Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.

Written for;

Last Ship Sailing Competition, Round 3 - Quilt, Glorious, Storm, Impatient, "You don't have to leave.", Helpless.

The Hunger Games - #2

Writing Club Round 9 - Farm

Greek Mythology - Coeus - A member of the Black Family.

Wordcount without AN - 892

A Knight in Tarnished Armour

A tremor ran through her body and she pulled the threadbare quilt closer around her shoulders, clutching it to herself too try and generate even a little bit of warmth. Whilst running, she'd always believed that should she be caught, she would be held in a dungeon somewhere, not in a tower as she was now. There were bars as opposed to a window, and while she was somewhat glad for the opportunity to watch the glorious storm outside, she wished there was something to buffer the wind that came through and wrapped around her, freezing her to the bone.

The lock on the door clicked quietly. She looked over quickly, drawing into herself even more, making herself as small as possible in the corner of the cell. Injuries from the last bout of torture had still not fully healed, and she didn't relish adding fresh cuts and bruises to her already battered body.

He slipped into the room, locking the door behind him. She heard him cast a silencing charm and frowned slightly. They liked it when they heard her scream, why would he silence the door? When he took away his mask and turned to face her, she barely held her gasp inside.

"Andromeda," he murmured, his tone pained. He handed her a vial, but she didn't drink it. "It's a healing potion. Please drink it."

She shook her head, rolling the small glass vial around in her hands.

"I'm sorry you're here," he whispered. "I never wanted this."

He took a small jar from his pocket, opening it and scooping up the paste from inside. Moving towards her as though she were a skittish hippogriff, he gently wiped the paste on to a cut above her eye. She flinched away from his touch, but he continued on regardless, his fingers barely pressing against her skin as he tried to fix up her face.

"Why are you doing this?" she whispered, her voice hoarse from both lack of use, and screaming.

"You don't deserve any of what's happening to you," he replied. "I... you shouldn't be here, Andie. I should have been able to stop them."

"Rabastan... you don't owe me anything."

She didn't know why she was trying to comfort him, other than that she'd loved him once. He was clearly in pain over her pain. In this moment, she could see the boy she'd loved, the boy she'd wanted to marry, the boy he'd been before the dark mark had ruined everything.

"Of course I do," he scoffed. "I joined to protect you, Andromeda. Everything has been to protect you. I couldn't even do that right."

"You never had to take the mark to do that, Rabastan," she argued, even as she reached out tentatively to take his hand in her own. "Don't you know that I would have run for you. We could have gone abroad, gone anywhere, hid away somewhere together."

Rabastan shook his head. "They'd have found us. The Dark Lord... he wanted me. He gets what he wants, no matter how long it takes."

"Rab..."

"No. You don't understand, Andie. The things they do here... I had to save you from it, I had to! They keep muggleborns and blood traitors in pens like a cattle farm! They torture rape and kill on a daily basis! I couldn't... I have to..."

"Rab..."

"I have to get you out of here, don't you understand? I won't let them kill you, dammit!"

"You don't have a choice," she told him quietly, reaching out to stroke his face. "You'll die if you try and help me escape, and even if we managed to get away... they'd find us now you have that mark. There's nothing for it."

"I can get you out," he argued, leaning into her touch. "It doesn't matter what they do to me, if I can get you out to safety. Let me try, Andromeda, please!"

She shook her head. "No. I won't have you commit suicide in my name, Rabastan."

He looked so helpless, she leaned forward, pressing her lips to his. "Thank you for caring enough to want to help."

He laughed humorlessly. "How could I not. You are my life, Andromeda, even now. I love you."

Wincing slightly, she let the quilt fall away and rose up onto her knees, wrapping her arms around his neck to pull him closer. He kissed her hard, his impatient hands pulling her to him so there wasn't even airspace between them. When she flinched as his hand his one of the larger bruises on her spine, he let go, setting her back down and gently pulling the quilt back around her.

"You don't have to leave," she whispered as he stood up in front of her.

He smiled sadly. "I do. Never forget, I love you. And drink that potion."

She watched him leave, tears threatening to fall from her eyes. Picking up the glass vial he'd left behind, she opened it and quickly downed the potion.

When she felt the tell tale tug of a portkey, she cursed him through her laughter. The stubborn fool always had to get his own way.