One of these days I may try my hand at a Reaver fic. The thought of humanizing him is an intriguing one. But now is not the time! For the purposes of this story, he must be the unfavorable deviant we know and love.

Chapter 4

Dances With Balverines

Mara marched furiously through Industrial and threw herself through the door to the sewers. Her encounter with Reaver moments earlier fueled her anger and sent her stomping through the muck all the way to the resistance headquarters, and she didn't even notice when Aldous came bounding happily to greet her. She was so angry her head was throbbing with her heartbeat, and she rubbed the ear he had taken the liberty of nibbling until it too throbbed with her head. How dare he speak to her of Elliot. The nerve of that evil, evil man. She knew she couldn't kill him, but she wanted so badly to.

Her anger disappeared in a flash as soon as she opened the door to the map room and she heard a familiar voice in an argument with Page.

"I swear! Three hollow men in one shot! Why don't you believe me? Ah, here she is. Ask her, she'll tell you."

"Ben!" Mara shouted happily, and she ran to him and threw her arms around his neck. He laughed and returned the hug, lifting her slightly off the floor as Aldous hopped excitedly around them. "Hello, my dear Princess!"

"Ben, what took you so long?" Mara asked him, holding onto his arms even after he had released her. "We've been waiting for you and Major Swift."

He couldn't help but smile at her delight in seeing him again. "Well, we've been rather busy, Princess. What with Fort Mourningwood being shut down and all."

"Logan shut down Fort Mourningwood?" Walter asked, suspiciously eyeing Mara's affectionate hold on Ben. "Why would he do that?"

"Who knows?" Ben shrugged. "First he wants to retake the fort, then he wants to abandon it. It honestly just feels like he's wasting time, and lives at that."

"Tch." Page shook her head. "Lives indeed. He'll carelessly sacrifice the lives of men willing to fight for him. He's a madman."

Ben turned and winked at Mara. "No offense," he said with a smile.

Mara smiled, but was interrupted by Page. "Anyway, back to the matters at hand. Princess, as soon as I returned, I received word from Kidd. Apparently there has been an influx of balverines in the area, and they need more ammunition. Here." Page tossed a package wrapped in brown paper to Mara as Ben looked on curiously. "I need you to take this to him as soon as possible. His orders are also inside."

Ben snorted and leaned over toward Mara. "Is this how she usually addresses royalty?" He muttered. Mara slapped his arm playfully, trying to stifle a chuckle. "Hush," she commanded.

Page, extremely unamused by their banter, raised an eyebrow. They straightened up and cleared their throats, feeling like children who had just been caught misbehaving. Page waited a moment to make sure they were listening before she continued, pointing to a spot on the map. "They are camped out here, in the old abandoned miners' quarters off the main road in Millfields. Just before the monorail station, which is no longer in use."

Ben examined the spot on the map. "Ah, I know the place. One of Reaver's old ventures, isn't it? Closed down when the mine tapped into a hobbe colony. I had the glorious task of clearing them out, nasty buggers."

"If you leave now, you should make it before dark." Walter added. "I'll wait for you at the city gate."

"Come, Princess," Ben said, taking Mara's arm and hooking it through his own. "I would be happy to escort you."

Mara smiled and whistled for Aldous as they strode out of the room as if they were leaving for a ball. Walter's voice followed them out the door.

"Ben! If you don't bring her back in one piece I'll snap your legs like twigs!"

"He can do it, too," Mara whispered. Ben shivered. "I know," he said, and turned to call back to Walter as the door began to swing close. "You can count on it, Wally! I won't let a hair fall from her head!"

When the door was closed, he started into a hurried walk, dragging Mara along with him. "Hurry, before he comes out. I think he might kill me before we make it to Millfields." Mara laughed and happily followed him with Aldous at her heels.

"And so, there I am, seventeen years old and naked as the day I was born, running through the streets of Bloodstone with bullets flying every which way. Lucky for me the weasel was a dreadful shot."

