories will come back; it is merely a matter of when."
The brunette nodded sadly, curling into the knight, afraid that she may never actually gain back her memory of who she was or what she had known before now.
"Will I remember my name?"
"Without a doubt. The only matter is when you will remember. But, don't worry, Star. If you continue through to the Land of the Gryphons and see the king there, he can help you."
She nodded in understanding before they said their farewells to the wise creature.
"We'll have to go through the territory belonging to the Accursed," the blonde knight stated reluctantly, two hours from when they had left the dragon and the chasm between the worlds.
"What's that?" A small smile spread across the taller girl's face at the curious look in her star's eyes before it disappeared.
"The Accursed are the beings that hunt stars, like the elder dragon said," she started, noticing the star's look of pure terror etched upon her beautiful features. "But they're normally out haunting someone or another from the other world, meddling in matters that aren't theirs. I've dealt with them before; they're not too terribly difficult to overcome. We just need a plan."
Despite the anxiety she felt towards what was about to come, she couldn't help the corners of her lips from turning upwards at the protective and caring look directed at her.
A look that said: 'I'll protect you no matter what. I always will. I promise.'
The area surrounding the Accursed was not a place to traipse through.
The dead, gnarled trees along with the ever-constant fog clinging to the floor and the odd noises always present in the not-too-far background encompassed the entire area with an eerie, creepy atmosphere. Anyone sane knew that it was a place to get in, get through, and get out as fast as possible. But to accomplish such a feat, knowledge, wit, and strategy were needed. Just like with Mordor, one does not simply walk into it. The preparations must be tested and retested before entering, because once you enter, it's either get out with scrapes and bruises, or die. However, even with foolproof strategies of getting through, the Accursed sometimes manage to stumble upon travelers, much like with our heroines.
Quinn and the star backed up against a stone wall, attempting to get further from the three accursed ones gaining ground on them. The brunette trembled next to the knight, putting herself at the forefront of the knight's mind. She stepped protectively in front of her companion, blocking the view of her as she growled, raising her sword towards the witches. Their gnarled fingertips glowed with magic as they eyed the knight wickedly, but upon seeing the knight sneer and raise her sword threateningly at them, they retreated a few paces backwards before returning the look with their own evil cackles.
"Begone, witches!" she shouted at them, raising her sword over her shoulder and sliding her left foot forward in a fighting stance. "Don't you have to prophesize to a future king?"
The witches' laughter ceased as they looked at her, taken aback, before looking between one another. The star's brow furrowed together as she watched, despite her fear.
"Actually," one answered, looking between her sisters, "we do need to speak with that MacBeth fellow…"
And with that, they were gone. The star slumped against the wall, a laugh of relief coming out of the star's mouth in a sigh as the knight sheathed her sword and sat beside her, wrapping her arm around the girl's shoulders and pulling her into her body.
"See? Plans always work."
The star smiled broadly as she rolled her eyes at the shit-eating grin on the knight's face. "Your plan failed."
"I still saved you."
"Touché."
After finally escaping the Accursed Territory without another incident, Quinn turned to her star, smiling as she told another lame joke.
"And then the crab threw the rice cake into the ocean!"
The blonde chortled. "That doesn't even make sense. How is it that you remember these jokes but not your name, sweet star?" she asked teasingly as she cupped her face in her hands. The star grinned and placed her hands over the knight's.
"Because these aren't nearly as important, thus they would be much easier to remember."
"Your logic: it truly makes no sense sometimes."
"No sense is nonsense. Therefore if it's logic and not nonsense, it obviously makes sense." The knight rolled her eyes as the pair laughed. She looked down into the brown eyes flecked with sparks of red, laughter catching in her throat as she tried to swallow the sudden lump in her throat.
Kiss her.
What? No. I'm her knight; her protector. I refuse to put my feelings before her safety!
But look at her! She wants it.
Sure, and I had some bad roots when we ate last.
Look, all I'm saying is that it's going to happen one way or another. The dragon even said so.
…
Kiss her.
No.
Fool.
The knight pulled back, unaware of how close she was to the girl before she felt her warm breath on her face. "Whatever you say, dear star. We must get to the Forest of Enchantment quickly if we are to make it to the castle before the end of the week," she replied, quickly releasing the girl and turning away, missing the longing look upon her star's face.
As the star stepped over a tree root sticking up from the ground, she stopped suddenly. "I like to sing."
Quinn turned around, a confused look on her face before grinning. "I like to listen."
The brunette ducked her head demurely, catching up to the knight before hugging her arm. The blonde's grin faded into an affectionate smile as the star began to sing a soothing melody.
