Author's Note: I can't just leave my story unfinished so here's a part 2 for you. It may get a bit heated but I'm not sure if this is going to be the lemon or not. I'm sure that ultimately it will get a bit tangy at least. Anyways...

Disclaimer: I do not own Trinity Blood or any of its characters.

...

Silent Warrior

Over the course of the next two weeks, Abel's condition stabilized drastically. Once his appetite had been jump-started, he ate continually and managed to resume normal care of himself. He was still gaunt, yes, but in a clean and pressed cassock and with what remained of his hair tied into a short tail he looked a lot more like his old self. There was nothing they could do about the delicate web of scars which covered his entire body, one slash even bisecting his right cheekbone, but Esther assured him that nobody would question them. There was no way that he could manage to look menacing if he put on his glasses and resumed his former goofy mask which she now understood was a front to keep people from guessing his true emotions.

Within two days Abel was up out of bed, following Esther through the palace like a silent silver ghost. He refused to leave her sight for more than a few minutes and even slept in the hall outside of her chamber when she retired for the night until she ordered him onto the sofa in her suite of rooms. It truly wasn't improper; her suite consisted of an office, a dining area, a maid's chamber, and a parlor with her sleeping chamber separated from the general rooms by two doors. Within her bedchamber was a bathroom as well. Just before she went to sleep each night, however, she would see a shadowy form slip into the room and settle down on the floor beside her bed to be closer to her. Virgil tried to forbid it at first but Esther silenced him because Abel always had vivid nightmares when he was forced to sleep on the sofa away from her and it undid any work that they had done previously on his recovery.

Eventually everyone grew used to the fact that where Esther was, Abel was. He sat in on state meetings, leaning back against the wall in a light dose, and traveled with her on diplomatic outings. He was still not himself, barely stringing together a sentence to greet his sister upon her frantic arrival from the New Human Empire and simply hanging his head while Cardinal Sforza scolded him from the screen of the com-unit. In the end it was decided that his official status in the AX would be inactive until he expressed any desire to return to it. After the fight, Esther doubted that it would ever happen; his psyche had been shattered and was in the process of being carefully pieced back together. At times Esther felt as if she were working with stained glass wearing a pair of lead gloves. Still, she encouraged him throughout the little day with light touch, casual conversation, and lots of sweets.

When he was well enough, Esther began taking Abel out on walks around the city and to banquets and the like that were thrown in her name. They always had to have guards, of course, but it was a chance to get him over his skittishness around people. It was with the walks that she saw the most improvement in him; he began to smile again and would even laugh occasionally. Some of the darkness in his eyes lightened up and he began to speak to others without being prompted. Just two months after he had arrived at the palace and the only hint of his former state left was his unwillingness to leave her side. One day as they were walking among the roses she asked him about it and he smiled bitterly at her.

"You said that you would stay by my side until I no longer needed you, but I feel like that might never happen. Everytime I try, my heart starts to race and I start remembering again, but your presence is so calming that I can't help but be calm as well. Silly, isn't it? I suppose It's the fact that you're the only person who hasn't given up on me, though I try to remind myself that your life is fleeting and that I can't depend on you forever. It's like a rose, beautiful and fragrant while it blooms but quick to wither, while I am the weed that attempts to choke it. You always smell of roses, you know. You said that you were a fool. Well then, perhaps that makes me an even bigger fool. I've always been fond of roses, you see."

Esther halted their progress on the path to gauge Abel's emotions but he wore the same self-deprecating smile that he always did and his eyes were filled with darkness. She was not one for fluff and hearts and flowers, but it sounded as if he were suggesting that his feelings were on par with her own and she could not ignore it. She had grown bolder since taking the throne but it still took immense willpower to stretch up on the tips of her toes and gently press another kiss to Abel's lips. Immediately she felt a blush that most likely rivaled her hair color flame into life on her cheeks but he simply pulled back and stared at her for a moment.

