A/N: Gosh, the past few weeks have been busy... I apologise for the wait, kind readers! I've been on vacation for a few weeks and I literally only got back a few hours ago, but I was desperate to put this up ASAP as I've had it finished for well over a week now.
As always, I cannot thank all of you enough for your kind reviews and support. Also, a massive thank you for being so patient with me! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own any Kingdom Hearts or Final Fantasy characters!
Chapter Ten :: Fear
"If you're Xehanort's daughter then just who is the girl that is travelling with Roxas?"
Xion said nothing in response, remaining unwavering even as Riku's formidable figure towered above her, casting a shadow over her small form. She glared openly at him, her lips set into a determined line, jaw clenching. Riku's response was more subtle; his shoulders tensed, hands curling into fists by his sides. Neither looked ready to back down.
The small gathering of people around them displayed varying levels of tension. Aqua had fallen silent following Riku's immediate rebuttal of her explanation and now watched on, pale faced, waiting to see what would be said next.
Ven looked distraught, clearly torn between automatically leaping to Xion's defence as he always had and staying quiet while the two of them battled it out. Serah merely observed, her eyebrows drawn into a thoughtful frown. Perhaps even she was curious about the situation of the two Princesses.
Terra, in the meantime, had virtually reached the end of his emotional tether. He sighed heavily and dragged a hand across his face. His brother always had been the melodramatic type, but it didn't help matters that the Princess was even worse and stubborn to boot. He decided it was better to put an end to the drama before things escalated any further.
"Riku. Back off." He warned sharply. Reluctantly, his brother looked over at him, eyes narrowed. Immediately, Terra switched to a new tactic, realising that authority would do no good when it came to persuading him. "Look... Just— come on. Let's find a place to set up camp. We need to rest up before regrouping with the others."
Fortunately, Riku moved away from the girl but unfortunately, he didn't take the bait. Instead, he squared his shoulders. "First things first." He declared. "I want to know. Who is the girl with Roxas? Because he's convinced she is the Princess and she hasn't yet attempted to correct him. So what the hell is going on?" His face darkened. "Is this all some elaborate trick set up by Xehanort?"
Xion snorted rudely, bringing their attention straight back to her. Ven stood protectively at her side, eyeing Riku distrustfully while the girl smirked, one hand toying with the beautiful sapphire necklace hanging at the base of her neck, holding herself in her usual superior manner. "I doubt he'd go through enough effort for that. It's not his style Trust me, it's no trick."
Before Riku could speak in retaliation, Aqua cut in. "She's right — it's not a trick. Xion is Xehanort's daughter." She assured, gesturing vaguely to the Princess. "Naminé, the girl with Roxas is Xehanort's..." She searched for the right word. "...ward. He took her in when she was young. She probably thought that if she told your leader this he would have her killed as she is not the girl he was looking for."
Terra picked up on the subtle lie hidden behind those words, but said nothing to undermine her intentions. He trusted Aqua enough to know that there was a reason she was hiding something from them, he just hoped that she trusted him enough to, in due time, tell him what.
Riku, seemingly oblivious to her lie, looked offended by what she was implying, his frown evident. "Roxas wouldn't do that."
Aqua nodded agreeably, replying evenly in a placating tone, "I understand. But she doesn't know that. He did kidnap her after all."
Terra's younger brother conceded to that much with a gentle incline of his head. "Alright. I guess I have no choice but to trust you. But that doesn't mean I trust her." He jerked his thumb unkindly towards Xion.
"I do believe the feeling is mutual, rogue." Xion muttered crassly to the ground, her bowed head hiding her distasteful scowl.
Terra noticed the muscle along the line of Riku's jaw tick irritably before stilling again and made the immediate assumption that he had overheard the Princess' mindless mutter but had chosen to ignore it.
"I take it her highness will be accompanying us, seeing as she's travelled this far?" He sniffed, eyeing the boy standing closely to the girl, clearly waiting for him to object or make some plea in her favour. It appeared that Riku had picked up on Ven's protective nature towards Xion, as well. It was rather hard to miss.
Ven merely scowled, subtly herding the girl back towards their horse and away from him. Xion slapped at his arm, making some back-handed remark which Ven ignored, schooling a forced serene expression onto his features as he helped the girl back up into the saddle before swinging up behind her, his arms creating a protective cage around her as he took the reins.
Terra watched their interactions with something akin to an amused smile, glancing towards Aqua and Serah who were both also smiling at the duos antics as they followed their lead and climbed back up onto their own respective horse. He looked at each of them in turn and realised that his mind was made up and had been for some time. After all, how bad could one Princess be?
He turned to Riku, shrugging lightly as he answered his question. "She'll be joining us, yes. I promised to protect them and I will." He smirked at the incredulous expression which appeared on his brother's face. "How bad can it be? We just need to meet back up with Roxas and the others and it'll all be fine."
Riku's expression became worried. "No, it won't. You're forgetting one thing, brother." He jerked his head pointedly towards the boy seated behind Xion.
Terra grasped his brother's upper arm tightly and shook it. "We'll discuss this later, but for now, don't say anything. He needs to find out for himself about Roxas." His gaze drifted to the boy who was preoccupied with the Princess. "He had a strange reaction when I said Roxas' name. I'm getting the impression that he doesn't remember…or maybe he can't. I don't want to trigger anything."
With a small amount of lingering irritation, his brother reluctantly nodded once in understanding. "Of course…" He prodded Terra's chest sharply. "But don't think this is the end of it. You still have a lot to explain."
"So do you, I believe." Terra responded, grinning. "For one; what you're doing out here, away from the others."
The solemn shadow in Riku's eyes faded away, replaced by joy. "Roxas was kind enough to let me stay behind. But that's a tale for later. Come on, I know somewhere we can camp. Perhaps we can talk there."
And then Riku was gone, leading the unlikely group of people to somewhere safe that they could rest. However, Terra was reluctant to follow.
The content feeling that had settled into his chest was suddenly chased from him as a horrible shiver rushed down his spine. He instantly whipped around, reaching for the sword that was no longer in its scabbard, having been discarded earlier during his encounter with his brother. His eyes furiously scanned the area, but he discovered no disturbance.
There was something out there, something dark. Aqua had given away as much earlier and now even he could sense its strong presence. But what was it? And more importantly, where was it?
"Terra?"
He immediately snapped out of his trance, looking sharply towards the source of the voice. Aqua had backtracked astride their horse and was watching him, her face shadowed with worry.