The moon lit up the forest, a white glow casted upon everything beneath it. The star sat on the leaf-covered ground at the bottom of one of the great mossy trees known to the Forest of Enchantment as the knight leaned against the same tree. They had arrived hours prior, watching as the sun set and the moon rose; both waiting until it was the time for the unicorns to make their appearance.
The blonde peered down at the star observing the girl absently played with her fingers on her knees. The action proved to be an anxious habit of the star, and the blonde kneeled down, grasping her hands securely between her own.
"Don't worry, Star. We'll get there in time to send you back," the knight reassured her, a small smile on her face despite the pit of melancholic nervousness tumbling through her stomach.
I'm not sure I want to go back, the star thought. "I know. I have complete faith in you," despite the fact you don't seem to know I want you to kiss me… she added in her head. The star glanced down at her protector's lips, licking her own as she thought about how soft they probably were. She could find out if she just moved… a little… closer.
The knight's breath caught in her throat once more from the proximity of the brunette, watching as she slowly leaned closer to her. Was this the moment? Would she really be able to taste her for the first time?
Oh, Gods. Is this really going to—?
The sound of hooves moving through the underbrush startled the blonde from her thoughts of the girl kissing her back to her surroundings.
Apparently not.
She stood, turning as she slowly dropped her brunette's hands, closing hazel eyes in attempt to steady herself against the dull ache caused by the loss of her warmth. The star reluctantly rose beside her knight, gripping her arm from behind as she peered over her shoulder, watching as the first unicorn made her way toward them; her horn gleamed in the moonlight as her body seemed to give off its own glow.
"Good evening," the star said politely, moving from behind Quinn to curtsy before the equine, watching as it kneeled slightly, bowing its head before tossing it back. She giggled. "We wish to travel across the Land of the Gryphons to the castle that inhabits it. Unfortunately, it will take more time than we have. We have to get there soon for our mission. Could you possibly help us? Please."
The unicorn nodded its head, a whinny emitting from its muzzle. The pair moved towards the mare slowly, the star gently placing her hand on its back as the unicorn kneeled down. The knight quickly, carefully, mounted the creature, smiling to herself as the mare straightened up. Reaching down for the brunette, she grinned at her, remembering how they had first met, no longer than five days ago.
With a matching grin, the star gripped the hand offered to her, allowing herself to be hauled upon the steed behind the knight. She wrapped her arms around the beauty in front of her before the unicorn took off, guiding them through the constantly changing forest with ease.
As the sun set the next day, the pair could see the castle from the hill the unicorn had stopped upon. As they slid off the mare, the knight patted its neck caringly before smoothing the hair down, stroking its muzzle with her knuckles. The star watched as the mare nudged the knight's arm before whinnying towards the star. Hazel eyes widened as a faint blush coated her cheeks, and the blonde tried to hide it with a laugh, pushing the unicorn away. The brunette heard the girl mutter something, but couldn't understand what she had said.
Maybe she spoke unicorn. If that was even possible. She couldn't remember.
Turning to the star, she ducked her head embarrassedly before offering her hand to the girl, smiling when the star intertwined their fingers.
"We're almost there."
The knight nodded at the star's words, her playful smile vanishing as she turned to look back at the castle. Knowing the internal struggle she was going through, the star hugged her tightly from behind, nuzzling her shoulder with her cheek before resting her chin on her shoulder and speaking against her cheek.
"Fear not, my brave knight. Even if you are not with me, you'll always be in my heart—whether I am down here on the earth with you or millions of miles away in the sky," she spoke around the lump forming in her throat and pressed on, squeezing her arms around the blonde's waist. "You've done so much for me, I can never repay you if I leave, and even still, I doubt I could repay your kindness if I stay."
The star didn't notice the tears sliding down her cheeks until the knight turned in her arms and wiped her cheeks with her thumbs gently. She gave a small, sad smile to the brunette and wrapped her arm around the smaller girl's waist before guiding the star's head to the crook of her neck.
As they reached the gates at dusk, they called up to the guard at the post, grateful when he opened it for them.
"What if he won't meet with us?" the star whispered to the knight, clutching the blonde's arm closer to her chest and walking even closer to her. She hadn't seen this many people for as long as she could remember. Then again, her memory was only of the last five days, so it wasn't really saying much.
"Don't worry, my sweet star, I'm sure the king would be honored to be in the presence of someone such as yourself," the knight whispered back, sending her a shy smile. "Anyone would be." I know I am.
