Thank you so much for reviewing since the previous chapter:julietdegoede, anothersloth, gllover22, agarza1538, SeaMe, pugetsound, IloveDiannaAgron, LoveSKINS94 and leek Faberry-Achele Fan.

Posted: 21/2/14

Chapter XI – Grand Duchy of Lithuania

The bark on the tree splintered as the round hit it. Quinn slacked her stance and relaxed as she lowered her pistol, quite happy with the shot. Rachel cautiously removed her hands from her ears, not as impressed as the other woman, just glad she wasn't deaf.

Quinn turned to Rachel as she started to reload the one pistol. "Your turn," she said with a mischievous grin, loving how nervous Rachel looked right now. She had conquered the blade, well not quite but Quinn was sure Rachel would be a fine wielder of the blade one day. So Quinn had decided it was time for Rachel to try firing a pistol. That's what she had suggested before shortly lining up a shot to show Rachel how simple it was.

"I don't think I can." She laughed nervously as she bowed her head.

Quinn furrowed her brow, Rachel was so confident when they first met... did she still frighten the Lady. "Of course you can, it's easy, and I'll be right here, everything will be fine."

"What if I get hurt?" she suggested meekly as she watched Quinn meticulously reload, barely watching her own hands, more interested in looking at Rachel.

They'd decided to stop midday, while the light was still good. They wandered into a deeper part of the woodland on the rough terrain. "I won't let that happen." She assured the nervous woman. If she could she would never let Rachel come to harm, she never had since that first full day when she jumped off a ship to 'save' her.

Rachel raised an eyebrow with intrigue. "What if I hurt you?"

Quinn chuckled, letting herself smile a real smile. "I won't let that happen either."

"I am not sure this is a good idea." She shuffled nervously from foot to foot.

"Why not?" Quinn asked her with a confident and curious smile. "Surely it is better to know how to fire a pistol, than to not know, for you do not know what lies ahead in your life."

"That is true, and I am intrigued." The younger woman gave in, just a little.

Quinn gestured with a nod of the head to the space in front of her, "Then stand here, allow me to teach."

Rachel gave in, mostly because she wanted to be close to Quinn. Walking side by side wasn't enough now, not when she'd had a taste a few weeks before, the night when Quinn had given her that sword, when Quinn had held her in her slim yet strong arms.

She planted her feet at the spot in front of Quinn so Quinn could then turn her, to face her to the tree she had just fired at. She took Rachel's hand and placed the pistol in it before she wrapped her own hand round the young Lady's. Rachel's breath hitched at the soft caress of Quinn's hand as their arms lined up together. The blonde stepped up close, almost flush against Rachel's back as she raised Rachel's hand with her own.

"Good start," She almost shivered at how close Quinn's mouth was to her ear, her breath grazing the side of her face. "Now keep your feet slightly parted, to hold your balance better." Quinn told her in a smoky low voice.

Rachel nodded as she slightly parted her feet in the dirt, "Like this?"

"Perfect." Quinn told her so softly.

"Then do we shoot?" Rachel asked, with distraction, too focused on the other woman so close to her.

"Patience, my Lady," Quinn whispered, "first ensure your arm is strong, the pistol will kick back with some force."

"Will it hurt?" She asked timidly.

"No, not if we do this right." Quinn partially warned her, she didn't plan on it going wrong though. "I will be holding it with you... you've nothing to fear."

'I know.' Rachel couldn't help it, it was automatic with Quinn's words. She just found herself subconsciously leaning into Quinn's embrace, not thinking about much more than the woman pressed against her.

"Stand firm, My Lady." Quinn's words were almost trembling, but Rachel didn't hear it, she was too distracted by feeling embarrassed at being caught.

"Oh, uh, of course" she hurried her words as she fought the blood rushing to her cheeks and stood up properly again. "What is next?"