He glanced back. The feeling had vanished. Confused, he offered the young woman a false smile and strode over to her side, reaching a hand up to brush hers briefly. The worry faded away from her face and was replaced with a light blush and a tiny smile.
"Is everything alright?" She asked after clearing her throat and fighting down the blush crawling across her cheeks.
Terra nodded once, retrieving his sword from where he had abandoned it. "Yes. Everything is fine." He looked up at her, the corner of his lips turning up. "Let's catch up to the others; we can set up camp and you can get some proper rest." He shrugged absently. "Who knows? Riku may even have some food. We haven't eaten in a while now."
Aqua chuckled in agreement, gently urging her horse onwards with a tight squeeze of her heels, slow enough so that Terra could keep up, but fast enough that they swiftly left the clearing behind them.
Her slight smile fell. Truthfully, she had only returned for him because she had felt that same disturbing sensation from earlier, like she was being watched from the shadows. Naturally, she had instantaneously looked to Ven and then for Terra, only to see him quite a way back, staring out into the trees uneasily, his hand groping at the empty air where his sword would usually be hanging.
Vanitas was getting bolder. He knew he was getting closer to reaching his goal. Aqua briefly closed her eyes. She was doing this for Ven, for Terra... If she could somehow ensure their survival, she didn't care what happened to her.
But even if she begged, even if she offered her life in exchange for theirs, she knew Vanitas would merely scoff at her. There was only one other option available to them — somehow, they would need to incapacitate Vanitas without him knowing it and without endangering any of her friends.
Aqua's shoulders slumped. It was impossible.
····» ₪ «····
After much going back and forth, Riku and Xion finally made an agreement of sorts on where they would be sleeping for the night.
The Princess had been adamant that she would be deciding she'd they slept and had complained when Terra had dismissed her plight. Of course, after much whining and nagging, he had given in, for the simple reason that his head was beginning to throb and his patience was drastically thinning. Riku wasn't happy, of course, but had managed to come to a compromise with the girl...somewhat.
The area they had chosen was surrounded by low hanging branches, plenty of ground cover and a nearby vantage point, per Riku's request. The ground, as per Xion's demands, was covered in thick, luscious grass and the trees overhead were parted to reveal the sky, which was now streaked with oranges, purples and pinks as the sun began to set.
By now, blankets and bed rolls were laid out in front of a crackling fire, over which a poor rabbit roasted. Surprisingly, it was Serah who had gutted and cleaned the animal after Riku had captured it, her face impassive as she wielded the knife with expert skill.
Everything was silent as they waited for their food, save for the odd grating sound Riku created as he sharpened his weapons with supreme accuracy and dedication. Terra lounged across from his brother, Aqua perched by his side, their hands a mere distance away from the other, fingers splayed in the dirt.
Serah was tending to the rabbit while sat next to Ven, who was watching Xion pace deliriously around their chosen camp in exasperation. His attempts to get her to sit down had failed and so he had taken to staring at her as she worked herself up into a frenzy.
"The ground is lumpy and infested with insects!" Xion burst out, recoiling with utter disgust as she caught sight of a worm wriggling through the grass. She screeched appallingly when an unfortunate spider scuttled close by to her feet, almost leaping up into the air out of fright as the creature disappeared into the undergrowth. "How on earth do you expect me to sleep on this? We must find somewhere else! This is positively primeval!"
"We are not moving again." Riku bit back through gritted teeth, sharpening his sword savagely, practically glaring holes into the whetstone. "However, if you'd rather, we can throw you on the fire. That might set off some nice sparks." He paused, an entirely feral grin appearing on his face. "No guarantee that it'd be comfortable though, perhaps a tad warm."
Xion turned an impressive glare on him, her voice venomous, "So gallant of you! I'm surprised you don't have Aqua here swooning at your feet!"
At this, both Aqua and Terra discreetly scooted away from one another, snatching their hands back. Xion, who hadn't noticed, made an exaggerated swooning gesture, throwing her hand against her forehead and letting out a high pitched sigh. "Your wit and charm is simply astounding."
The young man snorted disdainfully, lifting his sword up to catch the light of the fire by his feet, ignoring the deadly look she cast his way completely. "The fact that you continue to talk is astounding." He muttered.
"I beg your pardon?" She hissed, advancing on him with the grace of a wild animal.
"The rabbit's ready!" Serah suddenly declared, lifting the stick that had acted as a "spit", holding the thoroughly roasted animal up for all to see. The tension rising between the Xion and Riku melted away at the mention of food. Almost instantaneously, everyone was alert.
Serah removed the rabbit from the stick and began cutting it into sizable portions with the knife Terra had given her, ready to be handed out in the wooden plates Riku had provided. Ven eagerly stepped forward to help her, handing a plate to Aqua and then to Xion before taking one for himself.
Once the food had been equally distributed, everyone barring Xion thanked Serah and sat down around the fire to eat their meal in a comfortable silence. The Princess, however, stared down at the plate in her hands with obvious disgust, perching uncomfortably on the edge of her bed roll, not used to sitting so close to actual ground. "How am I supposed to eat this? Where's the cutlery?"
Terra looked up, a weary expression crossing his features. "You use your hands. Unless you haven't noticed—" He gestured grandly to their surroundings. "—we're living in the wilderness. We don't exactly carry around stuff we don't need, much less cutlery."
When Xion continued to sneer down at her food, Aqua set aside her plate and called up to her, "Just try it. It's really good. You're going to need to keep your strength up." She smiled hesitantly when the girl's gaze flicked towards her. "Go on, try it."
To the surprise of everyone present, she did, although with much complaining and grumbling. Apparently, she didn't like getting her hands dirty, but that was nothing new and Terra was already growing accustomed to it.
After dinner, Ven set about gathering up all of the used plates and handing them over to Aqua who piled them up beside her so that they could be washed later in a nearby river, while Serah added more wood to the fire and made an attempt to entertain a bored Xion. Terra was lying on his bed roll and staring up at the darkening sky, his thoughts drifting aimlessly through his mind.
The sky was the same. It always was. He remembered when he was younger, he would sneak out into the courtyard at night, just to lie down and stare up at the stars littering the dark blanket hanging high above him, immovable and constant. He would look up at them and feel small, like an irrelevant ant trampled beneath a person's boot.
This feeling of smallness continued to grow after his father explained to him that the stars in the sky represented other worlds, other dimensions and that they were all connected, linked together by the same bright, never-ending sky. Until recently, he'd never truly understood what his father had meant. And now he felt smaller than ever.