The brunette focused her gaze on her knight and bit her lip demurely. "Is that so?" she asked, biting back a grin when the blonde simply hummed in affirmation. "Are you honored to be in my presence, dear knight?" She stifled a giggle when she felt the knight falter beside her, removing her grip from the chainmail and walking ahead. She turned back to see the knight staring at her, mouth slightly agape.
"Are you coming or not? We won't be able to request an audience for much longer, dear Quinn," she sing-songed, raising an eyebrow playfully and continuing to walk towards the castle.
"You're going to be the death of me, sweet girl," the knight mumbled, jogging to catch up to the star.
After having been told that there were no more audiences for the rest of the evening, the two girls made their way to the nearby tavern. As the knight paid the innkeeper, the star requested a bath to be taken up to the room. The blonde raised an eyebrow at her, noticing the light pink barely dusting her cheeks.
"What? We're appearing before the king tomorrow. I don't want to smell like dirt and sweat. Besides, we're sleeping in the same bed. Who's to say I want you smelling like that either?" the smaller girl questioned slyly, giggling when the knight blushed prettily.
"Yeah, yeah, okay. Whatever you want, dear girl."
Gods, how hard is it to avert your eyes when someone is in the bath? This is ridiculous.
The knight huffed out a breath as her eyes once again drifted towards the back of the submerged girl, her long brown hair straightened against her nape and spine. Gods, let me name the short list of things I wouldn't give in order to just brush her hair away and—gah! Stop it, Quinn. You miscreant. Pervert. Incorrigible. Intolerable. Look away. But, Gods, look at her back. The firm muscles under her skin flexing whenever she moves. She'll be starring in my dreams tonight… no pun intended. Hehe. LOOK AWAY.
Her gaze was quickly averted once more, focusing on the paper in front of her. She wasn't even sure what she had been writing, but her face grew to a bright red when she saw the girl's face etched in charcoal on the paper. Really? That's just—that's sad. She crumpled the paper, but changed her mind and straightened it out to fold neatly. She tucked the paper under her armor, over her heart. You're a sap. How you managed to become a knight-errant, I cannot fathom.
Hopefully the brunette wouldn't have as hard a time with keeping her eyes of Quinn.
But, of course, the star would want to help.
"Do you want me to wash your hair? I mean, I wouldn't want you to hurt your shoulders or anything. Besides, you've done so much to help me, this is the least I can do. Please?"
The knight turned her head slightly, amazed that the girl was able to get that all out in one breath. Then she faltered. She wanted to help her wash her hair? She choked on her own words before clearing her throat and trying to stop the blush from rising to her face. "Uh, sure. Yeah. I suppose that's fine."
She turned back around and almost moaned as dull fingernails started running through her hair, handfuls of water being poured on her head by one hand and the raking continued with the other.
Why hadn't she offered to do this for the brunette? Her hair must be soft and fluffy and, Gods that feels nice.
After the star had managed to not only help wash her hair, but also her back, the knight began to stand up to climb out of the bath, only to notice the star still watching her.
"Uh, would you mind turning around?" she asked after clearing her throat back down to a normal pitch. She would've laughed at the sudden blush on the brunette's face, but she was too busy trying to keep her breath regular.
"Oh, y-yes, of course. My apologies."
"No worries."
The star lied down on the bed, shifting the soft woolen blanket over her and watched as the knight went about cleaning her armor for their audience with the king. She had said something about wanting to be the most presentable it could be.
The brunette watched as dexterous hands polished the armor before they placed the armor in a neat pile upon the writing desk in front of her. She watched as the blonde stood up and stretched, her cotton shirt riding up to expose her lower back. Quinn turned around and smiled at the girl, making her way to the bed. As she sat down on the edge, her hand brushed brown locks out of the star's face.
"Hi," Quinn breathed.
"Hi," the girl whispered back, staring up at the knight with a soft smile on her face. "Are you going to lie down?"
The blonde shook her head minutely, as if clearing her thoughts, and lied down beside the star, slipping her arm underneath her head.
"We have a big day tomorrow, my dear star." Her hand cupped the tan cheek as she shifted forward. The brunette hummed in agreement before moving closer to the blonde.
"Do you mind if I just—?" the brunette whispered, removing her hand before clutching it in her own. Quinn shook her head slightly, not exactly sure what she was asking but willing to allow the girl to do whatever she wanted to her.
The star smiled before turning her back to Quinn, readjusting the pale hand over her stomach with her own hand over it. She slid backwards until there was only a little bit of space between them.
"Is this okay?" the brunette asked.
There was a pause.
"No."
The star bit her lip and started to move away before the knight tugged her fully against her.