Mara nearly tripped over a tree root when she guffawed obnoxiously at Ben's story. "Serves you right! I hope it was winter!"

"Oh no, it wasn't winter. Though it had been raining and so it was cold. Slipped a few times and exposed myself to a few lucky townspeople." He laughed at the memory. "They all cheered for me as I ran. I felt like a celebrity!"

Mara's sides began to hurt from laughter, and it was difficult to walk. "You deserved it! Sleeping with the poor man's wife!"

"She didn't tell me she was married!" Ben argued defensively. "Besides, she was the one who seduced me, I swear!"

Mara wiped a tear from her eye and sniffed when the laughter finally subsided. "Not that it would have stopped you, anyway. Especially seventeen-year-old you. I can only imagine how you must have been when your hormones were raging."

Ben smiled with pride. "I am a Finn, after all. Our hormones have been known to rage rather fiercely. And as wild as you find my stories, they are nothing compared to my brother Jason's. He practically made a living as a wife layer."

"Jason? He was your eldest brother, wasn't he?"

Ben nodded. "By seven years. He's the one who taught me how to pick pockets. Met a rather fitting end; he was killed in a duel by an angry farmer who's wife he had ravished the night before."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Ben." To Mara's surprise, Ben laughed heartily at the thought.

"Don't be, Princess! It was his own fault! He and the man both had pitchforks, he was perfectly capable of defending himself! Though the idiot had never worked an honest day in his life, and so he held the pitchfork the wrong way round!"

Mara whistled as Aldous ran off suddenly to chase a rabbit through a wide field on the side of the road. The rabbit frantically dove into its burrow and out of the dog's reach, and with hardly a care in the world, he turned back round and bounded happily to Ben and Mara on the road. They were about half an hour outside the city gates, and the sun was just grazing the tops of the trees that lined Millfields at the bottom of the hill they were descending. Birds tweeted merrily as they settled in their nests for the night, pillars of smoke rose from the chimneys of quaint farmhouses in the distance; Mara found the evening to be a much more pleasant one than she had expected.

"I am surprised, Princess." Ben stretched his arms over his head. "You have a rather unusual sense of humor for someone who grew up in a castle. I would never have expected that I would be telling such stories to a princess without fear of having my head lopped off."

Mara smiled, and thought back on her evenings with Elliot back at the castle. Once, when they were just brushing the years of puberty, Elliot had somehow gotten his hands on a book of dirty jokes that he and Mara flipped through in their secret hiding place behind a statue in the castle gardens. They were shocking and exciting for the curious virgin eyes of the preteens, and in hindsight, absolutely hilarious. Her butler, Jasper, a proper, dignified man of around sixty, would have been horrified to hear such indecency was exposed to them, but Walter and Logan would have probably found it just as hilarious as Mara was finding it now. She must have known at an early age that if you cannot laugh at life's simple improprieties, then there was hardly any point to the whole idea to begin with.

She couldn't fight the impending sadness that overcame her when she remembered Elliot. It was with him that she had learned how fascinating the male body was, and the one time they had been intimate, the first for both of them, was the sweetest memory she held. His long, slender body on hers, his soft brown hair entangled in her fingers, his thin but strong arms holding her tightly in a passionate embrace. The overwhelming love she had for him could never be matched, she was certain of it.

Surprisingly to her, however, her mind wandered rebelliously to a curiosity the man standing next to her presented. Elliot had been much taller than Mara, but she was almost equal in height with Ben. She had only been with Elliot, and against her better judgment she couldn't help but wonder what it would be like with the infamous womanizing Captain…

She stopped abruptly in her tracks and clapped her hands on her blushing face to force the thought out of her mind. Absolutely not, she scolded herself, don't even think of it.

"Princess?" She looked up to see Ben looking back at her, a concerned look on his face. "Everything alright?"

She never noticed what a beautiful shade of blue his eyes were.

