Chapter 9

The ride back to the fortress was relatively fast compared to the journey from, considering they didn't have to stop and search each town. The one time they stopped to water the horses, Firefox paused to observe the Piper and Minerva. They were on separate sides of the clearing with their respective horses. While Minerva remained focused on her task, the Piper kept glancing across at her, as if to make sure she was still there. When Minerva finally looked over at him, he smiled, in a way Firefox had never seen him smile before.

He walked over to her, and she straightened, unconsciously fiddling with her hair and smiling shyly. He stroked her horse's mane and said something, which she laughed at. Then he reached out and smoothed a strand of hair behind her ear, murmuring gently. They drew closer without meaning to, smiling into each other's eyes. The Piper started to lean towards her but Minerva put her finger to his lips, eyes darting around the group and finally coming to rest on Firefox. He quickly looked away. When he looked back, they were grabbing a blanket from the Piper's bag and heading into the woods like two peasant lovers.

"Makes you sick, doesn't it?" he jumped as Jocasta suddenly appeared beside him.

"I thought you said, what was it, that what they have is once in a lifetime, the kind of love that lasts forever? Soul mates, I believe, is the term you used." Firefox replied sardonically, ending on a bitter note.

"It's true, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. And I'm not stupid, you're just as glad as I am that the Piper's out of that spiraling depression." she reminded him.

"Doesn't mean I have to like it."

***

Minerva wished there weren't a town so close by. The Piper had decided it was too close for clothes to come off. She could feel that he was frustrated by his own rule as his kisses became more aggressive and he brought her close enough to feel his bulge through their clothes. She ran her hands down his back to squeeze his ass. He made a noise that could only be described as a growl and grasped her hips, drawing her even closer until she thought her skirt would rip. When she started removing his clothes, he shuddered and murmured, "Thank you," as he slipped her skirt down, not bothering with her top.

He penetrated her furiously, moaning without trying to hide it. Minerva bit her lip so she wouldn't scream, but as she neared the climax she forgot about even that as she tensed in expectation. They came at the same time, unable to make a sound as all thought was swept from their minds.

He slid down and rested his head on her breasts, smiling that droopy eyed smile of absolute contentment he always had just after sex. Minerva stroked his hair while their breathing returned to normal.

Eventually he sat up and said, "They'll probably be ready to move on back there."

"Probably." Minerva smiled and beckoned him back down. He grinned and gathered her into his arms, their faces inches apart.

"I love you." he always smiled so sweetly when he said it. And it made her smile like such a fool to hear him say it.

"I love you too." she brought her face closer so their noses touched.

"How much?" he asked her, running his fingertips gently across the surface of her skin.

"I want to spend the rest of my life with you." Minerva replied. Joy rose in her as she realized it was true. She went on, "It doesn't matter what else happens to me besides that. I want to be with you until I die, and when the White Women take me into their kingdom I'll wait until you come so I can enter the Land Beyond Death with you! I'll never let myself be separated from you again."

"So you'll marry me?" his voice was hushed as if they were in a church. He was blushing, and Minerva could feel his heart beating fast next to her own.

"Are you serious?" she breathed. He nodded, the blush getting deeper. "Oh, Ivo, yes! Yes, yes, yes!" she tackled him and started kissing him all over. He laughed and kissed her back. They rolled in the grass in sheer ecstasy until a couple children came through the clearing picking berries and screamed, making them hastily get their clothes back on and run back to the clearing, laughing like lunatics.

***

"Where the fuck were you?!" Firefox shouted at them as soon as the Piper and Minerva got back. He had had to wait almost an hour later than he would have liked, and he had the sneaky feeling he should get back to the fortress as soon as possible.

"We're getting married!" the Piper shouted triumphantly.

"I love weddings." remarked one of the men.

"Could you have found a better time to propose?" Firefox asked rhetorically. "I told you I wanted to get back to the fortress by midday!" When the Piper just grinned and helped Minerva onto her horse, he gave up and gave him a clap on the back in congratulation before mounting his own horse.

***

As they rode closer to the fortress, the Piper spurred his horse up to Firefox's. He wore that insufferably smug smile on his face along with his usual finery. "Are you jealous of Minerva?" he asked eagerly.

"No." Firefox tried to ride ahead, but the Piper matched his pace.

"You're lying!" he sang sweetly.

"Fuck you!" he retorted as he took swig out of his flask.

"I knew it! Why?" the Piper asked bemusedly. "When she was just the maid I was fucking, it wasn't anything to be jealous of. You'll still get time in my glorious presence. I'm marrying her, not chaining my ankle to hers! I'm sure you can handle seeing my devilishly handsome face a few less times every day."

Firefox slowed his horse. "First: You're an arrogant asshole."

"Agreed."

"Second: you told her your name." This made the Piper pause for a second.

"You know it too." he returned. "You two are the most important people in this world to me. Actually, you're the only two I give a fuck about, and if you're trying to bring that number back down to one just to stroke your own ego, then you're a dick!"

Firefox looked back at him. There was hurt and a tinge of anger in his eyes. He checked on the men. They knew something was up and were staying far behind. Minerva started to ride up but the Piper waved her back and she reluctantly went.

"Ivo." he whispered.

"Fabio." Ivo said defiantly.

Firefox exhaled. "I don't--" he paused. "Do you remember when we were ten and your father came home drunk and broke your nose?" the Piper blanched at the memory. "When you came, bloody and crying to my house, I promised I'd never let anyone hurt you that badly again. When...she..." he glanced back at Minerva, "left, I broke that promise."

"You were the one who brought her back." the Piper reminded him.

"Still. I don't trust her."

"She loves me as much as I love her, of that you can be sure. She won't leave me again."

Firefox rubbed his forehead. "Don't ask me to like her. I will tolerate her, for you." he conceded.

"Thank you." they regarded each other, then ended the conversation in typically blunt, male fashion.

"So...we cool?" Firefox asked.

"We cool." the Piper replied. "Race you to the fortress?" Firefox laughed and kicked his horse to a gallop. The rode the last two miles back at full speed, wind whipping at their clothes and snatching their whoops of exultation out of their mouths to float back to the rest of the group.

***

When they crested the hill just above the fortress, Firefox stopped his horse abruptly. The Piper kept going but stopped as soon as he saw the new flag flying from the tower. Capricorn's banner had been pulled down and a new one with a great, yellow eye flew in the wind. He knew who it belonged to.

"FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!" Firefox shouted. His voice echoed up to the fortress and down the road to the soldiers, who abruptly stopped before urging their horses toward their home to find out who had control of it now.