The sound of a rustle followed by a quiet thud somewhere to his left broke him out of his reverie. Sighing inwardly, he propped himself up on his elbows, looking over at Riku with an expectant expression. His brother was sitting quite innocently on the ground beside him, also staring up at the sky, toying with the dagger that had been gifted to him on his tenth birthday between his expert hands. He'd been waiting to get him alone, so he could interrogate him and Terra was forced to oblige. He had promised to offer up an explanation, after all.
"I told you this wasn't over." Riku pointed out sardonically, flicking the dagger up into the air and catching it effortlessly between his fingers. "You've got some explaining to do. But… I suppose I should go first, hm? I have a feeling my tale is a lot less complicated than yours."
Terra snorted.
"After you were taken, Roxas began planning ways to get you back after he found out that you were to be executed. He sent Axel and Larxene to kidnap the Princess, but obviously, they kidnapped the wrong one." Riku shot him a smirk. "They brought her back to camp and then Roxas moved onto stage two. He was going to use the girl as a bargaining chip; that was the whole idea of taking her in the first place."
"He left her behind and took Saïx, Axel, Palom and I to the square where we were supposed to create a diversion and rescue you. But…things went wrong. Everything was out of control, Roxas said he saw you and Serah get away, but the guards were closing in on us, so we had to flee." He ran a weary hand over his face, speaking through his fingers, "I was worried; I had no idea where you were, but Roxas assured me that you would be fine. And then we got back to the camp, which is where things got even worse."
"We were compromised after a kidnapping attempt on the Princess the following day, so we had to move. Just a few hours ago we came across Lightning, received supplies and readied to move on, but Roxas allowed me to stay behind, so that I could wait for you." He looked up finally, a small smile appearing on his face.
"A lot has happened, I see." Terra mused, absorbing the information carefully, examining every detail. "It might take us at least another day to catch up to everyone… But with the way the Princess has been complaining, it may take us even longer than that."
His expression soon became stern. "Speaking of the Princess; it's your turn to explain. The girl — who is she? And what on earth is she even doing here?"
The older brother sighed. Riku was never the sort to beat about the bush. He scraped a hand through his hair, considering his answer thoughtfully. "I guess she followed us— well, Ven I mean. She wasn't very happy when she realised he intended to leave her behind. By the time she revealed herself her presence to us, it was too late to turn back and escort her home... So I allowed her to stay, provided she doesn't put us in any immediate danger." He shrugged nonchalantly, tipping his head back.
His brother snorted, shaking his head. "'Provided'? Terra, she's Xehanort's daughter; she'll get us all killed. You should have sent her away." He sheathed his knife, frowning across at the girl who was scowling at the ground by her feet, ignoring Serah's attempts to converse with her. He breathed out heavily. "Never mind... I guess we're stuck with her now."
Riku's gaze was pulled away as Ven and Aqua stood, their arms piled high with dirty plates in need of washing. "Oh, look; another person of interest." He glared half-heartedly at Terra. "Care to tell me what's going on there?"
"Your guess is as good as mine." Terra muttered, watching the pair with feigned indifference. "It's obvious there's some connection between him and Roxas, but if that's the case, then how come we haven't heard of him before? Roxas wouldn't hide something as big as this."
Riku nodded in agreement. "My thoughts exactly. Roxas has only ever mentioned his past once or twice before, but never anything about a brother." He leaned back on his elbows, staring thoughtfully at the boy. "It's strange. They look so alike. I dread to think how they will react when they finally meet." Riku paused, frowning slightly. "You said that Ven doesn't know about Roxas? That he doesn't 'remember'? How is that possible?"
The older brother fell back onto his bed roll with a huff, hands interlaced behind his head. "I don't know, Riku." He muttered exasperatedly. "I haven't personally spoken to the kid. He's particularly suspicious of me."
"Well, perhaps you should speak with him." Riku replied, flopping down beside him, elbowing his brother meaningfully. "As you pointed out, we are stuck with them now."
Terra grumbled something unintelligible under his breath, dropping his head back and throwing his hands over his face. How was he supposed to speak with someone who put in a conscious effort to avoid him at every turn?
····» ₪ «····
As soon as Xion was occupied, Ven made his escape, trusting Serah — who reminded him so strongly of Aqua — to watch over her.
After collecting up the empty plates, he handed them to Aqua, who wordlessly piled them up beside the fire. She looked up at him and smiled in invitation, patting the ground beside her.
He smiled weakly in return and sat down next to his best friend, his feet kicking up a small cloud of dust. He leaned back on his elbows, eyes closed, his limbs becoming heavy. It had been a long day and certainly felt more stressful than his usual daily routine back at the castle. Perhaps this was what the fugitive life held in store for him. If so, he didn't like it.
He hated how negative he had become over the last day and a half. Not only did he have to deal with the present and the issues that had arisen with it, but his past too; it was something that had been clouding his mind ever since he heard Terra call him by that weird, oddly familiar name. For some reason, it hurt to think about it and so, he tried not to. He let out a sigh.
Aqua looked over at the boy slumped beside her, his head tipped back in a gesture of exhaustion and reached over, ruffling his hair affectionately. "You're handling this pretty well, considering." She noted calmly.
"So are you, considering." He murmured, smiling wryly as he leaned into her touch like a small child would, eyes still shut.
A relaxed silence fell between them as Aqua withdrew her hand, neither having anything more to say. After a while, Ven reopened his eyes and discreetly surveyed the young woman beside him.
The small smile which had been present on her face not moments ago had melted away, her lips pulled into a thin, desperate line. He'd been around Aqua long enough by now to know when something was bothering her, and more importantly, when she was scared.
Normally, he'd be the first to say that Aqua wasn't the type to scare easy — she was strong, kind-hearted and had a genuine goodness about her, but following recent events, he'd begun to notice that she was a little more jumpy than usual. Even now, despite her attempts to appear cheerful, her face was pale and drawn out, her forehead furrowed into an ever-present frown. Her hands shook in her lap and she flinched at the smallest of sounds, her eyes darting towards the shadows surrounding their camp. He didn't like it. He didn't understand what could have made her so frightened.
Ven reached a hand out to her, patting her arm experimentally. As expected, she jerked at his touch, head snapping towards him. When her gaze landed on his face, she relaxed and resettled her hands, clearing her throat apologetically.