"Esther, be careful of your actions around me. There is a chance that I could, well, misinterpret them and I have no desire to lose my head. I am not a pet or a small child and at times I suffer from thoughts that have no place inside of a clergyman but which occupy most of the attention of the proud Krusnik race. Tell me clearly what you're trying to say."

Putting her hands on her hips Esther glared up at Abel and her blush only intensified. She felt her temper get the best of her, letting loose and landing a rather solid kick in his shin. When he doubled over to clutch the offended limb, she also brought her little fist down on the top of his head.

"I've been trying to beat it into you this entire time Father Nightroad. I love you and will continue to love you whether you're Krusnik or human. When will you get that into your hard, fanged head?! It doesn't matter whether you do or not; it's not something I can stop feeling and I've felt it since I was in Novice robes!"

There was a moment of stunned silence after her proclamation, but then to her amazement Abel dissolved into helpless peals of laughter. He laughed until he was forced to sink to his knees on the ground and he had tears in his eyes, true laughter that only served to make Esther angrier and more embarrassed. With a noise that was very close to a scream of frustration she spun on her heel and proceeded to march away but she only managed a distance of a few feet before strong arms caught her and spun her around. It was Abel, his eyes still shining with unshed tears of mirth but warm enough that it made her a bit dizzy. He ruffled her hair fondly then pulled her into a tight hug.

"I never thought that I'd actually make you say it, Esther. I hadn't realized it but you truly have matured, though I must say that your kick is as strong as ever. Even I may bruise from that one. Now, now; don't get angry with me. I don't think I have enough nerve to give you a traditional reply so I suppose this will just have to do, won't it?"

There was more Krusnik than bumbling human priest in Abel when he pulled her in close and his lips descended firmly on her own, leaving no doubt as to what he felt for Esther. Gently he parted her lips and one hand cupped her chin so she could accept the fleeting dance of his tongue against her own. He tasted sweet from the tea which they had consumed before making their way outside, his more sugar than tea, and when her trembling hand found its way to his chest she could feel that his heart was racing yet he was a perfect gentleman. Unfortunately she was pressed quite tightly against him and she drew back in mortification when she realized that she had, ah, gotten the attention of the smaller Krusnik as well as the larger one. Abel, for his part, looked quite sheepish about his body's reaction to her and attempted to shift his cassock to hide it from her more fully, discovering that nothing he did was adequate. Instead he darted behind a rose bush, a touch of color blooming in his cheeks.

"I... well...I do apologize for getting carried away a bit. I am afraid that it is a state which many priests under a vow of chastity quite often find themselves in. I myself never took a vow of chastity yet I had my own enforced rules. Truly" he added as she made movements that suggested she was going to run from him in sheer embarrassment "It will not harm you and I'm sure that it will go away soon enough. You have grown into a beautiful young lady and furthermore, one whom I hold dear."

Esther groaned and hid her face in her hands. Where was the daring, ruthless queen now? She had been brought low by one single greeting from the 'little krusnik' and that was through clothing. What would she do if, Heaven forbid, she ever saw it on its own. It took her a moment to compose herself and by the time that she did, the problem had nearly disappeared completely. She was able to take Abel's offered arm and resume their stroll through the gardens though she kept her eyes straight ahead of her.

"So how should we proceed from here? Of course I was raised in the church from a very, very young age, Abel, and though my court is full of scandals and intrigue, Virgil plays the part of overprotective father for me. Between him and Mary, I have never had the chance to experience a relationship. I..I do not think I'm ready to... to... OH! You know what I am trying to say! If you make me say it, I'll kick you again!"

Abel had a twinkle in his eye as he ruffled her hair again, laughter that he dare not let escape for fear of being murdered. He was in good spirits for once, the ghosts of his past barely putting up a token resistance.