"Now aim, I cannot aim for you my Lady." Quinn cautioned her, Rachel was in control of the sight at the angle she was standing. "Try and aim for the same tree I hit, but take into consideration that the shot will drop as it flies through the air." She felt Rachel move the pistol to line it up, hopeful to hit the target Quinn had suggested. "When you are ready, pull back the hammer."

"Can you do it for me?" she requested, afraid to remove her hand for fear she couldn't hold its weight much longer. She felt Quinn chuckle behind her before her thumb moved to pull back the hammer as she had told Rachel to do.

"Okay," she moved her free hand to Rachel's waist for more support, distracting Rachel again, and making her aim relax. It wasn't until Quinn spoke again that she remembered on what she was supposed to be concentrating. "When you are ready squeeze the trigger," she instructed, "there will be a pause and a spark as the gun powder is ignited before it fires." She also warned, in case it surprised the Lady. She removed her finger from against Rachel's to give her free reign on the firing mechanism.

Once she had realigned the shot and with that free reign Rachel realised it was now or never, she only truly regretted that she couldn't hold her ears this time. For comfort and, if she had to excuse, stability she placed her free hand over Quinn's on her waist, letting herself relax somewhat as she also tensed enough for the shot.

She almost closed her eyes as she squeezed the trigger, as she had been told and had just seen Quinn do. The hammer fell back into place, igniting the powder. There was a puff of white smoke before the shot came with a loud echo.

Rachel was stunned when she saw the tree splinter ahead of them. It wasn't as dead on as Quinn's shot, it strayed to the left of the wide tree trunk, but it had hit the tree none the less. She nearly dropped the pistol but luckily Quinn's grip was still firmly on it. She turned in Quinn's hold and smiled wide up at the blonde, "I hit the tree." She said with glee.

"Yeah, you did." Quinn swallowed thickly with having Rachel so close once again. They had to stop letting this happen. "Um, would you like another go?" She offered as she finally lowered the pistol and stepped back to reload. Since Poland she kept them loaded, truly believing Rachel wouldn't use it against her.

Rachel nodded quickly, then calmed herself, "If you have enough shot, I don't want to waste your ammo."

Quinn just smiled with encouragement. "We can try a few more. I can pick up more ammunition at the next town if I need it." She offered easily.

With that in mind Rachel's shyness returned as she said, "I would very much like to."

"Oh, um, good." Quinn nodded as she continued to reload the pistol. Any excuse for them to stand that close again.

...

That very night they found themselves where they always found themselves, in their make shift camp. This time the clearing they found had been more obvious as a man made clearing. A few tree stumps were dotted around, making perfect seats, especially for Quinn who was still having some trouble with her leg. It was still much better than it had been though.

"How far do we have still to travel? Rachel asked cautiously. They had hot food tonight which was a rarity. But Quinn had acquired a pot to use to cook food over the fire with, and bowls and utensils to eat with. She had treated Rachel to a stew mostly consisting of vegetables. It ended up just reminding them both of that day at the inn when Quinn woke and Rachel force fed her.

"Not far, it will take around 18 days, less if we can find some horses." Quinn commented as she poked at her food with her fork. She had grown up using this food utensil as it was a Spanish invention, though it was invented far before that anyway. It had yet to be introduced to England so on this journey it had been new and intriguing to the brunette.

Rachel just looked at her food, thinking of that time, thinking of what was important to her right now and the time that was running out. "... Quinn?"

Quinn peered up from staring at her own bowl too, "Yes, my Lady."

"Could... Do you think it's possible..?" she trailed off, finding it so stupidly difficult to voice everything she truly wanted to.

"My Lady, whatever it is, just say it, please." Quinn encouraged from her seat on the tree stump.

"Um, do you think..." She trailed off again, hating herself for her shyness '... do you think it is possible that you could fall for another woman without considering it could ever be a possibility?' She just sat there biting her lip and locking eyes with the other woman, sat too far away. She got up from her chosen tree stump and wandered closer, worrying the curious other woman. With a sigh she sat on the floor in front of Quinn, so close she could see every detail of Quinn's face. The blonde couldn't have looked more confused, but Rachel just needed to be closer physically if she couldn't get closer verbally. "What should I expect of Count Weston?" she finally asked a most deflating question.