His felt his concern for her sky-rocket. "Aqua, what's wrong?"
She shook her head mutely, staring straight into the fire.
Ven straightened immediately at her silence, his eyes wide. "Aqua..."
She shook her head again, more vigorously. "Not here." She murmured, turning her imploring gaze on him.
Ven blinked owlishly at her for a long moment, before reaching for the plates stacked by her feet. He stood up and innocently tipped his head to the side, "Help me wash up?"
Aqua looked from the plates to his face and then towards where Terra was sprawled before standing also, holding her hands out to take the plates from him, only to have him refuse.
He grinned a little at her put out expression. "Nuh-uh. You talk, I clean the plates." Ven shoved one of his hands towards her, still grinning like a fool. "Deal?"
A genuine smile appeared on her face and she reached out to shake his hand. "Deal."
Satisfied, Ven altered his grip on the plates and headed towards the stream they had passed on their way to their camping spot. Once they reached it, he immediately dropped to his knees and dunked the plates into the running water, using an old rag to wipe them clean, tipping his head in Aqua's direction expectantly.
Eventually, after a long pause which dragged out between them, Aqua spoke in a hushed voice, "I feel as though something…dangerous is following us, something dark."
He paused in his movements, his eyes darting towards the dense forestry surrounding them, feeling strangely uneasy all of a sudden. Truth be told, he had been feeling slightly odd in the forest since they had escaped the safety of the castle walls, like there was a heavy presence hanging over their heads. Of course, he'd dismissed this notion and the sensation had eventually faded, but at Aqua's words, it returned full force. He shifted uncomfortably. "I… I kind of feel the same way. Is that what's bothering you?"
Aqua knelt down beside him, her eyes darkening. "Yes. And it has been since we left." She locked gazes with him, her voice lowering even further, "I know it's out there, Ven. We need to be ready, for whatever's coming for us."
Ven stared at her, scarcely daring to look away, out of fear for what he might glimpse in the looming darkness. "What do you mean, you 'know'?"
Her expression became pained, her lips trembling. It was then he realised that she was hiding something worse from him, something a lot more than she was ever going to let on. And whatever it was, it was scaring her to death.
After removing the now clean plates from the water, Ven twisted to face her and threw his arms around her in a tight, yet comforting embrace. "You're not alone, Aqua." He said softly, "You know that, right? So, it's okay. It's okay to hurt, or even to be scared every now and then."
Aqua let out a noise that sounded caught between a laugh and a sob. "Using my own words against me, hm?" She teased, pulling back from him and flicking his nose gently.
He swatted her hand away with a carefree grin. "I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about."
This time, Aqua laughed for real and he joined in, the plates and their concerns regarding the mysterious entity following them long since forgotten.
Across the river, a pair of amber eyes gleamed in the darkness; watching, waiting.
····» ₪ «····
Shortly before they left the strained company of Lightning and her men, the outlaws were gifted with extra supplies for their journey, as promised. Naminé was eternally thankful to discover that these supplies were also extended to her. Inside her old potato sack, there was an extra set of clothes waiting inside, as well as some food and a belt fashioned to hold a weapon. Of course, she would have no need for a weapon, so the belt remained in the sack along with the spare clothes. Most of the food — the apples and bread in particular — was eaten as soon as she received them.
Once everybody had saddled up and eaten their fill, they prepared to leave. Lightning stopped by to wish them a final farewell, or in her case, a final warning.
"These men and women are good people." She had murmured. "Do not let me hear that any of them come to harm because of you, or you will live to regret it." And with those words said, she had disappeared back into camp.
Naminé had tried not to dwell on Lightning's parting words, but they weighed heavily on her mind. She knew that attempting to leave was futile, but she knew that if she stayed only bad things would happen and not just to those around her, but herself, too. It was a vicious cycle.
"Well, hey there, Princess."
Startled, Naminé reflexively yanked on her reins, causing her horse to neigh irritably. When several of the outlaws around her turned to stare, she felt her face heat up with embarrassment. She muttered a quiet apology to her horse partnered with a gentle pat and glanced over at the person who had alarmed her so badly.
The redhead who had played a rather large part in her kidnapping sat astride a beautiful chestnut horse had pulled up alongside her, grinning childishly at her.
She squinted at the reverse tear-drop markings beneath his eyes, her nose wrinkling. Was that paint? Or was it something more permanent? And what on earth were they there for? "Axel, right?" She queried hesitantly.
His grin, if at all possible, widened and he reached up to tap his temple, "Yeah. Get it memorised."
"Um..." Naminé blinked. What a strange man…
Axel dismissed her reaction with a casual wave of his hand, his carefree expression never faltering. "Anyway, how are you holding up? You seem to be taking this pretty well, the whole kidnapping thing, Roxas being his usual grouchy self and so far..." He trailed off, waggling his eyebrows at her. "…no escape attempts! I'm impressed."
"Oh, believe me; I have considered it several times already." She muttered sarcastically.
He cocked his head to the side, scrutinising her with his impossibly green eyes. "Thought better of it, eh?"
"I suppose you could put it that way." Naminé sighed, reaching up to tug on a lock of hair which always stuck out at a ridiculous angle, no matter what she tried to do with it.
For a moment, the rode on in silence, but for Naminé it was far from comfortable. She felt as though there was something unsaid hanging in the air between them, and judging by the odd glances he shot in her direction, she was correct. It soon reached a point where she could take the strange looks no longer. Frustrated, she turned to him, "What is it?"
He flailed and sharply looked away from her, scratching at his head awkwardly. "Nothing, I was just…" He let out an irritated noise, pinching the bridge of his nose. "What…what do you think of Roxas?"
"What?" She blurted, unable to comprehend his reasoning. That was not what she had been expecting at all. Perhaps a question about her childhood, or what it was like to live with that horrible man who caused such devastation, but not that. Why was he even asking her something so trivial?
"What do you think of Roxas?" Axel pressed. "Do you like him?"
"Like h—" She cut herself off, stopping herself from saying something she would most likely regret. Naminé pondered over her answer for a moment. What did she think of him? Not a whole lot. Just that he was unlike anyone she had ever met, not to mention he was utterly infuriating. "Well I don't completely hate him…"
"Well, I suppose that's a start." Axel laughed, winking at her.
Naminé stared at him for a long time. She'd never met anybody like him — or any of the other outlaws — before. He seemed to make a conscious effort to seek her out and talk to her like a real human being and furthermore, he seemed to enjoy her company.