"Good Lord, no! I would never push you into that sort of thing, though another part of me may have a different mind about it. The Krusniks thrive on fighting and mating after all. I propose that we proceed with caution, announcing our intentions to court each other only to Virgil and Mary. I am a bit rusty with such things but I have watched Father Leon enough to know that couples go on picnics, feed one another from their plates, and watch plays and the like together. Of course, there is no doubt in my mind that that man refused his vow of chastity. It's shameful, really. Our relationship will be guided by you, truly; you may stop at any time and we will take a step back. Just know..." He said, his voice dropping considerably "We will not surrender you easily now that we have expressed our feelings for you."

Esther got a start when the Krusnik came out to play though she wasn't afraid and settled down quite quickly. Her smile was tentative, filled with hope.

"Well then, the weather is set to be warm for the next week or so. We won't be able to venture far but I can have the cooks pack a picnic for us. We may want to stop at the chapel and pray before we make our way back to the royal offices to inform Lord Walsh of our intentions; maybe if we pray about it he won't shoot you."

...

"Well, I was wondering when the two of you would admit it, your majesty."

Esther stared in complete consternation at Lord Walsh; they had intercepted him on his way to the ghetto to inform him of their decision after indeed making a stop at the chapel to pray for mercy on Abel. They had caught up to the methuselah, her most trusted advisor, on his way to the ghetto for his daily status report. There was nobody in the surrounding area so they linked hands with one another and told him straight out that they intended to court. Esther had expected at least a bit of dramatic scolding but Virgil's face was quite matter-of-fact. He started to move away from them while she was still attempting to pull her jaw off of the floor and Abel halted him once again.

"It doesn't bother you, then, that I'm not of noble birth? My remaining sister is the Empress of the New Human Empire but as it is a largely undisclosed fact, all who learn of my relationship with Queen Esther will believe that I am no more than a poor priest."

Virgil wasn't one for shows of strength but he clapped Abel on the back hard enough that the man stumbled a bit.

"Bloodlines don't truly matter. You've proven yourself to be a competent man, Father Nightroad, and for that you've won my respect. After all, a marriage between our queen and a war hero shows support for this country. Such a match is much better than another stuffy Earl or Duke."

Abel sputtered helplessly for a moment, his own jaw nearly dragging the ground.

"N-now hold it Lord Walsh. Nobody's said anything about marriage! We haven't gotten that far yet; it's just now been decided that we will try courting!"

The smile that Lord Walsh aimed at the poor, overwhelmed priest was full of smugness.

"Of course. I simply know that courting leads to marriage most of the time and surely you wouldn't besmirch our stately queen's reputation would you?"

With that remark he left them staring mutely after his quickly retreating figure, unsure what to make of the odd man who had single-handedly searched for Esther on behalf of the old queen and brought Londinium's new queen home. He was a well respected figure; who would question him. With a wordless cry of exasperation, Esther slumped against the wall.

"This isn't going to be as stress-free as I'd thought it would be. Everyone's going to think that we're in bed with each other because you've been sleeping in my room for so long!"

Abel frowned and moved closer to her, one arm on each side of her to force her to look at him.

"Would that be such a bad thing? Lord Walsh is right, Esther. People are going to talk but why should we care about those others? I can't stomach sleeping by myself yet. Would you be ashamed of me if we become lovers? Would I be hidden from public view for the rest of your life?"

Father Abel's eyes were intense, his body a solid wall as it arched over her and prevented escape. She thought about her answer but before she could tell him, he shook himself and moved away. He offered her one of his old smiles but it didn't seem to reach his eyes.

"I'm being silly. Please, walk with me a little while longer Sister Esther. I believe you had a conference call with Cardinal Sforza, His Holiness, and Seth addressing our plans for eliminating the remainder of the Order."

Esther followed Abel wordlessly but she was still thinking hard about the future. Would she really marry him one day? What would he even be like as a king? For that matter, what would she do if they were to become lovers? She'd seen him nearly nude before while he was under her care but she couldn't imagine him with his face twisted in passion.

Well, this is going to be an interesting next few months.