Quinn just creased her curious brow. "Um... well..." she placed her bowl on the ground next to Rachel's , and chose her words carefully. "He told me he fell in love with you when he saw a portrait of you."

"I see." Rachel just nodded, trying to understand the man she was yet to meet.

"He will be kind to you, and... I am sure he will respect you," Even if he was possibly mad. Quinn kept going with all she could think of to comfort Rachel. "He is captivated by you already." He wasn't the only one.

"What if he changes his mind once he meets me?" Rachel asked worried.

Quinn just told herself to tell the younger woman what she thought Rachel wanted to hear, but those weren't the exact words that ended up falling from her mouth. "You are... an interesting woman, I'm sure he could spend years getting to know you and still learn new things about you every day. I am sure he would not tire of you." She tried to hide her emotion as she projected her own words and feelings to put Rachel at ease of meeting this man. "And you would be a proud wife on his arm at any moment of the day, be it a wander round the grounds, or for some lavish event. He would not tire of looking at you all day, and..." the more she said these things out loud the more she realised just how deeply she felt all of them. "He is not ghastly himself, you could be very happy with him."

"What if I was already sure I could be far happier somewhere else?" The young Lady just asked her as she looked up at her with those expressive eyes.

"Back to Arundell?" The blonde, with the short rough knife cut hair, just assumed.

"...No" Rachel answered quietly after a beat.

Quinn found herself suffocating, on... jealousy, self hatred? She wasn't exactly sure. She swallowed thickly, trying to soothe her dry throat. "Well... I am sure the Count would see that your wants and needs are all catered for-" the words caught in her throat, she couldn't stay this close to the Lady, with her there just at her feet. She had to get up and create distance between them. "Forgive me my Lady, I should have never taken this contract." She said with her back to the other woman, she didn't need Rachel to see she was close to tears at the constant thought of never seeing her again.

"Quinn?" Rachel scrambled to stand too, hating the distance. Of course Quinn hated it too but she had to be strong, she had to fight through her feelings, believing there was no hope for her.

"I- you see- it's just so wrong!" she started pacing making it impossible to be perfectly reachable to Rachel right now. "I never thought about any action, any contract I took in my life. This isn't the first time I've 'escorted' someone. But it's the first time I've questioned the morals." She rambled, like a crazy person. If Rachel hadn't been so enamoured she would have been scared, instead she was just worried. "This is so wrong, I took you from everyone that loved you and now-" she stopped dead in her tracks and bowed her head with shame, shaking it too in disappointment at herself. She muttered, "even if you could forgive me, I would never be enough, I could never fill that void of all those people, and you could never feel the same..."

"Quinn I don't understand," she couldn't help her feet as they carried her forward, approaching carefully, worried for her, um, companion?

"I just- just," Quinn glanced at her and said with as much of her heart as she could, "I'm sorry." She then stepped away again, not far but it was enough. She gathered herself, forcing any potential tears to be absorbed by her sore eyes. She then mustered in a plain voice: "We will start back in the morning."

"Excuse me?" they were words Rachel had been longing for months ago, but now, that was not what she expected nor cared to hear.

"I can't take you to the Count, he'll... he won't-" her shoulders dropped as she mumbled something else under her breath, something of self hatred.

"Quinn you're not making any sense. We're almost where you have planned to take me for these past months. Not that I want to go, but why would you turn us back now, when your payment is on the horizon?" She grabbed Quinn's arm and pulled them together so she couldn't escape. The Lady was desperate for an answer.

"Because..." Quinn sighed, here went everything, even a few tears from the corners of her tired eyes, "you are worth so much more than he could ever pay. I can't have you with him when he'll never love you like I will." She bowed her head after the confession, feeling truly ashamed of her feelings.