Before Aqua, she had lived a sheltered, lonely life where nobody had wanted to be around her and now, all of a sudden, she was being offered opportunities to talk and willingly interact with other people. They had showed her kindness, offered her shelter and food and company. She could make amends, perhaps even befriend these people, couldn't she? She could return the favour, couldn't she?
Hesitantly, she called out to him, "Hey…Axel?"
He grunted lazily in response.
She wrapped the reins around her hands self-consciously, looking anywhere but at him. "I...suppose I should apologise for the other day." She mumbled, ducking her head. "For head-butting you..."
Axel brightened, letting out a jovial laugh. "Oh! No biggy. Larxene's hit me harder before now." When she looked over at him abruptly, he smirked shamelessly. "Besides, we did kinda kidnap you." His expression became apologetic. "Sorry about that, but orders are orders."
Naminé raised an eyebrow at that, studying him with the same scrutiny he had with her. "Do you always follow his orders?"
Axel grinned wolfishly across at her, shrugging innocently. "More or less."
His amused expression faded unexpectedly as something diverted Axel's attention to the front of their group. He straightened in his saddle, instantly alert. All of a sudden, he yanked on his reins and brought his horse to a halt, before leaning across and forcing her to do the same.
Naminé's initial reaction was to snap at him and demand and explanation for such hasty behaviour, but the oddly serious look on his face kept her quiet. Curiously, she craned her neck to peer beyond the line of people on horseback in an attempt to see what has caused such a commotion.
Roxas had stopped, his head tilted to the side as if listening for something unseen. His entire body had gone rigid, practically rippling with apprehension.
A split second later, his hand shot out for his sword, a shout tearing from his throat, "It's an amb—!"
Without a word of warning, an arrow shot through the air and punctured Roxas' torso, cutting him off mid-sentence. For a moment, time seemed to slow; then Roxas fell from his horse and everything descended into chaos.
Someone started screaming. Perhaps it was herself, Naminé couldn't tell, but in the next instant she was tackled from her saddle and sent hurtling to the ground by a red blur. Axel threw himself over her, shouting out to those around him, pulling out his own sword as a swarm of people flooded onto the path.
Horses — along with their supplies — were scattered, their riders having dismounted to jump into the throng of people who had leapt down from the trees. Weapons clashed furiously, metal screeching on metal. Shouts and battle cries could be heard, along with the terrible thuds of bodies falling to the ground. The tangy scent of copper she knew so well instantly filled the air. Axel's warm presence hovered above her, but she could only just feel slight weight of his body shielding her own.
The screaming — her own, she realised now — had stopped. She lay sprawled on the ground, cheek pressed into the earth, her breath visible in the cold autumn air. She was barely aware of Axel rolling off her and pulling her to her feet, yelling something over the raucous noise, his face swimming in front of her own. She couldn't think straight. Everything felt so distant, too far away, like she was underwater... Drowning...
"—out of it, or so help me I'll—!"
Axel was speaking. He sounded desperate now, but angry. Naminé tried to focus on his face, her concentration wavering as she tried to tear her thoughts away from the grisly sight of the arrow's shaft sticking out from Roxas' chest.
He looked concerned, definitely angry and perhaps even fearful. Once her eyes focused on him, he marginally relaxed. "Thank God. I was afraid I was going to have to hit you or something." She opened her mouth to respond, but he cut her off by shoving her into a nearby bush. "Stay low and out of sight. When this is over, I'll find you."
"What…what about…" Naminé choked, unable to speak his name.
Axel said nothing, but his face was grim. He fumbled for something on his belt, his frustration showing as he began cursing in a language she hadn't heard before. After yanking the item free, he shoved it towards her. "Take this, so you can protect yourself."
In his hand was a cruel looking dagger with a red jewel pressed into its hilt. She hesitated. Tired of waiting, Axel hastily grabbed her arms and pushed the knife into her reluctant hands, forcibly wrapping her fingers around its hilt. "Now stay here!" He ordered needlessly.
Before Naminé could object, before she could protest that she was not ready, he had darted back out into the fight, sneaking up behind an unsuspecting enemy and running him through. Now alone, Naminé leaned back against the tree behind her, fingers curled around the knife. She stared straight ahead, her thoughts in complete disarray as she struggled against herself.
All she could think about, all she could see when she closed her eyes, was the arrow sailing through the air and impaling the young man who had both ordered her kidnapping and saved her life.
She should stay; she knew she should. She should do as Axel had said and wait, wait to continue on their journey to goodness knows where, like she had been told. At least then she'd know for a fact that she was as far away from Xehanort as she could manage and that she was as safe as she could be. Well, that was the theory, providing she wasn't captured or killed in the process.
But something was niggling persistently at the back of her mind, telling her that she should be doing something more than just hiding behind a bush, waiting for the inevitable.
The sound of someone yelling and screeching of metal on metal seemed to grow louder and louder. Terrified, Naminé jerked forwards, dropping the knife into the dirt by her feet. Shakily, she picked it up, almost snagging her fingers on the sharp edge in her haste. The dreadful noise continued, joined by even more shouting and screeching as the fight escalated.
She hugged her arms to her chest, pressing herself against the tree as the sounds raged on until she could bear it no longer. Naminé pulled away from the tree, still hidden by the low hanging branches and overgrown bushes, her hands still clutched to her chest, the knife aimed away from her. She began to edge closer to the noise, instead of away from it, her irrational fear for being left alone in the surrounding dense forestry overriding her desperation to escape, to live.
The screeching and clanging and scraping seemed to grow louder and louder until it attacked her from all sides, the yells and cries and strangled gasps filling the short bursts of silence between. Pushing aside a prickly branch, Naminé peered into the clearing and immediately wished she hadn't.
A horrible, sickly feeling settled in the pit of her stomach as she stared out at the bloody scene. The ground was painted red, bodies strewn about the place, arrows sticking out of their sides or large chunks missing from their heads. Armour, swords and shields lay forgotten, battered, broken and bent out of shape beside the corpses of their owners.
Amidst the chaos, the outlaw's fought. Not a single one of them had yet been cut down, but some were obviously injured. Despite this, their movement's fluid and neat, as if fighting as a singular indestructible unit. There were less than a dozen enemies remaining, each armed to the teeth, looking as formidable as the next, and yet Roxas' men simply mowed them into the ground.