"Yes," she stated plainly. "I'm fine."

"…Alright," he said slowly, eyeing her suspiciously. He turned around again when she stared blankly back. "Well, let's get a move on, then. We're almost there, anyway."

Mara followed him stiffly into the trees, unable to find anymore conversation to cover her embarrassment.

Logan swirled the glass of wine in his hand for a good minute before taking a sip. The usually sweet flavor of his favorite red vintage tasted unpleasantly bitter in the present company of his dinner guest. He set the glass down and looked disgustingly at the plate of food in front of him, his appetite thoroughly depleted due to the disagreeable visitor he was entertaining.

"Oh, come now, Majesty," Reaver sang, patting his lips delicately with his napkin. "Don't look so morose. You're King of Albion, aren't you? Show me some of that ruthless authority I do so admire."

Logan slouched in his seat and rubbed his beard. He desperately wanted a shave, but could never find the time. He was always so exhausted he couldn't hold a razor without injuring himself, and he certainly didn't trust anyone else to do the job for him. Reaver looked the weary king over with a delighted gleam in his eye. "You know, Your Highness, with those scruffy whiskers, you look just like your father. I would have thought it was him if I didn't know better."

The king stared angrily at Reaver across the table. This man, handsome as he was and seemingly around thirty, was in reality hundreds of years old. The Hero of Bowerstone, the beloved late King Sparrow told stories to Logan when he was young of the cunning pirate Reaver, the Hero of Skill. Logan couldn't imagine how his father could ever be acquainted with the merciless demon he knew Reaver to be. Anyone with ties to the mysterious Shadow Court deserved to be treated with severe caution, and rumors ran wild that the pirate-turned-tycoon had to regularly sacrifice innocent people to the Court in return for his eternal youth. This was the accepted theory behind the burning of Oakvale, the hamlet where Logan's ancestors and even Reaver himself hailed from. Logan even had an inkling that Reaver's eager support of his reign was because it readily provided him with thousands of workers from which he had an endless supply of sacrifices. The thought sickened the king, even though he knew that he was no better than Reaver.

"So, I heard another revolutionary was executed not too long ago," Reaver continued. "Bravo, Highness. You certainly know how to inspire fear and hatred in your subjects. I cannot help but admire that in you." He took a large sip of wine, and when he set the glass down, he smiled fiendishly. "Speaking of revolutionaries, Majesty, I had the pleasure of running into your sister today."

Logan sprang up at Reaver's words, instantly energized with anxiety. "Mara!? Where did you see her? Where is she? Is she well?"

Reaver took pleasure in Logan's sudden interest, and took another sip of wine. "Yes, quite well. Her will lines are coming in nicely." He recalled the feeling of her breasts and smirked. "Mmm. Very nicely."

The king hurried around the table to Reaver's side, almost pleadingly. "Where is she? Tell me, Reaver!"

"Now, now, Your Majesty," he answered, rising to his feet. "You mustn't worry. She seemed vigorously healthy. She's quite a fireball, I must say. Just like your mother." Logan gritted his teeth. He knew that, wherever Mara was, she was with Sir Walter, and therefore no harm would come near her. But he couldn't keep himself from worrying about he beloved little sister, despite how much he knew she hated him.

Reaver chuckled smugly and turned around to head for the door. "Quite a fireball, indeed," he continued. "Nearly took my hand off during our lovely scuffle in the alleyway. It was enough to get a man excited."

Logan lunged at Reaver who, without even looking back, stepped out of the way. The king, overflowing with rage, threw his fists wildly at Reaver, and the cool businessman easily evaded each attack with a swift move to the side and a strike with his cane. After a few minutes of this pointless fighting, Reaver whacked Logan on the chest with his cane and sent the king crumbling to the ground, his chest heaving as he searched for breath.

Logan looked up at Reaver with enraged eyes, and he hissed at him through clenched teeth.

"If you touch her," he growled, "I will kill you."