"Now this is okay," the blonde breathed out, smiling against the girl's hair. The brunette's smile grew as she felt her knight nuzzle her hair before sighing contently.
This is more than okay, they both thought.
The next day, as the girls waited for the king to enter the throne room, the star gripped the knight's right forearm tightly, looking from guard to guard. The blonde smiled easily at the girl, detaching one of her hands from her arm and gripping in her right hand, intertwining their fingers. The brunette looked up at her, mouth slightly open before smile back at the knight.
"You have nothing to worry about, sweet star," she whispered into her hair, squeezing her hand. "He will help. He can get you back to your home."
The king entered at last and Quinn turned to watch, missing the unsure look on the star's face. As the knight and star bowed and curtsied respectively, the brunette lost herself in her thoughts. Did she want to go back? Or did she want to stay with the knight? She was still remembering more and more every day, but there were feelings that she wasn't sure about.
She didn't know what the knot in her stomach meant or when her heart started pounding against her chest whenever the knight was near her meant. It seemed normal, since she had almost constantly been feeling it since she met the blonde beauty.
The brunette shook her head slightly, clearing her thoughts and putting her mind to the actual situation; after all, she wouldn't give the king a good impression if she weren't paying attention.
"Welcome to Kingdom Gryphonia, brave travelers. As king, I would like to formerly extend my welcome in any way possible. As you know, we have wonderful taverns and great drinks and…," he trailed off, looking strangely at the knight.
"Your Highness?" one of the guards asked as the king remained still, staring at the knight until she began fidgeting slightly under the intense scrutiny.
"Quinn? Little Quinn Fabray? Daughter of Judy Fabray?"
The knight nodded slowly, clearly confused as to why he knew her mother. "Yes, Your Highness."
"Then you have returned to take the throne and family powers."
Everything in the room froze as the blonde processed what he had meant. 'You have returned to take the family powers.' Returned… powers… family? I've been here before? And family? How does he know my mother's name?
"Pardon, Your Highness, but I know not what you speak of," Quinn sputtered out, still trying to process the situation. The star squeezed her hand, but the knight didn't seem to notice. "I-I'm but a knight from the land across the divide. I have no desires for this, this power that you speak of, or your throne, Your Majesty."
"Nonsense, Girl!" he bellowed jovially, causing the star to jump and the blonde looked at her out of the corner of her eye, squeezing her hand back finally. "I know you have a good head on your shoulders; your mother is an extremely intelligent woman. But that's neither here nor there.
"You may not know it now, but you are destined for great things. You've already begun with your assistance of this young girl," he paused to take in the brunette briefly with a welcoming smile before adding, "A star if I've heard correctly."
The star's eyes widened and the knight stepped in front of her, her left hand rested upon her sword. The guards reached for their own weapons but relaxed as the king waved them off.
"Belittle not, sweet, innocent star. You are in no danger here for you are also destined for too great things for anyone in this kingdom to harm you," he stepped down to stand but mere feet from them, still smiling easily before his expression turned serious. "As for you, my dear, you are to fight me."
The knight opened her mouth to protest but was interrupted by the king as he continued, "No, sweet child, you must. I am but a pawn in this world whereas you are the queen, able to move in whichever way you desire, noble princess. You must unlock the powers in your blood to rule the kingdom. You are destined to create a new and greater kingdom to rule the lands with a kind hand. And this star will be by your side."
He didn't give her time to protest or accept the truth, drawing his sword before her and stepping back. "Now, knight, fight me."
Quinn looked over her shoulder at the star, indecision etched on her face. If the king said the star would be by her side, would she really? As if the brunette had heard her thoughts, the girl nodded, reaching forward and gripping her hand comfortingly.
"Go beat your father. Make him proud to have such a wonderful and talented daughter such as you," she whispered, squeezing her hand gently. The blonde's eyes started to well with tears at the brunette's words but cleared her throat before turning to her. The knight wrapped the smaller girl in her arms and hugged her tightly, pressing a quick press to her hair.
"Thank you," Quinn whispered against her hair before releasing her and turning back around to the king, drawing her sword as the star backed away to give them room. The brunette watched as the knight lunged towards the king, a loud clang followed by equally loud clangs filling the air as the father and daughter seemed to dance across the room.
She gasped out loudly as the knight was hit in the stomach with the pummel of the king's sword before the back of his hand hit the blonde's eyebrow, cutting it open in the process. Gods, she was so worried for the knight. She knew she was a skilled fighter and had more training than almost any knight out there had, but she didn't want the knight to lose. She didn't want to lose the only person who had really helped her.
"To hell with you, old man! I have no time to bleed!"