She couldn't see Porom in the mayhem from where she was sat, but she easily spotted Zexion fighting gracefully alongside a clumsy Demyx who was smacking his enemies with a large bat-like weapon. The poor boy looked just as terrified as she felt, his uncoordinated, sloppy movements creating more chaos than solutions in their predicament. More often than not, he spent his time being tugged out of harm's way by an exasperated Zexion, whose exhaustion was beginning to show.
It was then, while scanning the scene before her, that she saw him. Several feet away from her, Roxas was dragging himself towards the surrounding trees, one hand clamped around the arrow sticking out of his torso. His pale, sickly coloured face was contorted with pain, his chest rising and falling in short bursts as he clearly struggled to breathe. He didn't even notice one of the men who had attacked them break off from the rest, stalking wordlessly towards him, sword raised.
Naminé was frozen in place. She didn't know what to do. What should she do? She could warn someone… But who would get to him in time?
She looked around at the outlaws.
By now, Zexion was practically sagged against a weary Demyx, while Luxord rushed to cover them as they caught their breath, his swings wild and unchecked. Larxene was fighting back savagely against her enemies with her lethal throwing knives, but seemed to have lost her edge, letting out a string of profanities whenever she missed her target. Marluxia, who up until that point had been a wall of deadly strength, neither tiring nor showing any signs of slowing down, was now retreating back to Larxene's side, feebly fending off oncoming blows.
Saïx and Axel seemed to be the only two who weren't left disjointed by the sudden onslaught and were easily taking everything in their stride as they fought closely, back to back, moving as one. Naminé only caught the odd glimpse of Palom and Porom as they weaved in and out of their allies and enemies, quick as a flash, firing spells in every direction, Palom's triumphant laughter ringing out across the clearing.
The dagger in her hands felt heavy. It looked like it was up to her. He'd saved her before; why couldn't she save him? At least then, whatever debt there was between them would be settled. She would no longer owe him anything.
The man was almost upon him; she had to act now.
Without a second thought, she darted out into the midst of the battle, stumbling over her own feet as she forced herself to run as fast as she had ever done before. She leapt over a fallen body, not pausing to look at their dead face, knowing that she'd see a pair of glassy, cold eyes staring back at her.
The man was standing over him. Roxas looked up, teeth bared as he groped for his sword. The attacker raised his weapon to finish him off, but Naminé was, miraculously, quicker.
She ran into the man with a yell, physically shivering when the blade sank into the flesh of his lower back with a sickening sound. He let out a howl of pain and fell to his knees as she sprung away from him, his hand grappling for the dagger embedded in his skin. Seizing his chance, Roxas tore his sword free and forced himself up, driving his weapon through the man's chest.
The attacker twitched uncontrollably, convulsing hands wrapping around the sword's hilt. He gaped up at the sky before toppling back, his eyes seeing no more.
Naminé dropped to her knees with a sob, clutching her shaking hands to her face. She had just helped kill a man. She had just helped kill another human being.
She shuddered, hands gripping at her face, fingernails digging into the soft skin of her cheeks, only to be brought back to reality by a wet sounding cough. She looked up sharply, meeting Roxas' glassy gaze with wide eyes of her own. With a gasp, she scrambled to his side, ignoring the red sticky substance pooled around his body, tears streaking her pale cheeks.
Immediately, her gaze was drawn to the wooden shaft protruding from his chest and the surrounding area, which was stained red with his own blood. She trembled, forcing herself to look away as her stomach lurched. "I-I don't know what to do…" She whispered fearfully, her hands fluttering uselessly by his shoulders. "I don't know what to do!"
He shook his head slowly, his breath slipping past his lips in short, strained puffs. He clenched his eyes shut, reaching one of his hands towards her, "…Get…Porom…"
She whipped her head around in search of the young woman just as the final assailant was struck down. The outlaws were exhausted, blood streaking their faces and weapons, many of them leaning on each other for support.
Larxene had a wound across her back, but she was shrugging off Marluxia's help with a low growl and a sharp mutter. Zexion had a large gash spanning from his right shoulder and down across his torso, which was being healed by a solemn looking Palom. Demyx hovered by him, a continuous apology pouring from his mouth, his eyes watery. Luxord had a cut above his eyebrow as well as across his cheek, but he didn't seem to notice; he merely wiped away any grime that fell into his eyes with the corner of his tunic. Axel's elbow seemed to be dislocated and Saïx was holding his left hand oddly, looking as though he'd broken several bones in his fingers.
She soon found who she was looking for, hovering at the edge of the group and nursing a nasty looking bump to the head.
"Porom!"
····» ₪ «····
Not a sound came from the tent where Palom and Porom, accompanied by Saïx, worked feverishly to save the life of their commander. Not a sound came from the rest of the outlaws as they retrieved the remaining runaway horses and set up a temporary camp surrounding the healing tent.
Not even Axel spoke from where he sat beside the despondent, traumatised Princess.
Her hands were red raw from all of the scrubbing and scratching in her attempts to remove Roxas' blood from her skin. Her face, still pale, had also been scoured and scrubbed to remove her tears. In her lap lay the cursed dagger which she had reluctantly pulled from the corpse of the man she had helped kill. She didn't know how she felt — everything was so jumbled up, so confused. All she knew was that she couldn't get it out of her head — the terrible scream when she'd stabbed that man; the look on his face when he fell; the blood surrounding Roxas; the nauseating sight of that horrible wound… But above all else, Lightning's words came back to haunt her.
"Do not let me hear that any of them come to harm because of you, or you will live to regret it."
She wanted to throw up. She felt as though it was her fault in some way.
All of a sudden, someone placed something warm and soft around her shoulders. She flinched, looking sharply up at Zexion's worn face. The entire right side of his shoulder and torso was bandaged, as Palom had only had so much time to heal it before he was called off to help his sister with Roxas, but he didn't seem to mind. He offered her a tiny smile as he sat down beside her, although it didn't quite reach his eyes.
"Have you eaten anything?" He asked gently after a beat of silence, his eyes flicking between the Princess and Axel.
When it became apparent that Naminé wasn't going to speak, or make any attempt to respond to him, the redhead sighed, "No, she hasn't. I can't get her to even try anything."
Zexion looked down at the girl beside him with obvious concern. "Naminé, you need to eat, even if it's only something small." He fished out an apple from his own sack gifted to him by Lightning and offered it to her. "After what you've just been through, you need to keep your strength up; you'll waste away."