"I doubt it, Majesty," Reaver said coolly, "Don't forget just where your financial support lies." He bowed elaborately before stepping out the door. "Until we meet again, my King. Tatty-bye!"

Logan howled with fury as the door closed, his enraged cries echoing endlessly throughout the darkening castle.

The sun was nearly gone when Ben and Mara found Kidd and his men camped out in the ruins of an abandoned miner's bunkhouse. Mara's initial impression of Kidd was that of a stoic, harsh fighter, but as soon as he opened the package he took on the demeanor of a child opening a birthday present. He gleefully tossed the packs of ammunition to his men and, to Mara's surprise, swept her up into a tight hug.

"By Avo, Princess, you might have saved us!" He exclaimed. "These balverines are getting more and more aggressive every night!"

"Aggressive balverines?" Ben said dryly. "You don't say."

Mara giggled at Kidd's obvious dislike for Ben's sarcasm. Ben let out a surprised and rather feminine gasp when Kidd turned around to speak only to the Princess, blocking Ben with his back. "Normally a few balverines wouldn't be a problem," Kidd continued, "but I've never seen so many in one place. Especially not in Millfields."

"That's strange," Mara mused. "I wonder if they're locals?"

Ben leaned around Kidd to put himself back in the conversation. "You mean, the balverines are residents of Millfields?"

Kidd shrugged. "It's possible that the balverines are disguising themselves as citizens, but the only people who live in Millfields are nobles with land on Bowerstone Lake. Chances are more likely that these are packs of feral purebloods."

Mara agreed, but she didn't dismiss the possibility that the balverines were infected citizens. She'd heard stories of people who were bitten by balverines being turned into the monsters themselves, with the ability to turn back to humans at will. If this was the case, and if these balverines were in fact the nobles who inhabited Millfields, an even greater problem was at hand.

Kidd handed Mara a folded note. "Here, give this to Page if you please, Princess. We found out that Reaver's party is scheduled for tomorrow night. We plan to attend." He winked at Mara and she smiled up at him. "Be careful, Kidd. Reaver is smart."

"Thanks, Princess. And you, too," Kidd said, looking back at Ben. "It's after dark, and the balverines will be coming out soon. I'd go back soon if I were you."

Mara patted Kidd on the arm and motioned for Ben to follow as she stepped out the door. It was dark now, though the moon had not yet risen. They could see the lights of the city glinting between the trees, and they started back.

"I don't think Kidd likes me," Ben said suddenly, "in fact, I don't think Page does, either."

Mara chuckled. "I don't think they know how to appreciate your sense of humor."

It was dark, but Mara could see Ben's handsome grin creep across his face. "I'm glad you do, Princess."

They walked for a while with Aldous leading the way until they came to a break in the trees, and they could see Bowerstone sitting high upon the hill in front of them. Mara saw the little farmhouses from that afternoon, now cozily lit from the inside as the occupants prepared to settle down for the night. At the top of the hill were the city gates, and they could barely make out the figures of the guards strolling along the city's outer walls.

"Wow," Ben breathed. "It's almost a beautiful sight if you don't think about how awful it is on the inside."

Mara looked up at the shimmering lights of the castle that towered over the rest of the city from the very top of the hill. She could almost see where the windows to her old bedroom were, and if she looked to the right, she would be able to see where Logan's windows were as well. She imagined him, tall and stately, standing at the windows and looking out upon his city. Whether she felt anger or nostalgia at the thought of her brother, she was unsure.

A low growl rumbled from Aldous, and Mara turned to see the dog crouched alarmingly with his nose pointed toward the forest behind them. The growl morphed into a vicious snarl, and Mara put her hand on Ben's arm as she scanned the trees for whatever was upsetting her dog. From within the trees, blending seamlessly with the wind, Mara heard the chilling sound of a howl. It was not the howl of a wolf.