The star watched as the knight parried the king's thrust before she struck the man's hand with the flat of her sword, knocking the sword out of his hand, and kicked him off balance, causing him to fall to the ground. She aimed the tip of her sword at his neck, turning to the star to grin. As soon as she had, the king kicked her leg out from underneath her, causing her to stumble backwards and allowing the king to retrieve his sword and roll onto his feet.
The knight rolled backwards as the king's sword made contact with the stone she had moved from and she jumped up, slicing nothing but air as the king sidestepped and struck her arm with his forearm, causing her to grunt out before her other elbow connected with his nose, feeling a crunch. The king recoiled backwards, clutching his nose as blood slipped through his fingers, watching her as he raised his sword again, bringing it up and cutting towards her, his hand dropping from his nose to join his other on the hilt.
The blonde ducked under his swing and elbowed him in the ribs, smirking as she heard the man's breath leave his lungs. The knight brought the pummel down on the middle of his back before kicking his knee out again and watching as he fell to ground once again before rolling over. She kicked his sword out of his hand, pressing her sword against his neck enough to break the skin. He swallowed and the sword followed his Adam's apple. Quinn finally removed her sword as the king smiled up at her.
"Congratulations, my dear. You have earned the title to the throne and the family powers," he said, getting to his feet with a soft groan. "Use them wisely or else grave consequences will rear their ugly heads." He raised the crown off his head, weighing it in his hands before his eyes connected with hers. She nodded and bowed her head, allowing the king to place it upon her head, patting her cheek softly.
Quinn ducked her head in a sheepish smile as her father kissed her cheek softly.
"I'm proud to call you my daughter, Quinn Fabray. You've done well for yourself, and I know you will continue while running the kingdom." He patted her shoulder before wincing, grasping his side with a wry smile. "I'm going to have my wounds dressed and leave you and your star to determine what to do." He walked away, an almost concealed limp in his walk before turning to look back at her. "You're queen now. Your powers will start to show themselves gradually, and, of course, you now rule the kingdom and all her subjects. Remember, responsibility."
With that, the king turned on his heel and walked out. Quinn turned to the guards and signaled for them to leave, surprised that they did so without any other gesture. The blonde turned back to the star, smiling before her smile slowly faded and her mouth opened. The star practically glided over to her and looked up into her eyes.
"I told you he would be proud, dear sweet Quinn," the brunette whispered as she wrapped her arms around the knight's neck, Quinn's arms wrapping around her waist, pulling her closer. She nuzzled her nose against the blonde's neck, breathing in the knight's scent. Even after the fight and the sweating, the blonde smelled better than ever; it could also be because she looked so beautiful and graceful doing something that should have been the complete opposite.
"I'm more concerned with making you proud, my star," Quinn breathed, hearing the girl's breath hitch. The brunette pulled back and looked up into hazel eyes. Before she knew it, her hand rested against a porcelain cheek, thumb smoothing over a plump bottom lip. Brown eyes followed the thumb's trail as the knight watched those eyes drift lazily across her lips until they connected with her own.
"I've never been more proud of anyone in my entire life, Quinn," the brunette whispered, leaning up slightly to brush her nose against the blonde's.
"Do you, do you still wish to return to the sky?" the blonde whispered sadly, her lips so close from brushing against the star's with each syllable.
"My dear knight, there is no place I'd rather be than here with you," the star breathed, smiling as she pressed her lips against Quinn's, her eyes fluttering closed at the gentle contact of those soft lips.
The blonde's eyes crossed as she watched the brown eyes closed before closing themselves. She moved her lips against the brunette's, pulling the girl flush against her.
They parted, eyes still closed, and Quinn rested her forehead against the star's.
"Rachel," the star breathed suddenly, pulling away from the knight, causing hazel eyes to open. "My name is Rachel," the brunette stated slightly loudly, a smile slowly forming on her face. She suddenly squealed and started jumping up and down in the knight's arms, causing Quinn to laugh affectionately at the girl.
She waited until the star calmed down and smiled at her. "My sweet Rachel," Quinn whispered against the star's lips before pressing a chaste kiss against them.
"Say it again," Rachel breathed against her lips.
"My dear Rachel," the blonde whispered, pressing a kiss to the girl's lips. "My lovely, shining, Rachel. Rachel, Rachel, Rachel." She followed each repetition with a soft kiss.
"Thank you, Quinn."
"For what, fair Rachel?"
"For everything."
Hope you enjoyed it. I know I enjoyed writing it, even though it took me forever to actually finish it. Feel free to review; feedback is always welcome!