That's right. She'd killed someone, hadn't she? Or in the very least, she'd helped. At every turn, she was being reminded of her pain, of her ordeal… With a shudder, she shook her head and pushed it away, even at his insistence. "I do not want it."
With a defeated glance in her direction, Zexion placed it in the small space beside them. He met Axel's gaze, who shook his head.
Naminé pretended not to have noticed his look of concern and pulled the blanket around her even tighter, her thoughts overriding her senses. She couldn't deny it; when she had saved him from that man and seen up close just what damage had been done to him, she had felt truly afraid for Roxas. Until that point, he had seemed so strong, so immovable and so infuriating… But in that moment, he was pale, unmoving, on the brink of death. It made her chest ache to see him like that, to know that there was nothing she could do to help him.
She might have rescued him, but she hadn't saved him from death.
Now all they had to do was put their faith in the twins and wait. They had to hope that it would be enough. They had to hope that when that tent opened, that bad news wouldn't be there to greet them. Naminé didn't know what to expect.
It felt like several hours had passed before Saïx finally opened the tent and staggered out into the camp, his face haggard, clothes still stained with dried blood. By that point, everyone had pretty much gathered around it, even Larxene and Marluxia, who were watching the tent entrance expectantly, wearing twin scowls.
Saïx was met by the hopeful, yet fearful faces of his group, waiting desperately to hear news — to hear anything about their commander and his condition.
Everything was still and quiet for a long period of time, a silence that none of them even dared to break.
Relief spread across Saïx's tired face. "He's going to be alright..."
It seemed as though the air suddenly rushed back into their lungs. Axel leaped to his feet and launched himself at Saïx, swinging his arm around the man's shoulders and muttering something unintelligible to him, his face joyous. Zexion closed his eyes, lips moving in perhaps a silent prayer. Demyx let out a cry of relief and slumped against Luxord, while the blond breathed out wearily, scrubbing a hand across his face. Larxene and Marluxia's expressions barely changed, their eyes reflecting their true, hidden emotions.
Only Naminé remained outwardly unaffected, her hands clutching at the blanket draped over her form. Inside her head, she kept repeating Saïx's words to herself, over and over; he's going to be alright… He's going to be alright… He's going to be alright…
She was thankful, relieved even. It looked like she had saved him, after all.
There was a swish of fabric and Palom exited the tent also, his hands and lower arms covered in blood, leaning heavily on his staff for support. His face was grey and worn, dark circles framing his once lively eyes. He looked around for a short moment before waving a weary hand at her. "Hey, Princess!"
Naminé blinked at him, head tilted in a wordless question.
The young man jerked his head towards the tent. "He's awake and he wants to see you."
For a second time that that, she was frozen. What would he do? What would he say? What would she say? She didn't even have chance to wonder as Porom strode over to her and yanked her up to her feet, dragging her towards the tent, his grip on her upper arm surprisingly strong considering his blatant fatigue. The dagger which had been in her lap fell to the ground, forgotten.
"He's exhausted, but he says he won't rest until he speaks to you." Porom rolled his eyes, only an echo of the gesture's usual sarcasm present. "So don't make him wait." He gave her a gentle shove towards the entrance.
Naminé hesitated, glancing back at the outlaws dotted around the small camp, briefly meeting Zexion's gaze. He inclined his head encouragingly and that was all she needed. She ducked under the sheet covering the entrance to the tent and stepped inside.
Instantly, the pungent coppery scent of blood mixed with a kind of rubbing alcohol washed over her senses. She immediately noticed that several candles had been lit and placed around the tent on various surfaces to provide light. Porom, who was standing by a wooden basin to the right, cleaning her hands in the water, looked up when she walked in. Her face, just like her brother, was pale and haggard, showing obvious signs of exhaustion. However, she managed to smile brightly at her, turning away to dry her hands before walking over to the entrance.
"We've done the best we can, but he's still very weak." Porom informed her, casting a worried look towards the back of the tent where a large makeshift bed stood. "He insisted on seeing you, did you know that?" The young woman's gaze turned on her. "He says you saved him."
Naminé looked away, uncomfortable under her scrutiny.
Porom placed a gentle hand on her arm. "I can't imagine how you must be feeling right now. To go through what you did…" She shook her head miserably. "You were very brave."
"Leave us, Porom. I wish to speak with her alone."
The young woman looked abruptly towards the source of the voice and sighed, squeezing Naminé's arm in a gesture of comfort. "I'll be just outside if you need me." She murmured, her eyes warm and inviting.
Naminé managed a disjointed nod as the woman dropped her hand and exited the tent, leaving her alone with him.
"Come closer." His voice was soft, tired, yet entirely commanding.
Cautiously, she stepped closer to the bed, dreading what she might see. Nothing could have prepared her for the sight of a bare chested Roxas lying underneath a mound of sheets pulled up to his waist, his torso heavily bandaged. Unsurprisingly, his face was just as pale as the twins, although his eyes were bright, scrutinising her with the same intensity she was becoming used to.
She felt her shoulders sag with relief. She didn't know what she had been expecting; but definitely not this. Perhaps she had been expecting a lot more blood and a gaping hole where his chest should be. Thankfully, the wound was covered and there was no sign of the blood that caked Palom's arms. He looked almost healthy.
"You…seem to be recovering well." Naminé murmured, dropping her gaze and avoiding all eye contact with him. She had not spoken with him since they were back at Lightning's camp, which felt like a life time ago, but the awkwardness that had been present then still lingered even now.
Roxas sighed, carefully shifting himself into a more upright position, relying solely on his elbows to keep him from toppling back. Naminé raised an eyebrow at him, knowing all too well that moving into such a position while he was still injured was not a wise move. He ignored her reproaching look, rolling his eyes at her.
"I'm healing a lot quicker than I would have done, thanks to Palom and Porom." He began calmly, his voice slightly scratchy from disuse. "That being said…" He paused and pursed his lips, purposefully not meeting her eyes. "If it weren't for you, I guess there wouldn't be anything of me left to heal."
She didn't quite know what to say to that. To her, it seemed like it was a very ambiguous way of him thanking her for what she did, even if the words weren't actually said. But if she was completely honest with herself, there wasn't anything to thank. She was glad to have done what she did, but if faced with the same decision again, she wasn't sure if she could carry through with it. Her hands were still shaking, the memories still raw.
And so, she remained silence, acknowledging him with a curt nod of her head, unable to bring herself to do anything else.
"However…"
Her head snapped up, eyes instantly narrowing at the sharp tone of his voice.
