Ravess was propped up with an outrageous number of pillows on her small, collapsible cot. It had lived up to its name: the collapsible cot was on the verge of caving in entirely, even under Ravess's light frame. The room smelled like medicine and blood.

Nightwing walked over to the ex-sharpshooter's side and took her hand, shuddering at how frail it felt. It felt like a breeze, delicate and sickly. Ravess opened her golden eyes and looked at her commander.

"Master..." she rasped. Nightwing shook his head.

"Don't talk."

"Where is Gealitea?" Ravess asked, using Gaeli's full name. Nightwing gripped her hand as firmly as possible. Ravess moaned. The tent flap opened. Gaeli rushed in, running to her mother and grabbing her other hand.

"Mom, don't die, mom, no, you can't die," Gaeli sobbed. Nightwing stood.

"Honey, I'm just going to a better place..."

"Stop being so melodramatic, you're going NOWHERE!" Gaeli howled. "NO!"

"I'm sorry for everything...I love you..." Ravess whispered. Her eyes closed.

"DON'T YOU DARE LEAVE ME ALONE! DON'T YOU DARE!" Gaeli shrieked. Ravess let out a final rasping cough before her breathing ceased entirely. A doctor walked over and checked her pulse. He looked up at Nightwing and shook his head.

"No...mom, no...mom..." Gaeli whimpered. Snipe, who no one had noticed before, sniffled in the corner. Nightwing wrapped a strong arm around Gaeli and led her outside, tears streaming down his face. Gaeli was crying, her eyes red, her little body shaking. Nightwing wished he knew what to do.

"Go to Shadow, he'll help you."

"No, he won't. I already went to him. He was with...another girl...I never should've trusted him, I was just a toy, and now mom's gone, and you're all I have. You won't leave, will you?"

"Never. Now be a good girl and calm down," Nightwing said. He knew he should be sad for her, but his heart had skipped a few beats when she said Shadow was with someone else. Did that mean Nightwing had a chance?

"Sorry. I just...oh, Ace, I can't do this."

"Do what?" he said, as gently as he could muster.

"THIS! This living alone. Uncle Snipe isn't much of a caretaker...get what I mean?"

"Well, yes, but I live alone, and I'm fine."

"You have Haydon."

"Haydon isn't much of a caretaker either. He's just kind of...there. Mother 'appointed' him to me. I didn't ask for him."

"What was that crap about 'You can choose your friends, not your family'?"

"Haydon isn't a friend. He's a stupid annoyance I could do without."

"Speak of the devil..." Gaeli muttered. "See you." She turned and walked back to the tent, her arms wrapped around herself. Nightwing turned, the familiar dark and hunched form of his adviser looming into view.

"Master, a word." Haydon's voice was low and raspy; if toads could talk, they would sound like him. He was old, no one knew how old, but he'd been around a while. Master Cyclonis had never thought much of him when she ruled, but for some reason, saw fit to entrust her five year old son to the man. Haydon was sneaky, suspicious, and above all, power hungry. Nightwing didn't trust him, and he didn't trust Nightwing.

"Haydon, what is it this time?"

"It's about Ravess's demise. Sad affair," Haydon said, although he didn't sound sad at all. "We need a replacement for her place as Chief of Staff."

Nightwing growled. "Ravess is barely cold in her bed and you are already thinking of replacing her? Forget it. There was never a staff for her to be chief of, anyways."

"And what of her daughter?"

"Gaeli? What?"

"You think it wise to continue relations with the girl?"

"Gaeli is not a girl, she is a young woman. And yes, she will continue to be my friend and confidant."

"She is nice enough, I'll admit, but she is not a suitable partner for royal blood. I think it better if--"

"Let me get something clear with you: You want ME to leave HER when her mother has just died and orphaned her, leaving her with a gluttonous slob, and no one else. Am I correct?"

"Well, perhaps not in such a harsh tone, but--"

"Well yourself. I'm the king here, I do as I please. And if you ever finish a sentence to me without adding 'sir', I will have your body dumped into the lava pits, am I clear?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Dismissed."

Haydon walked away, muttering under his breath. Nightwing pretended not to hear and went after Gaeli.

"Hey, you alive in there?" Nightwing asked gently, once he had found her.

"No. I died." Gaeli turned. At least her eyes were dry. Nightwing hugged her. Her hand sneaked up towards his sword handle. He nimbly danced aside.

"You little devil!" he barked. She smirked.

"I try. Let's spar," she suggested.

"With your sticks and stones? Naw, I'd win."

"You wanna bet?"

"I...Fine. The winner gets to play with the other's weapon for an undetermined amount of time."

"You have no IDEA how wrong that sounded."

"You pervert."

"Don't go easy on me because I'm a girl. Or because I'm an orphan."

"I'm an orphan too, so I wouldn't be playing the pity card, if I were you."

Gaeli and Nightwing found a secluded patch of earth and began to fight. She drew out her arrows and fired lighting fast shots at him. He dodged them all save one, which he deflected with his sword. He raced towards her and slashed. She raised her bow and blocked. He fell back, panting. She sped up to him, her bow raised. He jumped into the air and twirled easily, landing on both feet.

"You're good," she said.

"I know."

She charged forward again, this time with an arrow notched. He raised his sword to block. She knocked the sword aside with one shot and quickly loaded up another. She sent the arrow at him. He ducked; the arrow bounced against the rock wall behind him.

"You missed!" he shouted.

"You're a jerk," she said, panting.

"Touche," he said, smiling. She raised a slim finger and beckoned. He ran at her, sword raised. She slid underneath him and rolled, standing quickly with a new arrow. He turned in time to deflect it. She ducked under her own shot and sped forward. Before he could react, she knocked the sword from his hands and pressed her bow against his neck. He grinned.

"I won," she whispered.

"You get to...'play'...with my weapon, I guess."

"I don't want to play with your sword."

"Okay, then what DO you want to do?"

"This," she said, and softly leaned in, kissing him on the lips. He smiled against her touch. She pulled back and stood.

"That's it?" he said, incredulous.

"Yup."

"I think I heard a Hallelujah somewhere," he laughed, standing.

"Really? I heard a Jeff Buckley number."

"Who in the WORLD is Jeff Buckley?"

"He had a song called 'My Sweetheart the Drunk'."

"Are you trying to tell me something? Hey, I am NOT drunk! You come back, you..." he shouted, running after her. She had started back to the camp, his sword in one hand, her bow in the other. An empty quiver bounced on her back. Nightwing felt as if he'd grown feathers and could fly. He smiled and caught up with her, grabbing her around the waist. This time, the kiss lasted longer. They laughed and talked, walking back slowly, oblivious to the eyes that were watching them from the shadows.


WOW, I liked that chapter. And RIP, Jeff Buckley. RIP...