~ Chapter 1 ~

Five months before the attack of the Crawler.

The night was quiet as a young blonde haired woman dressed in dark travelling clothes crept along the streets of Mill fields towards Fakeney Hall house. She had

heard from Reaver's own tongue while he was drinking at the Riveter's Rest Tavern that the former King of Albion Logan was living there until he was needed for the

battle against theCrawler in eight months. Smiling slightly she remembered that her relationship with Logan had been complicated before the revolution, all those

private meetings she'd had with the king were just ways for them to be together but there would be no future for them, she was bethroved to his brother Alexander

the new king of Albion.

Gritting her teeth she placed her hand on the hilt of the long sword strapped to her hip. She was furious with the newly crowned Hero King of Albion for pardoning

Logan for his crimes against Albion including the execution of her own brother Elliot. Shaking her head sadly she soon reached Fakeney Hall and unsheathing the long

sword she whispered "I'm doing this for you Elliot".

Logan watched from the dining room window as the intruder with sword in hand entered his garden and hearing the front door open and close he unsheathed his

sword and readied himself for the brave intruder. The woman entered the house and seeing light spilling out of the dining room she gripped her sword tightly and

entered the room only to find the former king of Albion waiting for her with his sword drawn. Logan looked at the woman and giving a faint smile he said "well if it

isn't my favourite noble, Elise breaking into my home with a sword unsheathed".

Clenching her teeth and forcing back the tears that wanting to flow from her soft brown eyes Elise walked a few steps toward the fallen king and harshly said "I'm

here to kill you tyrant" before engaging in a sword fight against the former king of Albion.

Their swords clashed again and again and even though Logan could see she was a beginner he humoured her for a while. With another awkward clash of Elise's sword

Logan knocked the sword from her hands and it clattered onto the floor a few feet away from them. Elise ran to grab her sword but Logan intercepted her and

grabbing her arm he pulled her toward him.

"Tell me dear Elise who sent you here? Was it that rebel Paige, or was it Sabine or was it my brother or... were you hoping that I would take you in my arms and tell

you that I loved you like I used to before my brother's revolution" asked Logan as he sheathed his sword.

Elise felt her mouth go dry as she locked eyes with Logan and spat "I've wanted you dead ever since you had my executed my brother Elliot and caused Alexander to

leave his bethroved behind to start some revolution".

Logan nodded his head and leading Elise into the living room he asked "didn't you run back to him when he became King Alexander of Albion?"

Elise was silent for a few minutes before saying "yes I did but he's not the same man he once was. He's always busy preparing for the oncoming attack of the Crawler

or running off to help those in need. He even postponed our wedding".

Logan listened to what Elise told him as he gently led her to a sofa. Elise didn't deserve the pain she was going through, she was too kind and gentle to be allowed to

suffer under his brother's careless affections. Letting go of her arm he softened his tone and said "being the Hero King of Albion can take up a lot of his time. My

Mother the late Hero Queen Sparrow was always off on some adventure but I'm sure when the war against the Crawler is over Alexander will have more time for

you".

Elise looked at Logan shocked. Logan had changed since the stress of ruling and protecting a kingdom had been taken from him. If she were to be honest with herself

she would have rather married him than his brother and smiled at the one future she knew she could never have. Her smile disappeared when she thought of what

kind of torture the Crawler would inflict on the citizens of Albion and that fear shimmered in her eyes.

Seeing tears beginning to swell in Elise's eyes Logan wrapped his arms around Elise and pulling her against him he whispered "you can cry Elise, I'm here". Elise cried

into Logan's shoulder forgetting why she had come to Mill fields. Feeling Logan rub her back gently she whispered "I shouldn't have gone back to that castle hoping

you'd still be there".

Feeling a lump form in his throat Logan pushed Elise away from him and said "we can't be together Elise. Alexander is king and he loves you, I can't betray him. He

pardoned me for my tyranny, he would have me executed for stealing you away from him".

Saddened Elise nodded her head and said "I guess you never really loved me when you were king, our private times together were just for fun considering you spent

most of your time executing people including my own brother".

Logan clenched his jaw and facing Elise he said "I know what I did was wrong and I know I shamed the memory of my benevolent Mother but I did not execute your

brother Elliot. I was too busy looking for my run away brother Alexander when Elliot escaped. And as for this little topic of love yes I do love you".

"Wait my brother's alive?" asked Elise as she sat on the sofa and looked down at her trembling hands. Seeing Logan nod his head she asked "well do you know where

he is?"

Sitting beside her Logan thought for a moment before replying "Elliot was last spotted living in Brightwall but I don't know if he's still there". Elise nodded her head

suddenly relieved that her brother was alive. Looking at Logan she smiled and said "thank you Logan" before pressing her lips against his desperate to feel his love

again. Feeling Logan respond eagerly their kisses became more heated and desperate as they pulled the clothing off each other each succumbing to the dark desire of

the love they weren't allowed to have.