"What you did was foolish and rash." He muttered angrily, his face contorted into a frown. "Do you not realise that you could have easily been captured? Or worse, you could have been killed!" Roxas massaged the bridge of his nose, exhaling slowly. "What you did is not something to be taken lightly. You needlessly put yourself at risk."
Despite everything, Naminé felt her blood begin to boil. Clenching her hands into fists by her sides, she ground out, "I saved your life, did I not? If I had not decided to intervene, you would be dead. Or does that count for nothing?"
Roxas glared at her. Even bedridden, he still managed to look incredibly intimidating. "And you mean to tell me that my life would have mattered to you if you had been captured or killed?" He tried to push himself up into a fully upright position, his face full of anger, only to flinch and let out a groan, a hand flying to his chest.
Panicking, Naminé reached out and wrapped an arm around him for support, easing his weakened form back down. "Palom and Porom said you are still weak." She snapped irritably. "Stop being stubborn and rest. You do not want to injure yourself any further."
"And now you are bossing me around." Roxas muttered sourly, crossing his arms as best he could considering his condition, much like a bratty child would. "You may have saved my life; that does not mean you get to—"
With a huff, Naminé abruptly removed her arm, allowing him to fall back the rest of the way, successfully cutting him off mid-sentence. He let out a loud growl of pain as he collided with the mattress, but she dutifully ignored him. Even now, severely injured to the point of near death, he had the nerve to talk down to her in such a manner. He was never going to change.
"Ow." Roxas hissed through gritted teeth, clutching at his bandages. After the pain had subsided, he let his head flop back against the pillows, a sigh whooshing past his lips. There was a beat of silence before he spoke again, "Porom says I'll never be the same."
He looked up at her, his expression horribly blank. She bit down on her lip to stop herself from flinching. "She told me…that I will always have a scar — which is to be expected — but there's a very strong chance that it will continue to bring me pain for the remainder of my life. Other than that, I'll live." Roxas laughed bitterly. "I should be lucky that the guy who hit me was a bad shot. Considering I was a stationary target and he was aiming for the heart; he missed."
She stared at him, both horrified and dumbstruck by his dismissal regarding his injury. "'Lucky'?" She repeated, her voice shrill. "How was that lucky? You almost died! You would have done if I hadn't…" She trailed off, shaking her head to rid herself of the thought. "Who were they anyway? The men who attacked us…"
Roxas shrugged carelessly. "Bandits, outlaws, criminals… Take your pick." He made a vague gesture, his lip curling with distaste. "They roam these wild parts, they have ever since Xehanort attacked. It would be impossible for Eraqus to have regained complete control of his Realm just yet, so criminal activity is pretty common among the low lands and the forest."
Naminé wrung her hands together, entwining her fingers. "So...they were not connected to Xehanort?" She asked uncertainly.
He smiled grimly at her. "No. But I am sure they are out there somewhere." He shifted himself slightly, grimacing, a hand pressed to his chest. "They just haven't found us yet."
The weight of his words was not lost on her. They were out there, searching for her and eventually, they would find her. It was only a matter of time. The mere thought frightened her. What if she was faced with another ordeal like today?
Unbeknownst to her, Roxas had been watching her face to see her reaction to this news. When her face paled, her eyes staring at nothing, he reached out and placed a hand on her lower arm. "You do not have to worry — we will protect you." He said confidently.
Naminé stared down at the hand on her arm, where it lingered for a very long time. She didn't want to be protected. She wanted to be able to protect herself. It wasn't until that moment that she realised just how much she needed that — to know that her life was in her own hands and to know that she would not have to worry about being rescued, or looked after.
She didn't get a chance to ask him what she so desperately wanted to as Palom came sweeping in, followed by his weary looking sister, abruptly ending any and all conversation between them. "Alright, enough talk. You need to rest."
The warm presence of his hand on her arm abruptly disappeared, leaving her feeling confused and slightly self-conscious. That had been too intimate — considering their status, the fact that she was a young woman and the fact that he was clearly delusional in some shape or form due to his condition made his actions all the more...unacceptable. She had to keep distance between her and this young man, not because he distracted her, or because he affected her judgement, but because her stay with them was only temporary — that much had been made clear. She couldn't afford to get too attached to any of them. Or, at least, that's what she kept telling herself.
Roxas scowled openly at the young man who had interrupted them, apparently unaffected by having been caught in such a compromising position. "I'm perfectly fine. I am recovering well — you said so yourself."
This time Porom spoke, frowning at him, "You sustained an arrow to the chest. You are not going to be 'perfectly fine' for a while yet, even with our healing." She shot him a reproaching look when he dared to grumble something obscene under his breath. "Besides, you're not the only one who needs rest. Naminé has been through a lot today, too."
All eyes landed on her. The girl squirmed uncomfortably under the scrutiny, struggling to maintain her proud posture. She hated the assumptions that she was weak, that she needed protection; that she needed to be looked after. Whether or not it was true, it wasn't something she liked to be made known. Above all else, she was a Princess first and with that came a sense of pride. Being around these people was gradually beginning to soften her to the point that she would risk her life to save another, but even that had breached her limits.
Roxas conceded to Porom's words with a strained sigh, a mild sweat breaking out across his forehead. How had she not notice how exhausted he looked? Before, he had seemed so lively, so the same, but now he was reduced to a shuddering mess, barely able to lift his head. "Alright. You can leave." He wrinkled his nose, apparently struggling with what to say next, "...Sorry to have kept you."
Naminé glanced over at Porom for a moment, who smiled warmly at her, before dipping her head and turning to leave.
"Naminé?" Roxas called, his voice gruff, yet tentative.
The sound of her name passing his lips made her pause. She would never get over the way he said it. She looked back at him uncertainly. "Yes?" She asked, acutely aware that both Palom and Porom were still watching her with twin expressions of curiosity.
For the first time since she'd met him, his lips curled up into a genuine half-smile. "Thank you."
A/N: I CAN'T BELIEVE I MADE IT TO THE TEN CHAPTER MARK. *screeching* Ahem. I hope you all enjoyed this roller-coaster of a chapter! I struggled with it for the most part, but gosh, I enjoyed every little bump in the road.
Again, I want to thank each and every one of you for taking the time to read, review, favourite and follow this story. I appreciate it so much! The next chapter is already in the works, so hopefully it shouldn't take as long to get out there. :)
Big thanks, take care and I'll see you all next time!
~AusisWinds-13