"Q-Quinn," Rachel felt her hear swell in her chest as she grew delightfully light headed, as if her only dreams had come true, "Y-you love me?"

Quinn nodded guiltily, mentally scolding herself for telling Rachel something so horribly scarring. The whole thing was made worse by Rachel being so close, oh why did she have to be so close. Quinn couldn't stop herself, an arrow to the leg, or a bullet to the chest could not stop her at this moment either. "Forgive me," she breathed before betraying any trust Rachel may have still had in her.

She closed the last of the space between them, slipping her arms round Rachel and holding her, trapping her, so she could not escape as she finally locked lips with the younger woman. She felt Rachel tense, but she already suspected she would as she kissed her with everything she had. It was rough and desperate, and it was something the younger and shorter woman had never experienced.

As Quinn started to move her lips Rachel couldn't help but comply and do the same, it had never felt like this before, she'd only had a few light kisses from young men, not a real lustful kiss like this. She melted in Quinn's arms, willingly letting this happen, and willing it to never end. As Rachel had barely got used to one thing she was feeling something new when Quinn swiped her tongue across Rachel's bottom lip. The young lady couldn't help but let out a surprised whimper, which only snapped Quinn back to reality.

She tore herself away, freeing Rachel as she stepped back and turned away, completely horrified with herself. Rachel was just frozen in a dreamy state though, something that went unnoticed by the suddenly very troubled blonde. She'd been calmer getting shot in the leg with an arrow, than in this predicament.

"Quinn," Rachel breathed heavily, she was in heaven, feeling all light headed and dizzy, and having heart palpitations. "That's was-"

"Insulting, disgusting, behaviour? I know!" She cut the brunette off, not listening, just hearing her own false judgement. She looked back at Rachel, not seeing clearly through teary eyes, "Please don't think worse of me, I apologise profusely for forcing myself on you, I don't mean it to upset you. I understand that the idea of two women is not something you could understand, let alone accept -" Rachel grasped her hand to get her attention.

"Quinn, I do understand." Quinn just shook her head in denial as she pulled her hand from Rachel's and folded her arms protectively across her front, "I do," Rachel closed in and tried to hold gently onto Quinn's folded arms, "my father has a lover who is another man. Neither of my parents know that I know, but I do. The idea of two women together as a married man and woman should be is not entirely foreign to me, Quinn. It was not entirely foreign to me In Spain when you confessed for your liking for the fairer sex." Plus two men was illegal, there was no mention of two women.

Quinn's expression softened. "You understand?" she asked. Did Rachel fully understand, not just know that it existed, that people could be like that.

"I am very understanding of the fact that it is something that happens to some people," Rachel assured her tenderly, "but I don't understand how you can love me."

Quinn just scoffed, how could she not see it? "You, my Lady... you a-are the moonlight and the crackling fire in this dark woodland. You just make everything right and brighter in my world... you make me want to be a better person."

Rachel's brow furrowed in that way Quinn could now mentally admit she found cute, "You are a good person, Quinn."

She shook her head some more, bowing it yet again too. It would have been easier to hide if she had her hood up. "I took you from your home, how can you say that?" Her voice broke.

"I saw a good person, in The Holy Roman Empire. When that young man, Arthur, needed help you were there. And I see a good woman who has taken care of me." She tried to convince her captor, her loved captor, while Rachel had already convinced herself that she had enough evidence to easily feel so.

"No, don't say that." She sniffed, truly upset by her behaviour. "The Count said he would under pay me if you came to him harmed." She muttered.

Rachel furrowed her brow again. Even if that was true, which was very likely, there was a limit between preventing harm and taking great care. "But he never told you to buy me things, like the stockings, or the perfumed soap, or the dress. That was not preventing me from harm, that was sweetly taking care of me."

"I just... I did it to make you smile, if just for a moment," she admitted another deep truth that she had kept locked up. The dress had been practical... and something pretty for Quinn to look at. The soap had been a bribe for some silence. But the stockings had been to make Rachel momentarily happy. The sword was for her own protection. But the coins to let her have free reign, she had just wanted Rachel happy. At least as happy as she could be while stuck here with Quinn. "When you smiled I didn't feel so guilty for taking you from everyone who loved you."