Mara and Ben grabbed their rifles and pointed them toward the trees. "There," Ben whispered, "to the left of the road."

Her eyes followed his direction, and there, high in the trees, was a pair of glowing yellow eyes. A few trees to its left was another pair, and below that, another.

"I count three," Mara whispered, and Ben nodded beside her. Mara prepared to shoot, and as she took a breath, the eyes disappeared. She heard Ben catch his breath, and they stood in tense silence as they tried to comprehend what they had just seen.

"Above!" Ben shouted suddenly, and Mara looked up to see the shadows of three balverines descending on them from the sky. She stepped around Ben and pressed her back to his as the monsters landed on every side of them. The two of them fired at the beasts, trying to keep up with their incredible speed as they leapt into the air and landed quickly before leaving the ground again. Mara tried desperately to keep their formation from dizzying her, which was undoubtedly the beasts' intention. Finally, after putting three bullets into one of the balverine's chests, Ben was able to land a shot between the creature's eyes, and it fell limply to the ground.

As soon as the balverine was dead, the other two howled, sending chills right through Mara's bones. Her heart pounded as the creatures landed on the ground and clawed at the dirt. She fired as they charged, letting out snarls that seemed to emanate from the very bowels of hell. One of the two fell back at her shot, and Ben took the opportunity to finish it off with a shot through the eye. Aldous, with a ferocious snarl, pounced on the fallen balverine and wrapped his jaw around the animal's jugular, ensuring its demise.

The last balverine leapt erratically from side to side, swiping its enormous claws at Mara who dodged each one with nothing but luck aiding her. Ben landed a shot in the balverine's back, and the monster turned around and roared in anger at him. The monster charged at Ben, leaping in the air and landing behind him before Ben could turn around. He screamed in pain when the balverine slashed his back with his claws, and Mara rushed to him when the beast leapt into the air again.

"Ben!" She cried as he fell to his knees, heaving as the pain enveloped him. Mara glanced at the wounds on his back. The claws dug deeply in his skin, leaving marks that looked as if he had been slashed by five swords.

"Behind you!" Ben wheezed, and Mara swung around to see the balverine land on the ground in front of her. She stepped in front of Ben and dropped her rifle.

The balverine was salivating as he crept toward Mara, and she took a deep breath.

Ben couldn't believe what he was seeing.

He looked up at Mara, who was standing still as a stone, facing the oncoming balverine. He could see the will lines on her skin begin to glow, and within a second they shone so brightly he thought he would go blind. Before he could comprehend the awe he was feeling, Mara's hands tensed violently, and were suddenly engulfed in flame. She brought her hands together and threw them forward, sending a ball of fire hurdling toward the charging balverine. The monster let out a horrifying cry when the flames caught its fur, and it rolled erratically around trying desperately to douse the blaze. Mara let another fireball fly at the creature, and it gurgled with pain as it began to lose the strength to move. The smell of burning flesh filled the air, and Ben watched in amazement as Mara unsheathed her sword, and with a flurry of blue light, brought it down through the beast's head with a deafening crunch, ending its suffering in a single blow.

Ben had forgotten how much pain he was in as he lifted himself to his feet, his eyes fixed on Mara. She turned around, and he lost his breath when he saw her face. The twirling lines that spiraled around her neck now swirled over her cheeks, under her eyes that glowed as blue as hot flame. It was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. He was looking upon the raw dominance of Will, upon the stunning power of a Hero. She was breathtakingly gorgeous in this state, and it was enough for Ben to find tears falling from his eyes.

"Ben?" Mara asked, her eyes and skin still ablaze. "Are you alright?"

Ben, unable to find his vocal chords, weakly shook his head. She ran towards him and grabbed him by the arms, the light fading as fear overcame her. "What's wrong? You didn't get bitten, did you?"

He shook his head again, unable to look away from her. "It's…just a scratch."

Mara growled in anxious frustration as she turned Ben around and began to drag him by the arm toward the city gates.