Ok guys! This isn't really a part of the story but just some short drabbles.
Little vignettes to transition to Aurora!
Big thanks to the reviewers :)
Kassandra Black
oChaoticDarlingo
FallenAngelLove
emberlies
Crazed-Authoress
CATCFaddict

I'm not sure if they celebrate Christmas in Albion :P
so I've used an un-named festival that's pretty much exactly the same!


Alice stretched languorously against Ben as his hand trailed from the base of hip to her neck to wake her. A lazy smile crept across her face as she turned to face him. His chin rested in the crook of her neck.

"You know I think we're going to sell off the spare tent." He chuckled dropping a butterfly kiss under her ear playfully. Ever since they'd left Adrian's a couple of days ago he'd allowed his playful side, the side he'd always kept somewhat under wraps when they were together before, to be completely released. And Alice had to say that she was fully enjoying the attention. She was awoken in the morning sometimes by breakfast, sometimes by kisses and touches. He didn't actively look after her otherwise as he knew she so loved her independence but if she were ever propositioned he was wonderfully possessive. So long as the year was full of moments like that she knew she wouldn't regret her decision.


"You know I adore this time of year!" Alice giggled excitedly and Ben could definitely believe it. They trudged through the snow of the Mistpeak Mountains dressed as Dwellers. Sabine knew they were coming through the portal on the far side of his village and had asked for as little pomp as possible. This was usually a desolate time of year for them despite the festivities for everyone else.

"It's the most wonderful time of the year." He grunted, not quite sharing her enthusiasm just yet. She had arranged for a load of gifts to be sent to the palace for her to pick up via the Sanctuary means of travel, of which he was still in awe, and he now had to carry the great big sack of them whilst she carried a smaller bag, "remind me again why we don't use the Map more often? It would make travelling much less dangerous." He complained preferring that to the nights camped out in the wilderness trying his earnest not to get eaten by rabid wolves.

She stopped her eager bouncing long enough to roll her eyes, "because life would be too easy then tramp. Where's your sense of adventure?" She whipped out her gun and made a show of fiddling with it in boredom as she waited for him to struggle down the hill. However something really did catch her eye making her next sentence sound rather absent-minded, "besides I need the skills for the Road…" she trailed off, "come on slow poke! I want to get these gifts to people before the sun rises and everything prepared! Sabine's men are waiting for us!"

And that was that. Alice often mentioned the Road, it was where one of the portals led, but she would allow no one to pass through it and only went there on occasion. She'd told him that one day she'd tell him, when the time was right. He assumed that meant when she trusted him enough, as much as Jasper or Walter. Or even loved him enough.


"If you love me only in my dreams then let me be asleep forever." Ben quoted from one of the rare books that Al was returning to Samuel, the old Librarian. The Academy was full of eager young minds all ready to learn and Al had kindly said that she'd find rare books and return them. They were one day away. It was a relaxed and warm scene around the campfire tonight. He was reading a book cross-legged and his hero was lying on her stomach in front of the fire, Captain Obvious next to her, her front half propped up by her elbows and she was absent-mindedly chewing on a piece of fruit. And if he didn't know her better he'd say that her eyes looked a little wistful and she stopped chewing. However she got herself together and laughed,

"That sounds depressing." Her tone turned a little sad and much more knowing than Ben would've liked, "to only be loved in your dreams…"

In an instant he set the book down to show her exactly how real he was, in right now.


Ben watched her leap across the craggy rocks, hunting their food with the skill of an animal. Seeing her bounce, twist and turn with an extreme gracefulness that he never usually saw when she was feeling self-conscious in front of him. Her hair whipped in the wind that was hitting them both square in the face. It didn't distract her though as she just kept on going, gun cocked and ready to shoot the birds from the sky from their food. Finally, just as Ben stumbled, not having the heroic ease that she possessed, one shot rang out, clear as a bell. Two thumps. Two birds hit the ground; he couldn't have done it better himself. He glanced up from his place in between a rock and a pointier rock to see his lover silhouetted against the twilight. She was in her 'practical' royal outfit and one foot was placed forward on a rock to help her balance, her gun was resting on her shoulder still smoking ever so slightly. The smile on her face was triumphant and ablaze with the setting of the sun. Finally she turned that triumphant grin to him,

"You gonna sit there all day soldier or you gonna cook me the dinner I just caught for us?"

Oh no. He thinks that he just fell in love.


A great fire burnt in the centre of the area, several birds already roasting there. Tables laden with food were dotted all around under many, many tents to try and keep the cold out. Music was playing and people were dancing, including Ben Finn. It had been a harsh winter for the Dwellers again, not as bad as it would've been under Logan's reign, but still a harsh winter. Sabine and his people lived in an unforgiving area despite being under the protection of Albion now but were too proud to let it pass through their fingers. They were still trying to recover the rest of their forests. So when Ben and Al had made it their mission to bring gifts and a great feast to the Camp Sabine had been delighted.

When the Dwellers had risen that morning, anxious over the thought of having nothing for their children on this particular day, to find gifts of gold, dolls and little rocking horses outside of their caravans they'd nearly cried with joy. And when Sabine sent word that the Queen and her companion, rumours that they were companions in more ways than one, had arranged a feast for them the villagers congregated to where the feast was being held. They suspected that the pair were the ones who had left the gifts but as no explanation was given they didn't seek one either, just thankful that they had received anything at all.

Alice ignored the appreciative stares that the Dwellers gave both her and Ben, the incredulous ones because of their outfits and the knowing eyebrow waggles whenever she and Ben sat together. Instead she kept her eyes firmly but subtly on the man himself as he tried to dance with a Dweller woman who. He'd never been a good dancer and it really did show. Alice couldn't help but laugh as he stumbled around the poor woman who hadn't quite known what she was getting herself in for. Ben caught the laugh, turned his infamous smile towards her before his feet fell out from under him, caught in the dance.

Oh dear. She just fell in love.