"And I thank you for that, so much Quinn." Rachel smiled softly, hoping it could encourage Quinn to relax, "you are kind-"

"I am not." The blonde protested, trying to back away again but she ran out of luck as her back hit a tree.

"You are," Rachel gripped her arm a little tighter as she said with sincerity, "I see you when we are on the streets, when you give homeless children coins. You are a kind hearted woman, Quinn... one I have fallen in love with." Rachel felt such release and freedom as she released her confession.

Quinn was in such deep dark denial it was like she was deaf to the most wonderful of Rachel's words. She pushed her way free this time, freeing her back from the tree and her front from the woman she just wanted to kiss again and again. She spied her bag on the floor and went straight to it, emptying finding the wrappings to re wrap the bread they had not eaten and to find cover for the cooked food for overnight. "... We will start back in the morning." She muttered again.

"But Count Weston-?"

"I will put you on a ship that will give you safe passage home," she explained as she continued to fuss over her few belongings in the bag, "then I shall confront him, return the money he already gave me and decline the contract." She abandoned the bag, finally feeling she could confront the brunette again, with an appropriate calmness. "I'm so sorry my Lady, you will get back to your family safe and as soon as possible."

"But Quinn-" Rachel tried to interfere but Quinn would not cease with her own words.

"I assure you, though this time has been hard for you I will get you back to them, and promise to get you there safely, and I will never again step foot in England," she rambled with determination as she looked through the other woman. She could do this, she could get Rachel out of here without anymore stupid mistakes.

"But-" she tried again.

"You will never have to worry about me bothering you again." She added, breaking Rachel's heart with that imagery.

"But I do not want that!" Rachel finally yelled in frustration, finally getting Quinn to look at her properly.

"My Lady?"

"Do you not understand," she marched straight up to Quinn, not wanting her to keep putting this distance between them. If Quinn tired to move again Rachel just planned to wrap her arms around her and never let go again, "were you not listening to what I just confessed? I love you Quinn, I cannot and refuse to be without you now." The stronger Lady from their time aboard the Rosario Cruz seemed to be making an appearance.

"My Lady-" Quinn tried. Even if Rachel thought she felt that, she could still be wrong, and still be better off elsewhere.

"Don't call me that!" Rachel snapped.

Quinn softly furrowed her brow. "Call you what?"

"It's Rachel, not My Lady." Rachel corrected, denouncing her title. She gripped at Quinn's strong yet trim and still feminine biceps, "I want it to be that way, I don't want my family or my title, I want you, only you."

"My Lady-"

"No, Quinn, you told me you love me. Do you love me?" she asked, wishing to hear it confirmed and not that it was something said in the moment to later be denied.

"Yes, yes I do. But I shouldn't. You're the daughter of a Duke, a member of a respectable family, one the Queen of England favours." She explained every fear and doubt. Even if they defeated one obstacle there was another in the way. Rachel's life could never be anywhere near the same again. "I'm a Spanish born English girl, an orphan without a title who has spent her years questionably, who has killed for fear of death, killed for money... and kidnapped a sensational young woman who I wish I had never bought any harm to. I- we cannot be. No society will ever accept me, for what I have done, and for who I love."

"But I love you too, and I would rather spend every day fighting to be with you than be without you, Quinn." Rachel declared without an ounce of fear. She would yell it from the hill tops if Quinn denied it.

"How can you feel such things?" Quinn asked tearfully. "I've hurt you, taken you from everything you know. You depend on me in a land you do not know, that is not love."

"No, I do love you." She was sure of it, she had already thought all these things herself, but it wasn't clouded judgement, it was real feelings, feelings she didn't know anyone could ever feel. "I know what love is, I have had my attractions before Quinn. My feelings for you crush all the others; make me forget any slight questioning thoughts for any of the young male suitors I have ever been so mildly acquainted with."

"My Lady-" Quinn tried again.

"Please, call me Rachel." Her voice was smooth like fine silk as she closed in again.

"I don't think I can." The contract killer said shamefully, as if she felt she didn't deserve to.

"Please," she muttered as she flushed her body against Quinn's and stretched onto her tip toes. "If just once," she whispered as her lips closed in. Quinn couldn't help herself as she gazed down upon the woman she has fallen for and her waiting pouting lips.

"Rachel." She finally said her name so softly, before bowing her head and pressing her lips against Rachel's for a much calmer kiss. She pulled her close, wrapping her arms around Rachel again, but gentler than before as she let herself get lost in the entire moment, with the feeling of Rachel's body pressed against her own, and Rachel's lips upon her own, and Rachel's hands running through her short, knife cut, hair.

...

The following morning they woke up side by side, Rachel curled up next to the other woman that her heart softened for. Quinn may have fondly watched her sleep for a little amount of time before Rachel had woken naturally. They then ate their breakfast and packed up in silence, just sharing shy glances the whole time.

Once Quinn's bag was packed up and bundled on her back she looked to the brunette and said the first real words of that morning. "Are you ready?"

"For anything... my love," Rachel smiled shyly up at Quinn. She always called her Quinn, so it didn't feel expressive enough, it was just Quinn's name, not a special name for Rachel's mouth only.

Quinn raised that eyebrow. "Your love?"

The younger woman faltered immediately. "Oh, I thought we, that, well that since you declared, a-and I confessed, that-" she mumbled as she tried to step away, realising she'd made an idiot of herself when she just wanted to make sure the fantasy of the night before was actually a reality. "Are we not... anything?" she peered at Quinn curiously.

Quinn stepped in close again, truly she felt as vulnerable as Rachel looked, she was just protecting herself too. Perhaps last night had been a moment of verbal weakness, she had to make sure first. "You want to pursue this with me? I needn't warn you of the perils I face daily."

"Do you not want me? We have been through so much, I know your life and I fear I bought much of that peril on you." She confessed, most of what Quinn had been through the past few months she would have never faced if it wasn't for her "I know, despite all that, I still wish to pursue a life with you Quinn, but if you do not want me-"

"I do want to be with you, my Lady, very much so." She confessed as easy as breathing.

"Glad I have not made a complete fool of myself," Rachel just muttered. Not looking entirely happy. Quinn didn't hesitate to try and remove that pouting lip by ducking her head and kissing the Lady firmly. She knew she'd succeeded when she pulled away and saw Rachel fail to not smile. "I'm still not accustomed to that." She mumbled as she fought the blushing to her cheeks.

"Would you prefer I asked permission before placing a kiss against thy lips?" Quinn asked almost teasingly.

"Why waste time with words?" Rachel teased right back.

"Well you usually like to, My Lady." Quinn pointed out.

Rachel shyly tip toed so she could reach Quinn's soft lips again with her own, Quinn quickly gave in, wanting another kiss so soon too. "It's Rachel, please, my Love," she requested, once she pulled away, so much softer than she had the night before.

"Very well, Rachel," Quinn conceded with her seemingly permanent smile before she offered her hand to the shorter woman, "Not far, and then we'll be free."

"You won't change your mind and hand me over to the Count?" she asked, suddenly worried that she was being naive of this whole situation.

"Never, my sweet," Quinn just smiled softly back at her, "I'd ask you to safely stay here and await my return but I would not make it to the top of this hill before I'd miss you too much and find myself returning to you." She assured with the upmost honesty.

Rachel couldn't help but swoon a little more for Quinn. She finally placed her hand in Quinn's, relishing in this simple contact that she had craved. The contract assassin took the delicate hand and brought it to her mouth, kissing it gently before threading their fingers together and then letting them hang between them. And with that security, and that connection they started the last leg of their journey.

Thanks for reading.

Do let me know what you think, if you've got a moment...